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Michelle Wright, LPC

@michellenwrightlpc

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Licensed Professional Counselor in Cypress TX wanting to give hope in the midst of chaos.

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Therapists get stress and vicarious trauma through their work.

Here are 5 evidence-based strategies to protect and recalibrate your nervous system:*

1. *Slow breathing (5–6 breaths/min)*
Inhale through the nose, exhale longer than the inhale. This activates the **vagus nerve**, increases **heart rate variability**, and reduces cortisol

2. *Micro-recovery moments between sessions*
Even 2–5 minutes of silence, stretching, breathwork, or going outside reduces sympathetic activation

3. *Peer co-regulation
You co-regulate clients every day—but who co-regulates you? Regular check-ins with peers, mentors, or therapists help stabilize your nervous system

4. Ritualized endings
Don’t just finish your workday—exit it. Use a short neural reset ritual: walk, music, journaling, tea, or a body scan to signal safety to your system

5. Track your internal cues
Ask weekly: *How is my nervous system doing?* Watch for red flags—loss of empathy, disrupted sleep, increased irritability. These aren’t personal flaws. They’re biological feedback.

**You are your most important clinical tool.**
But that tool is not indestructible. It needs tuning. It needs rest.
Your regulation is what allows others to regulate.
Your presence is what helps others return to themselves.

So let’s make it normal for therapists to say:
“I take care of my nervous system because it takes care of everything else.”

Dr. Shivm Dubey by @michellenwrightlpc

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a year ago

Robert M- Trauma Specialist

One of my most popular posts was on Traumatic Invalidation. In this follow up post I’m focusing on strategies that address and counteract the effects of invalidation.

1. Self-Validation Practices

One of the most powerful ways to combat invalidation is by self-validating.

Acknowledge Your Feelings: Instead of judging yourself for feeling a certain way, practice saying, “It’s human that I feel this way.”

Name Your Emotions: Labeling emotions (e.g., “I feel hurt”) helps validate and process them.

Challenge Internalized Invalidation: If you catch yourself thinking, “Maybe I’m overreacting”, counter it with “My emotions are real and important”.

2. Grounding Techniques to Strengthen Reality-Trust

When invalidation leads to self-doubt, grounding techniques can help re-anchor you in your truth.

Five Senses Check-In: Notice 5 things you see, touch, hear, smell, and taste. This practice can help bring you back to the present moment.

3. Boundary-Setting with Invalidating People

Not everyone in your life will validate your experiences, but you can limit the impact they have on you.

Gray Rock Method: If dealing with an invalidating person, limit emotional responses and keep interactions neutral.

Assertive Responses: Use boundary-setting statements like:

“I need you to respect my experience.”

“I am not asking for advice or judgment, just support.”

“It’s hurtful when you dismiss my feelings. Please don’t do that.”

4. Finding or Creating Safe, Validating Spaces

Peer Support: In-person or online peer support groups for survivors of trauma, chronic illness, or mental health struggles can offer powerful validation.

Self-Compassion Practices: Engaging in activities like mindful self-care can reinforce that your emotions and needs matter. by @michellenwrightlpc

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2 years ago

New space for Michelle Wright Counseling PLLC by @michellenwrightlpc

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2 years ago

It is possible to be respectful, and still set a logical boundary. #drnicolelepera #boundaries #counseling #dontbeadoormat taken in Cypress, Texas by @michellenwrightlpc

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4 years ago

What do you think of the term, “fake it till you make it?” I never really cared for it, but maybe sometimes it’s necessary. Just don’t stay in that mind space for too long. taken in Cypress, Texas by @michellenwrightlpc

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4 years ago

Parenting Teens:

Use a Balanced Parenting Style.

Parents’ best bet is to use a balanced parenting style when raising a child because this approach to parenting leads to better mental health. This parenting style balances warmth and rules, so teens know they are cared for even when they make a mistake. Other parenting styles, such as authoritarian parenting (“You’ll do as I say because I said so!”) or permissive parenting (“Think of me as your friend!”) are linked with poorer mental health because these styles typically don’t provide both the love and supervision teens need (and crave!) to develop in healthy ways.

Teach Teens How to Cope with Stress. We all experience stress at some point in life. What matters is how we cope with that stress. When stress becomes overwhelming, it can lead to poor mental health. The report discusses the importance of proper sleep, nutrition, and exercise in helping young people (and adults!) manage stress. We offer a stress management plan that teaches teens how to apply a range of coping strategies into daily life. It includes skills such as breaking problems down to be more manageable and teaches about the importance of reaching out for help.

Know the Signs. While it’s common to see our teens dealing with stress, we may not always realize when there’s more at play. Teens rely on adults to identify the signs that they may be dealing with anxiety or depression and steer them towards help. But some signs teens exhibit while struggling may be different than adults. For example, showing rage, irritability, or a lack of sadness in appropriate situations may be red flags. It’s important to be able to recognize possible signs of adolescent depression and anxiety because if left untreated, they can greatly impact teens’ lives and the lives of others around them. taken in Cypress, Texas by @michellenwrightlpc

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5 years ago

My friend and I are playing a little game of Sorry with my sweet dog 🐶 Winnie. Introducing animals into therapy can often help sessions go more smoothly, and offer the client a safe space to talk and cathart. #therapy #dogs #kidtherapy taken in Cypress, Texas by @michellenwrightlpc

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5 years ago

A few statistics regarding teenagers and pornography:

Pornography Use among Teens Statistics
93 % of boys and 62% of girls are exposed to internet pornography before the age of 18.

70% of boys have spent at least 30 consecutive minutes looking at on-line porn on at least one occasion.

35% of boys have done this on at least ten occasions.

83% of boys have seen group sex on the internet.

67% of children admit to clearing their internet history to hide their online activity.

79% of accidental exposures to internet porn among kids take place in the home.

56% of divorce cases involve one party having an obsessive interest in online porn.

12% of websites on the internet are pornographic— Approximately 25 million websites.

2 of the top 100 websites on the internet are porn sites. 40 million Americans regularly visit pornographic

websites.
2.5 billion emails per day are pornographic.

25% of search engine requests each day are pornography related—approximately 70 million per day.

Only 3% of pornographic websites require age verification.
The most popular day of the week for viewing pornography is Sunday.
10% of pornography users report being addicted.
The average age a child first sees internet pornography is 11.
70% of young men ages 18-24 visit pornographic websites on at least a monthly basis. taken in Cypress, Texas by @michellenwrightlpc

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5 years ago

🤔 by @michellenwrightlpc

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5 years ago

I did not write this
but WOW does it
speak to my heart!!!
Worth the read.

"Barely the day started and
it's already six in the evening.
Barely arrived on Monday
and it's already Friday.
.. and the month is already over.
.. and the year is almost over.
.. and already 40, 50 or 60 years
of our lives have passed.
.. and we realize that we lost
our parents, friends.
.. and we realize it's too late
to go back.
So.. Let's try, despite
everything, to enjoy
the remaining time.
Let's keep looking for
activities that we like.
Let's put some color in
our grey.
Let's smile at the little
things in life that put
balm in our hearts.
And despite everything,
we must continue to enjoy
with serenity this time we
have left.
Let's try to eliminate the
afters..
I'm doing it after.
I'll say after.
I'll think about it after.
We leave everything for
later like ′′ after ′′ is ours.
Because what we don't
understand is that:
Afterwards, the coffee
gets cold.
afterwards, priorities change.
Afterwards, the charm is
broken.
Afterwards, health passes.
Afterwards, the kids grow up.
Afterwards parents get old.
Afterwards, promises are
forgotten.
Afterwards, the day becomes
the night.
Afterwards, life ends.
And then it's often too late.
So.. Let's leave nothing for
later.
Because still waiting to see
later, we can lose the
best moments, the best
experiences, best friends,
the best family.
The day is today. The
moment is now.
We are no longer at the
age where we can afford
to postpone what needs
to be done right away."

It Looks Like An Eternity,
But It's A Short Trip,
Enjoy Life And Always
Be Kind. taken in Cypress, Texas by @michellenwrightlpc

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5 years ago

Shame typically comes up when you look inward with a critical eye and evaluate yourself harshly, often for things you have little control over.

This negative self-evaluation often has its roots in messages you’ve received from others, especially during your childhood. When parents or teachers criticized you, rather than any poor behavior choices you may have made, they planted the seed of shame.

Shame centers on your very identity as a person, and it becomes particularly toxic when it starts to impact your sense of self.

Toxic shame opens the door to anger, self-disgust, and other less-than-desirable feelings. It can make you feel small and worthless. It can trickle into your inner dialogue like a poison, locking you into a painful loop of negative self-talk.

When toxic shame lingers without resolution, the desire to hide from it or escape from yourself can lead to potentially harmful behaviors like substance misuse or self-harm.

‘Normal’ vs. ‘toxic’ shame

Pretty much everyone experiences shame, though some people experience it more frequently or intensely than others.

Shame often has a cultural component. It can help maintain social norms by reinforcing the idea that certain behaviors can harm others and have a negative impact on society. If you engage in — or even have thoughts about — these potentially harmful actions, you might feel

Shame vs. guilt

Say you got caught teasing a classmate in elementary school and your parents sharply scolded, “You should be ashamed of how you treated them.”

Their criticism inspired guilty feelings: You regretted your actions and wanted to make up for your shameful behavior to earn their approval once again. by @michellenwrightlpc

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5 years ago

Pornography is not something your kids have to be searching for. It can actually find them. It can lure them in through ads, normal things they watch on YouTube that get hacked, etc. Being aware, and having open and honest discussions is the best way to go!
#porn
#kidssafety
#themoreyouknow by @michellenwrightlpc

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5 years ago