We were lucky to catch up with Lauren Bledsoe recently and have shared our conversation below.
Lauren, we are so happy that our community is going to have a chance to learn more about you, your story and hopefully even take in some of the lessons you’ve learned along the way. Let’s start with self-care – what do you do for self-care and has it had any impact on your effectiveness?
There are a lot of things I do for self-care depending on what is the most beneficial in that moment. If I am feeling stressed and achy, I love to do some physical self-care by taking a bath, getting a massage or stretching while taking deep breaths. If I am feeling stressed about a situation that is out of my control, I like to take a break from my mind and read a good book. I also find myself relating to the characters and trying to see my situations through their perspectives and what those characters would do in my situation. My self-care also looks like organizing my life. When I am organized or have a plan in place, I feel less anxious and more in control- which also helps me be productive rather that getting overwhelmed. I also like to plan out fun activities to do during the month to make sure that I am not getting too caught up in the stresses of life.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am a licensed professional counselor in The Woodlands, Texas. I help individuals who struggle with anxiety, depression, self-esteem, stress management, life changes, and overall wellness. I love being able to help clients learn their own strengths and help them feel empowered.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three qualities that I believe have been the most impactful for me becoming a therapist are the following: trustworthy, nonjudgmental, and empathy. These are qualities that I hold strong in within my personal life and professional life. My advice for others who would like to strengthen these qualities would be to listen to other people’s experiences and to try to see things through their perspectives.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
The first thing that I like to do when feeling overwhelmed is to look at all of my options on what I can do about the situation that has me overwhelmed. Then I like to try to come up with a plan on what I can do. If there is nothing that I can do about the situation, then I come up with a plan of what I can do for myself that will help me to feel better about the situation. Sometimes that plan includes talking to someone else and getting their perspective, distracting myself with a book, being productive with something else in my life, and allowing myself to feel the emotions going through me and making sure that I am not invalidating myself. Often when we feel overwhelmed, it is because we feel like things are out of our control and/or we are feeling overstimulated. My advice is to check in with yourself and what you are needing in that moment. Do you need to find a quiet place to sit and relax for a few minutes? Do you need a plan? Do you need to feel supported by a friend? Once you are able to figure out your needs in the moment, you can then look at what options you have to give yourself those needs.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.goodinsightstx.com
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