Our Blog
January 13, 2025
A New Year, A Fresh Start for Your Mental Health
The beginning of a new year often brings reflection, hope, and the desire for positive change. The New Year can be a powerful time to prioritize mental health and emotional well-being.
At Oak Tree Counseling and Wellness (OTCW), we believe that caring for your mental health is one of the most rewarding things you can do for yourself.
Why the New Year Is a Great Time for Therapy
The transition into a new year naturally invites self-reflection. You may find yourself thinking about stress, relationships, anxiety, depression, or patterns you’d like to change. Mental health therapy provides a supportive space to explore these thoughts with a licensed therapist who can help you move forward with clarity and compassion.
Starting therapy doesn’t mean something is “wrong.” Many people seek counseling to:
- Manage anxiety or depression
- Improve relationships and communication
- Heal from past trauma
- Reduce stress and burnout
- Build self-confidence and emotional resilience
Therapy can help you set realistic, healthy goals—not just for January, but for the entire year ahead. Therapy helps you develop self-awareness, practice self-care, and create sustainable habits that support long-term emotional health.
Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, depression, life transitions, or simply feeling overwhelmed, working with a mental health therapist can make a meaningful difference.
Start the New Year With Support
You don’t have to wait until you’re struggling to seek help. The new year is an ideal time to begin therapy for mental health, build coping skills, and invest in your overall well-being.
If you’re considering counseling, OTCW is here to support you with compassionate, professional care. A new year doesn’t require a new you—just a kinder relationship with yourself.
December 3, 2025
Preparing for Insurance Changes in the New Year: What Clients Should Know
As we approach a new year, many health insurance plans reset or update important details that can affect your mental health care. These changes are common, but they can also be confusing—especially if you aren't expecting them. To help you stay informed and avoid any surprises, here are a few simple steps you can take to make sure your coverage is up to date before your next therapy session.
1. Look for a New Insurance Card
Many insurance companies issue new member ID numbers or updated cards at the beginning of the year. Even small changes—like a new group number or updated billing address—can affect how your claims are processed.
What to do: As soon as you receive your new card, take a clear photo or bring it with you to your next session so we can update your file.
2. Review Your Deductible and Copay Information
Most plans reset deductibles on January 1st. This means you may be responsible for different out-of-pocket costs than you were at the end of last year. Copays and coinsurance can also shift with new plan terms.
What to do: Contact your insurance provider or log in to your member portal to confirm:
- Your deductible and how much has been met
- Your copay or coinsurance for mental health services
- Any authorization or referral requirements
3. Check for Changes in Mental Health Benefits
Each year, insurers may update the number of covered therapy sessions, in-network provider lists, or telehealth policies.
What to do: Make sure your plan still covers your therapist and the services you receive. If anything has changed, let us know so we can help you navigate your options.
4. Share Updated Information With Your Provider
Accurate insurance information helps us verify your benefits and give you a clearer picture of what to expect financially.
What to do: As soon as you learn about any changes—new ID number, plan type, or deductible—please send us an update. The sooner we have your current information, the easier it is to prevent billing issues or unexpected charges.
5. Reach Out If You're Unsure
Insurance can be complicated, and it's completely normal to have questions. We're here to help you understand your coverage and feel prepared as the new year begins.
What to do: If you're uncertain about your benefits, let us know—we're happy to walk through it with you.
October 31, 2025
Mindful Tips for Protecting Your Mental Health During the Holiday Season
As the holiday season approaches, many people look forward to joy, celebration, and connection. However, this time of year can also bring stress, anxiety, loneliness, and emotional overwhelm. Between family expectations, financial pressure, and social commitments, it’s easy to lose sight of your own mental well-being.
At Oak Tree Counseling and Wellness (OTCW), our licensed therapists understand how challenging the holidays can be. We’re here to remind you that caring for your mental health is one of the best gifts you can give yourself this season.
1. Set Realistic Expectations
It’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to make everything “perfect.” Instead, focus on what truly matters to you this season. Simplifying your schedule and setting boundaries can help reduce stress and improve your emotional balance. Saying “no” when you need to can help reduce stress and prevent burnout.
2. Practice Mindful Moments
The winter months in Michigan can feel long and dark, making it especially important to stay grounded. Take a few minutes each day to breathe deeply, journal, step outside (even if it’s chilly!), meditate, or simply pause and notice your surroundings. Mindfulness helps you stay grounded, manage anxiety, and reconnect with a sense of peace—even amid holiday chaos.
3. Maintain Healthy Routines
The holidays can disrupt sleep, exercise, and eating habits. Between holiday parties and unpredictable schedules, it’s easy to fall out of your usual habits. Try to maintain regular routines that support your mental and physical health. Small, consistent self-care habits make a big difference in how you feel.
4. Reach Out for Support
You don’t have to go through the season alone. Talking with a licensed therapist can help you manage difficult emotions, navigate family dynamics, and develop coping tools for stress and anxiety. Therapy offers a safe, confidential space to process what you’re feeling and find ways to enjoy the season on your own terms.
Take the First Step Toward a Calmer, More Mindful Holiday Season Contact us today to schedule an appointment and learn how therapy can support your mental health and well-being this winter.
September 9, 2025
September is Suicide Prevention Month: Your Life Matters
Every September, we recognize Suicide Prevention Month—a time to speak openly about mental health, reduce stigma, and remind those struggling: you are not alone.
At Oak Tree Counseling and Wellness (OTCW), we understand that behind every suicide statistic is a real person—a life full of meaning and value. If you’re having thoughts of suicide or feeling overwhelmed, please know this: you are not broken, and there is help.
If You’ve Been Struggling, You’re Not Alone
Maybe you’ve felt hopeless, emotionally exhausted, or like the people around you would be better off without you. These thoughts are more common than many realize—and they’re also treatable. Reaching out for support is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Behind Every Statistic Is a Real Person
Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, but it's not just a number. Behind every loss is a name, a face, a life filled with meaning. If you’re struggling, you're not just part of a statistic — you’re a human being worthy of support, healing, and hope.
Common Warning Signs of Suicidal Thoughts
- Feeling hopeless or like a burden
- Withdrawing from others
- Sleeping too much or not at all
- Increase in substance use
- Thinking often about death or wanting to escape
You don’t need to check every box to seek help. One sign is enough.
What You Can Do Right Now
If you're in crisis or having thoughts of suicide:
- Talk to someone—a friend, family member, or therapist
- Call 911 or 988 for free, 24/7 support
- Create a safety plan to help ground you in moments of distress
- Seek professional support from a licensed therapist
Therapy Can Help
You deserve support from someone who will listen without judgment. At OTCW, we provide therapy for depression, anxiety, trauma, and suicidal thoughts in a safe, compassionate environment.
Reach Out Today
You matter. Your life matters. And healing is possible.
For information and resources please visit NAMI's toolkit here: https://www.nami.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/NAMI-Suicide-Prevention-Month-Toolkit-2025.pdf
August 1, 2025
How Therapy Supports Your Self-Care Journey
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to overlook the simple yet powerful role self-care plays in mental health and wellbeing. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or simply out of balance, building a self-care routine can be a game-changer for your mental wellness.
Sometimes, starting or sticking to a self-care routine can be difficult, especially when you're managing anxiety, depression, or high stress. That’s where self-care therapy comes in. Working with a licensed therapist provides a safe space to explore what’s holding you back and build a personalized plan for improving mental health.
Therapy can help you:
- Identify barriers to self-care
- Learn healthy coping strategies
- Build emotional resilience
- Set goals and stay accountable
Self-care isn’t selfish — it’s essential. And with the right tools and support, you can take meaningful steps toward greater mental wellness.
5 Simple Self-Care Practices to Improve Mental Health
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Set Boundaries
Learning to say “no” is one of the most important self-care skills. Protecting your time and energy helps you avoid burnout and maintain healthier relationships. -
Practice Mindfulness
Whether it's meditation, deep breathing, or simply being present during your morning coffee, mindfulness helps quiet the mind and reduce anxiety. -
Stay Physically Active
Incorporating some sort of movement is helpful and looks different for everybody. Exercise releases endorphins, which are natural mood boosters. Even a 20-minute walk or some simple stretching can help clear your mind and elevate your mood. -
Prioritize Sleep
Good sleep is foundational for mental wellness. Aim for 7–9 hours of quality rest each night to support emotional balance and cognitive function. Developing and improving your sleep hygiene is a common therapeutic focus. -
Stay Connected
Spending time with friends or loved ones—even virtually—can reduce feelings of isolation and offer emotional support when you need it most.
July 8, 2025
Setting SMART Goals
It's nice to be prepared for your therapist to ask you about your goals during your first session with them. If you're not sure, that's okay. Your therapist is there to help. However, you may have some things in mind to share. Of course, you won't be graded on these goals, but it can be helpful to follow the SMART goal method when thinking about what changes you want to work toward. SMART stands for: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-specific.
Specific
Often when we start therapy, the general goal is to "feel better." While this is a good goal to have, this could be more specific. What does "better" mean to you? What would be different in your life for you to feel better? To answer these questions, let's focus on what the presenting problems are.
Example: I want to decrease my symptoms of anxiety.
Measurable
In order to track progress, a goal should be able to be measured. We should be able to look back in a year's time and notice where we are on the road to this goal compared to where we started. One way to measure your progress in something like coping with anxiety is to keep a journal. Your therapist will also keep notes and help track your progress with you.
Example: I want to decrease my symptoms of anxiety from a 10 to a 2 (using a 0-10 SUD anxiety scale).
Attainable
It's easy to set big goals for ourselves, but we have to make sure the goal is attainable given where we are in life, and the resources available to us. If a goal is so big that it feels impossible, we are less likely to start working toward it. It is helpful to start with smaller goals that you can accomplish, then work from there to take the next step toward the bigger goal.
Example: I will use meditation to reduce my anxiety from a 10 to a 2 (using a 0-10 anxiety scale).
Realistic
Similarly, we need to be realistic in our goal-setting. It would be great if we could all carve out an hour of time for ourselves every day, but is that realistic for a person with four kids at three different schools, a full-time job, plus extra-curricular activities? Setting an unrealistic goal can set us up to feel worse when we cannot accomplish it, which is not helpful. Again, we need to start with something that is possible.
Example: I will meditate for 10 minutes to reduce my anxiety from a 10 to a 2 (using a 0-10 anxiety scale).
Time-specific
How will you know when you've met your goal? It is helpful to set a specific timeframe for achieving your goals, so that you know when to check in on your progress. This timeline can be changed if you need more time or learn new things along the way. Remember, we want to make sure the timeline is realistic for what we are able and willing to do. We also want it to be easy to acknowledge. Setting a weekly goal can help with this, so that we can easily look back at last week and confirm if we've met the objectives to our goals.
Example: I will meditate for 10 minutes, 3x/week, to reduce my anxiety from a 10 to a 2 (using a 0-10 anxiety scale).
May 28, 2025
What is Family Therapy and How Can It Improve Relationships?
Family therapy is a specialized form of counseling that focuses on strengthening relationships within a family system by improving communication and resolving conflicts. Unlike individual therapy, which concentrates on a single person's experience, family therapy views the family as an interconnected unit and works to improve the dynamics between its members.
Family counseling can be particularly helpful if you and your family are facing challenges such as major life transitions, frequent arguments or miscommunications, difficulties stemming from divorce or separation, or issues related to mental health concerns within the family. Through therapy, families can navigate these obstacles and experience a variety of important benefits:
- Strengthens family unity Family therapy fosters open communication and dialogue, helping members build deeper connections and a stronger sense of unity.
- Enhances communication It provides a safe space for each family member to express their thoughts and emotions clearly, promoting mutual understanding and respect.
- Improved conflict resolution Therapy offers tools and strategies for addressing ongoing issues, allowing families to manage tensions and resolve conflicts in a constructive way.
- Provides support during developmental and transitional phases Family therapy helps members process and adapt to significant life changes, offering guidance and support during transitional periods.
- Enhances parenting effectiveness Family counseling addresses parenting styles and co-parenting challenges, strengthening the parental relationship and supporting children's development and emotional regulation.
If you are searching for "family therapy near me", you have come to the right place and have already taken the first step towards change! It is important to remember that no family is perfect and every family has the potential to reconnect, grow, and heal through working together to create stronger relationships. If you're ready to begin this journey, reach out today to get connected with a therapist who can support you and your family!
April 28, 2025
Understanding Attachment Styles in Adult Relationships
Attachment styles—formed in early childhood through interactions with caregivers—continue to shape how we connect with others well into adulthood. These styles, often categorized as secure, anxious, avoidant, or disorganized, play a major role in adult relationships, affecting everything from emotional intimacy to conflict resolution. That’s because these patterns influence how we communicate, handle conflict, and seek intimacy in our relationships. Knowing your attachment style can bring greater awareness to recurring emotional patterns and help explain why certain dynamics feel familiar—or frustrating—in romantic partnerships, friendships, or even workplace settings. Understanding your attachment style can improve communication and emotional connection. For those seeking personal growth, individual therapy or couples counseling can be a powerful way to explore and shift these patterns.
Recognizing these styles isn't just about labels; it's about creating space for growth and healthier connection. For example, someone with an anxious attachment may seek constant reassurance, while an avoidantly attached person might struggle with vulnerability. These tendencies can lead to miscommunication, cycles of misunderstanding and tension if left unaddressed. Therapy can offer a safe environment to explore these patterns, build self-awareness, and practice more secure ways of relating. Mental health professionals can help individuals and couples build more secure attachments, develop healthier relationship dynamics, and foster emotional resilience. Understanding attachment isn't about blaming the past—it's about empowering your present and future relationships. It’s a key step toward improving emotional wellness and creating lasting, fulfilling connections.
Below you will find a short summary of the different attachment styles
1. Secure Attachment
- Key Traits: Comfortable with intimacy and independence, able to trust and be trusted.
- In Relationships: Communicates openly, handles conflict well, balances closeness and autonomy.
- Impact: Generally leads to healthy, stable, and emotionally fulfilling relationships.
2. Anxious Attachment (also called Preoccupied)
- Key Traits: Craves closeness, fears abandonment, often needs constant reassurance.
- In Relationships: May come across as clingy or overly dependent, struggles with trusting their partner's love.
- Impact: Can lead to emotional highs and lows, jealousy, and difficulty with boundaries.
3. Avoidant Attachment (also called Dismissive-Avoidant)
- Key Traits: Values independence, uncomfortable with too much closeness, suppresses emotions.
- In Relationships: May seem distant or emotionally unavailable, avoids vulnerability.
- Impact: Can cause partners to feel unloved or disconnected, may avoid serious commitment.
4. Fearful-Avoidant Attachment (also called Disorganized)
- Key Traits: Desires closeness but fears it at the same time, often due to past trauma.
- In Relationships: Mixed signals, emotional volatility, may push partners away while fearing abandonment.
- Impact: Relationships can be intense and chaotic, marked by distrust and emotional struggle..
Remember- these styles are not fixed—therapy, self-awareness, and healthy relationships can help people shift toward a more secure attachment. Contact OTCW if you want help figuring out which style might be yours, or how to navigate a relationship with someone of a different style.
March 11, 2025
What anxiety looks like and what coping skills can help?
Anxiety is a very common and normal response to stress. However, when it becomes persistent or overwhelming, it can often interfere with our daily life. It is important to understand that anxiety does not look the same for everyone, meaning your symptoms of anxiety may not look like what someone else is experiencing. Recognizing the signs of anxiety and learning effective coping strategies can help you manage its impact
Physical symptoms
Anxiety can often manifest in the body, which includes shortness of breath, muscle tension, excessive sweating, rapid heartbeat and fatigue
Emotional/ cognitive symptoms
Anxiety can affect your thoughts and emotions, which often looks like you experiencing persistent worry of fear, having difficulty concentrating or racing thoughts, overthinking, feeling overwhelmed or on edge
Behavioral symptoms
Anxiety may often lead you to experience negative responses, which may present as engaging in unhealthy coping mechanisms, procrastination, avoiding situations, and seeking constant reassurance.
Coping Skills that can help
- Deep Breathing: Practicing deep breathing can help you calm the nervous system and reduce physical symptoms of anxiety.
- Journaling and Reframing of thoughts: Writing down your thoughts allows you to gain awareness of them and provides you the opportunity to process them and gain perspective. You can also challenge your irrational thoughts that are causing to feel anxious by asking yourself “What is the evidence for and against this worry that I am experiencing?”
- Physical activity: Incorporating physical activity in your daily routine can help release tension and reduce stress hormones, as movement is proven to assist in doing so. This could include activities like taking a walk, yoga, Zumba, running or anything that you feel is more effective in boosting your mood.
- Adopting Healthy Lifestyle Habits: Sleeping an adequate number of hours every night and eating balanced meals are examples of ways that you can maintain a healthy lifestyle. Sleep deprivation can be a contributor to anxiety, so make sure you are aiming for at least 8 hours every night to avoid experiencing the increase of anxiety symptoms.
February 10, 2025
When is it time to start therapy?
Therapy is a life changing experience that offers support and provides strategies to navigate personal challenges. We understand that it may be difficult to seek help and you may feel hesitant to reach out or determine when it is the right time to do so. While there is no universal answer of when it is the right time to start therapy, there are some signs that can help you determine that it might be time to do so. You may want to gain an understanding of yourself, are facing overwhelming emotions, going through life transitions, or want to learn the right tools to navigate a certain life experience. If any of these apply to you, therapy is a great tool to use. Here are a few explanations of indicators that may tell you that it is time to start therapy
Overwhelming emotions
One of the biggest indicators that therapy may be beneficial is when you notice your emotions are overwhelming. This could be through persistent anger, anxiety, sadness which can sometimes feel unmanageable. If you find that your emotional state is interfering with your daily life and you are struggling to cope, therapy is a great space to explore these feelings and learn effective strategies for managing them.
Relationship Concerns
Often, we find it hard to communicate effectively which leads to strained relationships with family, friends, and partners. This can be a source of stress for you if we feel like the conflict is escalating and affecting other areas of our life. Therapy can provide insight into your interpersonal dynamics and allow you to gain the opportunity of understanding your relationship patterns and learning healthier ways to interact and communicate in relationships within your life.
Unresolved Trauma
Many trauma or significant experiences that you have been through in the past can continue to affect you in the present. These unresolved concerns may manifest in many different ways and present differently from one person to another.
You are seeking personal growth
Therapy is a great tool for self-exploration and personal growth, whether you want to improve your self-awareness or gain insight into your behaviors and thought patterns. Here at OTCW we can assist you in doing so.
Therapy is a great step for you to improve your overall mental wellness. Our therapists at OTCW will assist in providing you the supports and tools needed to navigate life with confidence and resilience. Reach out to us today to get connected with a therapist!
November 30, 2023
Finding the right therapist
Finding the right fit in a therapist is one of the most important aspects of therapy. We encourage new clients to look around before settling on a therapist. Reading a therapist's bio before you meet them for the first time can be a good start, but that may not be enough to tell if they're the right one for you. This uncertainty is what keeps a lot of people from beginning therapy in the first place. “How do I know for sure that I'll like them?” You won't know until you meet them. It might feel awkward to meet with someone once and then tell them you're not coming back, but I promise we will not take it personally. We want you to have the right therapist, because you deserve to be completely comfortable with your therapist in your sessions.
Looking at websites like psychologytoday.com is a great place to start. There, you can find therapist's bio and videos to get an idea of how they work. You can also apply filters (e.g. insurance, location, types of therapy, etc.) to narrow down your search. Some people find it important to have a therapist they can relate to; someone who has a similar background or is close in age to them. This can help you feel more comfortable in their office, but unfortunately there may not always be someone available who meets your criteria. We encourage you to keep an open mind, as you may be surprised at who you can make a connection with. Looking for qualities and characteristics that help you feel safe, comfortable, and confident in your therapist can come in a variety of forms.
It's important to remember that your therapist is there to work with you and your needs. You have every right to ask for what need. Having an idea of what you are looking for, in terms of their approach, can be helpful. Do you want to vent? Are you looking for guidance and advice? Do you need help processing a trauma? Or help with learning additional coping skills? Tell your therapist and they will be willing to navigate that with you. It's also common to not know what you are looking for. Our therapist will help you navigate this as well by asking questions, exploring options and discussing goals.
Therapy is a collaborative process. It can be like finding a good study partner or good co-worker. It takes time but once you do, the benefits are numerous. If you're interested in getting the process started, please reach out to us at Oak Tree Counseling and Wellness.
November 30, 2023
Confidentiality– what does it really mean?
In general, when something is “confidential” it means that it is private information, not meant to be shared outside of the context in which it is exchanged. If you've been to a therapist before, you've likely heard that your information will be kept confidential, with some exceptions.
Why are there exceptions? Basically, to keep you safe. If your therapist learns that someone, including yourself, may be harmed, or has been harmed, they have an ethical obligation to report it to the proper authorities (e.g. Child Protective Services, law enforcement, etc). Of course, each case is different, and the course of action taken will differ based on the situation. Your therapist should explain to you what the exceptions to confidentiality are before you get started, and if you have any questions, you should always ask. There also may be an exception when your therapist receives a subpoena or court order for their notes. If this happens, only the minimum amount of personal information should be shared.
Another time confidentiality comes into play is when you see your therapist in a public place. In general, the rule is that your therapist will not acknowledge you first but will follow your lead if you want to say hello. It might seem like your therapist is ignoring you, but they are trying to protect your privacy.
If you are bringing your child into therapy, you may be wondering what information you will be privy to. Similar rules apply here; you will only be informed of information gathered in sessions if there are concerns for your child's safety, unless of course your child wants you to know. Sometimes your child's therapist may ask questions of you to gain additional information, and you may tell them anything you want to about your child, but you should not expect a full report of what your child discusses in therapy. Kids need privacy just like adults do, and they need to be able to trust that their therapist as well.
While this seems like a simple concept, it is actually quite complex, with nuances that may vary between clinicians. Our therapists at OTCW will gladly explain and review any concerns or questions you have regarding confidentiality to ensure that you feel safe and comfortable in your session.
October 7, 2022
What to expect at your first session
Whether you're starting therapy for the first time or returning after a break, the first session can be daunting. Even though you are doing something good for yourself, it can feel awkward and uncomfortable at first. That's OK, we're here to help you.
Information Gathering
At the initial session, we have everything to learn about each other. It is often difficult to be open and vulnerable with someone you just met. It may help to know that we do not need to know your whole story from start to finish the first time we meet you. The main points to touch on initially will be the reasons you are seeking therapy (e.g. anxiety, depression, trauma, stressful life experiences, relationship struggles, etc.), what symptoms you are experiencing (emotions, physical sensations, sleep disturbance, appetite changes, etc.), and what you feel you need from this therapeutic experience.
Building Rapport
The first session is also a great opportunity for you to ask questions of your therapist, such as what techniques they use, what kind of experience they have with your specific concerns, or anything else that will help you to know if they are the right fit for you. Finding a good fit in a therapist is very important. We want you to feel safe, comfortable, and confident with the person you are working with.
Goal Setting
Coming into your first session, it is helpful to have an idea of what your goals are, or what you hope to gain by coming to therapy. Goals don't have to be complex, they can be as simple as “I want to feel better.” When thinking about your goals, it may help to consider this question: if a miracle occurred while you're sleeping tonight, what things would you notice tomorrow that would indicate life had suddenly gotten better?