Shannon Mick, NCC, LPC Finish Stronger Counseling

03/23/2026

9 Habits that Boost Your Mood

Have you been feeling depressed or lost? By developing some healthy habits you can alter your mood for the better.

The 9 habits in this video are small steps that you can take, plus little research tidbits.

1. Practice gratitude
2. Give compliments
3. Experience and go with the flow
4. Savor the little moments
5. Exercise
6. Get enough sleep
7. Choose foods that boost your mood
8. Work towards meaningful goals
9. Experience nature...

https://finishstrongercounseling.com/2022/09/28/9-habits-that-boost-your-mood/

02/20/2026

Build Better Habits: The difference between people who succeed and who fail

Mediocre to Olympic winning cycling team:

In chapter 1, James Clear starts with a look at how British cycling performance director Dave Brailsford turned the British cycling team from mediocre to an Olympic winning team in the early 2000s.

He did this by employing a strategy he called “the aggregation of marginal gains.”

Marginal gains:

The coaching team decided to make tiny changes (1% improvements) to everything that goes into riding a bike.

For example, they redesigned the bike seats to make them more comfortable.

They improved the bikes’ tire grip and even the fabric of the athletes’ riding suits.

They also hired a surgeon to train the cyclists on the proper methods of hand washing to avoid catching a cold.

These changes, which at first may seem small and inconsequential, added up (aggregation) to make a huge difference (marginal gains)...

https://finishstrongercounseling.com/2024/04/11/build-better-habits-the-difference-between-people-who-succeed-and-who-fail/

Have you read Atomic Habits by James Clear? I recommend this book and workbook to most of my clients. In Atomic Habits, James Clear reveals secrets to results..

02/03/2026

How to Get In-Tune with Satiety and Hunger Cues: Hunger Scale (Free downloadable resource. This resource isn't treatment, it's just educational information.)

The hunger scale chart is one way to become more in-tune with your gut feelings and also, to have a better idea on whether or not you’re hungry and how much food to eat. Taking notes of how you feel will eventually lead to increasing your awareness and improving intuitive eating habits.

The scale is 1-10. One, being that you’re feeling starving, weak, or dizzy and ten, is that you feel sick because you are so full.

https://finishstrongercounseling.com/2021/01/11/get-in-tune-with-satiety-hunger-cues-hunger-scale-tool-and-questions-to-consider/

The hunger scale chart is one way to become more in-tune with your gut feelings and also, to have a better idea on whether or not you're hungry and how much...

01/28/2026

It isn't always easy to own our story and to love ourselves, but the process of acceptance and moving forward with healing is important. We need to do it, and we need to have courage.

You don't have to take the past with you into the future. The past also doesn't have to define you.

We can go through incredibly painful experiences in life, and those things change us. The change tends to be bad or negative, but some of the changes may be good. We learn, grow, and become more resilient.

Change is tough, so practicing being self-compassionate will help. Learn to love yourself, even if it is just parts of yourself.

Love yourself in the present moment and think about who you want to be and where you want to be in the future. Be patient with yourself if you aren't sure of these, yet. Be patient with the change process.

If you need help, use your resources, connections, people you trust and who truly care for you, and mental health professionals.

If you need support from a professional counselor, search locally and or use an online directory.

For affordability, see if they accept insurance (if you have it), ask if they use a sliding scale, or see if they have a reduced fee spot open.

You don't have to go through things alone.

Remember, you can get through this.

01/25/2026

Reflective Listening for Improving Communication

Practice reflective listening in your relationship for better communication.

A few reasons why couples argue and struggle to communicate well:

- Real-world issues: different opinions on finances, family, raising children, and things going on within the home.

- Attachment issues: this can be presented as couples fighting about how they fight.

- Communication itself: a person has a lack of empathy, when people don’t really listen, and when people are defensive.

Let’s just focus on addressing the communication itself:

In unhealthy communication...

Practice reflective listening in your relationship for better communication. A few reasons why couples argue and struggle to communicate well: Real-world...

01/23/2026

What is Mindfulness and How to be More Mindful? (DBT)

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is choosing to be aware of the present moment, on purpose, and in a non-judgmental way.

When being mindful, our attention and focus is on whatever we choose to observe or do.

In this moment, choose to focus your mind wherever you’d like it to be.

Practice

Maybe you focus on your emotions, thoughts and physical sensations as you experience the environment around you.

Hold your attention there, focusing on being in the moment.

https://finishstrongercounseling.com/2020/06/28/mindfulness-dbt/

Mindfulness is choosing to be aware of the present moment, on purpose, and in a non-judgmental way. When being mindful, our attention is on one thing at a

01/08/2026

Where's the line that you should draw between using a coping strategy (ex: going on a run) and talking with a counselor?

1. Get help when you're struggling, before reaching "rock bottom".

2. Look for physical, mental, and emotional health issues. All three are linked.

I suggest finding help for things that are lasting for longer than a month, but the length of time that you wait may vary from person to person, since people can go through things differently. It depends on what it is and how much it impacts you.

Look for the areas of life that this is impacting. Work, home, social, running, etc...

Consider this information when you find yourself struggling and may need to talk with a counselor.

01/07/2026

Mindfulness Practice:

Think to yourself or reply in the comments section...

3 things that you are grateful for

2 things that you are proud of

1 thing that you can do in the next week to improve your life

01/06/2026

Why You Should Prioritize Your Mental Health (and How)

Do you prioritize your mental health?

If your mental health isn’t one of the areas that comes to mind, consider moving it to one of your top priorities.

Here’s the short answer of why it’s important.

When we work on our mental health, we improve all of the other areas of our lives.

When we emotionally and mentally operate effectively and efficiently, other well-being pieces fall into place.

Some pieces that are positively impacted are, sleep, problem solving capability, relationships, and productivity.

All a ripple-effect benefit of prioritizing mental wellness. The benefits are truly endless...

Do you prioritize your mental health? If your mental health isn't one of the areas that comes to mind, consider moving it to one of your top priorities....

01/05/2026

Counseling spots available!

- Adults
- Runners, endurance athletes, ultramarathon runners, and people who want to learn a little more about being active.
- Pennsylvania
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Habits
- Trauma
- ED
- Mindset

You can get a hold of me through email via my contact form.

I'm looking forward to learning about your goals and the areas that you would like to see improvement.

Shannon is providing telemental health services to Pennsylvania residents. She specializes in treating anxiety, trauma and eating disorders.

01/05/2026

Back of the Pack Ultra Guy Podcast with Christian Barrett. We took a deep dive into ultrarunning and mental wellness, focusing on trauma and resiliency.

Shannon Mick, an ultra runner and mental health professional, discussing her journey into ultra running, the mental health benefits of running, and the impac...

12/31/2025

Instead of going on a run when you feel stressed out, try practicing a mantra meditation.

This is part 3 of 3.

In part 1, I shared information on the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) part of the brain and how when we experience trauma, it becomes less active. I also give tip number 1, reducing cytokines.

In part 2, tip 2 was about practicing "effortful control", which involves doing activities like puzzles and problem solving games.

Tip 3, mantra meditation. Briefly check-in with yourself to see where you're at physically, mentally, emotionally.

Checking-in gives us a chance to build awareness. This gives us feedback, so after the exercise, when we check back in, we'll be able to sense positive shifts in our bodies and minds.

This creates positive reinforcement when an activity is helpful.

For the mantra meditation, choose a mantra that works for you. You can come up with one on your own, find one online, or maybe in a book.

One of my personal favorites is, "I have everything that I need right now, in this moment."

Repeat your mantra, calmly, out loud to yourself, for about one minute.

You can take a break and focus on breathing for a minute or two, and then return to the mantra.

Go back and forth between reciting your mantra and focusing on your breathing.

Give this a try for about 5-10 minutes and then check-in again to see what shifts you notice.

Do you feel any less tense in your body?

Do you feel a little more calm?

Do you feel more grounded?

Save this tip, so you can remember it and send it to other runners, so they know how to destress some without going on a run.