NorthStar Therapy

07/27/2025

Don't give in to avoiding the negative/painful aspects of life. This can lead to avoiding positive/pleasant events and experiences. Express your commitment to your Life Worth Living goals by doing at least one little thing each day that will bring peace, joy, humor, satisfaction, or self-confidence. What is the one little thing you can do today?

07/24/2025

As we teach skills module with our clients right now, we came across this line form Dr. Linehan's teaching notes, which we love:

“When people tell you to quit feeling an emotion, it is like telling you to quit feeling the rain come down on your head or the pain when someone hits you over the head with a skillet."

Your emotions are caused. Your emotions are valid. Your emotions provide you with valuable information and motivate effective behaviors. Be mindful out there! :-)

07/23/2025

The real power lies in how you respond to your thoughts, not in the thoughts themselves.

07/22/2025

"There’s a silent cost to belonging that many students pay in adolescence: the erosion of self-respect." DBT in Schools, LLC offers principles and practices that can make a profound difference in the lives of students.

There’s a silent cost to belonging that many students pay in adolescence: the erosion of self-respect.

They say “yes” when they mean “no.”
They laugh along when they feel hurt.
They go along with things that violate their values, just to stay accepted.

It’s not a lack of intelligence. It’s a fear of exclusion—and a lack of tools.

That’s where FAST comes in.
This DBT skill helps students learn that self-respect doesn’t have to come at the cost of connection. It can exist alongside it.

When students learn FAST, they learn:

They can be Fair to themselves and others, without needing to justify every feeling.

They don’t have to Apologize for having needs or preferences.

They can Stick to their values, even when it’s hard.

And they can be Truthful, without being harsh or manipulative.

Self-respect is a mental health protective factor. It shapes decisions, relationships, and long-term well-being.

Classroom printable worksheets and visual tools are available in the resource center of our website.

07/22/2025

Thank you, ADDitude. This is a topic close to our hearts.

For too many years, women with ADHD have been routinely dismissed, disregarded, and misdiagnosed when they pursue evaluations and diagnoses for impairments like distractibility, executive dysfunction, and emotional dysregulation. Despite a growing canon of research on ADHD in girls and women, many clinicians continue to get it wrong — misattributing symptoms of ADHD in females to anxiety, mood disorder, or even hormones.

👉 https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-in-women-girls-symptoms-diagnosis-recommendations/

07/22/2025

"Love is as love does. Love is an act of will -- namely, both an intention and an action. Will also implies choice. We do not have to love. We choose to love." ~M. Scott Peck

07/21/2025

Applying the ABCs with ADHD scaffolding can turn your knowing into going.

Accumulate Positives: Setting reminders on your phone to take a "fun break" or use a habit tracker to log enjoyable activities. Initially, you might need an external prompt to consistently engage in positive experiences.

Build Mastery: Using visual task managers (like Trello or Asana), breaking down large projects into micro-tasks, or having an accountability partner to check in on progress. Each completed micro-task is a "rung" on the scaffolding, building confidence.

Cope Ahead: Using a "pre-mortem" exercise where you imagine everything that could go wrong in a situation and then brainstorm solutions. This structured thinking helps anticipate challenges and create a plan. Creating a "pre-meeting checklist" or a "trigger response plan" for specific situations.

Scaffolding helps turn the knowing (understanding the ABCs) into going (actually applying them) by providing the necessary structure and support, especially when executive functions like planning, organization, and initiation might be a challenge.

07/21/2025

And that's .

Extending a heartfelt thank you to the Wichita Recovery Hub for providing a generous cookout for our clients and staff yesterday! The delicious food was wonderful, but we are even more grateful for the growing partnership with our adolescent team to better serve youth in Wichita. We could not be more excited for what will come as we continue to brainstorm innovative ways to support adolescents in our community.

If your organization is passionate about supporting adolescents in the Wichita area, Mirror would love to have you at the table. Please reach out to us! We welcome your voice and collaboration as we work together to make a lasting impact!

07/21/2025

The aim isn’t to avoid pain or discomfort but to live in a way that is more fulfilling and aligned with your values.

07/20/2025

One of the HOW skills from Core Mindfulness is the practice of taking a nonjudgmental stance. Core Mindfulness skills help develop attentional activation skills and cognitive flexibility.

Step-by-step for ADHD adults:
Non-Judgmentally: Observe without evaluating as good/bad, right/wrong.

Acknowledge and redirect: When a judgment arises (which it inevitably will, especially for adults with ADHD who often internalize criticism), acknowledge it gently and then redirect the focus back to observation.

How-to Example: "I notice the thought, 'This is boring,' or 'I'm bad at this' has entered my mind. See that thought. I now return my attention to the sound of my breath." Your thoughts come and go like clouds in the sky." Don't hang onto them, don't push them away

Self-compassion: If you judge, don't judge your judging. Remember your SLACK skills.

07/18/2025

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is highly effective for adults with ADHD due to its focus on emotional regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness – all areas where ADHD can present significant challenges. The "dialectical" aspect emphasizes the balance between accepting who /where you are right now and the need for change.

07/18/2025

Upcoming training opportunities with DBT in Schools, LLC. Maybe for Wichita Public Schools and neighbors.

📣 This is your final reminder to join our July training Implementation and Counseling Strategies Trainings! These are the last trainings during summer break.

If you’ve been considering DBT STEPS-A for your school, this training offers the full foundation you need to implement it effectively—with confidence, clarity, and clinical integrity.

In just a few days, you’ll gain:
1. A clear roadmap for teaching DBT skills in schools
2. Implementation strategies grounded in real-world classroom and counseling challenges
3. Guidance on adapting lessons for diverse learners and mental health needs
4. Resources you can use immediately

Whether you’re working with an entire school team or starting small, this training supports you in building a skills-based SEL program that doesn’t rely on vague motivation or behavior plans.

⏳ Don’t miss your chance to join the July session—spaces are limited.

📅 Register now →https://www.dbtinschools.com/all-training-opportunities-cal