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Just Try Counseling Blog
This mental health blog is a mix of reflections, insights, and real world observations about therapy, online counseling, and everyday coping strategies.
I write about what I notice in my work, in life, and in the messy in-between moments that shape us.You’ll find posts on topics like anxiety, stress, relationships, self-awareness, and personal growth, but don’t expect a one-size-fits-all guide or a list of “shoulds.”
Therapy isn’t about thinking the right way; it’s about exploring what’s real and useful for you. Take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and I hope something here helps you feel seen, supported, or a little more grounded.
All Posts
Why It Matters to Have Things to Look Forward To: The Dopamine Connection
When was the last time you had something on your calendar that made you smile? Not because it fixed your problems or erased your stress, but simply because it gave you something to look forward to. Having things to anticipate is not just a pleasant lifestyle suggestion. It has real, measurable benefits for mental health, motivation, resilience, and even how your brain releases dopamine. Let’s talk about why. What Is Anticipation? Anticipation is the act of looking ahead to a
Jessica Schladt
1 day ago4 min read
Hope Is Not a Course of Action
Hope is an essential part of being human. It allows us to imagine a future that feels different than the present and helps us endure difficult seasons. In therapy, I see how necessary hope is every day. When people lose hope, motivation often collapses. If you cannot see how things might improve or even feel slightly less heavy, it becomes incredibly difficult to keep going. Hope matters deeply. At the same time, hope by itself is not a course of action. Why Hope Matters for
Jessica Schladt
Feb 84 min read
Self-Sabotage and Change: Why "Getting Better" Can Feel So Hard
When people try to make changes in their lives, one of the most common fears that comes up is the feeling that they are getting in their own way. Words like resistant to change and self-sabotage come up frequently in therapy. A question I hear often is: “Why do I keep self-sabotaging?” Sometimes a more helpful question is: “Why am I afraid of ‘getting better’?” We don’t repeat behaviors for no reason. Humans are animals, and like all animals, we repeat behaviors because we
Jessica Schladt
Feb 13 min read
Coping Skills, Change, and the Trap of All or Nothing Thinking
One of the most common reasons people come to therapy is to talk about coping skills. They want ways to manage stress, get through hard situations, or carry what they are dealing with in a way that feels lighter and more sustainable. Coping skills are not about eliminating discomfort entirely. They are about reducing pressure, creating relief, and helping you function through whatever season you are in. And an important thing about coping skills is that they are often situati
Jessica Schladt
Jan 253 min read
Rethinking the Meaning of “Work–Life Balance”: Why the Real Goal Isn’t Balance at All
I hear the phrase work–life balance everywhere. It shows up in career articles, wellness conversations, and social media advice. But the more I sit with it, the more I believe it’s a concept that sets people up to feel like they’re failing. It reminds me of how the breakfast industry pushed the idea that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” A catchy slogan from cereal companies slowly became a cultural truth. The meaning of work–life balance feels similar. It
Jessica Schladt
Jan 193 min read
Therapist vs Life Coach: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters
When people search for therapist vs life coach , they are often feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure what kind of support they actually need. On the surface, therapy and life coaching can sound similar. Both involve conversation, reflection, and working toward change. From my perspective, the difference between a therapist and a life coach is significant. Understanding the distinction between a therapist vs life coach can help you choose support that aligns with your emotion
Jessica Schladt
Jan 113 min read
The Stages of Change: Why Progress Isn’t Linear
When people think about personal growth or behavior change, they often think it's jumping straight to action. If nothing is happening on the outside, it is easy to assume nothing meaningful is happening on the inside. But most change begins quietly, long before any visible shift occurs. The stages of change model helps explain this internal process. It offers language and structure for what many people experience but do not always recognize as real progress. One of the most
Jessica Schladt
Jan 45 min read
Why Is Change So Hard and Why Motivation Alone Is Not Enough
As the year winds down, conversations about change begin to surface almost naturally. Whether or not you care about resolutions, people reflect on the past year, consider what has shifted, and think about what they hope the next season might look like. Even if you never formally create a list of goals, someone will inevitably ask what you want to work on or what changes you hope to make. Many people feel frustrated by the idea of resolutions, and that frustration often leads
Jessica Schladt
Dec 27, 20254 min read
Why Do I Always Feel the Need to Be Productive?
If you have found yourself asking, why do I always feel the need to be productive , you are not alone. This is something I have been hearing a lot over the past few months, and the timing is not accidental. Especially during the holiday season, everything feels more compressed. Time feels tighter. Expectations feel heavier. And the pressure to always be doing something mounts. For many people, there is a constant internal urge to get something done. Laundry. Paperwork. Cleani
Jessica Schladt
Dec 21, 20254 min read
Online Therapy: What People Actually Mean When They Search
Online therapy can feel confusing when search terms like “therapist near me,” “telehealth,” or “virtual counseling” all seem to mean different things. Here’s what people are really searching for and how to find the right online therapist, no matter where you live. Why This Topic Matters Right Now If you’ve ever opened Google and typed “therapist near me,” “online therapy,” or “virtual counseling,” you’re not alone. That might even be how you found this post! When people look
Jessica Schladt
Dec 14, 20254 min read
When (and When Not) to Be Assertive With Family: Holiday Edition
The holidays have a way of pulling family relationships right to the surface. Even if someone comes to therapy without any intention of talking about communication or relationships, those topics still come up; we are all in relationships with people in some form. Friends, partners, coworkers, and of course… family. During the holiday season, those family dynamics often get louder. Expectations, whether cultural, generational, or unique to your own family, tend to pile up quic
Jessica Schladt
Dec 7, 20254 min read
Why the Holidays Feel More Stressful as an Adult and How to Listen to Your Needs
For some people, the holiday season is a joyful, sparkly, heart-warming time of year. If that’s you, I’m genuinely happy for you. I hope your weeks are filled with ease, connection, and moments that feel good. No notes. Many people don’t experience the holidays that way. If you fall into that camp, you’re far from alone. For a lot of adults, the holiday season brings expectations , forced joy , financial stress , travel headaches , or a calendar so packed that downtime feels
Jessica Schladt
Nov 30, 20253 min read
Making Friends as an Adult: Why It’s Hard and How to Build Real Connections
Making friends as an adult is definitely a challenge. It’s something many people don’t realize when they’re kids or even young adults, but once you hit your mid-20s, 30s, or 40s and notice your social circle getting smaller, it’s easy to panic and think, “Is something wrong with me?” Meanwhile, TV shows and movies love to portray groups of five or six adults who do absolutely everything together. And while that might be true for some people, I’ve found that those big friend
Jessica Schladt
Nov 24, 20254 min read
Why Sleep Matters for Your Mental Health (and Why It’s Not Always Easy to Get Enough)
As I’m writing this, I’m slightly sleep-deprived thanks to particular creatures in my home who do not grasp the importance of sleep for others. Sleep isn’t just something I talk about with clients; it's something I'm actively navigating myself. This morning, I noticed my frustration tolerance was lower, my irritability was higher, and I was leaning toward negative conclusions and all-or-nothing thinking. And honestly? This is extremely common when a person is sleep-deprived.
Jessica Schladt
Nov 18, 20253 min read
Honoring Veterans: Acknowledging the Many Stories Behind Service
Every Veterans Day, we pause to honor the people who have worn the uniform, individuals who chose to serve for countless reasons. Some joined to follow in their family members' footsteps. Others saw it as a calling to serve their country. Some sought stability, education, or opportunity. Whatever brought them to the military, each person’s journey and sacrifice holds meaning. But service, and being recognized for it , doesn’t feel the same for everyone. For some, wearing the
Jessica Schladt
Nov 11, 20252 min read
Mind Mapping for Mental Health: A Simple Way to Journal When You Feel Overwhelmed
Mind mapping is my favorite journaling technique when my mind feels cluttered or overwhelmed. It’s one of the best tools I’ve found for mental health journaling , especially when you need to dump out everything swirling around in your head. I first discovered mind mapping back in high school during a creative writing exercise, and it’s stuck with me ever since. Sometimes our thoughts, emotions, and worries are so tangled that it’s hard to make sense of them. That’s where mind
Jessica Schladt
Nov 10, 20252 min read
Let's Talk About Journaling Part 3: Using Prompts
Journaling can take endless forms. The important thing is that there’s no right way to do it. There are completely unstructured ways where you can just open up your journal and start writing. If you feel free to do so, please write to your heart’s content. What I’ve found in my work, particularly among people new to journaling, is a desire for more structure. Structure can help bring focus, and it can also help when people need assistance finding the words to express themselv
Jessica Schladt
Oct 30, 20254 min read
Let’s Talk About Journaling Part 2: 8 Suggestions How to Start
Before diving into specific journaling techniques, Journal to the Self: Twenty-Two Paths to Personal Growth by Kathleen Adams, M.A, gives eight suggestions that, regardless of how you journal, are helpful to follow. She emphasizes multiple times that there is no “right” way to journal. There are no rules; journaling can happen in whatever place, time, materials, mood, etc. that you want it to take place. At the same time, a touch of structure can be beneficial so Adams sugge
Jessica Schladt
Oct 23, 20252 min read
Let's Talk About Journaling Part 1: Why to Give it a Try
Earlier this year, I completed a continuing education class entitled "Incorporating Journaling and Expressive Writing into Clinical Practice". When talking about coping strategies, journaling is one of those I occasionally get eye rolls over. The largest pushbacks I get are concerns around privacy, time, or just not knowing how to start. My hope in taking the class was to learn some strategies to shine a better light on the journaling process. And the class helped! The prese
Jessica Schladt
Oct 16, 20252 min read
Reading Reflections on Change
You should expect my blog to be eclectic. I am going to write about the things I notice, the things I’m thinking about in relation to therapy, and some generalized coping strategies. Topics will jump around. Do not use these posts as a road map of what you “should” or “shouldn’t” be doing. If you have one session with me, you will know I’m not about trying to help you think the “right” way anyhow (bc for most things there is no “right” way etc etc). Maybe more on that later.
Jessica Schladt
Oct 8, 20252 min read
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