Why Do We Need Creativity?

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(Creativity and Parts Series, #1)

We often think of creative pursuits as little luxuries or hobbies. Some people may consider them to be unnecessary, or child-like. But I believe creative pursuits are not a luxury so much as one of the most important things we can do, and an access point to joy.

By creative pursuits, I don’t mean necessarily big activities that require a lot of time or money or emotional investment. For some people, they may be. For some people, creative pursuits may even encompass their career or life’s work. But creativity is also sometimes how we get the toddler to put on their shoes (by pretending their toes are running away and we need to catch them, of course), or what we flavors we choose to cook with for dinner, or play with a pet. Creativity can be infused into daily life. When we’re paying attention, we may also notice where else we feel a pull towards play.

Creativity is also at the heart of a type of therapy for managing depression called Behavioral Activation therapy, which focuses on finding areas of enjoyment and meaningfulness and enhancing the activities that meet both criteria. Involvement in things that are enjoyable and meaningful is preventative against depression!

In Internal Family Systems therapy, when our busy protective parts give us space, we can access what’s called Self-energy. This may look like a self-critical voice quieting enough to allow ourselves to be creative. Self-energy often feels calm, confident, light, open, and… creative.

The upcoming series of posts focuses on the creative process, what parts can hinder it, and how to work with these parts in order to access more internal vulnerability and creativity.

Internal Family Systems – Level 2 Training

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I recently completed my Level 2 training for Internal Family Systems therapy (there are 3 levels). The focus on the training was on depression, anxiety, and shame; we also explored topics such as grief, despair, and phobias. At the end of the training, I shared with the group a feeling that it was not an ending so much as it was a launch – I am returning to my days of therapy with an even greater sense of trust in this process and its potential for healing, and an expansion of creativity for applying this model of psychotherapy.

This approach to therapy changed my understanding of not only how to do therapy, but what therapy can do. In a deep way, learning to care for parts of ourselves opens up so many possibilities: to be more present, to get to know ourselves and those around us, and to allow and even welcome joy when it shows up in our lives. It’s gentle, too – we go slow, in building our internal relationship to parts of ourselves and past versions of ourselves, in order to go fast. We don’t just push past internal barriers and protective parts; we get to know them and work with them.

Every person has what they need to heal already inside them. That’s one other thing I love about IFS – that as a therapist, I’m a partner and a facilitator in the healing process, trusting the good intentions of all parts of you. I’m not an authority figure in a position of power over the client. We are exploring, together, and accessing the strengths you have inside you in order to heal, grow, and move forward with curiosity and appreciation for all parts of the self.

Celebrating 10 Years in Business

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This June marks 10 years since the opening of Perspectives Mental Health Counseling, PLLC. It’s hard to believe a decade has gone by!

I continue to feel grateful to get to do this work, to be present with individuals in their personal exploration and healing.

I believe that the foundation of a sustainable small business is in the relationships. I may be a solo practitioner, but I work in community with other therapists, medical professionals, and other healing practitioners. I’m grateful for the community!

At the 5-year anniversary, I wrote that Perspectives was just getting started. I don’t feel we’re just getting started any longer – I feel rooted, grounded, and established in our community of mental health practitioners – but I do feel we are continuing to grow. And I say “we” because the growth is what occurs each time someone walks through the door.

I’m continuing to grow as a psychotherapist, too. This summer I look forward to completing my Level 2 training for Internal Family Systems therapy. This approach to therapy and to life continues to inspire my curiosity and my care, and I’m excited to deepen my understanding and application of the model.

With New York state opening up a new credential for LMHCs, I’ve also now obtained my Diagnostic Privilege as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (so my credentials now read LMHC-D).

As I celebrate 10 years in business, and 10 years in community, I find myself looking forward to the stability and growth for Perspectives in the years to come.

New IFS group: Parts and Process

~ JB

Parts and Process: An Internal Family Systems-based Therapy Group

This group is intended for individuals looking to practice engaging with others in a deep and vulnerable way. We will explore the IFS model as a group, learning how to speak for parts of the self as well as building skills to get to know parts through guided meditation and experiential conversation. Goals include improving communication skills in interpersonal relationships as well as getting to know parts in a meaningful way.

Johanna Bond, LMHC is in private practice at Perspectives Mental Health Counseling, PLLC. She completed her masters in counseling at the University of Rochester, and has completed Level One training in Internal Family Systems therapy.

When: every other Tuesday 2-3pm, beginning on 2/20/24

Where: Online

Cost: $60 per group

For more information or to join the group, please contact Johanna Bond at jbond@perspectivesroc.com. Group members are encouraged to be engaged in their own individual therapy simultaneously.

Good Faith Estimates

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Good Faith Estimates are available to all clients; I’ll go over this document with you in your first session of 2022 and a copy will be available to you. This document provides an estimate for therapy expenses throughout the upcoming year based on current rates and anticipated services.

Internal Family Systems therapy

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I am so excited to share that I have now completed Internal Family Systems Level One training. This therapy approach creates space for the client to develop an empowering internal relationship as they care for parts of themselves. In addition to CBT and other therapy approaches, I now have the depth of training to provide IFS therapy as well.

If you are interested in learning more about this approach, please feel free to ask me in your next session or email me at jbond@perspectivesroc.com.

Writing for Perspective

~ JB

Combining my love of writing with mental health, I’ll be offering an online writing workshop:

Writing Away the Pandemic

It’s been quite a year, and we’ve all got stories to tell. This workshop will be a generative workshop, providing brief prompts focused on writing to get away from the pandemic (such as traveling to a new place through your words) as well as writing to process how you have journeyed through this past year. I’ll be providing tips for kind self-care as a part of this brief workshop.

When: Saturday, May 29th, 10am-11:30am EST

Where: Zoom (link will be provided upon registration)

Cost: $25

Cost of recorded workshop: $15

(If you are unable to attend at the time of the workshop but are interested in a recorded version, please contact me and I can email it to you after the fact).

To register for the workshop, please email me at jbondperspectives@gmail.com.

Upcoming Groups

~ JB

I’ll be offering another round of groups starting in June!

More Than My Diagnosis (beginning June 1st), will run on Tuesdays 2-3pm

This group is intended for individuals who are coping with the mental health impact of medical issues. The group will address topics such as identity, connection to self and others, and personal growth.

The Other Half (beginning June 3rd), will run on Thursdays 11am-12pm

This group is intended for spouses or partners who are caring for an individual with medical issues. The group will address topics such as identity in and outside the relationship, and caring for self and others.

Groups will:

-be open to 6-8 members

-be conducted via zoom

Cost: $40 per session

Prospective Therapy Clients

~ JB

At this time, I am not scheduling with new therapy clients. For those who are interested in counseling services, I do have a current waitlist going and would be happy to add your name; I will then contact you when an opening becomes available. If you have been referred to me and need services sooner, I also am happy to help you connect with a therapist who may have sooner availability. While I wish that I could see every client who calls, unfortunately at this time I’m not able to do so.