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Benefits Of Going To Therapy – Part One

Do you know the benefits of therapy? It can be daunting to decide to go to therapy because of the many things you end up facing. If you’ve experienced traumatizing events in your past, it can be scary to face the event and your fears in therapy, but in the long run you’ll be glad you did. Sometimes people have the idea that therapy is for the weak, but in reality, it takes a very strong person to face their fears and look into themselves. If you are considering therapy, but aren’t sure that you could really benefit from it, read our blog to find out more about what you could gain from going to psychotherapy. To book an appointment or to learn more about cognitive behavioral therapy or cognitive processing therapy, call today. Benefit One Do you ever want to talk about what’s going on in your life, but can’t seem to find anyone who cares enough to listen? When you go to therapy you will be able to reveal your inner fears, hopes, dreams, and sort through all of the issues you’ve developed over the years. We all have our problems, whether we are afraid of commitment, we habitually pick the wrong partner, or we’re hindered because of something that’s happened in the past. When you go to therapy you’re able to talk about what’s bothering you and sort through solutions to your problems. Benefit Two If you’ve experienced a psychological trauma, have depression, anxiety, or are very stressed out, going to a therapist

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blog_triggers

Manage Your Triggers With Success

Movies, words, songs, the news, a time of year, TV shows, books, the school environment, stress, the way someone is looking at you, and even certain clothing can all be triggers to throw you back into a moment or multiple moments you’d rather forget. Certain triggers can occur for anyone who has experienced a trauma in his or her life. If you’ve been to war, sexually assaulted, abused, or have encountered any other traumatic event, you’ll most likely find yourself experiencing trauma triggers. A trauma trigger is when a person recalls a traumatic, frightening, and intense memory due to something superficial or indirectly bringing up a memory. You might be completely fine one moment and then a trigger makes you re-experience a traumatic event and you don’t know how to deal with it. By identifying positive ways to deal with triggers, you’ll be able to work through the repressed memories or traumatic event. As you work through identifying and dealing with triggers, consider investing your time into therapy. After a traumatic event it’s best to go to therapy and deal with the issue at hand. Triggers are usually linked to repressed memories and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Don’t let the event or events in your past rule your future. Contact a therapist today. Two Ways To Manage Triggers Having a traumatic trigger occur at work or school is scary. You don’t know how to deal with the things being thrown your way and you aren’t sure how to react. At work, you’re surrounded by coworkers and you

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What You Should Know About Depression

You’re tired all the time and you don’t know why. You’re irritable all the time and you wish you weren’t. You are having dark thoughts about hurting yourself and you don’t know what to do. Depression can be a very scary and overwhelming disorder. In our society, people try to avoid talking about it because of the dark connotations. The Metis Center, a facility for psychological services, wants to debunk what society thinks about depression. We’re located in Boulder, CO, and want to help you stop suffering, take some time to talk to a therapist, and begin on the path toward self-satisfaction. We offer psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy, among other services, so take some time to figure out how we can assist you. What is Depression? You probably know someone with depression or who has hurt themselves because they were depressed. Depression can manifest in many forms: anger, sadness, exhaustion, and anxiety, to name a few. There are many different kinds of depression as well. Depression, in general, is a serious mood disorder that can cause you to handle your life differently because of an imbalance of chemicals in your brain. The Types of Depression When the seasons change people can become more depressed because of the lack of sunshine. This is called Seasonal Affective Disorder. There is psychotic depression, perinatal depression, and persistent depressive disorder. Bipolar disorder is also a type of depression because of the extreme mood changes that go from high to low in small windows of time. Psychotic Depression: This depression is

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How To Deal After College Part Two

In a previous blog, we addressed life post-college and how to overcome post-college depression. At Metis Center, we want to carry on with part two of How To Deal After College to remind you that life goes on no matter how much you wish you could be 20 years old again. At the Metis Center, located in Boulder, CO, we concentrate on helping young adults and adults during difficult times with therapy. Psychotherapy is important during transitional phases, so check out our variety of different options, such as cognitive behavioral therapy. Continue reading about post college life, or if you’re just joining us read our first blog. Compare This goes hand in hand with a majority of life, but remember to never compare yourself to someone else. Instead of being jealous of that friend who just got engaged to the person of their dreams, congratulate them. Instead of being jealous of that perfect person who runs in your social circle, become their friend and realize how cool they are. It’s easy to compare yourself to others and become jealous, but rise above it, and realize that everyone has to overcome some sort of hardship. Health There is no excuse for not being healthy at this point with the variety of health food stores and gym memberships accessible to you. Get healthy by exercising; you’ll feel better and look better. The more you exercise, the happier you’ll become because of all the endorphins; on top of that, you’ll look really good! Learn to cook healthy meals, too,

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How To Deal After College Part One

Graduating college is a bittersweet time. You are finally opening your eyes to the real world. While in college, you were slowly introduced to being an adult and taking care of yourself, but now as you search for that job you love, you try cooking your own meals, and you talk to your cat because you’re so lonely, you figure out that adulthood isn’t everything you thought it would be. At Metis Center, a safe place to explore therapy in Boulder, CO, we think it’s important for former students just graduating college to know how to combat post-college depression. We offer a variety of psychotherapy and very experienced therapist at our center, so check us out. We also offer different therapeutic approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy. The Job Finding a job after college is the most disheartening activity you will do thus far in life. You feel as if you should get that dream job right out the door; after all, you worked very hard throughout college. Instead of getting that coveted phone call or e-mail, you are getting rejection after rejection. You want to quit and run away from adulthood, or take the easy way out by getting a simple job. Don’t. Instead, wait for the right job to come around, and get those resumes out. Try not to be so desperate to find a job; instead, take the time to find the right one because it’s so worth it. That Hopeless Feeling When nothing is going your way, remember the bigger picture. Life

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Psychologists Suggest Setting Boundaries To Manage Stress

It isn’t always easy to set boundaries for yourself. Letting people know where your limits and needs are can be stressful in itself, especially for people who aren’t used to it. However, the end result is always well worth it, giving you relationships that involve greater levels of mutual respect and meet the needs of all parties involved, thus reducing everyone’s levels of stress. As a trusted source for counseling in Boulder, CO, we want to help you manage your stress levels, and a great way to start is by setting boundaries. Setting Boundaries For Stress Management The first step in setting boundaries is to figure out where your own personal boundaries are. Oftentimes, a good clue is the feeling you get when your boundaries have been crossed. Communication is key when setting boundaries, allowing people with different boundaries to know where yours are and how not to violate them. Signs You Need To Work On Boundaries Do you find yourself saying yes to things you’d really rather not do? Do you say yes to avoid disappointing or upsetting people? Do you feel resentful of people when you feel that they ask too much of you? Do you find yourself feeling resentful because you feel as if you do more for others than they do for you? Do you tend to keep people at an arm’s length because you fear they may get too close to you and overwhelm you? Do you feel as if most of what you do is for others and that they

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Self-care Advice From Your Boulder Psychologist

Self-care is absolutely necessary for your success and effectiveness in honoring your personal and professional commitments. Self-care can be many things, but it should always make you a healthier person. As a trusted and safe source of counseling in Colorado, we see quite a few people who fail to put effort into themselves and practice self-care because they’re putting all of their effort into something else. Simple self-care techniques because you have everything to gain: Learn how to say no. It is life-altering when you learn how to say no when you need to. This doesn’t mean you say no every time someone asks for a favor. It’s about setting boundaries. If saying no at times means saying yes to your health and well-being, then don’t be afraid to say no. Setting boundaries is about having the courage to love yourself, even when we risk disappointing other people. Remember, you can’t base your own worthiness on someone else’s approval. Give yourself permission to have fun. Take some time, even if it’s just 10 minutes, to laugh and have fun each day. What do you enjoy doing? What brings you pleasure? It doesn’t matter if you’re by yourself or with others. We even suggest switching up your fun activities so you always have something to look forward to. Eat the right things. Remember, when you eat well, you aren’t only nourishing your body, you’re also nourishing your mind. You’ll find the effort you put into eating healthier will become less of an effort when you begin to

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Manage Your Anxiety With Neurofeedback

You May Be Able To Help Your Anxiety With Neurofeedback Firstly, let us explain what neurofeedback is. Simply put, neurofeedback is training your brain through the use of electroencephalogram (EEG) technology and practice. Essentially, it is the guided control of your nervous system to train your brain based on how it’s currently functioning. Neurofeedback has been shown to support the treatment of damaged brain tissue from injuries such as concussions or car accidents, may stabilize emotions, increase attention, decrease migraines, and even boost your natural learning ability. Brain Training Is A Viable Option For Anxiety Management. Neurofeedback is one of the fastest and most efficient methods we can use to teach someone how to help themselves. Plus, it’s easy to learn! Learning this life skill could decrease your dependence on medication, and also improve your overall quality of life. When you teach someone how to calm themselves by teaching their brain to make healthier patterns on a more consistent basis, their anxiety responses are avoided because they have a calmer brain in control. Brain training for anxiety is a great way to give those who suffer from anxiety hope that they can take control of their lives. An Alternative To Medication? Generally, specific areas in your brain are causing you to feel anxious. When you’re able to target these areas with brain training, you learn how to control these problematic areas of your brain specifically. When you take anxiety medications, they can’t reach specific areas of the brain, but rather they affect the entire brain. This

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Helpful Relaxation Techniques For College Students

Our Boulder Counseling Services Teach Relaxation Techniques Research shows us that there are several different relaxation techniques that can help us not only reduce stress but also several of the symptoms associated with mental health disorders. Our counseling services in Boulder have helped countless students who suffer from stress, as well as mental health disorders, and we can help you, too. Today, we’re going to take a look at some simple techniques you can practice when you’re experiencing stress during class, at work, while studying, or when trying to fall asleep. Relaxing Breathing Exercises Put one hand on your stomach right below your rib cage while inhaling slowly and deeply through your nose. Your chest should still move slightly, but your stomach should be rising slowly as you inhale and pushing your hand up. As you exhale your breath, try to image your entire body becoming limp and loose and just letting go. A good rule of thumb is to exhale twice as long as it takes you to inhale. Practicing this breathing exercise three times a day for two or three minutes can really help your stress levels. Progressive Muscle Relaxation This technique allows you to pay a mental visit to the muscles in your body. While inhaling and exhaling slowly, mentally scan your body from your head to toe. Stop at each area of your body and pay attention to the areas where tension exists. As you stop to acknowledge these areas, practice tensing and relaxing each muscle. This will help release all of

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Access Your Patient Portal

We offer a convenient online portal for current patients. On this portal you can:

  • Schedule appointments
  • Pay your bills and view your billing history and balances 
  • Securely message our office and your clinician
  • Upload and access your documents

If you have any questions about using your patient portal, or need help setting up an account, please contact us  or call us at (720) 387-8458.

Access Your Patient Portal

We offer a convenient online portal for current patients. On this portal you can:

  • Schedule appointments
  • Pay your bills and view your billing history and balances 
  • Securely message our office and your clinician
  • Upload and access your documents

If you have any questions about using your patient portal, or need help setting up an account, please contact us  or call us at (720) 387-8458.