Counselor Off The Clock

As the year ends and a new one begins, anxiety can feel like an unwelcome guest for many of us. In this episode of Counselor Off the Clock, host Lydia Thompson dives into the complexities of anxiety with special guest Amy Frew from Arcadian Therapeutic Services. Amy, a Marriage and Family Therapist and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, shares her insights on what anxiety is, why it spikes, and how to manage it with compassion and intention. Together, we explore: The root causes of anxiety and how it manifests in the body and mind Why the holiday season often exacerbates stress Practical strategies for managing anxiety The importance of befriending your anxiety and understanding its messages This episode is packed with actionable tips and heartfelt discussion to help you navigate stress and embrace the new year with confidence. Check out Arcadian Therapeutic Services Sponsor: Concord Family Counseling provides mental health counseling for the South Nashville area for children, teens, couples, and adults. They have trained counselors to help you reach your goals. Follow Counselor Off The Clock: Instagram: @counselorofftheclock TikTok: @counselorofftheclock YouTube: @concordfamilycounseling Website: www.concordfamilycounseling.com Don’t Forget to Subscribe & Review!Enjoying the podcast? Leave us a review and share your favorite episodes with friends.

This episode of Counselor Off the Clock explores the often-overlooked mental and emotional challenges of living with food allergies. While most people understand the basic need to avoid certain foods, few realize the far-reaching impact allergies can have on relationships, self-esteem, and overall well-being. Developing a food allergy as an adult can turn your world upside down. Imagine having to re-evaluate your social life, your routines, even your most cherished food traditions – all because of a newly developed allergy. In this episode, we talk to Heather, a counselor who unexpectedly developed a severe food allergy as an adult. Heather emphasizes the importance of having a strong support system when living with food allergies. This is especially crucial for children who may feel isolated or "different" because of their dietary restrictions. Having understanding friends and family who are willing to accommodate their needs can make a world of difference. It's about more than just "safe food" – it's about feeling safe, accepted, and loved. Open communication and self-advocacy are also key to managing a food allergy. By being upfront about their allergies and clearly explaining their needs, individuals can help others understand how to keep them safe. Living with the constant worry and fear of judgment that often accompany food allergies can take a toll on mental health. Heather encourages listeners to seek professional help from therapists or support groups if they're struggling to cope with anxiety, isolation, or low self-esteem related to their allergy. Finding others who "get it" can provide invaluable support and a sense of belonging.Despite the challenges, Heather emphasizes the importance of finding joy and maintaining a positive outlook. This can involve focusing on the foods you can eat, discovering creative ways to enjoy meals with friends and family, and celebrating the small victories along the way. Ultimately, it’s about adapting to a new normal and finding ways to thrive, not just survive, with a food allergy. Whether you are personally affected by food allergies or simply want to be more informed and supportive, this episode will give you a new perspective on the challenges and triumphs of navigating the world with dietary restrictions. Find Heather Hargis: https://www.heatherhargismft.com Counselor Off the Clock aims to make mental health conversations more accessible and keep you company while you grow. Join licensed counselor Lydia Thompson for thought-provoking discussions that blend professional expertise with a relaxed, off-the-clock vibe. Sponsor: Concord Family Counseling provides mental health counseling for the South Nashville area for children, teens, couples, and adults. They have trained counselors to help you reach your goals. Follow Counselor Off the Clock Instagram: @counselorofftheclock TikTok: @counselorofftheclock YouTube: @concordfamilycounseling Website: www.concordfamilycounseling.com

In this episode of Counselor Off the Clock, we're diving into the crucial topic of the launch phase - a significant part of the transition into adulthood. Join host Lydia Thompson as she welcomes back Emily Kerlin, a clinician from Concord Family Counseling, for an insightful discussion on this important life stage. Together, Lydia and Emily explore the complexities of the launch phase, addressing both the challenges of "failure to launch" and the process of re-launching later in life. This episode offers a unique peek into the daily conversations and insights shared at Concord Family Counseling, providing valuable perspectives for adolescents, young adults, and anyone navigating major life transitions. Counselor Off the Clock aims to make mental health conversations more accessible and keep you company while you grow. Join licensed counselor Lydia Thompson for thought-provoking discussions that blend professional expertise with a relaxed, off-the-clock vibe. Sponsor Concord Family Counseling provides mental health counseling for the South Nashville area for children, teens, couples, and adults. They have trained counselors to help you reach your goals. Follow Counselor Off the Clock Instagram: @counselorofftheclock TikTok: @counselorofftheclock YouTube: @concordfamilycounseling Website: www.concordfamilycounseling.com

In this episode of Counselor Off the Clock, we’re diving into the often-overlooked topic of playfulness in adulthood. As we grow older, the pressures of daily life can make it harder to connect with that carefree, silly side of ourselves. But tapping into playfulness is essential for mental health, creativity, and even building stronger connections with others. Join us as we chat with Sheldon Clark, an expert on rediscovering joy and play in our everyday lives. Together, we explore why being present is key to finding moments of silliness, how play can enhance our well-being, and practical tips for bringing more fun into your adult life. Whether you’ve lost touch with your playful side or you’re just looking for more laughter, this episode will inspire you to embrace the joy of being present in the moment. Check out Sheldon at New Moon Rising Listen to Sheldon Clark on Spotify Listen to Iris and the Underdogs on Spotify Concord Family Counseling is the sponsor of this podcast. They provide mental health counseling for the South Nashville area for children, teens, couples, and adults. They have trained counselors to help you reach your goals.

Welcome back to Counselor Off the Clock! I’m Lydia Thompson, your host and a licensed counselor, and I’m thrilled to kick off Season 2 with a topic that resonates with so many of us—perfectionism. In this episode, I sit down with Doctor Katherine Cain, an assistant principal who shares her experiences with perfectionism both in her professional role and personal life. We explore how perfectionism is often tied to loneliness and discuss the importance of striving for excellence while also recognizing where your true value lies. We also reminisce about my high school days when Doctor Cain was my teacher and how her influence helped shape my journey into counseling. If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating! It helps others discover the podcast. Don’t forget to share this episode with someone who might benefit from it. Find us on Instagram and TikTok at @counselorofftheclock.

On our last episode in this season ,Tina Parol shares her story of resilience starting with a traumatic event that allowed her the space in therapy to process and be safe. She talks about her immigrant parents and how that impacted her trajectory into a successful career. Before opening her own company, she toured the country as a pop musician all while struggling with body image, bulimia, and panic attacks. After taking a step back from music, she was able to start healing her relationship with her body. Two years ago, she underwent a major surgery to straighten out the curvature in her spine due to her severe scoliosis. In those dark moments of healing, Tina found hope and peace with her faith and re-examined her identity outside of her success. Check out Tina Parol on Instagram Donate to Music Health Alliance Donate to World Spine Outreach Subscribe to the podcast, leave us a review, and connect with us on Instagram and TikTok for additional content.  This episode of Counselor Off The Clock is proudly sponsored by Concord Family Counseling, serving Franklin, TN, and surrounding areas.  Visit ⁠⁠www.⁠concordfamilycounseling.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more about their services.  Thank you for tuning in, and remember: you matter.  Follow Counselor Off The Clock: ⁠⁠instagram.com⁠⁠  / counselorofftheclock⁠⁠  ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Tiktok.com⁠⁠  / counselorofftheclock⁠⁠ ⁠ ⁠⁠Youtube.com⁠⁠   / concordfamilycounseling⁠⁠ ⁠

On this episode of Counselor Off The Clock, we are exploring the topic of grief and loss with Shara Carter, a counselor and the owner of Shara Smile. Through her own experience, we spend time talking about “un-defined” grief which isn’t connected to a death or clear loss. Some examples would be loss of a hope or a dream or expectation.  Heard of the “stages of grief”? Let’s talk about it! How long should you be grieving? How should you help someone who is grieving?  We get to a very sweet place by the end of the podcast about the beauty of grief.  Follow Shara Smile: https://www.sharasmile.com Shara’s blog post on grief and loss Instagram Facebook Youtube Subscribe to the podcast, leave us a review, and connect with us on Instagram and TikTok for additional content.  This episode of Counselor Off The Clock is proudly sponsored by Concord Family Counseling, serving Franklin, TN, and surrounding areas.  Visit ⁠⁠www.⁠concordfamilycounseling.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more about their services.  Thank you for tuning in, and remember: you matter.  Follow Counselor Off The Clock: ⁠⁠instagram.com⁠⁠  / counselorofftheclock⁠⁠  ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Tiktok.com⁠⁠  / counselorofftheclock⁠⁠ ⁠ ⁠⁠Youtube.com⁠⁠   / concordfamilycounseling⁠⁠ ⁠

This is the first episode in our "At Home" series where regular people have a place to tell their life stories. Alyssa (they/them) shares their story of resilience as they redefine their past through discovery of themselves. About halfway through this episode, Alyssa gets brought back into their "story" of having to be "good enough". It brings this episode to a deeper level of vulnerability than either of us planned. Every story deserves to be told even if it's not done yet. This podcast is hosted by Lydia Thompson, a licensed professional counselor. Follow Counselor Off the Clock: Instagram.com/counselorofftheclock Tiktok.com/counselorofftheclock Youtube.com/concordfamilycounseling

Welcome to Counselor Off The Clock, a podcast hosted by Lydia Thompson, a licensed professional counselor. This podcast tackles complex mental health topics in a more accessible conversation. So take a deep breath and let us keep you company while you grow.  This episode, we have Kate Hickey joining us to break down what social emotional learning looks like in the classroom and how the foundations of SEL lead to future success for your child.  We break down some of the myths of social emotional learning and actually get into a great conversation about failure towards the end of this episode. Forbes: The Top 10 In-Demand Soft Skills To Learn In 2024, Based On Research Ted X Old Hickory: Watch Kate with the theme Launch on 9/14/24 Buy Kate's book: Have Fun, Be Safe, I Love you Check out Action Academy! Subscribe to the podcast, leave us a review, and connect with us on Instagram and TikTok for additional content.  This episode of Counselor Off The Clock is proudly sponsored by Concord Family Counseling, serving Franklin, TN, and surrounding areas. Visit ⁠⁠www.⁠concordfamilycounseling.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more about their services.  Thank you for tuning in, and remember: you matter.  Follow Counselor Off The Clock: ⁠⁠instagram.com⁠⁠  / counselorofftheclock⁠⁠  ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Tiktok.com⁠⁠  / counselorofftheclock⁠⁠ ⁠ ⁠⁠Youtube.com⁠⁠   / concordfamilycounseling⁠⁠ ⁠

Welcome to Counselor Off The Clock, a podcast hosted by Lydia Thompson! This podcast tackles complex mental health topics in a more accessible conversation. So take a deep breath and let us keep you company while you grow.  Victoria Valdez, owner of Tri-Synergy Counseling joins Lydia on the podcast as we talk about TRAUMA (yay?). Please listen or watch with care.  First, we dive into defining trauma and how you can identify trauma in your own life. Then we tackle somatic treatments of trauma including brainspotting, EMDR, and lens neurofeedback.  *The audio on this episode is not ideal, but hang in there for the high quality content. Subscribe to the podcast, leave us a review, and connect with us on Instagram and TikTok for additional content.  This episode of Counselor Off The Clock is proudly sponsored by Concord Family Counseling, serving Franklin, TN, and surrounding areas. Visit ⁠⁠www.⁠concordfamilycounseling.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more about their services.  Thank you for tuning in, and remember: you matter.  Follow Counselor Off The Clock: ⁠⁠instagram.com⁠⁠  / counselorofftheclock⁠⁠  ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Tiktok.com⁠⁠  / counselorofftheclock⁠⁠ ⁠ ⁠⁠Youtube.com⁠⁠   / concordfamilycounseling⁠⁠ ⁠

Welcome to Counselor Off The Clock, a podcast hosted by Lydia Thompson! This podcast tackles complex mental health topics in a more accessible conversation. So take a deep breath and let us keep you company while you grow. Lydia's guest this week is Shantell Johnson-Jones, counselor and owner of Shine Mental Health. The topic for this week is emotional internalizing. They talk about some of the root causes of internalizing big feelings and unpack what it might look like when you've turned down your own internal voice. Shantell shares about her own experiences in Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families (ACA). They discuss what it might look like to find healing from emotional internalizing in order to have healthy relationships. Subscribe to the podcast, leave us a review, and connect with us on Instagram and TikTok for additional content. This episode of Counselor Off The Clock is proudly sponsored by Concord Family Counseling, serving Franklin, TN, and surrounding areas. Visit ⁠⁠www.⁠concordfamilycounseling.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more about their services. Thank you for tuning in, and remember: you matter. Follow Counselor Off The Clock: ⁠⁠instagram.com⁠⁠ / counselorofftheclock⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Tiktok.com⁠⁠ / counselorofftheclock⁠⁠ ⁠ ⁠⁠Youtube.com⁠⁠ / @concordfamilycounseling⁠⁠ ⁠

Welcome to Counselor Off The Clock, a podcast hosted by Lydia Thompson! This podcast tackles complex mental health topics in a more accessible conversation. So take a deep breath and let us keep you company while you grow.  Lydia is honored to have Jessica Lavender with Embrace U, an intensive outpatient mental health clinic for ages 10-18. She educates our audience on the difference between outpatient, IOP, PHP, and inpatient programs. They discuss the recent Netflix documentary, The Program, which discusses the troubled teen industry and an abusive residential program for teens. Jessica shares her experience from working with parents and their children about what is helping and what is enabling their struggles. We call enabling symptom accommodation, and it can actually make a person's symptoms worse. She uses the example of school avoidance, which according to a NYT article, chronic absenteeism has risen from 15% to 25% since 2019. Subscribe to the podcast, leave us a review, and connect with us on Instagram and TikTok for additional content. This episode of Counselor Off The Clock is proudly sponsored by Concord Family Counseling, serving Franklin, TN, and surrounding areas. Visit ⁠⁠www.⁠concordfamilycounseling.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more about their services. Thank you for tuning in, and remember: you matter. Follow Counselor Off The Clock: ⁠instagram.com⁠⁠  / counselorofftheclock⁠⁠  ⁠ ⁠Tiktok.com⁠⁠  / counselorofftheclock⁠⁠  ⁠Youtube.com⁠⁠   / concordfamilycounseling⁠⁠ 

Welcome to Counselor Off The Clock, a podcast hosted by Lydia Thompson! This podcast tackles complex mental health topics in a more accessible conversation. So take a deep breath and let us keep you company while you grow. Lydia has DOCTOR Ann Marie Wilson (physical therapist) on this episode. They talk about how difficult it is to make friends as an adult and how they became friends through their weirdness. Ann Marie, the co-owner of Performance Therapy Institute Nolensville, shares about defining your why for long-term mobility. We discuss starting small, carving out as little as 5 minutes for yourself in order to build more comfort and consistency around movement. Physical and mental health are connected in all kinds of healing, so get moving! Performance Therapy Institute Nolensville offers free injury screening, so if you are wondering if physical therapy could benefit you, request a free consultation. Subscribe to the podcast, leave us a review, and connect with us on Instagram and TikTok for additional content. This episode of Counselor Off The Clock is proudly sponsored by Concord Family Counseling, serving Franklin, TN, and surrounding areas. Visit ⁠⁠www.⁠concordfamilycounseling.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more about their services. Thank you for tuning in, and remember: you matter. Follow Counselor Off The Clock: instagram.com⁠⁠  / counselorofftheclock⁠⁠   Tiktok.com⁠⁠  / counselorofftheclock⁠⁠   Youtube.com⁠⁠   / concordfamilycounseling⁠⁠   www.⁠concordfamilycounseling.com⁠⁠

Welcome to Counselor Off The Clock, a podcast hosted by Lydia Thompson! This podcast tackles complex mental health topics in a more accessible conversation. So take a deep breath and let us keep you company while you grow. Lydia and Kimberley share stories of how they were when they were teenagers and how they view themselves now. For parents, taking your child to therapy can be a difficult decision. We talk in this episode about how to stay connected to their therapy journey and help them outside of their sessions. Remember to subscribe to our channel for more enriching conversations, and connect with us on Instagram and TikTok for additional content. Find us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. This episode of Counselor Off The Clock is proudly sponsored by Concord Family Counseling, serving Franklin, TN, and surrounding areas. Visit ⁠www.⁠concordfamilycounseling.com⁠⁠⁠ to learn more about their services. Thank you for tuning in, and remember: you matter. Follow Counselor Off The Clock: Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠  / counselorofftheclock⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠    TikTok / counselorofftheclock⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠    Youtube  / @concordfamilycounseling⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  

Welcome to Counselor Off The Clock, a podcast hosted by Lydia Thompson! This podcast tackles complex mental health topics in a more accessible conversation. So take a deep breath and let us keep you company while you grow. In this episode, we talk about life balance. We answer some of the questions about life balance like: how do we know our life is out of balance, what is something we can do to get back in balance, and why do I feel guilt in relaxing? We also share some stories about how Kimberley met her husband and Lydia's experiences with counseling in a tornado. The worksheets that Kimberley references: Ideas for activities you can do for fun Check out Eve Rodsky's book, Unicorn Space Remember to subscribe to our channel for more enriching conversations, and connect with us on Instagram and TikTok for additional content. Find us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. This episode of Counselor Off The Clock is proudly sponsored by Concord Family Counseling, serving Franklin, TN, and surrounding areas. Visit concordfamilycounseling.com to learn more about their services. Thank you for tuning in, and remember: you matter. Follow Counselor Off The Clock: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/counselorofftheclock ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@counselorofftheclock ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@concordfamilycounseling ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.⁠concordfamilycounseling.com⁠⁠

Welcome to Counselor Off The Clock, a podcast hosted by Lydia Thompson! This podcast tackles complex mental health topics in a more accessible conversation. So take a deep breath and let us keep you company while you grow. In this episode, we talk about non-professionals on social media, the pitfalls of overgeneralization, and the hazards of self-diagnosis. We balance this with talking about the benefits of finding a community and identifying labels that fit. We emphasize the importance of seeking professional guidance rather than relying solely on online information, advocating for a critical approach to digital content consumption. Remember to subscribe to our channel for more enriching conversations, and connect with us on Instagram and TikTok for additional content. Find us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. This episode of Counselor Off The Clock is proudly sponsored by Concord Family Counseling, serving Franklin, TN, and surrounding areas. Visit concordfamilycounseling.com to learn more about their services. Thank you for tuning in, and remember: you matter. Follow Counselor Off The Clock: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/counselorofftheclock⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@counselorofftheclock⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@concordfamilycounseling⁠⁠ www.⁠concordfamilycounseling.com⁠⁠

Lydia shares some of her embarrassing social media posts from her teenage years to get us started. Michele, our "cool counselor" who works with teenagers talks about self-sabotage and how that impacted her life. She is fresh out of grad-school so she reflects on that experience and what no one prepared her for. We'd love to hear from you! Leave us a comment, find us on Insta and TikTok @counselorofftheclock

Welcome to Counselor Off The Clock with Lydia Thompson! This podcast tackles deep mental health topics in a more accessible conversation. So sit back, grab some coffee, and relax because we are off the clock. Follow Counselor Off The Clock: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/counselorofftheclock⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@counselorofftheclock⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@concordfamilycounseling⁠⁠ www.⁠concordfamilycounseling.com⁠⁠ Brought to you by Concord Family Counseling

Welcome to Counselor Off The Clock with Lydia Thompson! This podcast tackles deep mental health topics in a more accessible conversation. So sit back, grab some coffee, and relax because we are off the clock. Follow Counselor Off The Clock: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/counselorofftheclock⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@counselorofftheclock⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@concordfamilycounseling⁠⁠ www.⁠concordfamilycounseling.com⁠⁠ Brought to you by Concord Family Counseling

Welcome to Counselor Off The Clock with Lydia Thompson! This podcast tackles deep mental health topics in a more accessible conversation. So sit back, grab some coffee, and relax because we are off the clock. Follow Counselor Off The Clock: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/counselorofftheclock⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@counselorofftheclock⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@concordfamilycounseling⁠⁠ www.⁠concordfamilycounseling.com⁠⁠ Brought to you by Concord Family Counseling

Welcome to Counselor Off The Clock with Lydia Thompson! This podcast tackles deep mental health topics in a more accessible conversation. So sit back, grab some coffee, and relax because we are off the clock. Follow Counselor Off The Clock: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/counselorofftheclock⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@counselorofftheclock⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@concordfamilycounseling⁠⁠ www.⁠concordfamilycounseling.com⁠⁠ Brought to you by Concord Family Counseling

[video version available on Youtube] Welcome to Counselor Off The Clock with Lydia Thompson! This podcast tackles deep mental health topics in a more accessible conversation. So sit back, grab some coffee, and relax because we are off the clock. Follow Counselor Off The Clock: ⁠instagram.com/counselorofftheclock⁠ tiktok.com/@counselorofftheclock⁠ youtube.com/@concordfamilycounseling⁠ concordfamilycounseling.com⁠ Brought to you by: Concord Family Counseling