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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.
Inspiring Change
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
42 minutes 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
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
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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