The Mental Health Blog
Trauma and the Use of TF-CBT
It is important to send the message that there are others out there like you and they have thrived. The good thing is that the child doesn’t have to get personal or share details because the focus is simply on psycho education. Usually it’s best to incorporate some type of game or otherwise it feels like endless homework, I mean after all these are children.
We Are All Human, Ask for Help
We are all in this together! I keep hearing that, but never have I felt more alone. I am a social person, I thrive on the connections I share with my family, friends, and co-workers. I know this is heavy- so let me explain.
Is it Saturday, Again?
The beginning of my day starts out fine, I know what day it is, I look at my planner, see what I have set for the day (meetings, webinars, exercise, my zoom meetings, my kids zoom meetings and their homework, etc.). But once I have accomplished the tasks for the day, because there was not movement from one space (work) to a new space (home)- I begin to completely lose track of time and space. If everything is done by 1 p.m. for example- then we can go on a hike or a bike ride. That isn’t how it used to be, we used to be at work or the kids were at school until at least 3 p.m., not in our home doing these things.
Boundaries in Relationships During COVID-19
It was much easier when we could leave the house to go to work or school, to drive to the place we exercise, to take a night for ourselves away from our household by meeting up with friends out somewhere. Now that we are confined to one place and our social outlet is getting on Zoom with friends, how do we still carve out that space that we need for ourselves in order to reset.
Teens, Screens and Sleep
For parents with concerns about their children’s device usage, experts recommend talking to their kids openly, early, and often. Setting age-appropriate boundaries with children and adolescents on types of screen time activities and time spent on their devices is crucial.
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing: Why Does EMDR Work?
If you are feeling anxious or depressed I encourage you to seek out a brain based therapist. These therapists are usually using EMDR, ART or Somatic Experiencing. Brain based therapies take in to account how your brain systems work with your body and process information.
Archetypes (Part 3) – Role Couple vs. Real Couple
At times the role couple attempts with deliberation to plot their own course. Standing at the helm they turn the big wheel steering towards a new direction yet somehow a short time later they find themselves in that familiar shipping lane moving towards the same old horizon.
Couple Archetypes – The Origins
There is a certain truth about these roles that is important for us to know, the truth that these roles cannot define us. They cannot tell us who we are.
Helping the Community-Attorneys and Therapists Come Together
The lady in the picture you see above standing in the middle of those two dashing fellas is me, Kristen Neal, MEd, LPC. As you are looking at the picture, to the left is James Ahearn, MEd, JD, LPC and to the right is John Kershman, Esq. Yes, James is a therapist AND a lawyer and, yes, he practices in both professions! John Kershman is a well known family law attorney in Saint Louis with a stellar record.
Greenway Therapy on Channel 5 News: Isolation leading to mental health concerns in teens, doctors say
The increase in mental health issues is brought on — at least in part — by isolation during e-learning and being apart from their friends during the summer.
“Kids that are pre-teens and teens are at a developmental place where their relationships with their peers are extremely important, and they’re missing out on that,” therapist and counselor Kristen Neal said.
Customer Reviews
I have known Ashley Rickert for multiple years as she was one of my classmates in grad school. Having known Ashley for as long as I have, I've had the pleasure of seeing her therapy skills in a variety of scenarios (through practicum and internship, as well as her post graduate work).
She is immensely knowledgeable and professional. Lately, she has been described as "quiet, but mighty!" Most of all, she is respectful of our clients and genuinely cares for them.
Honored to share the space with her!
No doubt this is the BEST place to get the BEST counseling service in ALL of St. Louis area.
