Anna Pirkl, MFT, ATR, LAADAC, one of our One Heart therapists, partners with South Bay Families Connected to do outreach in the community on her own time, outside of her work with OHCC. South Bay Families Connected is a non-profit organization whose mission it is “to improve the social and emotional wellness of South...
What Does Self Care Actually Mean? [Hint: it’s not planning a vacation or getting organized]
Buying something nice for yourself, planning a vacation, or getting organized can feel good. And you know there are times when those things barely scratch the surface of what you actually need. These are times where all you want to do is avoid, fix or stop what you are feeling. You want relief. These...
What Exactly is Dog Assisted Therapy and How Does it Work?
Healing of a furry kind, an interview by Anna Pirkl, LMFT, ATR, LAADC with Kryss Castle LMFT and Bella – Certified Therapy Dog. I arrive at Kryss’s office and Bella greets me. I can tell she is excited to see me, yet, she does not jump on me, rush up to me, or cover...
Should You Push Your Child to Be In Therapy?
So you see that your child, preteen or teen could really benefit from therapy. And, your child, preteen or teen doesn’t want to do it. This is a tough dilemma. One that comes from being an aware and attuned parent. So, right there, you are already winning. You are doing a great job. I...
Community Resource: OC Holistic Therapy, LGBQ+ and trans-affirming therapy and training
Last month, One Heart Counseling Center hosted a training on LGBQ+ and trans-affirming therapy practices, and it was incredible! Jamie Swanson, therapist and trainer at OC Holistic Therapy, paid us a visit and shared a wealth of information on trans-competent and compassionate clinical work. I’ve had the privilege of getting to know Jamie as...
When Your Child or Teen is Resistant to Therapy: What to Do
There are lots of first phone calls that start with “my child needs therapy, but I don’t know what is going to work”. Some parents will say: “maybe I’m the one who needs help!”. Or they say: “we’ve tried therapy before, but it didn’t work. I don’t know what to do!” It’s...
Did You Know This One Thing is a Major Factor in How You Care for Yourself?
Self care has gotten a lot of press lately, which is good. The distinction between being selfish and caring for yourself is an important one. Knowing that your cup needs to be full in order for you to be able to support others is also important. Here’s the one thing that is not being...
Community Resource: Our Village, A Social Learning Community
I recently had the chance to sit down to lunch with Monica Fyfe, MFT, founder of Our Village. Our Village is a 503c non-profit organization offering group based social skills support for any family that has a child managing any kind of social deficit (including social anxiety, spectrum disorders, ADHD, etc). I’ve known Monica...
These 4 Things Could Be Leading You Astray
Whether we are consciously aware of it or not, there are currents of thought that run through our collective society. They can be embedded posts you see on social media, come out of the mouths of your friends or family or through storylines on shows you watch. These thoughts influence us. They can lay...
One Heart Counseling Center has an Art Hive
What is an Art Hive?? According to arthive.org, an “Art Hive is a community art studio that welcomes everyone as an artist. From an art pop-up in a local library to a community studio or gallery, at its heart, an Art Hive is about inclusion, respect and learning. It’s a welcoming place to talk,...