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Anxiety Confidence Depression Self-Improvement Therapy By Jennifer Morris, MA LPC NCC 0 Comments

Now Accepting New Clients

Have you been on the fence about seeking out therapy? Now is the time! I have current openings available for motivated prospective clients ready to make a change. Prospective clients must be located in Michigan and open to Telehealth in lieu of in-person visits. My approach blends Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Adlerian psychotherapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR- using the AIP model).

Specifically, we will examine ways thought processes serve as an obstacle and reframe those thoughts to improve overall quality of life. We will address deeply-rooted maladaptive belief systems formed from upbringing, traumatic experiences, and messages received from our environment and determine which beliefs are working in your favor and which need to be modified or released. Once we have explored thought processes and built an adequate toolbox for coping outside of sessions, we then move into the somatic approach of healing. EMDR explores how the body can get stuck when experiencing trauma (or anything that had a negative impact) and this sometimes means that we might logically know something is irrational but the body does not necessarily let go of that feeling until it has adequately processed through the adverse experience. We would use bilateral stimulation (more information available at EMDRIA.org) to guide your body and mind through that process so this experience can be released and a new, adaptive response may be formed instead.

 

What are you waiting for? Change starts in the now. Send an e-mail to JMorris@JMMHC.com to inquire for availability.

Anxiety Depression Self-Improvement Therapy By Jennifer Morris, MA LPC NCC 0 Comments

COVID-19: Coping Strategies at Home and Online Therapy

A Guide to Staying Home

Common risk factors and symptoms of depression include self-isolating, not getting out of bed, not being able to enjoy activities you would normally take pleasure in, lack of concentration, chronic fatigue, and feeling hopeless and helpless. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have all been asked to physically self-quarantine as much as possible. Natural side effects from that would be any or all of the symptoms of depression listed above. Additionally, the economy, employment, and the future of our nation are all uncertain, thus creating the perfect recipe for anxiety. Therefore, it is important to stay proactive and take your health and wellness into your own hands before it has the chance to spiral into a depressive episode. So you might wonder what you can do to help prevent this?

Here are 10 ideas to help you get through this difficult and historic time:

1. Get out of bed. Even if you are working from home, make an office space for yourself so you can separate work from personal life.
2. Maintain your routines. Wake up at the same time as you normally would, continue to exercise or eat at the same times. You might have to change what you eat or how you exercise based on what is available, but it is still important to maintain habits or they will be much harder to get back into later on.
3. Now is the time to reach out to friends and family. Call, text, video, or any way you can think of to maintain regular contact without being physically together. Make dinner dates via skype or facetime. Try out the new Netflix hang out option with google chrome. Play games with each other in real time. Try starting a book club or video-teach each other new skills (like knitting or music, etc.). Have a video dance party! Be sure to ask each other how you are doing at this time and be supportive.
4. Stay active. If you are located somewhere that allows going outside, then I recommend going for walks or runs. Be mindful of public play structures since COVID-19 can live on surfaces for 3 days. If the weather is not conducive to being outside, try working out from home with something like “beachbody” or yoga with youtube videos.
5. Is there an indoor hobby you have always wanted to try but have never had the time? Try picking up a new hobby such as drawing, painting, writing, crafting, pickling, baking, or anything that strikes your fancy.
6. Spend quality time with your pets or take this opportunity to foster a pet.
7. Meditate: Spend 5-30 minutes every day doing a guided meditation or listening to guided imagery while practicing diaphragmatic breathing. I recommend listening to The Honest Guys on youtube. Check out my therapeutic resources page for more specific details and resources.
8. Get an audible subscription or listen to books through your digital library. Read more books!
9. Try to cook a new recipe every week with what you have in the house.
10. Organize and donate things you can part with once quarantine is over.

About Telehealth/Online Therapy

I am accepting new patients at this time provided that my skillset matches what you are looking to work on. Given the acceleration of the COVID-19 situation, I will be exclusively doing online-only sessions for a few weeks at a minimum. At this time I am only able to accept private pay and commercial Blue Cross Blue Shield or Blue Care Network plans, Please double check with your insurance to make sure they cover telementalhealth.

While engaging in online sessions, be aware that it will be different from what you might be used to with in-person sessions. There could be potential connectivity issues and you will be responsible for privacy maintained on your end of the connection. Additionally, some therapy interventions such as EMDR or use of the lightbar for processing will be unavailable for online use, however, I am currently developing a way to incorporate auditory EMDR as an alternative. Please ask any questions or concerns you may have regarding using this platform. If you are interested in telehealth, we can discuss more details as to how to access your online appointment. Note that if you are using your insurance to pay for your sessions, you may want to verify that they cover teletherapy. Most plans do, however, out-of-state plans may not and you should check with your insurance by calling the customer service number on the back of your insurance card. I am only legally permitted to offer therapy within my practicing licensed state (Michigan) on both sides of the conversation.

Don’t forget to fill out the Telehealth Consent Form required prior to our online session.

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You may contact me via e-mail at jmorris@jmmhc.com or voicemail at 248-327-4643.

Confidence Harry Potter Psychotherapy Self-Improvement By Jennifer Morris, MA LPC NCC 0 Comments

Harry Potter Psychotherapy: The Mirror of Erised, Reflections and Self-Perceptions

*I do not own Harry Potter, therefore, mention of characters/concepts are solely intended for educational and therapeutic gain.*

In J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s Stone, Harry Potter encounters the Mirror of Erised while sneaking around the castle in his inherited invisibility cloak. The inscription on the top of the mirror reads: “Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi”, or when read backward, “I show not your face but your heart’s desire”. In other words, the mirror will show something different to each person standing in front of it. It shows the viewer his or her deepest desires.

According to Dumbledore: “The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror, that is, he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is”. It is not a bad thing to have dreams and wishes, however, in dwelling on them without action or self-love, they can become more detrimental than helpful. Therefore, the ultimate goal would be to look in the Mirror of Erised and just see yourself as you are. I do not think many people possess that level of life contentment, but I think with hard work, dedication, and openness, one can get closer to achieving that. Remember that the key to enjoyment is being in the present because living in the past causes rumination or sadness and living in the future instills anxiety and stress.

~

Please do the following visualization:

Imagine yourself standing in front of the Mirror of Erised. At first you notice just your reflection. Observe the outfit you have on, your face, body, and your facial expression. Now that you are focusing in front of the mirror, you notice that the view has changed. You see your deepest desires and wishes before your eyes. Are you like Harry, surrounded by deceased family members? Are you like Ron, a victorious quidditch captain, highly revered by others? Do you see yourself in a career? A relationship? Do you look different?

In a journal answer the following questions:

1.   Describe what you see in the Mirror of Erised

2.   How do you feel when you visualize the reflection in front of you?

3.   Are there any surprises or shocks regarding what you see?

4.   What would make your life better if you achieved the image reflected?

5.   Can you without a doubt 100% guarantee that your life would be better? Explain.

6.   What are some potential negative factors that could come from your deepest desire?

7.   What are some potential benefits to keeping yourself exactly as you are?

8.   Do you believe your dream is logical or attainable? Why or why not?

9.   What are some perceived obstacles to achieving your dream?

10.  What are some strategies or objectives you could implement to achieve your deepest desire?

11.   If your reflection is not a possibility (for example, you are seeing a deceased loved one), what can you learn from your deepest wishes? Are there any ways you can incorporate it/them into your life? What might that look like?

~

Please follow this second visualization:

Now imagine that you have jumped ahead one year into the future. You return to the Mirror of Erised to see if your reflection has changed. Much to your surprise, it has changed, and you now only see yourself looking in the mirror with curious, determined, and confident eyes. Your body posture communicates strength, self-worth, and assertiveness. You know you still have flaws, but they feel perfectly suited to you, owning them with pride. You can’t make out exactly what your career, financial, or relationship status looks like in your life because you only see yourself. That uncertainty does not bother you, because you know that you still feel good about your life regardless of those circumstances. You also know that you can overcome any challenges or hurtles that come your way and will continue your growth process as a result.

1.   Take some time to journal about your experience with this second visualization.

2.   How did it feel to view yourself in this way?

3.   What did you learn from this process?

4.   What stands between the second reflection of yourself and the actual version you would see now in a muggle mirror (what is holding you back?)?

5.   What can you incorporate from this exercise into your current worldview, attitude, and self-perception?

From this point forward when you look in a muggle mirror, you will envision your confident and positive self, carrying it with you everywhere you go.

Please note that these therapy exercises do not qualify as stand-alone treatments and it is recommended that you seek help from a licensed professional mental health provider.

Contact me with questions or to schedule an appointment:

E-Mail: jmorris@jmmhc.com

Voicemail: (248) 327-4643

Anxiety Harry Potter Psychotherapy Therapy By Jennifer Morris, MA LPC NCC 0 Comments

Harry Potter Psychotherapy: Panic Attacks and Devil’s Snare

*I do not own Harry Potter, therefore, mention of characters/concepts are solely intended for educational and therapeutic gain.*

What is Devil’s Snare and how does it relate to panic attacks?

Devil’s snare is a magical plant introduced in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s Stone. The plants look like vines with springy tendrils. They can be deadly because they are known to ensnare people when touched. Much like a boa constrictor, they will bind your arms and legs to choke you. Naturally, the first reaction to being ensnared by this deadly plant is to thrash around and fight to get free. However, fighting the devil’s snare is the worst thing a person can do because that causes the plant to squeeze tighter and kill faster.

Panic attacks are intense episodes of anxiety characterized by symptoms of sweating, trembling/shaking, shortness of breath/feeling smothered, racing heart, chest pain, sensation of choking, nausea, light-headedness, tingly, dizzy, numbness, loss of touch with reality, feeling detached from yourself, feeling you are losing control, having a heart attack, or dying. Most panic attacks last for 15 to 20 minutes. Despite how panic attacks feel, they can not actually cause death unless if you are having one while doing something dangerous. Some individuals experience just one or two in their life and do not need treatment for them. Others experience regular panic attacks and will often develop a fear of having panic attacks, thus triggering more panic attacks to occur (also known as panic disorder). Additionally, individuals often avoid various stimuli or experiences in order to prevent panic attacks, however, in so doing, seriously limit life experiences or create more problems.

It seems as though the sensation of being ensnared by devil’s snare mimics the physiological symptoms and thoughts occurring during a panic attack. Furthermore, the more one attempts to stave off or stop a panic attack, the worse it gets. In the movie version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Devil’s snare will release you if you relax and stop struggling against it. Similarly, when you stop fighting a panic attack and let go it will subside faster. Another way to defeat devil’s snare is to use sunlight (movie version) or fire (blue flame spell), because they prefer a dark and damp environment. In the muggle world sunlight and feeling warm represents pleasant feelings, and could be helpful to think of when struggling with anxiety.

Exercises for panic attack relief

It is not your job to stop a panic attack once it has already started. The best thing you can do is take away the power is has over you. If you welcomed your panic attacks like an old friend then they would likely stop occurring. While it might feel unnatural to relax your body when you are smothered by a panic attack, it is the best way to shorten the duration.

Try the following visualization exercise:

Imagine you have escaped Fluffy (Hagrid’s three-headed dog) in the forbidden corridor and have just jumped into a dark trap door. You are unable to see anything as you fall. Suddenly you collide with a springy vine-like material. Initially, it cushions and supports you in a comforting way. But suddenly you realize that strong tendrils are slowly wrapping around your arms and legs. As soon as you realize what is happening, it is already too late. You are now unable to move and feel panicked. Your palms and underarms become sweaty as you overheat. You begin to hyperventilate and struggle to catch your breath. Your heart is racing and your fingers are trembling. You begin to feel light-headed and wonder if this is real life. You worry that you are trapped and dying. As you have these thoughts and struggle against your bonds you feel the vines tightening over you. You are choking and your lungs feel like they are being crushed. Suddenly you remember Professor Sprout, your Herbology professor. You can hear her lecture in your memory: “Devil’s snare will loosen it’s hold on you if you relax. It also hates sunlight and fire. It likes to be in a cool damp place”.

Mustering all of your courage, you focus on relaxing your body starting from head to toe. You feel tension in your head and you slowly release it. Then you focus on your neck, tensing and releasing those muscles until they feel relaxed. Then move on to your shoulders, squeeze as hard as you can and then release. Move down to your underarms, back, lower back, abdomen, hips, thighs, knees, calves, shins, heels of your feet, arches, and then toes. Imagine the feeling of sun rays beaming down on you, making you feel warm and soothed. With a clearer head you realize that you can easily solve your problem. You grab your wand and recite the incantation, “Lumos Solem”. A jet of sunlight streams from the wand and a bright light bursts through the dark room. You can hear the faintest scream of the devil’s snare before it shrinks away, releasing the tendrils ensnared over your body. You feel a weight lift off of you and your body is now the lightest and calmest you have ever felt.

Journaling Questions

It is recommended to process the visualization exercise above using the following questions.

  • How did the visualization of devil’s snare wrapping around you compare to the physiological sensations during a panic attack?
  • How did it compare to the thoughts you have while having a panic attack?
  • When you have panic attacks do you usually try to fight them off and resist or do you welcome them and allow them to run their course?
  • What happens if you try to resist and fight off the panic attacks?
  • Ponder this sentence: You have more control when you relinquish your control. What do you think that means?
  • Similarly to Hermione’s response to the devil’s snare, the only way to be freed is to let go (even though it feels hard or even counterintuitive to do that). In so doing, you regain your power over the situation. When panic attacks are no longer considered as a threat or fear (perhaps more like an inconvenience instead), then you will find that they do not occur as often and last for a much shorter duration. This is an example of a paradoxical intervention (doing the opposite in order to reach the intended result).

Please note that these therapy exercises do not qualify as stand-alone treatments and it is recommended that you seek help from a licensed professional mental health provider.

Contact me with questions or to schedule an appointment:

E-Mail: jmorrismhc@gmail.com

Voicemail: (248) 327-4643

Self-Improvement Therapy By Jennifer Morris, MA LPC NCC 0 Comments

The Fallacy of Change

Have you ever found yourself thinking, “life will be better when…”?

It seems the grass is always greener on the other side despite your circumstances.

In my clinical experience, I often hear statements such as: “Life will be better when”…

“this test is over”

“this class is over”

“I graduate”

“I find a real person job”

“I get a significant other”

“I get married”

“I have a family with kids”

“I get a raise or promotion”

“I go on vacation”

“I retire”

People tend to have these thoughts on a regular basis. The problem with these thoughts is that when we accomplish those achievements, we don’t ever reach a point where we say, yes, life is better now, so I can be happy! You might finish a difficult exam and think, gee I’m so glad that’s over, but then there’s another condition to take its place standing in the way of your happiness or contentment. Essentially, we play a game of whack-a-mole with our happiness, and no one wins that game.

Now don’t get me wrong, life could feel easier with extra money or supportive relationships, etc., however, we often have many positive life circumstances existing in our present that are being neglected or ignored when it comes to letting yourself feel good in the here-and-now.

For example, you might have felt overwhelmed in high school and looked forward for those years to be over. Then you start college because you successfully made it through high school. In college, you begin to have the same types of doubts. Do you think to yourself, “I made it through high school, so now I can be content. I am glad to be struggling in college because it means I made it through high school and am now privileged to face a new challenge”?

Most people don’t let themselves enjoy their achievements or savor the present moment. The focus tends to stay on the future and what needs to change.

In truth, you wouldn’t get anywhere at all without the present moment. Life is a series of continual present moments. While it is important to have goals to strive for, all of the magic in life happens in the here-and-now.

So you might think that change is the key to your happiness, but that belief does you a disservice. You ALWAYS have everything you need to be content and the only thing standing in the way of that is your mindset. Even if you are having a bad day, you can change that by putting on some good music, chatting with a close friend, watching a funny video, spending quality time with a pet, taking a soothing bath, going for a nature walk, etc. Sometimes doing something you feel talented at can elevate your mood. Life will always throw challenges at you, so you’d be better off tackling them head on and being thankful for those challenges, since you probably worked hard in order for those challenges to pop up. Being frustrated at having to clean your house means you worked hard enough to be able to afford that house. Studying for a really difficult exam reflects the effort you put in to be able to take that class. If you’re single, then it reflects the other things in life you can nurture while you hold out for a match you deserve.

In other words, stop looking at your life in terms of what you don’t have. Instead, reflect on what you DO have and be thankful for it.

Self-Improvement Therapy By Jennifer Morris, MA LPC NCC 0 Comments

The Danger of Shoulds

Should is used in many languages with varying degrees of unhealthy consequences. The first type of ‘should’ has to do with expectations.

For example:

“I should be in a relationship”

“I should be working a 9-5 job”

“I should be getting married”

“We should have kids”

“I should have a real person job”

“I should have more friends”

The examples listed above are frequent statements I have heard with my clinical experience. People express that they feel inadequate or lacking in some way because in comparison to others, they do not meet the same circumstances. But where do those expectations come from? Is it a fact that everyone needs to be in a relationship, work a 9-5 job, get married, have kids, or have more friends?

The answer is no. There is no concrete rule, law, or human compulsion, that would force a person to fulfill the aforementioned criteria. So then why do people immerse themselves in misery and anxiety if they feel they are not meeting those criteria?

The truth is, we are all subject to long-term brainwashing. Starting from a young age, we take in various messages from our family, school, peers, the media, culture, zeitgeist, etc. Similar to a sponge, we absorb messages and ideas from what we are exposed to and internalize them without meaning to. I am not saying that we have no choice in the matter and that we just repeat everything we experience (because I’m sure you could disprove that pretty quickly). I am saying that those mediums have an influence and can lead to perceived expectations or social rules that ‘must’ be followed. When those social rules or expectations are not followed, it often leads to feelings of inadequacy, hopelessness, or despair. Social media can make those matters worse because it encourages comparisons based on false representation and selective sharing. You aren’t seeing posts about everyone’s misery, poor life choices, loneliness, failures, or stress.

The second type of ‘should’ has to do with guilt and unsuccessful goal setting. This occurs when we tell ourselves that we ‘should’ be doing something else.

For example:

“I should be doing my work/homework right now”

“I should be washing the dishes”

“I should exercise”

“I should quit smoking”

If you think about it, most of the time ‘should’ is used in this way, we already know we aren’t going to do that thing. Such as, “I should be doing my homework right now but I’m watching Netflix because I need a break”. But instead of just leaving it at that, many people turn that into a battle. They might still be watching Netflix but are stewing about feeling guilty over not doing their homework. They aren’t being productive OR allowing themselves to enjoy their Netflix break. That doesn’t make any sense and it certainly doesn’t help anything. This concept is not intended to provide encouragement for procrastination, rather serves to encourage healthy self-care and realistic goal setting. Let yourself have your Netflix break without guilt or self-deprecation. But then set a concrete goal to follow for when you will do your homework (and it must be realistic so as not to set yourself up for failure).

“I will let myself watch Netflix tonight and relax because I have worked very hard this week and deserve a break. However, I will spend three hours doing my homework tomorrow at 12pm, broken up into two 1.5 hour periods with a snack break in between”.

In the words of Albert Ellis, we need to stop “shoulding all over ourselves”. That’s right, stop shoulding yourself! It doesn’t help anything except fueling unnecessary misery and stress. So whenever you catch yourself using the word “should” “should have” or “shouldn’t”, think about what you are really saying to yourself and if it is realistic, unrealistic, productive or counterproductive.

Ultimately, be kind to yourself. After all, you will be the longest friend you will ever have.

 

Harry Potter Psychotherapy Self-Improvement By Jennifer Morris, MA LPC NCC 0 Comments

Harry Potter Psychotherapy: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Part II- Horcruxes and Negative Core Beliefs

*I do not own Harry Potter, therefore, mention of characters/concepts are solely intended for educational and therapeutic gain.*

The concept of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy was introduced in this previous HP Psychotherapy blog post. Remember that it is our thoughts and perceptions that cause us to feel the way we do.
To explain further, let’s take a look at different types of thoughts:

Core Belief: A deeply ingrained thought/belief that has been shaped over time and internalized. Core beliefs can be influenced by family, friends, the media, culture, zeitgeist, school, peers, etc. We are constantly bombarded with messages from different mediums, and we unintentionally adopt some of those messages as truths. A core belief can be positive or negative, but for our purposes we are only going to focus on negative core beliefs due to their destructive nature.

Example:
Ron Weasley grew up in the shadow of his older brothers. Bill, Charlie, and Percy were all known for their academic success and talents. Fred and George were popular due to their humor, wit, and quidditch skills. Even Ron’s younger sister, Ginny, has special status for being the only daughter in the family. Due to those circumstances, Ron internalized the belief that he would never be as good as his siblings. This thought generalized to “I’ll never be good enough”. I’d imagine that Molly and Arthur Weasley did their best to show affection and attention to each child equally, but maintaining a household, 7 children, and a demanding ministry of magic job would challenge anyone. Therefore, any time that they were observed giving attention to anyone other than Ron, he likely perceived those attentions as confirming his bias that he would never be good enough. In reverse, any time he received attention from his parents, he likely disregarded their efforts or downplayed the interaction in some way because his core belief of not being good enough would not allow him to accept those efforts. Ron’s internalized beliefs of inadequacy shaped his academic performance and interpersonal relationships. When Ron looked in the Mirror of Erised, he saw himself as quidditch captain holding the house cup. He envisioned a scenario where he could be popular, successful, and liked by everyone. The Mirror of Erised shows a person their deepest desires. Given his past experiences, Ron wants to feel special, successful, and well liked, much like how he perceives his older brothers.

If Ron had changed his core belief of not being good enough, he could have responded differently in the following situations throughout the books:
Harry being entered into the Triwizard Tournament, asking out Hermione to the yule ball, resentment toward the slug club, improving his academic performance, improved quidditch performance, leaving Harry and Hermione alone during the extended camping expedition in HP and the Deathly Hallows, etc.

Automatic Thoughts: Thoughts or ideas that happen in response to your present situations OR present reflection of situations that have already occurred.

How are core beliefs and automatic thoughts different? Automatic thoughts are influenced and guided by core beliefs held.
Example:
Core belief: “I will never be good enough. I am inadequate”.
We’ll use the following scenario to explain automatic thoughts: Harry and Hermione are invited to a slug club meeting by Professor Slughorn in front of Ron. Ron is excluded from the invitation.
Automatic thought: “Wow, he didn’t even know my name. I’m right here! Why wasn’t I invited too? Harry and Hermione are always the favorites. I might as well just not exist since I’m clearly not important. I’ll never be good enough”.
The above automatic thought was influenced by his core belief and was in response to a situation that had either been occurring or just occurred.

How can I change my automatic thoughts?

First it is helpful to determine your personal negative core beliefs to get a sense of what influences your inner-monologues. Then you may want to set up the following format like the one used in the previous CBT blog post to work through the process:
Negative Thought: This is the same as an automatic thought. Write your negative thought here in a concise sentence. You will not use this line to explain, defend, or challenge the thought, only to state that thought as is.
Distorted Perception: What makes that negative thought irrational?
Cognitive Reframing: Start with an affirmation of your feelings. Then use real facts and evidence to contradict your negative thought.

Example using Ron’s situation:

Negative Automatic Thought: “Wow, he didn’t even know my name. I’m right here! Why wasn’t I invited too? Harry and Hermione are always the favorites. I might as well just not exist since I’m clearly not important. I’ll never be good enough”.

Distorted Perception(s): (1) Not being invited to the Slug club means I am not good enough. (2) If I’m not good enough then I’m not worthy to exist, (3) My entire future of success and worth relies on whether or not I am invited to the Slug club. (4) You are a failure or a waste of space if you are not invited to the Slug club

Cognitive Reframing: Although I feel sad and rejected for not being invited to the Slug club, the reality is that I have demonstrated success in many areas of my life. I helped recover the Sorcerer’s Stone, the Chamber of Secrets, made the quidditch team, helped win quidditch matches, battled death eaters in the department of mysteries, flew an enchanted car to school, performed well in defense against the dark arts, and achieved 7 passing marks in my O.W.L.s. Harry and Hermione say that they dislike Slug club meetings and Harry only attends because Dumbledore wants them to get close for some reason. There are plenty of witches and wizards who have been successful that have not been invited to the Slug club. My worth does not solely depend on my level of success, as I have a lot of family and friends who care for me and I am a loyal and supportive friend in return. There is much more to my life than attending Slug club meetings. I have the potential to achieve the goals I set for myself.

**A separate and non-Harry Potter related blog post will focus on different types of negative thoughts that are commonly used.**

Psychotherapy Activity: Negative Core Beliefs and Horcruxes

A horcrux is a concealed piece of one’s soul devised from violating nature through murder combined with some undisclosed ritual that binds it to an object. It is said to be the most evil type of dark magic imaginable. Voldemort creates seven horcruxes (8 if you include Harry) in order to live forever. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry, Ron and Hermione, all take turns wearing one of Voldemort’s horcruxes (Salazar Slytherin’s locket) as they struggle to find a way to destroy it. They had to take turns wearing the locket because they noticed that it would make them all very irritable, negative, and hurtful toward each other after prolonged periods.

The locket appeared to plant ideas in each wearer’s mind that triggered his or her previously established negative core beliefs. When Harry wore the locket, he felt more alone, hopeless, desperate, an imposter, and insignificant. When Hermione wore the locket, she likely began to question her own intellect or usefulness (given her fear of failing). When Ron wore the locket, he became more jealous, irritable, helpless, and insignificant. It was the effect from wearing the locket that drove him to leave Harry and Hermione in the forest. Wisely, Dumbledore foresaw Ron’s potential challenge and bequeathed him the deluminator so that he could return to them once his mind became more rational.

Unfortunately, we all have negative core beliefs that influence our automatic thoughts. It is as if we all wear horcruxes from time to time. They whisper negative ideas and perceptions that either aren’t true or don’t have to become true. You could choose an item of jewelry, a tattoo, or some other bodily accessory that represents a horcrux in your life. You could also carry around a crystal, stone, coin, or some other relevant object in your pocket. It serves as a reminder that those thoughts are not actually a part of you, but a culmination of negative beliefs derived from experiences or observations that you accepted within you.

We can become so used to wearing our horcruxes that we sometimes look to them for comfort in familiarity. You are essentially feeding your mind poison every time you indulge a negative automatic thought. Life is hard enough without adding your own self-deprecating spin on it. Without your horcrux(es), you will notice that your life is more pleasant than you previously thought, and your potential will improve as a result. So get out your imaginary sword of Gryffindor, basilisk fang, or fiend fire spell and work on destroying your horcruxes one by one.

Journal or visualize the following steps:
1. What does your horcrux look like?
2. What feelings or vibrations does it give off?
3. What does it feel like against your skin?
4. Imagine that you have been wearing it for a while. You feel your energy and positivity drain with each passing moment. What is your horcrux whispering to you?
5. Write down the messages you are getting from your horcrux.
6. What experiences have you had that have shaped those messages or ideas?
7. How might your life be different without those experiences?
8. Take some time to think of facts and evidence that contradict your horcrux messages.
9. What are some positive or productive things you can do to actively contradict your horcrux messages? (Make sure to incorporate time in your schedule to accommodate doing some of those things every week).
10. Take your negative horcrux thought and write down the opposite statement. If your horcrux thought was something like, “You are stupid”, or “You will never amount to anything”, then write “I am intelligent,” “I am skilled”, “I am smart where it matters to me,” or “I possess the tools to be successful”, etc.
11. Repeat those affirming statements to yourself over and over while imagining the horcrux burning into ashes in your palm.
12. Take a deep breath in and notice the peace you feel without your horcrux whispering lies. Just as you accepted your negative core beliefs over time, you can use that same process to internalize new positive core beliefs that can help guide you to helpful or healthy automatic thoughts and actions.

Please note that these therapy exercises do not qualify as stand-alone treatments and it is recommended that you seek help from a licensed professional mental health provider.

Contact me with questions or to schedule an appointment:

E-Mail: jmorris@jmmhc.com

Voicemail: (248) 327-4643

Harry Potter Psychotherapy Therapy By Jennifer Morris, MA LPC NCC 0 Comments

Harry Potter Psychotherapy: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Part I- The Pensieve

*I do not own Harry Potter, therefore, mention of characters/concepts are solely intended for educational and therapeutic gain.*

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a very popular treatment modality for difficulties such as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, etc. The premise behind CBT signifies that events/situations do not cause us to feel the way we do, rather it’s our thoughts about those situations that cause us to feel the way we do. In essence, if we can change our thoughts to become more realistic and positive, then our feelings will also improve.

For example:
In Harry Potter’s third year at Hogwarts, Professor Lupin conducts a Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson using a boggart. Many individuals in the class had an opportunity to face the boggart and earn points for their house. Harry was eagerly imagining how his boggart would turn into a dementor and pondered how he might transform it into something funny or amusing. Before Harry had a chance to face the boggart, Professor Lupin stepped in front of Harry, blocking him from doing the exercise.

The following reflects a likely corresponding thought for Harry:

Negative Thought: Professor Lupin must have thought I wasn’t skilled or brave enough to face the boggart so he jumped in front of me. I am not good enough and I must prove myself or else be viewed as weak or incapable.

Distorted Perception: What is irrational about Harry’s potential negative thoughts?
1. Harry is assuming that he understands Professor Lupin’s motives to intervene with the boggart.
2. Harry equates not having a chance to face the boggart with being perceived as a failure or inadequate in some way.

Note: Harry’s interpretation of the situation was likely influenced by his past experiences of being repeatedly belittled by his aunt, uncle, and cousin.

Cognitive Reframing: This is the step where real facts and evidence are used to directly contradict the negative thought. Remember to start with a validation of your feeling in order to acknowledge your experiences.

1. Harry feels sad or disappointed that he was not given the chance to prove himself.
2. Although it felt as if he were being singled out as incapable,
a. Harry has no way of knowing Professor Lupin’s motives or rationale for interfering (excluding use of truth serum or legilimency). Even if Professor Lupin were to tell Harry about his motives (he did), Harry is still trusting his word at face value and would not know for certain.
b. Harry is not a failure nor inadequate from that one missed opportunity because his worth and capabilities have been shown many other times: including, facing Voldemort version 1.0 (aka Professor Quirrell’s head parasite), Voldemort version 0.5 (young Tom Riddle self-preserved in a diary), escaping a forest full of giant spiders, killing a Basilisk, and performing well in all of his DADA classes, despite having questionable teachers (all before turning age 13!).
c. Harry’s abilities do not have to determine his self-worth and value. If Harry had grown up with a loving and supportive family, he would likely feel more secure with his identity regardless of his performance. Self-worth can be derived from many areas in life, such as, relationships (family/friendship/romance), adventure, learning, growth, helping others, spirituality, connecting with nature or the environment, etc. Most of all, it is his own opinion of himself that matters most. After all, he will be his own life-long companion.

The truth of the situation was that Professor Lupin assumed that the boggart would turn into Voldemort in front of Harry, therefore, he did not want a fake Voldemort roaming around the classroom. Voldemort could logically have been Harry’s worst fear, and Harry did consider that, but he realized that the dementors were scarier to him. Harry’s negative thought assumptions were wrong on all counts. Professor Lupin was actually concerned for the other students and if they could handle whatever fear Harry would bring into the room, given the intensity of Harry’s experiences that others had not experienced. If anything, Lupin believed that Harry was very capable but that his classmates were not, thus reversing Harry’s fear entirely.

While we can’t all say we’ve faced Voldemort 1.0 or 0.5 (no matter how scary your boss gets sometimes), there are always logical or realistic points that can be used to contradict negative thoughts, even if you have to get very creative or specific. Think of it like a measuring scale in potions class. On one side you have your negative and irrational thoughts. They weigh much heavier than the side holding your positive or realistic thoughts. We want to keep adding as many facts, evidence, or rational points possible to that positive side in order to either a. balance the scale for a more realistic perspective of how both sides compare, or b. tip the balance of the scale to the positive side so it has more weight, therefore allowing you to feel better.

**More to follow in future posts regarding specific common types of irrational thought patterns**

The CBT Pensieve Exercise:

Remember from a previous HP Psychotherapy post that a pensieve is a rare stone basin that can store memories for later to be re-watched or re-experienced by that witch or wizard.

Journal or Visualize the following sequence:

  1. Imagine that you have a pensieve in front of you ready for use.
  2. Think of a memory that caused you to feel upset (it could be recent or from the distant past).
  3. What was occurring during that memory?
  4. What were your thoughts at the time about the situation occurring?
  5. Visualize using your wand to cast your memory from your mind into the pensieve. Watch the wispy memory float into the basin and swirl into a familiar image.
  6. You are looking at the beginning of your memory. You inch your face closer to it and feel yourself being sucked in like a gravitational pull.
  7. As you fall to your feet, you notice that no one can see you, hear you, or has awareness of your presence as a witness in this memory.
  8. Use your five senses to observe the scene going on as a witness of your memory (sight, smell, taste, touch, sound).
  9. Who is there and what is happening?
  10. Do you notice any specific details about your memory?
  11. Are you watching yourself in your memory?
  12. What are the feelings experienced by individuals in the memory?
  13. What are your feelings as an observer of your memory?
  14. What is important about this particular memory?
  15. What are your thoughts about the situation occurring in your memory? Compare the different thoughts between yourself as an observer to what you remember yourself thinking while you were presently experiencing your memory.
  16. How do those thoughts impact your feelings?
  17. Are those thoughts positive, negative, or neutral?
  18. Are those thoughts helping you feel better or making you feel worse?
  19. Are they productive or counterproductive? Why?
  20. If you decide the thoughts are irrational, what makes them irrational or distorted?
  21. How would you feel either without that thought, or replaced with a more positive thought?
  22. Think of specific examples of real facts, events, or situations, which directly contradict your negative thought(s).
  23. Would the measuring scale be equal yet? Which side is heavier now?
  24. Keep adding more realistic and positive facts and evidence to disprove your irrational negative thought(s).
  25. How does it feel to realize this new way or thinking?
  26. How does it impact or change your perception of what is happening in the memory?
  27. If you could go back and tell your past self in your memory something, what would it be?
  28. Imagine that this process has now helped you to accept, let go, and move past this negatively draining memory. You can feel the weight of it lift off of your shoulders and dissipate with the now shrinking memory. You are flying upward out of the pensieve and back into your present self’s body. You feel relieved to be back and thank yourself for the newly attained clarity and growth with the situation. You vow to use this process again when new negative thoughts or memories threaten to make you feel lousy.

**Be sure to check back for a new post about Negative Core Beliefs and Horcruxes to accompany this post in the near future**

Please note that these therapy exercises do not qualify as stand-alone treatments and it is recommended that you seek help from a licensed professional mental health provider.

Contact me with questions or to schedule an appointment:

E-Mail: jmorris@jmmhc.com

Voicemail: (248) 327-4643

Harry Potter Psychotherapy By Jennifer Morris, MA LPC NCC 0 Comments

Harry Potter Psychotherapy: Grief and Thestrals

*I do not own Harry Potter, therefore, mention of characters/concepts are solely intended for educational and therapeutic gain.*

Grief and Loss

The theme of grief and loss recur throughout the Harry Potter series, ranging from sacrifices made, murder, accidental death, ambiguous loss, and loss of innocence. (*Beware of spoilers to follow.*) Death comes in all shapes and forms. Loss can be ambiguous, missing something without closure or understanding. Moving, break-ups, missing people, or long distance can often be experienced as ambiguous loss. It is common to respond to ambiguous loss through either glamorizing or depreciating. For example: Moving away from a childhood friend could bring about glamorizing thoughts, such as “she was such a wonderful friend and I will miss her a lot and may never have another friend like her again”, or depreciation, “I didn’t like her that much anyway and I’m glad to be moving away to make new friends.” Neither statement would be an accurate depiction of what it really would have been like with that childhood friend. The reality is more likely that there was a combination of both positive and negative memories with that friend.

Harry experiences ambiguous loss every summer away from Hogwarts. He glamorizes his experiences there and depreciates his residence at the Dursley’s (although the Dursley’s do appear to make his life less enjoyable). Harry knows Hogwarts is still there and that he will get to return, however, he feels that he has no current access to it, thus contributing to his lowered mood and fixation on his problems. He even misses correspondence with his friends between years 1 and 2, and between years 4 and 5. Harry also experiences a loss of innocence and freedom through finding out about the prophecy about himself. Harry grieves multiple deaths throughout the series, including, his parents, Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Hedwig, Alastor Moody, Dumbledore, Dobby, Fred Weasley, Cedric Diggory, etc. The first impactful death experienced forms a foundation. Each death to follow gets added on to that grieving process, mourning multiple deaths at a time. Alan Wolfelt, a Grief Specialist at The Center for Loss & Life Transition, believes that there is a difference between grief and mourning.  Grief refers to the thoughts and feelings held on the inside after someone dies. Mourning refers to the outward process of expressing those thoughts and feelings. Wolfelt teaches that everyone grieves but not everyone mourns, yet the key to healing is through mourning and expression. Harry is notoriously stubborn regarding expressing his thoughts and feelings with others. Harry mostly demonstrates the act of grieving throughout the books, not mourning.

J.K. Rowling utilized Thestrals to symbolize the change or loss of innocence accompanied with witnessing death, and are described as black reptilian horses with skeletal bodies and leathery wings like a bat’s. Thestrals can only be seen by individuals who have watched/seen a person die. To everyone else they appear invisible, often providing an illusion of carriages pulling themselves. To anyone who has seen the act of death in person, it is a life-changing event. While death is a natural part of life, witnessing death can often be experienced as a loss of innocence, for there is no denying it’s eventual grasp when you see it directly. Harry lost that innocence when he witnessed Cedric’s death, old enough to understand the gravity and finality. Thestrals are also described as being beautiful yet grotesque, frightening, or strange. In comparison, death is beautiful because it sweetens the value of life, grotesque due to the pain of dying for self or others, and frightening due to the unknown mystery of what happens after.

The deathly hallows (more specifically the resurrection stone) also touches the subject of death. For individuals with immense grief (like Harry), the resurrection stone is likely a tempting idea. The problem with the resurrection stone is that no one can actually come back from the dead, instead, “spirits” return as a shell without feeling tied to the living world. The desire to resurrect the dead is an example of bargaining or pleading, a common part of grief that focuses on undoing what was done instead of moving forward with what has already been done. It is healthy to express those feelings to trusted listeners, friends, or family. There is no such thing as a right or wrong time frame for grief/mourning. I often hear comments like, “I should be over this by now” or “I just need to move on”. Those statements reflect societal and familial pressures based on inappropriate and poorly-informed norms regarding death and grief. There are no short-cuts to the grief/mourning process. The only way to heal is by moving toward the pain head-on, not going around it. Yes, it will hurt and feel uncomfortable, but that is why it is so important. The pain and hurt doesn’t go away when you avoid it or push it down, it just accumulates until it can be released in some other form at a later, and most certainly, inconvenient time.

How Can I Tell If I’m Depressed or Grieving?

Many of the symptoms are the same, including: sadness, self-isolating, loss of appetite, hypersomnia, insomnia, loss of interest in things usually enjoyed, frequent tearfulness, thoughts of hopelessness, worthlessness, helplessness, or death. The DSM-V considers grief enduring longer than two weeks after experiencing a death as a depressive episode. Many mental health professionals disagree with that time frame, including myself. Grief often lasts much longer than two weeks. However, some individuals start with grief but then if they do not mourn and process the death then it can turn into a depressive episode. A depressive episode can also be triggered by many different situations other than death. If you or someone you know is grieving/mourning and does not feel that they are healing, they should seek out help from a mental health professional.

What Can I Do to Mourn?

  1. Read a book written by Alan Wolfelt. He has written many books on grieving specific types of losses, such as suicide, loss of a parent, loss of a child, loss of a pet, etc. You might also try one of his general books on grief/loss. Here is his bookstore: https://www.centerforloss.com/bookstore/
  2. Explore your current support system. Do you have anyone in your life who listens and supports? Avoid people who make comments such as, “It’s time to move on”, “You were lucky you had the time you were given with them”, “they’re in a better place now,” or “it was all part of god’s plan”. Those good-intention comments are made when an individual is uncomfortable sitting with you in your grief. A true support will not only listen, but will not shut down your feelings. They should encourage you to talk about your grief and the person lost until you feel you are ready to stop. Make a conscious effort to surround yourself with healthy support systems (and it doesn’t always include family members).
  3. Keep a journal with you. Write about your mourning process. Perhaps write down your memories with that person. You could choose to do some form of art project to accomplish the same goal.
  4. Create an altar like Mexican culture does when celebrating the Day of the Dead. The altar might include the deceased person’s favorite food, drinks, objects, photos, scented candles, music, flowers, clothes, etc.
  5. Take care of your body. The body is often neglected when grieving a loss, but that will only make symptoms worse. Take time off from work, try to get 8 hours of sleep per night, make sure you eat healthy meals, take relaxing baths or showers, get a massage, etc.

Harry Potter Psychotherapy: The Pensieve

A pensieve is a rare stone basin that holds memories. Imagine you have a pensieve like Dumbledore’s and think of or write down the following:

  • What does the pensieve look like?
  • What does it feel like against your hand?
  • Can you feel the power emanating from it? Does it pull you forward?
  • Imagine you find yourself falling into a memory.
  • The memory looks familiar. You know it has to do with your grief.
  • Who is there and what is happening?
  • Do you notice any details about your memory?
  • Are you watching yourself in your memory?
  • What are the feelings experienced by individuals in the memory?
  • What are your feelings as an observer of your memory?
  • What is important about this particular memory?
  • You might find that you have more memories to observe when this memory concludes. If so, reflect on the above questions each time. Consider writing down your responses.

Harry Potter Psychotherapy: Riddle’s Diary

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secret’s, Harry encounters Tom Riddle’s (Voldemort’s) Diary. It is blank and Harry thinks it is useless until he realizes that the ink is completely absorbed in the pages. When he writes in the diary his words disappear and the diary answers in Tom Riddle’s hand-writing. The diary is actually a horcrux holding a piece of Voldemort’s soul and memories. Imagine that your deceased loved one has left you a diary just like it, except it belonged to them and not Tom Riddle. Reflect on the following questions:

  • What does the diary look like and how does it feel in your hand?
  • What would you ask your loved one in the diary?
  • What would you want to say?
  • How would they answer and respond?
  • What would the hand writing look like?
  • How does it feel to imagine communicating with their memory in the diary?
  • Are you surprised by the responses you would get back from the diary?
  • Are there any images or memories that the diary would try to show you?
  • If the situation was reversed and it was your memory/soul in the diary and your loved one left to ask the questions, what would they say and how would you respond?
  • How do those two versions compare to each other?
  • What does your loved one want you to know?
  • Remember that you can return to “Riddle’s” Diary at any time and repeat the above steps.

Please note that these therapy exercises do not qualify as stand-alone treatments and it is recommended that you seek help from a licensed professional mental health provider.

Contact me with questions or to schedule an appointment:

E-Mail: jmorris@jmmhc.com

Voicemail: (248) 327-4643

Harry Potter Psychotherapy Self-Improvement Therapy By Jennifer Morris, MA LPC NCC 0 Comments

Harry Potter Psychotherapy: Categorization and Personality

*I do not own Harry Potter, therefore, mention of characters/concepts are solely intended for educational and therapeutic gain.*

Categorization

It is human nature to understand your world in terms of categories. In the NPR podcast, Invisibilia, they discuss Rize Coffee Shop in Midtown Manhattan. Rize Coffee Shop tapped into people’s need to categorize objects for a sense of understanding and belonging. They set out two tip jars every day with different categories to compete. One day they would have kittens vs. puppies, Apple vs. Samsung, cassette tape vs. vinyl, etc. They quickly discovered that putting their tip jars into two categorizes increased the number of tips received. This ties into the human innate desire to differentiate themselves and declare a category. When customers were asked for explanations for their chosen category, they would make comments such as, “dog people are chatty” or “cat people like to stay home”, etc. Those customer comments bring Henri Tajfel’s Social Identity Theory to the forefront. Social Identity Theory suggests that a person’s sense of identity is based on their group membership. People tend to increase their self-image through promoting the group they belong to and criticizing the groups they don’t belong to, creating an “us versus them” mentality. Through this process, there is a tendency to exaggerate differences between groups and similarities within the same group. Categorization helps us to understand objects and identify them, thus helping us to understand ourselves through our group memberships. Perceived knowledge about certain categories often guide responses to that thing, serving as a mental shortcut to save time and brain power.

Categorization is a very important factor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Students are sorted into one of four categories on their first day before they even get a chance to sit down and eat after a long journey on the Hogwarts Express. From the moment the Sorting Hat makes his decision, your fate is sealed in how you will understand your personal identity, behave toward others, make friends, and succeed in your 7 years as a student. The following are various characterizations associated with each Hogwarts House:

Gryffindor: Brave, daring, adventurous, determined and chivalrous. Often associated with heroism and “doing the right thing”.

Hufflepuff: Hardworking, dedicated, patient, loyal and fair. Often associated with “doing what is nice”. They are welcoming to anyone who feels they do not fit in the other three houses.

Ravenclaw: Intelligent, witty, creative, clever and quirky. Often associated with “doing what is wise”.

Slytherin: Proud, ambitious, cunning, resourceful, intelligent and determined. They are often associated with evil due to the witches and wizards who choose a dark path, yet many Slytherins choose a light path. Their motto is to “do what is necessary”, including selective loyalty and intelligence used with specific intent.

Each house develops a picture of personality traits and corresponding behavior for each member. For example, a student who might have been difficult to place (a hatstall) could have modified their actions based on placement. Hermione Granger was placed in Gryffindor even though she was the cleverest and most intelligent student in her year, thus qualifying her for Ravenclaw. Had she been in Ravenclaw, one could expect that she would not have turned into the rule-breaking, brave, and daring witch she turned out to be. Severus Snape could have done well in Gryffindor at a young age, yet he was sorted into Slytherin and utilized his traits to get ahead and fit in somewhere instead of “doing what was right”.

The question to consider is this: Does personality exist?

This dilemma was discussed in yet another NPR Invisibilia podcast. According to scientific contributors in Invisibilia, many experts in the field reject the existence of personality. Research has shown that people are predictable only because we see them in situations where their behavior is guided by that situation and the roles or relationships they are occupying at the time.

For example, Peter Pettigrew was very close with James, Sirius, and Remus, when at Hogwarts. He was loyal to them at the time because their friendship provided a situation for him to feel protected, popular, and successful. Upon graduation, Voldemort gained more power and the situation seemed less hopeful for Voldemort’s opposition. Although we do not know much about Peter’s childhood, it is likely that he learned from family at a young age that he needed to look out for himself and adapt to situations to survive. Peter did not view this as being good or bad, it’s just what he learned and valued. Therefore, when the time came, he betrayed his friends to survive and succeed in life. In his new situation as a death eater, Peter adapted to each change, such as nursing Voldemort back to health, cutting off his arm for Voldermort’s resurrection, and even that split second of remorse at the Malfoy Manor dungeon with Harry, which ultimately cost him his life.

Another example is Severus Snape. As a Hogwarts student, he became friends with future death eaters within the Slytherin house, mostly due to being a victim of frequent bullying by others. He felt that he fit in with the would-be Voldemort supporters, therefore, he became a death eater after graduation. In hindsight, if the sorting hat had put him in Gryffindor, it is likely that James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter, would not have bullied him. There would have been no need to become friends with the pre-death eaters in Slytherin house. Therefore, Lily would never have been angry with Snape for his choices and they might have ended up together. With Lily’s love and respect, Snape would have acted entirely different and would not have succumbed to his abusive nature learned by his own abusive childhood upbringing.

What does this mean for you?

People limit themselves based on their perceptions of their personalities or traits. I often hear people make self-deprecating comments such as: “I’m a lazy person”, “I’m not smart”, “I’m bad at math”, “I’m a terrible person,” “I’m unlovable”, “I’m ugly”, or “I’m a failure”.

These are beliefs people have internalized over time due to various situations and circumstances. Some take cues from the media, society, negative comments from family or peers, etc. Those self-deprecating thoughts not only make people feel miserable, but they brain-wash individuals to believe they are stuck with those labels and will always be that way. If you believe that you’re hopeless at math, how likely is it that you will challenge yourself to get better and prove yourself wrong? If you think you’re lazy, how likely is it that you will choose to be productive instead of staying on the couch? If you believe you’re a terrible person, wouldn’t that then influence you to respond negatively to others?

Any of us can choose to make different decisions at any time. If we believe that our personalities are fixed, then we make excuses not to grow or change for the better. Take a good look at your negative thoughts and see if you can challenge them. Be willing to break your self-imposed glass ceiling to reach your goals and make choices you want to be proud of.

Seek out a mental health professional for cognitive behavioral therapy, because it’s our thoughts that cause us to feel the way we do.

*Check out this Daily Thought Log from Therapistaid.com for monitoring your negative thoughts.*

Please note that these therapy exercises do not qualify as stand-alone treatments and it is recommended that you seek help from a licensed professional mental health provider.

Contact me with questions or to schedule an appointment:

E-Mail: jmorris@jmmhc.com

Voicemail: (248) 327-4643

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