How Using Cell Phones and Social Media Affect Developing Social Skills in Kids

Increasing use of smart phones and social media are changing the way kids develop social skills. Technology decreases the amount of face to face interaction and increases the amount of communication done from behind a screen. There are pros and cons to this. Technology allows kids to connect with others all over the country and even world, exposing them to a much wider variety of media, culture, and beliefs than what may be present within the microcosm of their own school or neighborhood. Now, social skill development must include comprehension of virtual social cues, such as the idiosyncrasies of emojis in texts or the implied meaning behind a gif or meme. Building social skills of any kids, whether in person or electronic, is pertinent to a child’s self worth; being able to engage effectively with peers directly correlates to positive self-esteem.

However, social media can be dangerous when a child is placing too much value on the number of “likes” they receive on a post. Middle school especially is a crucial transitional age where kids are relying less on approval from parents and more on approval from peers. Nowadays peer validation can be quantified via the number of likes, comments, and shares a child receives on their posts. Popularity is measured by the amount of followers on a social media handle. Interacting in this way socially can become addicting, because the reward center in the brain releases feel-good chemicals when a child receives a notification of another “like”, thus reinforcing the repetition of social media posting behaviors. Throw in the privacy of DMs and Snapchat, and sexting then becomes a risk, as kids must push the limits of their posting to receive more validation, especially in the form of attention from the opposite sex (or a crush in general).

Because kids are so attached to their smartphones, loss of phone privileges is becoming the preferred method of discipline for parents. Sudden loss of this major source of validation and social interaction can be detrimental to a child and even elicit feelings of anxiety, depression, and low self-worth. Even with privileges restored these feeling can occur when heavy filtering and photo manipulation portrays unrealistic expectations of beauty. Kids also compare themselves to their peers and often perceive themselves as living a less exciting or even boring life, not realizing others are only posting the climatic parts of their life, rather than the mundane. All this pressure to “perform” virtually, and we haven’t even mentioned cyber bullying!

Early smart phone use needs to be controlled in order to help a child establish healthy boundaries with technology. Parents can:
-set parental controls and passwords
-limit screen time to a certain amount of time per day
-encourage breaks from technology to go outside
-approve and monitor use of apps
-talk about the unrealistic standards of appearance portrayed by social media influencers
-engage their child in physical or hands-on outlets to learn proficiency in a skill set to increase self-esteem
-require completion of homework or chores prior to social media use
-ban smartphones from the dinner table
-require family members turn in their smartphones to a designated charging station every night before bed
-model healthy smartphone boundaries–practice what you preach!

Seeking LGBTQ Counseling for Support on Coming Out and How to Do it

Coming out is a difficult and trying process. At the same time, it can also be freeing and liberating to finally live openly as you. You may find support within the LGBTQ community and learn to love yourself for who you are. You may find that your family and friends are more accepting than you imagined. While this is not true for everyone, the rewards gained from coming out can be worth the challenges that accompany it.

It may have taken you some time to come to terms with your sexual identity, and now you feel like it’s “too late” to come out – it’s not. People become self-aware of their sexuality at different ages, especially if they’re desperate to fit into heteronormative society. Sexuality can also change and develop over time, making you identify as something new well into adulthood.

When it Comes to Coming Out

For many people, coming out is a complicated, emotional process. It may have taken you some time to embrace your gender or sexuality, or you may still be going through the process of doing so. You may be worried that your family, friends, and loved ones will not accept you once you come out. Alternatively, you may not have total self-acceptance, but know that coming out of the closet is a necessary step for you to gain it.

There is no “best time” to come out. While some individuals stay closeted for years, sometimes due to safety concerns, others are eager to tell their family and friends immediately. No matter your situation, it is common to need external support to develop resilience against the mental health stressors and barriers that can arise during the coming-out process.

How Can Therapy Help You Navigate the Coming-out Process?

A therapist can help you navigate the tricky questions that may be preventing you from coming out. This may include questions like:

• Do you even want to come out, or do you just feel like you have to?
• What are your fears and hesitations regarding coming out?
• What repercussions might you face if you decide to come out?
• What resources do you need access to during this process?
• Is there anyone you don’t want to come out to at all?

A well-versed LGBTQ therapist can provide you with a safe, comfortable, judgement-free environment while delving into these often difficult-to-answer questions. Therapy gives you a safe space to weigh out your options, decide who you want to tell, and make an action plan in case safety becomes an issue. A therapist can help to prepare you for tough conversations and plan responses to potentially negative reactions. An LGBTQ therapist can also help you with mental health conditions that may or may not be related to your gender or sexuality, such as depression and anxiety.

Your LGBTQ-Friendly Counseling Center in St. Petersburg, FL

St. Petersburg is becoming world-renowned for its LGBTQ-friendly community and we love it! With acceptance and affirmation as two of our counseling center’s core values, we empower our clients in their sexual identity no matter what your identity is.

Our team is here to meet the mental health needs of LGBTQ individuals and we want you to feel safe, open, and proud about who you are. If you are ready to explore the possibility of coming out of the closet and want to know you have a counselor who is knowledgeable about LGBTQ issues, we want to be there for you. Call McNulty Counseling today at 727-344-9867 to begin your journey to self-acceptance and authenticity.

Begin Affirming LGBTQ Counseling in St. Petersburg, FL

You don’t have to struggle alone with fear of coming out. You can begin to feel supported and encouraged in your sexual orientation or gender identity exploration. If you are struggling to accept yourself or navigate barriers related to being a member of the LGBTQ community, therapy can help. Our skilled, affirming LGBTQ counselors are experienced in the unique issues and hardships that LGBTQ people often face. We want to help you or your loved one navigate this journey of self-discovery and work through any difficulties that may arise during the coming out process. If you have questions or would like to start the exploration process of whether coming out is right for you, please contact our St. Petersburg, FL clinic. We want to help!

Parent of a Transgender or Non-binary Child? A How-To for Showing Love and Acceptance

Has your child recently come out to you as transgender, but you’re not sure how to react?

Do you want to support them, but feel in over your head on gender terminology?

Raising any child requires dedication, hard-work, and understanding. It comes with fights, worrying, and other obstacles as you navigate parenthood and do your best to raise a happy, healthy adult. If your child has recently come out to you as trasngender, non-binary, gender-fluid, or any gender identity that you don’t know much about, you may be struggling with how to best support your child. We want to help you do that.

Defining LGBTQ+ Terms

It is important to recognize the differece between biological sex – which is associated with reproduction and anatonmy – and gender – which is a social construct when learning about transgender terms. In general, transgender or trans is a term that encompasses numerous gender identities of those who do not identity with their sex assigned at birth.

Cisgender/cis: Cisgender is a term used to describe individuals who identity with the sex they were assigned with at birth. In other words, cis individuals are not transgender. A majority of the population falls under this term.

Gender fluid: A changing or fluid gender identity

Nonbinary – Genders other than male/female. Note: not all nonbinary people identify as trans and not all trans people identify as nonbinary.

Gender neutral – Having no gender or having a gender that is neutral.

Trans Woman – Typically describes someone who is assigned male at birth who identifies as a woman (also known as male-to-female, MTF, M2F, trans feminine)

Trans Man – Typically describes someone who is assigned female at birth who identifies as a man (also known as female-to-male, FTM, F2M, trans masculine)

How to Show Love and Acceptance

1. Become educated. Don’t let all of these definitions overwhelm you – it is normal to not understand everything about something you haven’t been exposed to before. At the same time, it will benefit both you to learn about the differences between sex and gender and some of the identities that are out there. Your willingness to learn also shows your child that you care about who they are and want to validate their identity.
2. Do not grieve in front of your child. It may feel like you’ve lost your child as they were, but they are not the person to share these feelings with. It is important that you unconditionally accept your child so they can thrive as a happy and healthy version of themselves.
3. Gender your child correctly and don’t “deadname” them. Remember to ask what pronouns your child uses (he/him, she/her, they/them, etc.), because by using the right pronouns, you are validating their identity and showing that you care. “Deadnaming”, or calling them by their original name even after sharing their preference for another, is another thing to avoid. If you slip up – apologize! But refusing to acknowledge their gender identity or call them by a new preferred name can erode the trust and comfort your child feels with you.
4. Do not try to “treat” your transgender child for their identity. Do not use therapy as a punishment or a tool to fix your child – transgender is not an illness that needs to be “fixed.” The role of therapy for transgender individuals is to create a welcoming, accepting environment and to allow them to work with a caring professional that affirms their identity for what it is. Sending your child to therapy for their gender and/or sexual identity to be changed is not only ineffective – it is harmful.
5. Consider attending counseling yourself. You may have your own mixed feelings and emotions about your child coming out as trans: from confusion, to grief, to acceptance, it is a journey for you too. Even so, it is important to remain a positive figure in their journey. If this case for you, you may want to consider counseling yourself. Having your own space to talk about your thoughts and feelings about your child’s journey to authenticity allows you to be a better support system for them. It can also help you work through your own misgivings, stigma, or lack of education on the topic.

Counseling for Parents Who Aren’t Sure What to Do

Transgender children face a number of obstacles that can make navigating their adolescence particularly challenging. Transgender teens are also more prone to having mental health issues such as depression and anxiety because of these obstacles. As a parent, you can make the choice to stand by their side as their biggest ally and advocate and help them come to a place of self-acceptance.

The list of questions you are asking yoursef as a parent of a transgender child may be long. It’s not uncommon for parents to feel guilty about not knowing how to respond or ashamed of their personal stigma – some which may be reflective of their own upbringing – against their child’s identity.

Our mental health professionals are here to understand hat you go through and work one-on-one with you to establish the appropriate response to your transgender child’s unique needs. At McNulty Counseling, you can work with an expert therapist who will help you cope with tricky period of time. You want to have an amazing relationship with your transgender child and you CAN.

Begin Counseling in St. Petersburg, Florida Today

Are you ready to partner with a counselor experienced in serving LGTBQ individuals, children and teens, and parents? If you are ready to start counseling, contact our center today for a consultation with one of our expert mental health professionals!

McNulty Counseling and Wellness is a family counseling clinic serving the St. Petersburg, Florida area. We want to support the mental health and emotional wellbeing of you, your child, and your entire family. Whatever you need to understand your trangender child’s needs, we are here. Contact us today to learn how to be a loving, compassionate, and supportive parent to your transgender child!

“We are not what other people say we are. We are who we know ourselves to be, and we are what we love.” – Laverne Cox, transgender actress and LGBTQ advocate

Signs it’s Time to Start Counseling for Anxiety

Do you find yourself avoiding people, places, or other triggers because you feel overwhelmingly anxious?

Do you want you could seek new opportunities, but are too afraid to pursue your goals?

Are headaches, shaking, or feelings of dread and panic a regular part of your life?

Everyone feels stressed from time to time. In fact, it’s actually healthy to experience routine stress or anxiety in certain situations. But extreme anxiety that impacts the quality of your daily life is something more serious. On top of that, coping with your anxiety and understanding what is causing it is really difficult to do on your own. Figuring out how to enjoy life and live happily may seem impossible. If your anxiety has gotten to that point, counseling may help you get back on your feet and start living life the way you want.

When it Comes to Anxiety Counseling

If you have been wondering whether or not to see a therapist due to the problems anxiety is causing in your life, consider the following signs that may indicate it’s time to make an appointment:

• Your anxiety prevents or limits you from engaging in social, academic, or work-related activities.
• You are afraid to leave your house in fear of having an anxiety or panic attack.
• You do not assert your needs or personal concerns in fear of having unpleasant interactions with others.
• You dread having to meet daily obligations and challenges, and have a low or lack of tolerance for uncertainty or change.
• You frequently catastrophize, or imagine the worst-case situation that could arise.
• You avoid seeking opportunities, taking risks, and pursuing goals in your life.

Physical Symptoms of Anxiety You May Be Experiencing

Not everyone realizes that severe anxiety can also cause a number of physical symptoms. Any of the following symptoms can be rooted in anxiety:

• Frequent headaches
• Physical tension
• Trembling or shaking
• Increased Heart Rate
• Rapid Breathing
• Sweating
• Difficulty Sleeping
• Chronic Fatigue
• Chest pain
• Dizziness or nausea

While some stress and anxiety is normal, it should not be substantially impacting your ability to enjoy life. Symptoms vary widely from person to person. In general, individuals with anxiety experience feelings of overwhelming fear, dread, or panic, and struggle to make decisions. Anxiety can also lead to low self-esteem and can co-exist with other mental health disorders such as depression.

Expertise in Anxiety Counseling

As a St. Petersburg, Florida area counseling center, we understand anxiety. In fact, we have counselors who specialize in treating anxiety. We know that anxiety disorders can be crippling and that no two people have had the same experience.

Our therapists used evidence-based psychotherapy techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CPT) to help you find relief from your anxiety. Our highly skilled mental health counselors will work with you to develop a personalized plan with individual goals and interventions.

When treating anxiety, our goal is to get to the core of the underlying issues and triggers that are causing you to suffer from anxiety. Through the therapeutic process, your counselor can help you to identify your anxiety triggers. Your counselor will then help you understand your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. You will gain an understanding of why you seem to keep falling into the cycle of anxious thinking. Then, your counselor will help you to replace irrational and unrealistic beliefs with realistic and healthy thinking, behaviors, and self-care and coping strategies.

Don’t let your anxious thoughts control your life anymore. Call McNulty Counseling today to take back the happy life that you deserve.

Blog Posts Related to Anxiety

Because anxiety treatment is such an important part of what we do, it is often the subject of our mental health blog posts. Some topics our therapists have written related to anxiety include:

• 5 Ways to Reduce Anxiety
• Anxiety in Children
• 5 Signs of Anxiety
• How to Help a Teen with School Anxiety
• 5 Exercises to Lower Test Anxiety
• Mindfulness Exercises to Reduce Stress

Begin Anxiety Counseling in St. Petersburg, Florida

If you are ready to begin improving your life through counseling, our experienced anxiety counselors can help in our St. Pete based counseling office. Contact us today to get started!

Don’t Feel Ashamed: Affirmation Therapy Can Boost Self-esteem in LGBTQ Individuals

I am worthy of love and acceptance.

My identity is valid.

I am allowed to make decisions that are right for me.

I value who I am.

The above statements are all examples of affirmations, or positive statements that can help people overcome negative thoughts and low self-esteem. When affirmations are repeated often, many individuals start to believe them, allowing them to make positive changes in their lives. For LGBTQ individuals, affirmations can be particularly useful in the development of positive self-esteem and self-acceptance.

The Power of Positive Affirmations for LGBTQ Individuals

You may have known about your sexuality or gender for a long time, but still find yourself struggling to embrace it because a loved one refuses to accept your authentic self. Alternatively, you may have internalized prejudices against the LGBTQ community that make you feel ashamed about who you are. Whatever your reasons are for having a low self-esteem, affirmative therapy is a useful tool that can be used to overcome the stigma surrounding your gender or sexuality.

Affirmative therapy throws out the notion that being anything but heterosexual or cisgender is in itself a problem. Instead, affirmation helps you to embrace your LGBTQ identity and raise your self-esteem. Affirmation can also be a key component in recovery from other mental illnesses, such as depression, anxiety, or body dysmorphic disorder, stemming from your lack of self-acceptance.

Far too many LGBTQ individuals are raised in homes and communities that denounce their sexuality as “bad” or “wrong.” Regardless of what anyone says, know this: your sexuality should not just be tolerated, but celebrated. In LGBTQ-affirmative therapy, we can help you understand and accept your thoughts, feelings, and desires as natural and okay. By becoming more comfortable with who you are and what you want, you can become happier, healthier, and satisfied with life.

Challenges LGBTQ Individuals Face that May Decrease Self-Esteem

• Stigma in society
• Lack of acceptance from family, friends, and peers
• Internalized prejudices against the LGBTQ community
• Denial of gender or sexual orientation
• Concerns for safety if outed
• Bullying or homophobic comments
• Negative stereotypes

Affirmation Counseling for Positive Self-esteem

Counseling can help you to not just accept – but love – your LGBTQ identity and raise your self-esteem. While affirmation therapy is not exclusive to LGBT communities, the extra challenges you are forced to overcome may make you a good candidate for affirmation therapy. Affirmation therapy can help you to:

• Increase self esteem
• Promote self-acceptance and pride in your identity
• Overall increase in psychological well-being
• Manage stress levels

There is an abundance of research that shows the benefits of positive affirmation. At the same time, affirmation does not come easily to everyone, especially if you are struggling to accept your identity. That’s where we can come in.

Your LGBTQ-Friendly Counseling Center in St. Petersburg, FL

St. Petersburg is becoming world-renowned for its LGBTQ-friendly community and we love it! With acceptance and affirmation as two of our counseling center’s core values, we empower our clients in their sexual or gender identity no matter what it is.

Our team is here to meet the mental health needs of LGBTQ individuals and we want you to feel safe, open, and proud about who you are. No matter your reasons for having low-self-esteem, we want you to have a counselor who is knowledgeable about LGBTQ issues who will help to support and raise you up. Call McNulty Counseling today at 727-344-9867 to begin your journey to feeling better.

Begin Affirming Transgender and LGBTQ Counseling in St. Petersburg, FL

You don’t have to struggle alone with fear of rejection or ridicule, depression, anxiety, or discomfort in your own body. You can begin to feel supported and encouraged in your sexual orientation or gender identity exploration. If you find it difficult to accept yourself or experience barriers related to being an LGBTQ individual therapy can help. Our skilled, affirming LGBTQ counselors are experienced in the unique issues and hardships LGBTQ+ people face. We want to help you or your loved one navigate this journey of self-discovery and work through these hardships. If you have questions or would like to start affirming LGBTQ and gender counseling, please contact our St. Petersburg, FL clinic today.

Quick Tips to Help You with Anxiety

Do you feel worn out and exhausted from constant stress and anxiety?

Do you feel like your life is on “hold” because your anxiety is so severe?

Do you experience overwhelming, recurring feelings of dread, but aren’t sure why?

Feeling anxious once in a while is an expected part of life. After all, stressful situations like taking an exam, giving a presentation, or making an important life decision are overwhelming, especially if the outcome is unclear. But when this anxiety doesn’t go away even when the stressful situation ends or it begins to affect the quality of your everyday life, you may be struggling with an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety can impact people of all ages and appear at any time during life. Having an anxiety disorder can impact your family life, job, friendships, performance, physical health, sleep, and overall enjoyment of life. If you have anxiety, routine life circumstances might bring you levels of anxiety that individuals without anxiety disorders simply don’t experience It may cause you to avoid situations, places, or people that you associate with anxiety or panic attacks. You may even stop doing previously enjoyable activities because of your newfound anxiety associated with them. You may feel overwhelming feelings of dread, even if there is no clear reason why.

Signs it’s Time to Consider Anxiety Counseling

Seeking out a counselor who is experienced in treating anxiety can help you overcome the anxiety that is holding you back from enjoying life to its fullest. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, it may be time to pick up the phone and make an appointment with a therapist:

• Excessive worry about school, work, family and friends, money, and/or health
• Irrational expectations of the worst possible outcomes
• Physical symptoms such as fatigue, frequent headaches, trembling or shaking, rapid breathing or increased heart rate, and sweating
• Avoidance of social situations in fear that it will trigger your anxiety
• Irritability, depression, or lack of motivation

The severity of anxiety differs from person to person, and can range anywhere from mildly inconvenient to severely debilitating. In general, individuals with anxiety face overwhelming feelings of fear or dread, difficulty making decisions, and panicked feelings.

Tips to Help you with Anxiety

We understand that anxiety can hit you out of nowhere, and you won’t always be in therapy when it happens. Here are a few things to consider trying when you’re starting to feel anxious or stressed:

• Take a time-out to do something relaxing. Whether it be yoga, meditation, a bubble bath, reading your favorite book, or a massage, stepping back from your anxiety to take care of yourself can help to clear your head and make you feel better.
• Get moving. Staying active has proven physical and mental health benefits. Find something you enjoy doing, whether it be Zumba, kickboxing, swimming, or even walking: anything is better than nothing, and remember that exercising doesn’t mean you have to do something you hate.
• Be mindful. If you feel a panic attack coming on, taking long, deliberate deep breaths or counting to 10 slowly may help to ground you and calm you down.
• Break large projects or obligations into smaller tasks. Maybe you’re a college student who has two papers due next week, or maybe you have a big presentation coming up at work. By breaking this down into smaller, achievable tasks, a big project can feel less overwhelming and more manageable. For example, you might sit down and tell yourself “I will outline this paper tonight, and write the first page in the morning” or “I will practice the first part of my presentation this evening.”
• Fact-check your anxious thoughts. People with anxiety often automatically assume that the worst-case outcome will happen. If you find yourself doing that, try to replace this negative thought with a positive one or challenge that fear with a question like “is this really true, or does it just seem that way to me?”. Reframing negative assumptions is an effective way to train your brain into dealing with anxiety in a rational way.
• Eat well. Skipping meals can decrease blood sugar, which can cause nervousness, irritability, and anxiety. Well-balanced meals and snacking throughout the day can reduce the likelihood of that happening. Drink plenty of water and try to reduce your caffeine intake, which can trigger anxiety in some people.

Remember, not everything on the above list will help every person with anxiety. On top of that, controlling anxiety takes time and there is no “quick fix.” Finding a few coping strategies or incorporating self-care into your regular routine can, however, prove to be beneficial in the long run. At the same time, you might not know where to start when it comes to finding what works for you. That’s where we come in.

Begin Counseling in St. Petersburg, Florida to Overcome Anxiety

As a St. Petersburg, FL area counseling center, we understand anxiety. In fact, we have counselors who specialize in treating anxiety. We know that anxiety disorders can be crippling and often come with other mental health issues, such as depression or low self-esteem.

Our therapists use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and other evidence-based psychotherapy techniques to help you find relief from your anxiety. Our highly skilled mental health counselors will work with you to develop an individualized plan with personal goals and interventions.

When treating anxiety, our goal is to get to the core of the underlying issues and triggers that are causing your anxiety. Through the therapy process, your counselor will help you identify triggers for your anxiety. Your counselor will then help you understand your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. You’ll gain an understanding of why you seem to fall into this cycle of anxious thinking. Next, your therapist will help you to replace irrational and unrealistic beliefs with realistic and healthy thinking and behaviors.

Don’t let your anxious thoughts control your life anymore. Call McNulty Counseling today and take back the life you deserve!

Blog Posts Related to Anxiety

Because anxiety treatment is such an important part of what we do, it is often the subject of our mental health blog posts. Some topics our therapists have written related to anxiety include:

• 5 Ways to Reduce Anxiety
• Anxiety in Children
• 5 Signs of Anxiety
• How to Help a Teen with School Anxiety
• 5 Exercises to Lower Test Anxiety
• Mindfulness Exercises to Reduce Stress

Thoughts to Help you Overcome Social Anxiety

“When I talk, I sound stupid.”

“No one likes me.”

“No one cares about me.”

“I should have done better. I am a failure.”

Do thoughts like these ever come to your mind? If so, you may be struggling with social anxiety. While everyone feels anxious sometimes, severe social anxiety comes with overwhelmingly strong negative feelings about yourself and how others see you. It can affect your day-to-day routine and dominate the way you think and act. It is also common for people with social anxiety to have automatic negative thoughts that are unrealistic to the situation at hand.

Automatic negative thoughts are negative, cynical, and complaining thoughts that pop up in your head out of nowhere. They can be self-fulfilling and often lead to a decrease in your quality of life, inability to enjoy the moment, depression, and social avoidance and alienation. Automatic negative thoughts can be difficult to recognize, especially if you have had them for your entire life. While automatic negative thoughts can be a difficult thought pattern to break, you can feel better! By choosing to go to a social anxiety counselor, you can learn to identify automatic negative thoughts and how to replace them with positivity.

Signs That it’s Time to Seek Counseling for Social Anxiety

Feeling shy around new people or uncomfortable in a group of strangers happens to people with and without diagnosable social anxiety. Feeling so anxious or panicked that you avoid work, school, or other parts of your daily routine, however, usually, mean that something more serious is going on. If you persistently have any of the following signs and symptoms of social anxiety, it may be time to seek out a counselor:

• A crippling fear of being judged
• Avoidance of social gatherings
• Paralyzing fear or anxiety while socializing with people you don’t know
• Physical symptoms such as shaking, sweating, or stammering
• Extreme anxiety in anticipation of an event that requires interacting with others
• Criticizing how you acted after a social situation
• Always expecting the worst possible outcome
• Avoidance of everyday experiences such, work, school, dating, or making phone calls

Replacing Negative Thoughts with Positive Ones

Combating the negative thoughts that arise due to social anxiety is difficult to do on your own. It involves being aware that your way of thinking is unrealistic and using positive affirmations to replace negative thoughts. A counselor trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can help you to learn how to use positive affirmations to replace the negative thoughts that contribute to your social anxiety. Positive affirmations target negative subconscious beliefs, challenge these beliefs, and replace them with positive self-talk:

Automatic negative thought: “I have nothing to say in social situations.”

Positive affirmation: “I can hold a conversation and have a lot to offer.”

Automatic negative thought: “I am going to mess up this presentation.”

Positive affirmation: “I have done this before and I know I can do it again.”

Automatic negative thought: “No one wants me around.”

Positive affirmation: “I am loved and cared for.”

With years or a lifetime of negative thoughts, though, replacing them with positive affirmations – or even recognizing them – can feel impossible. If that’s the case for you, an experienced social anxiety counselor can help you get on the path of a happy life.

Counseling Can Help with Social Anxiety

As a St. Petersburg, FL area counseling center, we understand social anxiety. In fact, we have counselors who specialize in treating anxiety. We know that anxiety disorders can be crippling and that no two people have had the same experience.

Our therapists use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and other evidence-based psychotherapy techniques to help you find relief from your social anxiety. Our highly skilled mental health counselors will work with you to develop an individualized plan with personal goals and interventions.

When treating social anxiety, our goal is to get to the core of the underlying issues and triggers that are causing your anxiety. Through the therapeutic process, your counselor will help you identify triggers for your social anxiety. Your counselor will then help you understand your negative thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. You’ll gain an understanding of why you seem to fall into this cycle of anxious thinking. Next, your therapist will help you to replace irrational and unrealistic beliefs with healthy thinking and positive affirmations.

Don’t let your anxious thoughts control your life anymore. Call McNulty Counseling today and take back the life you deserve! 727-344-9867

Blog Posts Related to Anxiety

Because anxiety treatment is such an important part of what we do, it is often the subject of our mental health blog posts. Some topics our therapists have written related to anxiety include:

• 5 Ways to Reduce Anxiety
• Anxiety in Children
• 5 Signs of Anxiety
• How to Help a Teen with School Anxiety
• 5 Exercises to Lower Test Anxiety
• Mindfulness Exercises to Reduce Stress

Anxiety and Depression Treatment for Transgender and Non-binary Individuals

While anyone can experience anxiety or depression, transgender and gender non-conforming individuals face unique challenges that can contribute to the development of mental health problems. Unfortunately, these challenges have led transgender and gender non-confirming individuals to experience rates of depression and anxiety that are much higher the general population.

Far too many transgender and non-conforming individuals regularly experience stigma and discrimination because of their identity. Research has proven time and time again that the discrimination experienced by members of the trans community can have a dramatic negative impact on their mental health. According to research compiled by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation:

• Transgender youth are almost four times more likely to experience depression than cisgender peers.
• About one-third of transgender youth has considered suicide, and one-fifth has made an attempt.
• A 2016 National Center for Transgender Equality survey found that 40 percent of transgender adults experienced serious psychological distress within one month of taking the survey.
• Transgender college students without access to basic gender-appropriate facilities (e.g., restrooms) are 45 percent more likely to attempt suicide than those with access.

Challenges Experienced by the Trans Community

In a heteronormative world, being openly trans is not easy. There are a number of challenges that trans and non-conforming individuals experience:

• Discrimination at school or work
• Homelessness (e.g., a transgender youth is kicked out of their parent’s home after coming out)
• Refusal of medical services by a doctor or health care provider
• Lack of acceptance from family and friends
• Failure to be referred to by proper pronouns (e.g., a family member insists on using “he” even after a gender-neutral individual asks to be referred to as “they”)
• Violence or trauma

Having your true identity rejected or belittled can lead to feelings of shame, which may cause devastating effects on your mental health. In reality, your transgender or non-conforming gender identity is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, it should not only be respected – but celebrated!

Signs It’s Time to Seek out Counseling for Anxiety and Depression

As a transgender or non-binary individual, you may be unsure about starting counseling. Whether or not your depression or anxiety is related to your gender identity, you want to feel assured that you will be accepted fully and unconditionally by the counselor you are working with. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms of depression and anxiety and want help from a compassionate, LGBTQ-friendly therapist, it may be time to begin counseling.

Symptoms of depression include:

• Insomnia
• Loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities
• Significant weight loss or gain
• Lack of energy
• Inability to concentrate or make decisions
• Feelings of apathy, hopelessness, irritability, and deep sadness
• Suicidal thoughts or recurrent thoughts about death

Symptoms of anxiety include:

• Excessive worry about health, money, family, or friends
• Fear of rejection from family or friends
• Irrational expectations of the worst possible outcomes
• Physical symptoms such as frequent headaches, physical tension, trembling, and sweating
• Feelings of nervousness, restlessness, irritability, or lack of motivation

This is not a comprehensive list, and symptoms vary from person-to-person. In general, if your depression and anxiety symptoms are lasting more than a few weeks and impacting the quality of your life, it may be time to reach out for help.

How Can Counseling Help You?

It is vital that members of the transgender and gender non-conforming community have access to highly trained, understanding counselors who want to help. Learning positive coping skills to help navigate the challenges life throws at you — whether or not they are related to your gender identity — can help you feel more assured in every aspect of your life. By choosing a counselor who encourages you to embrace your authentic self, you are one step closer to making this a reality.

Your LGBTQ-Friendly Counseling Center in St. Petersburg, FL

St. Petersburg is becoming world-renowned for its LGBTQ-friendly community and we love it! With acceptance and affirmation as two of our counseling center’s core values, we empower our clients in their sexual identity no matter what your identity is.

Our team is here to meet the mental health needs of LGBTQ individuals and we want you to feel safe, open, and proud about who you are. Whether you are finding it difficult to cope with or understand your sexuality or gender, undergoing bullying or criticism from peers or loved ones, or simply want to know you have a counselor who is knowledgeable about LGBTQ issues, we want to be there for you. Call McNulty Counseling today to begin your journey to feeling better. 727-344-9867!

Begin Affirming Transgender and LGBTQ Counseling in St. Petersburg, FL

You don’t have to struggle alone with fear of rejection or ridicule, depression, anxiety, or discomfort in your own body. You can begin to feel supported and encouraged in your gender identity exploration. If you find it difficult to accept yourself or experience barriers related to being an LGBTQ person, we can help. If you find it difficult to talk to others about your depression or anxiety in fear of being judged for your gender identity, we are here to change that.

Our skilled, affirming LGBTQ counselors are experienced in the unique issues and hardships transgender and other LGBTQ+ people often face. We want to help you or your loved one navigate this journey of self-discovery and work through any difficulties. If you have questions or would like to start counseling, please contact our St. Petersburg, FL clinic. If you want to experience new freedom and begin to thrive in your life, we’re here to help!

Counseling for Low Self-Esteem

Suffering from Low Self-Esteem? Counseling Can Help you Build and Boost Confidence

Do you struggle to accept positive feedback or compliments from others?

Are you preoccupied with what you believe to be your weaknesses and shortcomings?

Do you frequently compare yourself to others – and usually find that they’re “better” than you in some way?

Self-esteem is defined as a person’s evaluation of their own worth or personal value. Individuals with low-self-esteem lack confidence and often feel bad about themselves in a number of ways. They may feel unlovable, socially awkward, or incompetent. They may be hypersensitive to rejection or disapproval from others – even if no rejection is actually occurring. As their own harshest critic, individuals with low self-esteem are also more likely to avoid social interactions and react cynically, defensively, or aggressively to others. This is especially true if they are under the impression that people dislike them.

As low self-esteem develops and progresses, it may become impossible for an individual to believe that someone sees them positively. Having low self-esteem can decrease the quality of nearly every aspect of someone’s life; from interpersonal interactions, to love life, to professional development and career aspirations, nothing is left unaffected.

Causes & Symptoms of Low Self-esteem

Self-esteem, whether high and low, forms over a lifetime. Low self-esteem can be the result of a number of contributing causes, including:

• Criticism from parents or caregivers
• Bullying by peers
• Poor academic performance
• Stressful life events such as a breakup, divorce, or loss of employment
• Poor treatment or abuse from a partner
• Ongoing medical issues like physical disability or chronic pain
• Mental illnesses like depression, anxiety, eating disorders, or body dysmorphic disorder.

If you are experiencing the following symptoms, it is likely that you are suffering from low self-esteem:

• Abnormal levels of hostility toward others
• Blaming others for your own mistakes or failures
• Chronic negative thoughts and attitude towards yourself
• Difficulty socializing with peers or social withdrawal
• Extreme sensitivity to criticism
• Feelings of being unlovable, unwanted, or worthless
• Frequently comparisons of yourself to others
• Inability to say “no” or vocalize your feelings and opinions
• Lack of motivation to pursue goals or challenges in fear of failure

Signs that Low-Self Esteem is Hurting your Quality of Life

Low self-esteem can reduce the quality of someone’s life in more ways than many realize. If any of the following are true for you, it may be time to reach out to a professional counselor to work on your low self-esteem:

• You are neglecting your own health or engaging in dangerous activities, such as heavy alcohol consumption.
• Engagement in self-harming behaviors or suicidal ideation
• Avoidance of social activities in fear of being judged, isolation
• Avoidance of new opportunities in fear of failure
• Lashing out or bullying others because of inner anger
• Tolerates poor or abusive behavior due to feelings of “deserving it” or being unlovable

In summary, when your low self-esteem begins to impact your physical and emotional health, your relationships with others or influences your actions or thoughts in a negative way, it is time to seek help.

How Can Counseling Help with Low Self-esteem?

Don’t lose hope: with patience and dedication, it is possible to greatly improve your low self-esteem. By working with a professional counselor on your self-esteem, you have the opportunity to reach many positive self-esteem milestones. You can:

• Create realistic goals for your future
• Discover your strengths and learn to frame your weaknesses in a healthy, realistic perspective
• Gain problem-solving skills
• Identify and unlearn behavioral and thought patterns that contribute to your low self-esteem.
• Identify the events and conditioning that led you to this point
• Learn self-care strategies
• Practice assertiveness
• Re-engage with life by learning how to face situations that scare you

Just as low self-esteem is not formed overnight, improving your self-esteem is a process that requires patience and dedication. While this may seem overwhelming, especially if you are also coping with mental health issues like depression and anxiety, investing the time and work needed to improve your self-esteem is an extremely worthy cause.

Begin Self-esteem Counseling in St. Petersburg, Florida

Your low self-esteem may feel all-consuming, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. Take the initiative to begin counseling today so you can genuinely enjoy social situations, take the steps needed to reach your goals, and learn problem-solving, self-care, and assertiveness skills. Understand that having high self-esteem is not a sign of selfishness or arrogance, but is actually essential to living a happy, healthy life.

At McNulty Counseling & Wellness, we have counselors with experience treating teens, adults, and women in the area of low self-esteem who can guide you in your journey to feel better. Treatment for self-esteem issues can drastically change your life for the better. Give us a call today 727-344-9867 or fill out our online contact form and someone will reach out to you as soon as possible.

Infertility Counseling for Women: Learn to Love Life Again

Processing the news that you are infertile, or unable to conceive a child, is an emotionally painful experience for many women. It can evoke feelings of grief over losing the child you can’t have, awkwardness in not knowing who to tell or how to tell them and impact your self-esteem and perspective on life.

When it Comes to Infertility

Coping with infertility is a complex, emotional process. You may feel angry – at yourself, at your partner, or at your doctor for not doing more to help you. You may feel jealous or bitter of your friends who are pregnant or already have children. Your relationship may become strained, especially if one partner is blaming the other, which can quickly create a toxic environment hurts you both even more.

Alternatively, couples facing infertility may not know what alternative options to consider. While some couples choose to adopt, others spend thousands of dollars exhausting all of the fertility treatment options to conceive their own child.

Women experiencing infertility may be reluctant to open up about their experience due to the grief, shame, and vulnerability that come with such a sensitive subject. The reality is, though, is that infertility is an extremely common problem. About 6.1 million women in the U.S. ages 15-44 have difficulty becoming or staying pregnant. This accounts for about 10 percent of women.

When to Seek Counseling for Infertility

If infertility is straining your relationships with others, making you feel depressed and anxious, or otherwise negatively impacting your life, it may be time to seek out a professional counselor. If you are experiencing any of the following, it may be time to seek out professional counseling:

• Feelings of agitation, anger, or bitterness
• Persistent sadness, grief, depression, or anxiety
• Suicidal thoughts
• Social isolation
• Loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities
• Mood swings
• Relationship problems
• Increase in drug or alcohol use

Counseling for Infertility

While you don’t need to tell everyone about your situation, a professional counselor can help you cope with the number of stressors that come with infertility. Infertility counseling can help you:

• Manage your life and expectations for yourself, your relationship, and the pregnancy itself
• Teach you coping skills that keep you optimistic while boosting your endurance
• Make peace with what is out of your control
• Reclaim your love for life outside of pregnancy
• Add romance back to your relationship
• Increase your ability to handle and acknowledge difficult feelings
• Guide decision-making from a place of non-reactive and non-emotional logic
• Manage your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors around one of the most difficult times of your life

Expertise in Infertility Counseling

Without proper treatment, couples can find it difficult to move past this stressful time. They can feel alone and isolated from friends and family. But with 10 percent of the population going through what you’re experiencing, we can assure you that you’re not alone. We’ve seen a tremendous amount of clients like you at our office who have regained their life back through deep introspection and counseling. Pregnancy doesn’t define you! Get counseling for women by women who know what you’re going through.

Meet McNulty Counseling’s Infertility Therapist

One of the McNulty Counseling expert therapists specializing in women’s issues is Soula Hareas, LMHC. She specializes in counseling other mothers who are finding it difficult to adjust to the many life-changes of motherhood and can help you restore balance in your life. She has worked through personal infertility issues so she knows what it’s like to go through them first hand. She has a ton of experinece with IVF and the stressful demands of pregnancy.

We are here to meet the needs of mothers and families in the St. Petersburg, Florida area who want to work through the challenges of infertility. Contact the experts at McNulty Counseling and Wellness today! 727-344-9867

Other counseling services offered at McNulty Counseling & Wellness in St. Petersburg, FL

Our therapists not only help with infertility, but a wide range of other mental health concerns as well. Some of our other counseling specialties include family counseling, counseling for children, couple’s and marriage counseling, counseling for teens, individual counseling, counseling for parents, LGBTQ counseling, counseling for college students, life coaching, counseling for depression, anxiety treatment and art therapy. We also provide online counseling services and groups for women going through divorce as well as, children going through divorce. If you have any questions please contact us.