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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.
Coping
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
6 hours 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
6 days ago4 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
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
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
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