KS Services's New Office Open House

KS Services, LLC is pleased to announce that we have a new in-person office location opening in the Burke/Springfield, VA area.

Please join us to celebrate at our Open House

on Friday, June 3, 2022

4pm-6pm | Drop in with drinks and snacks Come meet the new counselors and see the in person office space. Also, meet one of KS Services new therapy dogs! Office address: 9554 Old Keene Mill Rd Suite G Springfield VA 22015

KS Services is a Christian faith-integrated Individual, Couple, and Family Counseling Practice. Learn more about who we are and what we offer at www.keystoneservices.biz

Since our practice is expanding, we are pleased to share that we will have openings for new clients available in early June.

If you have any questions about the Open House or are interested in counseling services, feel free to reach out for a free 15-minute consultation at counseling@keystonservices.biz

We hope to see you at the Open House on Friday, June 3rd!

Lauran Thomas, MS, LPC-S, NCC

Director and Clinical Supervisor

KS Services, LLC

Make Changes Together

KS Services spends time partnering with families. We want our parents to feel supported as they support their children and teens who are dealing with mental health concerns. As part of our series on depression, our third guideline is to make changes togher.

Make Changes Together

Most teens are aware that their illness affects the entire family dynamic and will most likely struggle with this realization. They are aware that their illness requires extra appointments and monitoring. Instead of asking your teen to change something on their own for their own wellness, consider making family changes that do not signal more “blame” on your teen. For example, research does provide some information on particular behaviors that can ease the intensity and frequency of low mood such as physical activity, social connection, and quality sleep.

Consider:

• Taking a walk after dinner as a family (Want more? Foster a dog and get plenty of walks and extra snuggles!)

• Designating the last hour before bed screen free and initiate journaling, reading, playing board games or listening to an audiobook

• Ensuring all members of the family are getting the recommended hours of sleep (teens need 8 to 10 hours)

• Finding some community based activities to do together to increase connection (joining a local church, trying out a new gym together, or joining a local pool)

Again making these subtle changes as a family provides support for your teens without placing the “cause” on them. Allow them to be a part of a family change that ultimately increases the behaviors that are known to decrease the intensity of depression.

Laura Waller, MS, NCC

Licensed Resident in Counseling

Adjusting Expectations During Seasons of Depression

As we continue in our series on supporting a teen (or anyone for that matter) with depression, our second point to keep in mind is:

Expectations need to be adjusted for this season.

Like any physical illness, depression can drain your teen’s energy. Your teen may find it harder to concentrate, and they may move slower than normal. Most likely, your teen is acutely aware that they are having difficulty completing tasks at their normal pace. Your teen will most likely already be overly self critical and frustrated and that criticism and frustration will be heightened when they make any sort of mistake.

It is necessary during this time to adjust your expectations for your teen’s output as you would if they were experiencing or recovering from a virus. Encourage your teen to do what they can and take breaks as needed. It may be helpful to have a list of things that need to be done as a gentle reminder (daily hygiene, charging school laptops) in their room, but provide plenty of time for completing these tasks and encourage your teen to ask for help. As a parent, this can feel tedious and frustrating. It is important to remind yourself that this is a season of life, and your teen’s motivation and focus will return as the depression is treated just as it does as your teen is treated for a virus. Give yourself and your teen permission to adjust expectations for this season. Modeling this type of self-compassion is just as important for your teen as it will be for your overall wellness during this time.

Possible adjustments

Offer help with homework, and find ways to make it more manageable.

(ie If there is a project coming up, brainstorm topics together; map out “must-dos” so that the teen can see the basic requirements as small manageable tasks.)

Decide on non-negotiable requirements together (taking medications, showering, brushing teeth), and allow the other requirements to be optional for this season.

Laura Waller, MS, NCC

Licensed Resident in Counseling

Image Credit:

https://ahs.usd385.org/MentalHealthSupport