In this episode of "Help Me, Rhonda!," clinical psychologist Dr. Rhonda Karg shares her suggestions for helping you find a good psychotherapist.  Dr. Karg invites the audience to prepare for finding a psychotherapist by coming up with goals for psychotherapy, researching approaches to psychotherapy, listing symptoms you are concerned about, searching databases for psychotherapists with that expertise and other characteristics you are looking for, and what to ask during a free consult with a potential psychotherapist to ensure you are a good fit. Dr. Karg also encourages the audience to communicate with their psychotherapist if they are unhappy with the way psychotherapy is going or if they have questions about their treatment plan or how they are progressing.

In this episode of "Help Me, Rhonda!," clinical psychologist Dr. Rhonda Karg shares two approaches to therapeutic letter writing. The first type is a letter you write to express yourself without the intention of ever giving the letter to the other person. This tool is particularly helpful if you need to express your feelings but the other person may react hurtfully such that sharing the letter might lead to more harm than good. The second type is a love letter to express the reasons you love and appreciate someone, to share some good memories you have of them, and lessons they taught you to make you the person you are today. Love letters are usually written with the intention of sharing them with the object of your affection, but can also be kept private until you have the courage to share them and the time is right.  Expressing your feelings to safe people is often very therapeutic.

On today's episode of "Help Me, Rhonda!," clinical psychologist Dr. Rhonda Karg describes the feeling of being "small" -- insignificant, invisible, or that you don't matter -- and what can happen if you don't practice good self-care in those moments. Dr. Karg shares 5 skills for what to do when you feel small, especially when you are having big feelings, such as self-awareness, the 5 Senses, HALT, and communicating boundaries.

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On today's episode of "Help Me, Rhonda!," clinical psychologist Dr. Rhonda Karg discusses her hot takes on sex, shame, rebounds, sexless relationships and faking orgasms. She encourages listeners to live life more authentically, and suggests methods for getting to know your needs and your authentic self. Dr. Karg encourages listeners to take full responsibility for their sexuality & turn the willingness dial all the way up to "11" so they can get their needs met. 

In this episode of "Help Me, Rhonda!," clinical psychologist Dr. Rhonda Karg continues her discussion about mindfulness techniques.  Dr. Karg underscores the benefits of mindfulness for stress reduction, and teaches listeners 3 new skills to practice being right here, right now, letting go of the things that cause suffering, and living life more peacefully.  

For more about these skills, check out Tara Brach and Brene Brown on YouTube or the books "Dialectical Behavior Therapy Workbooks" by Matthew McKay, "DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets, Second Edition," by Marsha Linehan, and  "Radical Acceptance," by Tara Brach. 

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In today's episode of "Help Me, Rhonda!," clinical psychologist Dr. Rhonda Karg describes mindfulness and the benefits of being mindful to help reduce symptoms for a wide variety of mental conditions, including anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and substance abuse. Dr. Karg also teaches a skill that is the foundation of mindfulness called Observe and Describe. This skill can be used to help improve your mood, regulate your big emotions, cope with stressful situations, and live a more rich, full life by being right here, right now. 

In this episode of "Help Me, Rhonda!," clinical psychologist Dr. Rhonda differentiates empathy from compassion and describes some of the pitfalls of empathy, including burnout, especially for those who work in the helping professions. Dr. Karg refers listeners to "Against Empathy" by Paul Bloom for an in-depth exploration of the research and how to practice from a place of compassion to prevent stress and burnout.  

In this episode of "Help Me, Rhonda!," clinical psychologist Dr. Rhonda Karg shares 10 tools for reducing anxiety in your mind and body. 

In this episode of "Help Me, Rhonda!," clinical psychologist Dr. Rhonda Karg answers an audience member's anonymous question about depression. Dr. Karg discusses the symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder, the diathesis-stress model for explaining the causes of depression, and shares 10 tools for improving your mood and reducing depression. 
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Other resources:  
Cognitive Behavioral Workbook for Depression: A Step-by-Step Program (Self-Help Workbook) by William Knaus

YouTube channel "Doc Snipes" has several videos to help you learn more about depression.

YouTube channel Mulligan Brothers, "You Are Strong: Inspiring Speech on Depression and Mental Health

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 where counselors are available 24/7 to speak to you about how you are feeling and to link the caller up with mental health resources in their area.

In this episode of "Help Me, Rhonda!," clinical psychologist Dr. Rhonda Karg interviews Violet, a mother of two special needs children, one of whom has complex needs. In her inspirational story of being a tenacious mom on behalf of her child, Violet shares her journey of navigating the school system and the healthcare system as an advocate for her son with complex needs. Violet also shares what's help her maintain a practice of self-care and what methods have helped her the most in terms of taking care of her own mental and physical health in the midst of navigating the endless demands of having a child with complex needs.  

To contact Violet, you may email her at [email protected].