Monisha Mitchell, LCSW

01/02/2026

I’m not a Mel Robbin’s fan (not opposed just not a fan)
BUT this is so true!

01/02/2026

✨ Mental Health Moment ✨

As we step into a new year, so many resolutions focus on doing more — exercising more, eating better, cutting back on social media, being more productive. All great goals… but here’s one we often forget:

Sleep.

Your brain doesn’t rest when you sleep — it works.
During deep sleep, your brain consolidates memories, processes emotions, and clears out mental “noise.” It’s when learning sticks, stress softens, and emotional regulation gets a reset.

Think of sleep as your brain’s nightly filing system and repair crew 🧠✨

If you want better focus, steadier mood, stronger memory, and more emotional resilience in 2026, start with this simple commitment:

Love your brain by letting it rest.

Sleep isn’t laziness.
It’s mental health maintenance.
It’s emotional regulation.
It’s healing.

So as you set intentions this year — consider making rest part of the plan.
Your brain is doing important work while you sleep. 💫

12/26/2025

12/18/2025

12/16/2025

Holding Space for the Grieving Heart:l

As the holiday season twinkles into view, it’s easy to get swept up in the sparkle of festivities. But for many, the holidays can also be a tender time, especially for those carrying grief and loss into the season. This is a gentle reminder that the most meaningful gift we can offer is our presence and understanding.

For Those Supporting a Grieving Friend:
1. Listen Without Fixing: Sometimes the best support is simply listening. Let your loved one share memories or feelings without feeling the need to cheer them up. Acknowledge their feelings and let them know it’s okay to feel however they feel.
2. Offer Gentle Invitations: If you’re hosting or planning a holiday gathering, offer invitations without pressure. Let them know there’s no expectation—just an open door whenever they feel ready.
3. Create Space for Remembrance: Consider small rituals, like lighting a candle or sharing a favorite story, to honor the person who is missed. This can be a comforting way to include their memory in holiday traditions.

For Those Who Are Grieving:
1. Give Yourself Permission to Feel: The holidays can bring a mix of emotions. Allow yourself to feel joy, sadness, or anything in between. There’s no “right” way to navigate this time.
2. Set Boundaries and Take Breaks: It’s okay to step away from gatherings or create a quiet space for yourself if you need it. Let others know what you’re comfortable with and honor your own needs.
3. Find Small Moments of Comfort: Whether it’s a favorite cup of tea, a walk in nature, or a cherished tradition, lean into small comforts that bring you a sense of peace.

In the end, the holidays are about connection and compassion. By approaching this season with mindfulness and sensitivity, we can create a space where everyone feels seen and supported.

12/15/2025

When winter arrives, we’re quick to list our reasons for staying inside. It’s too cold. It’s gloomy. We’ll go out when it’s warmer.

But here’s the truth: some of the most powerful support for low mood and seasonal depression is waiting for us outside, even in winter.

Think back to childhood. Snow days weren’t something to avoid — they were an invitation. Snow angels, crunchy footsteps, red cheeks, and laughter that didn’t require planning. There was whimsy in the cold and joy in simply being out there.

Winter sunlight still counts. Even on cold days, especially sunny ones, your body gets vitamin D, which helps your mood. And moving around, even just a little, can keep your spirits lifted.

So winter doesn’t mean life is on pause. The snow is still outside, the sun still shows up, and joy doesn’t disappear just because it’s cold.

Bundle up, step outside, and let yourself remember that play and light can exist even in winter.

12/05/2025

Just a moment of humor
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRUvJErjsWW/?igsh=MWRibWtxOHRyYWo5MQ==

11/27/2025

This Thanksgiving, I’m reflecting with deep gratitude on the work I’m honored to do. Every client who walks through my doors (or logs into a session) entrusts me with something precious—their story, their healing, their hope. That trust is never taken lightly.

To my clients: thank you for showing up with courage, for doing the hard work of growth, and for allowing me to walk alongside you. Your resilience is powerful, your insight is inspiring, and your progress—big or small—is meaningful.

To my colleagues, referral partners, and community supports: thank you for believing in the work and for collaborating with compassion and professionalism. Our shared commitment to mental health and trauma-informed care makes healing possible for so many.

And to everyone who has encouraged, supported, or uplifted this practice—your kindness matters more than you know.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve, to witness transformation, and to continue building a space where people feel seen, understood, and safe.

With Gratitude
Monisha

11/21/2025

Rooted in Gratitude: A Journey Through Transracial Adoption
(November is National Adoption Awareness Month)

When I was little, people would remark how much I looked like my mother. They were wrong. Others said I resembled my father. They were wrong too. I am adopted. When I talk about my parents, I mean the people who picked me up from the hospital after I entered the world and who loved me every day of my life.

Adoption, especially transracial adoption, is a story of love and loss. For those of us raised in families where our skin color did not match, the journey carries unique layers. It can mean experiencing the beauty of belonging to a family while also navigating the loss of connection to culture and heritage. Within that mix, gratitude has a way of taking root—gratitude for parents who love deeply and gratitude for the strength that grows as identities are explored and embraced.

⸻

Intention and Awareness

Adopting across racial or cultural lines requires thoughtful intention. Love is essential, but it is not the only ingredient. It helps to learn the history your child carries with them—both personal and cultural. It helps to notice how your world looks through their eyes.

If your child is the only person of color in your immediate circle, it can feel isolating. Children thrive when they see themselves reflected in their communities, friendships, and role models. Representation isn’t just nice—it’s foundational to their sense of identity and belonging.

As a black adoptee raised by parents who did not look like me, I often wrestled with identity. My mother and I rarely talked about race, and yet I needed those conversations. I needed her to see me fully—not only as her daughter, but also as a child who would grow up moving through the world in a body and identity different from hers.

Every adoptee’s journey is unique, but many of us share that inner work of weaving together heritage, belonging, and self-understanding. Parents can help by creating safe spaces for questions and by listening with openness instead of discomfort.

⸻

Gratitude with Depth

People sometimes ask adoptees if they are grateful to be adopted. Gratitude in adoption, however, is not that simple. It is not a one-dimensional feeling. Adoptive children do not owe their parents gratitude for being chosen. They are simply children, deserving of love and dignity.

True gratitude is deeper. Gratitude flows both ways. Parents express gratitude for the gift of raising their child, for the lessons in humility and resilience their child teaches them. It grows when parents commit to learning and building bridges between cultures. Adoptees, in turn, may find gratitude in the love and stability they receive, while also shaping their families into more inclusive, culturally aware spaces. For transracial adoptees, gratitude can mean saying: I am grateful for the parents that raised me. I am also allowed to honor the losses that shaped me. Both can be true.

It shows up when families surround their children with representation and belonging. It is reflected in the resilience of adoptees who integrate multiple stories into one identity. Gratitude here is not about glossing over challenges or overlooking differences, but about appreciating and valuing it all. Gratitude is not about denying pain or pretending adoption is simple. It is about acknowledging the fullness of the journey.

When gratitude is practiced this way—with honesty and depth—it becomes a source of strength. It empowers adoptees to hold the complexity of their stories and still find beauty in them. And it invites families and communities to listen more deeply, love more fully, and grow more intentionally together.

⸻

Walking Together

Adoption, particularly transracial, is not only about a child joining a family. It is about weaving together love, difference, identity, and gratitude. Parents cannot answer every question, but they can walk with their child through the journey—with tenderness, humility, and courage.

In doing so, families discover that gratitude is not a simple answer. It is a practice—one that blossoms when children are seen, honored, and embraced in the fullness of who they are.

11/10/2025

Can you heal from trauma?
YES!
Take a listen as I chat with my friends Zionsville Alliance for Mental Wellness

Dr. Courtney Ward and Amber Nunes are joined once again by licensed therapist and trauma specialist, Monisha Mitchell. We're diving deep into the most important question: Can people truly heal from trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

11/05/2025

11/03/2025

🌿 Monday Must-Do’s (Reimagined)

Before jumping into the week’s checklist, pause and ask:
What truly must be done — and why?

So often, we rush into Monday measuring our worth by how quickly we start producing. But what if the real must-do is beginning from stillness — taking a moment to mentally prepare, breathe, and set clear intention before moving into motion?

For me, Monday must do includes a walk outside. While the Manager Part of me wants to jump right into the literal to do list, thank God for SELF. SELF reminds me I will be more present and productive in everything I do if I start the week in gentle movement and nature.

Mindful preparation isn’t procrastination. It’s protection — for your peace, your energy, and your purpose.

Start your week not with mindless production, but with presence.
That’s where clarity lives.