#38 Part 2 A Most Ridiculous Poop Metaphor & 4 Ways to Find a Great Therapist

A few weeks ago, I competed in a competition where we brainstormed some ideas to help farmers and ranchers with their farm stress and mental health issues. If you have ever seen a discussion meet either in American Farm Bureau or FFA then you know exactly how these competitions go.

My fear is that the conversation would jump straight to suicide prevention and awareness so I created several talking points to help people understand that the road between mentally health and contemplating suicide has many stops. There are warning signs and help along the way. This episode will help you to identify them.

It dawned on me that I have not made the stops on this road very clear and I wanted to take this opportunity to do so. This is Part 2 where we discuss how to make phase 2 stick with good habits and phase three which is how to seek professional help.

To listen to part 1 click here: https://www.throwingwrenchesmendingfences.com/podcast/episode/19bb3fba/36-10-ways-to-get-back-to-you-the-road-between-mentally-healthy-and-mentally-ill

Phase One: Notice the Signs

Phase Two: Dial into what you need

Phase Three: Seek Professional Help

Phase Four: Suicide prevention and awareness

What is the first step when you realize you are headed down the road of mentally unhealthy?

10 Things to help get yourself back to healthy

1. Journal
2. Gratitude practice
3. Exercise
4. Sleep 8 hours per night- read how to here: https://www.micultivatebalance.com/single-post/2020/08/21/how-to-fall-asleep-faster-sleep-better-throughout-the-night-and-wake-up-rested
5. Eat for energy
6. Pay attention to your self-talk-create a mantra to stop negative thoughts
7. Go on a date night
8. Go for a girls night or a guys night
9. Create something-have something to look forward to
10. Pamper yourself -do some self-care. This can be luxury things like massages, facials, manicure, pedicure or a shopping trip or it can be a bath, reading a good book, painting your own nails and other easy at home and inexpensive options

Bonus: Get involved, volunteer for the less fortunate.

Now, these are all fine and good, but if you are really struggling and you find yourself in the thick of it, then how do use these thing to make a difference? And how do you make time and remember to do them when you are either so crazy busy and anxious or so depressed that you don’t even care.

You make them a habit.

You can either piggyback old habits with new ones to help you remember or you can set reminders in your phone that help you remember

One of the biggest things that matters at this point is how you talk to yourself. What does your self-talk look like? If you are constantly saying or thinking negative thoughts then that is going to make improving your mental health even more difficult.

The other thing that makes a huge difference is having a rock solid support system. This means regular social interaction, trusted friends who you can talk to, weekly date nights with your spouse or significant other and a good therapist.

How to find a good therapist:

1. Go online to betterhelp.com or www.talkspace.com to get matched with a therapist.

Go to www.psychologytoday.com to find a therapist in your area

1. Tell them upfront what you need from them and what your boundaries are

For example, if hearing certain things will make you shut down or get frustrated then you can tell them that upfront

1. Go with your gut- if after your first or second interaction with them you are not having feelings of hope and that they understand and can objectively listen then switch to someone else
2. They should be asking you lots of questions and listening more than talking
3. Share your goals for therapy and how you want to feel and ask them how they normally help people accomplish them

 

Barb Smith Suicide Resource and Response Network: https://srrn.net/

 

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