Therapy For Beginners: Finding A Therapist

I shared a post on my IG that told the story of my first time in therapy. It ended up resonating with many and inspired me to start a series on the blog dubbed “Therapy For Beginners.” If I’m honest, I think we’re all beginners in therapy, no matter how long you’ve gone for, because of how much you continue to learn about yourself every single session.

Nonetheless, I do think that as a society we’ve gotten used to encouraging people start therapy without holding their hand through the real beginning stages.

blog, mental healthVivian NunezOctober 11, 2021mental health, therapyComment

Sticking To Therapy Even When It’s Boring Or Extra Hard

I have been in therapy for the last 8 years. I go weekly, every Monday, and sit with her for 45-minutes. During some seasons of my life, I’ve texted her in the middle of the week for extra help or support because making it to the next Monday felt impossible. During other seasons of my life, Monday would come around and we’d talk about the happiest and most inconsequential moments of my life because that was all I had to report.

I’ve learned since starting that the reality with therapy is that not every session is an unpacking of wounds and not every session will be interesting. There will be many “boring” sessions where you’ll leave wondering if you should even still be in therapy. The feeling will feel similar to the times you’ve walked out from the hardest sessions and wondered if you should even be digging up those wounds.

blog, mental healthVivian NunezJuly 26, 2021therapy, mental health, mental wellnessComment

My February Mental Wellness Routine

January was one of the hardest months I’ve had in the last year. I am definitely hitting my COVID wall. All I could think about these past few weeks was how much I missed the old routines that were so mine a year ago and now are nonexistent. It hasn’t helped that the days in Portland are so short right now. At its worst the sun was rising close to 8am and setting by 4pm. The grey cloudy skies got old pretty quickly and I missed the sun, warmth, and just a visual reminder that life didn’t look like how I felt.

The strain I’ve felt on my mental health is something I’m working to relieve. As a result, a lot of my February mental wellness routine is catering to where I actually am versus where I wish I was (in sunny Mexico and feeling like life was great and COVID-free). While part of me is frustrated because I wish the same things would work all the time, the truth is that my routines have to iterate to respond effectively to my mental health.

blog, mental healthVivian NunezFebruary 11, 2021mental health, mental wellness, yoga, writing, journaling, the artist's way, therapy, routine, habitsComment

13 Amazon Prime Day Deals To Support Your Self-Care and Wellness Routines

I’m a big believer that building a self-care routine that makes sense for your life is way more important than buying one-off items that are on trend or only have a one-time use. For instance, I find that having a humidifier in your home that makes it easier for you to breathe can actually help your quality of life exponentially. It may not be the sexiest product, but in a time when we’re spending most of our days indoors and especially as we get closer to the drier, colder months, added items like a humidifier can be the difference-makers between a good day and a dreadful one.

I spent some time on Amazon searching for Prime Day deals that would add more to your days than just the adrenaline rush of buying something new (although, I admit there were a few items that did just that for me).

My goal when compiling this list rested on a few factors — price, long-term use potential, and where and how it could incorporate into your existing self-care routine or help you start a new one.

blog, wellness, lifestyleVivian NunezOctober 14, 2020amazon, amazon prime day, mental health, mental wellness, self-care, self-love, wellness, therapy, at home therapyComment

What To Expect From Your First Therapy Session

In normal times I would start this piece with a rundown on what to expect when you’re walking into your therapist’s office for the first time, but given it’s COVID-times, this is both a rundown of my experience going to therapy in-person for the first time and what I’ve learned about doing virtual therapy for the first time.

The biggest caveat I want to introduce early on is that I started therapy over six years ago. It’s been a while since I had a first session with a therapist, but I can still remember the nerves I felt while sitting in the waiting room. I was the first person I knew who was going to therapy as an adult and the only other point of reference I had was a horrible experience I’d sat through when I was 11 years old and coping with my mom’s death.

From conversations with friends and strangers, I’ve learned that the two biggest hurdles to actually starting therapy at the beginning are finding a therapist and actually getting to the first appointment.

mental health, blogVivian NunezAugust 24, 2020mental health, therapy, virtual therapy, self care, wellnessComment

How To Make The Most Of Virtual Therapy Sessions

blog, mental healthVivian NunezApril 6, 2020mental health, coronavirus, therapy, virtual therapy, at home therapy, wellness, self careComment