Article Summaries
Fidget Spinners: To Spin or Not to Spin
13 July 2017
By: Sheila Stinnett, Executive Director
If you aren’t already aware there is a new “must have” object capturing the attention of our nation’s youth the “fidget spinner”. These popular spinning toys have three arms extending from a center of ball bearings which allows the object to spin. Gaining in popular...
13 Reasons Why NOT
24 May 2017
A Response from the Staff
Edmond Family Counseling
13 Reasons Why, a book by Jay Asher, has recently been adapted by Netflix into a series, narrated by the now deceased character, Hannah Baker. Hannah has committed suicide. She places blame, in large part, on the horrific events inv...
Thoughts While Walking
24 May 2017
By: John Goetz, LPC
In March I was introduced to a short independent film, The Butterfly Circus, Created by Joshua and Rebekah Weigel in 2009. The setting is the 1930s, America is in the middle of the Great Depression. Many people are jobless and homeless, and the circus is a distraction fro...
Access to Prevention leads to Healthy Adults
24 May 2017
By: Chad McCoy, LPC, Assistant Executive Director
Consider for a moment a couple of truths: Early identification is the best indicator for a positive outcome and people are living much longer than ever before. If you agree with these truths and the evidence that supports them, please continue reading. I...
Bucket List Yet?
24 May 2017
By: Amanda Percival, LPC
Spring has sprung! This is probably my favorite time of year. The grass and trees are green, the sun is shining, and the birds are singing. For some, this time of year brings new hope, new beginnings, inspiration, and growth.
Many times, our lives resem...
Non-Verbal Communication
21 March 2017
By: Sheila Stinnett
“The body says what words cannot”. This simple quote from the famous American dancer Martha Graham speaks volumes about significant impact of non-verbal communication in our relationships with those in our lives. Whether we intend to or not, we are constantly broadcasting non-verbal cues to those aro...
THE ART OF SELF-SABOTAGE
21 March 2017
By: Belinda Crosier, LPC, LADC
A fascinating, but frustrating, phenomenon that therapists witness much more than we would like is that of the self-sabotage syndrome. You’ve probably observed it in someone you love – or maybe even yourself – even though you may not have realized it at the time. It’s very common in p...
Depression Can Be Hard to Spot in Children
09 January 2017
By: Amanda Percival, Staff Therapist
There are some words that individuals use in regard to mental health that are used to communicate a wide range of symptoms. “Depression” is just one of those words. I frequently have clients that say they are depressed. Or on the flip side, I may have a client that veh...
What Grandma Said or Eat your Beets
09 January 2017
By: John Goetz, LPC
First and foremost, I must wish a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all. It has been an interesting end to 2016. Between the elections, fall semester finials, the holiday season, bedlam football, and looking forward to a New Year, this can be a very hectic time of year. During Thanksgiving, ...
Try to be an “8” Percenter in 2017
09 January 2017
By: Chad McCoy, M.A., LPC
Christmas has come and gone. The relatives dispersed, the kids satiated with gifts, and the credit card bills have not yet arrived. What’s next? New Year’s Resolutions of course! Before you put pen to paper to craft yours, I have a few thoughts to consider. ...
Nothing is as it seems; or at least how it seems to you or me
13 October 2016
By Chad McCoy, M.A., LPC
Now more than ever, I am increasingly impressed by the power of perception. Time after time, event after event, I find myself leaving a situation with what I believe to be the “truth” of the situation only to find out later that it was not at all as it seemed. We’ve all been there, and it makes ...
Parents Helping Parents
13 October 2016
Quinton Ellis, LPC, Edmond Family Counseling
Here’s a ‘thought experiment’ question I can’t quit asking people. A college has only one spot left for two applicants. The first has a 3.5 GPA and no criminal record. The other has a 2.9 GPA but has overcome drug/alcohol addiction. Who will the school admit? By what rationale?
...Have You Make Your Summer Memories Yet?
21 July 2016
By Amanda Percival, Staff Therapist, Edmond Family Counseling
As I’m writing this article, I am counting the days until school begins again. Didn’t school just let out? I remember being so ready for summer time when my children were little. Of course, I also remember being equally ready for school to begin again; to occupy them and...
Parenting Shouldn't Be Forever
13 May 2016
By Belinda Crosier, LADC, LPC
So we get to the blessed, anticipated stage of having raised & launched our children, looking forward to doing some things we’ve always looked forward to – or maybe just doing nothing except whatever the mood inspires – and then what to our wondering eyes behold, but an adult child on the doorstep ...
Do You Know Your Teen’s Love Language
14 April 2016
By Amanda Percival, Staff Therapist
One of the reasons that I pursued a career as a therapist was my desire to help strengthen others' relationships. I love to work with couples and families. Although the majority of the clients I see are teens, one common thread many of the teens have is a lack of feeling loved and acc...
Prom Night Parenting? Yes, Please!
07 April 2016
By Darcy McConnell, LADC
Prom night has sure changed over the years. After listening to teenagers talk about their plans it’s reminiscent of a mini trip to Las Vegas. The stuff that teenage dreams are made of! Hundreds of phones calls and thousands of text messages will be exchanged about plans and attire. Girls wil...
Do it Yourself Marriage Counseling
08 March 2016
By John Goetz
The idea of self-help and self-improvement has been around as long as I can remember. Dale Carnegie wrote The Art of Public Speaking in 1910 and followed it up with a series of self-help books through 1990. This past weekend I changed brake pads on my car after first consulting a You Tube video. Americans spend their w...
Unemployment: Next Steps to Recovery
18 February 2016
Belinda Crosier, LPC, LADC
“It was the best of times – and the worst of times.” So reads a quote from Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, which could accurately describe the current economic climate in Oklahoma. We have enjoyed a mostly thriving economy in Oklahoma for some time, as evidenced by ...
Micro-aggression on the College Campus
08 February 2016
by Quinton Ellis, LPC
There was a time in my young life when the only thing I knew for sure about college was that they had toga parties. These days, the only thing I know for sure about toga parties is that they will result in your expulsion from college. Much like Christmas, (also not welcome on campus), college seemed a lot cooler ...
Your Teen Might Be Entitled If…
23 December 2015
By Darcy McConnell, LPC, LADC
What are a teenager’s rights? Hopefully we can all can agree that teens have the right to be treated as a human being by friends, family and associates. While every family is different, each teen deserves someone to provide support, comfort and to remain safe from physical and emotional violence. The...
