Why Depression Isn’t Laziness: A Trauma-Informed Perspective
Depression often looks like laziness, but it’s actually a nervous system response to chronic stress or trauma. This trauma-informed perspective explains why shutdown, fatigue, and numbness happen—and how to rebuild energy and motivation safely.
Reconnecting After Burnout: Healing Emotional Exhaustion Through IFS
Burnout isn’t a flaw—it’s your inner parts working overtime to protect you. Through an IFS lens, you can meet the hustler, shutdown, and critic parts with curiosity, rebuild Self-leadership, and use simple somatic anchors and micro-boundaries to restore calm and sustainable energy.
Understanding the Window of Tolerance: Regulating Anxiety and Overwhelm
Your nervous system isn’t your enemy—it’s a guide. By learning to notice early signs of stress and using simple grounding tools, you can return to calm more easily and stay centered through daily challenges.
Healing Your Relationship With Food After Bariatric Surgery
Post-bariatric surgery, eating can feel confusing—but your body can be retrained. Discover gentle nutrition, mindful eating, and emotional coping strategies that restore safety, satisfaction, and freedom with food.
How Trauma Lives in the Body and How EMDR Can Help
Trauma can leave your body on high alert, even when your mind doesn’t remember. EMDR therapy helps uncouple these automatic stress responses, allowing your nervous system to reset, calm, and reclaim safety.
Why Bariatric Counseling Should Be Part of Every Post-Op Plan
Weight loss surgery transforms your body, but what about your mind? Post-op life brings unexpected emotions, identity shifts, and challenges that the scale can’t measure. Bariatric counseling helps you navigate cravings, body changes, and the pressure to “have it all together,” offering the long-term support every patient deserves.
What to Expect During Your Bariatric Psychological Evaluation
Nervous about your bariatric psych eval? You’re not alone. Here’s what to expect—and how to feel more confident walking in.
When the Weight Comes Back: Mental Health Support for Regain
Weight regain is common—and not a failure. With support and self-compassion, you can move forward. This is part of the journey, not the end.
How Mental Health Impacts Long-Term Bariatric Surgery Success
Bariatric surgery changes more than your body, it affects your emotions, too. Therapy and support help you stay on track, manage stress, and feel confident in your new life. Your mind needs care, just like your body.
How to Prepare for Your Bariatric Psych Evaluation
Mental health matters—especially before and after bariatric surgery. From emotional eating to anxiety and isolation, this post explores the most common psychological barriers that can impact long-term success—and how honest, judgment-free support can help you navigate them with confidence.
What Mental Health Barriers Can Impact Bariatric Surgery Success?
Bariatric surgery changes more than your body—it shifts your mindset, too. This post explores the mental health challenges that can impact success and how honest support makes all the difference.
Is a Bariatric Psychological Evaluation Required for Surgery?
Getting ready for bariatric surgery? A psychological evaluation is usually required—but it’s nothing to stress about. This post explains why it’s important, what to expect, and how to feel prepared and confident going in.
Overcoming Sleep Disturbances: Strategies for Better Rest
Struggling with sleep? Learn trusting strategies to improve your pre-sleep routine, adjust your diet, and create a restful environment—proven techniques from Schuster Counseling Group to help you sleep better tonight.
The Impact of Social Media on Self-Esteem: Finding Balance in a Digital World
How to Keep Your Digital Life from Draining Your Real One – Social Media Self-Esteem Tips | Phone screen showing Instagram feed with person scrolling—graphic highlighting digital detox, mindful engagement, and screen time tips to protect self-esteem.
Mindfulness Practices for Stress Reduction: Techniques to Calm the Mind
Start your day with this powerful Morning Mindfulness Checklist designed to reduce stress, boost mental clarity, and improve emotional regulation. Developed by licensed therapists at Schuster Counseling Group, these evidence-based practices—gratitude, mindful stretching, hydration, and intention-setting—help calm the nervous system and prepare you for a balanced day. Ideal for clients in Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, and Oregon seeking online therapy.
Navigating Postpartum Depression: Support and Resources for New Mothers
A tired mother rests in bed while holding her newborn, embodying the emotional weight of postpartum depression. This image reflects the reality of new motherhood and the need for mental health support during the postpartum period.
Understanding High-Functioning Anxiety: The Invisible Struggle
The Role of Nutrition in Mental Health: Feeding Your Mind
Mental wellness starts on your plate. From blueberries and leafy greens to dark chocolate and avocado, what you eat fuels how you feel. At Schuster Counseling Group, we explore the powerful connection between food, mood, and mental clarity—because feeding your mind is just as important as feeding your body.
Addressing Burnout: Recognizing and Recovering From Overwhelm
Burnout isn’t just being tired—it’s my nervous system begging for a break. When brain fog, emotional exhaustion, and slipping focus hit, I know it’s time to reset. In this post, I’m sharing the tools that help me: mindful breathing, ruthless prioritizing, and self-care that doesn’t require a spa day. Real talk, real relief.
The Connection Between Physical Activity and Mental Health
Turns out, your mood loves movement. This post explores the science-backed link between physical activity and mental well-being—because sometimes the best therapy is a good sweat. Ditch the “meh,” and let motion do its magic.