As women, we encounter the weight of the world with the highest expectations and often little advocacy. I offer compassionate therapy for women working through transitions in life. Whether you are starting a new career, just had a baby, struggling in your relationships with friends, or experiencing health challenges, I am here to provide a safe space to explore a new perspective, express without judgement, and discover how the past in impacting the present. It's your hour, just for you. To Book a Session: TEXT Heather @ 314-307-5755 OR Email: itsyourtimetherapy@proton.me *I will respond within the same day

This hour is for you. This is your time to hit the reset button for your mind and soul. Our space is judgment free and the number one priority is always you and your child’s best interest. Sometimes we need someone outside of our circle for this kind of support. Our time together will be productive with tools to take with you and a fresh perspective. Seeking counseling for this reason does not mean you haven’t tried your hardest, or you don’t love your child with everything in your being…it means just the opposite.

This is a 30 minute Obligation Free Consultation to explore what therapy will look and feel like during this next step in life...this is the gift of time. Therapy is the bridge when it seems like we need just a little extra help, a different perspective, or a change. To Book a Free 30 min Consultation: I will respond within the same day.

According to Wikipedia, anger is defined as wrath or rage, an intense emotional state involving a strong uncomfortable and non-cooperative response to a perceived hurt or threat. When we feel angry our bodies are pushed into high gear, releasing a chemical known as Norepinephrine (NE)…the SAME chemical that ignites our fight or flight response. Believe it or not, fear and anger are core emotions in the human body. We aren’t meant to live without them. Then why does anger get in the way of life so much and feel so wrong? Lots of reasons! Did you know that when we react to anger, it is a learned response? It’s the response we watched the adults in our childhood use when things went wrong. We then stored it away for our own rainy days. Oh, so it’s my dad’s fault I can’t control my temper! Well, not exactly. While anger is presented through a learned response, it doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. Let’s imagine the brain with an upstairs and a downstairs. The upstairs brain (prefrontal cortex) is responsible for all things good, like regulating emotions, maintaining stress, and keeping us sane. The downstairs brain consists of a tiny little almond shaped structure, called the amygdala. It likes to take charge, keep you out of danger, and will pull your hand away from a hot stove if needed. This is the same hangout place as our fight or flight response. While it seems like the happening part of the brain, it is our job to control the messages it sends to our upstairs brain. You see, anger is a secondary emotion. That means it’s not the first emotion you feel, but rather the second. Think of it like an iceberg…while easy to see and grandiose in nature, there is an even larger piece of ice under the surface. Our anger is just the tip of the iceberg. It can be fueled by different emotions at different times, such as feeling disappointed, lonely, embarrassed, tired, stressed, or (my favorite) hangry. Recognizing what you are actually feeling is half the battle to how you then react once that anger emotion starts to emerge to the surface. Therapy can help you identify triggers and learned behavior from childhood. If it is a child who is in therapy, well they have the advantage of catching patterns early and learning coping skills to carry with them into adulthood. Remember, anger is normal and happens to everyone. Take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth before your downstairs brain creates havoc on your upstairs brain.

Since the beginning of time, our human bodies have been equipped to handle danger. As our society continued to evolve, so did our source of threatening situations. We went from confronting wildlife, heights and the elements of water, to reacting to stressors such as work, school, or parenting. When you put it that way, it makes you think “Well those are different things to be stressed about compared to in the past…” Yes, yes, they are, but the same nervous system (specifically the sympathetic nervous system or Fight or Flight) that has been delivering messages to and from our voluntary and involuntary pathways before proper civilization, exists in us today! So, for example, let’s say you are taking a casual hike through Yellowstone National Park. The scenic trail is breathtaking. To the right you see rolling green pastures with mountains just beyond the horizon. To the left, you notice a waterfall cascading down the differently colored rock…. you pause to take in the sounds of the water crashing into the stream below, the smell of the green pasture, and the feeling this brings. The sky is blue and the air is crisp. Right now, your body is regulated. Your heartbeat and breathing are at a steady pace, your eyesight is engulfing the view and nothing is too loud or too soft. Your parasympathetic nervous system (the regulator) is handing out high fives to the rest of your body. All of a sudden, a grizzly bear enters your path and is looking right at you. Where did he come from?! He stands on his hind legs and roars! You freeze…you are no longer in a tranquil state. Your pupils dilate, your heart begins to race, you start to sweat, and all of your senses are heightened to the max! This is your body entering the fight or flight response (anxiety attack). The sympathetic nervous system is saying “you either stay here and act like your dead, fight the bear, or you get the he** out of here and FAST!” This is what a panic attack feels like. Anxiety disorders are produced when we have overly frequent, intense, or inappropriate activation of this fight or flight reaction to various stressors in life. The messages traveling throughout our body, primarily from our brain to our stomachs are yelling “We have a problem here! Like a BIG problem! You better get back up!” Pretty soon, your body can no longer identify a big stressor from a small stressor and it goes into permanent protective mode just to stay safe. When treating anxiety in therapy, education and understanding the purpose and function of this fight or flight response is the key to disarming it. This is the last phase in a modern / everyday anxiety inducing encounter believe it or not. First comes the trigger and ability to identify it, from there you can either avoid the stressor or confront it, and the results then reflect what has happened up until that point. Once you avoid and seek shelter, your brain is relieved and your body begins to thank you by settling down, however this is the food that feeds panic. Through therapy, you learn how to identify the triggers and regulate the feeling to “Abort! Abort!” so that when you are faced with the same stressor in the future, your fight or flight response is left malnourished and once again, your parasympathetic nervous system can hand out high fives.

We’ve made it quick and convenient for you to manage your blog from anywhere. In this blog post, we’ll share the ways you can post to your Wix Blog. Blogging from the Dashboard On the dashboard, you have everything you need to manage your blog in one place. You can create new posts, assign categories, adjust SEO and more. Click Create New Post to get started writing, adding images and formatting your post. Blogging from the mobile app Write posts, reply to comments, and manage your blog all on the go. Download the Wix Owner App from the dashboard to get started. Blogging from your published site Did you know that you can blog right from your published website? Once you publish your site, go to your website’s URL and log in to your site with your Wix account. There you can write and edit posts, manage comments, pin posts and more. Just click on the 3 dot icon ( ⠇) to see all the things you can do.

What to Expect in Therapy Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Heather Frost Counseling In session, we will learn about topics such as anger as a secondary emotion or how our nervous system communicates with our brain in episodes of fight or flight, and how this can be both useful and debilitating in life. In addition, the evidence based modality named The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) technique is incorporated to then study how our thoughts, feelings, and actions are all interrelated. 314-307-5755 itsyourtimetherapy@proton.me Therapy with Art Heather Frost Counseling Then there are times when it's too hard to find the words to express how we feel. A simple conversation back and forth just doesn't cut it. In therapy, your child will get to use paint and other various forms of art to not only express the issue at hand, but have some fun while doing it. Art has scientific evidence to raise levels of serotonin in the body. Anxiety and depression will begin to decrease and the root of the problem isn't so scary to find. 314-307-5755 itsyourtimetherapy@proton.me Journaling In-Session Heather Frost Counseling There's also something to be said about needing a break... a break from all the noise, constant thoughts, and jumbled feelings. We will then journal in session. Writing has the ability to turn our thoughts into actual stories with real details. It can be extremely useful at times and even calming. 314-307-5755 itsyourtimetherapy@proton.me Learning Normalizes & Empowers Heather Frost Counseling Another element of your child's therapy session will include psychoeducation. We will learn about topics such procrastination & time management, putting systems into place to boost productivity. We will improve self-esteem, focus ability, and improve communication skills. 314-307-5755 itsyourtimetherapy@proton.me Parent Involvement Parent involvement is welcomed and encouraged at the child's discretion. At a minimum, I keep the parent up to date on topics discussed while h onoring confidentiality. This allows for further support outside of our sessions. I also like to do a monthly check-in with parents while honoring confidentiality of my client and at their discretion. The more a child is willing to bring the parent to session when needed, the deeper the healing process tends to be for both parties. Let's Connect

Worksheets Sometimes visual aids and reading something on paper can really help us understand complicated subjects. Here are some resources that I've created that I've found to be helpful for understanding the complexity of the difficult mental situations we face. These are updated often, so come back to this page to find more! Worksheets The Anger Iceberg

Hello & Welcome to Heather Frost Counseling! If you are looking for a Clinical Mental Health Counselor for your Pre-Teen, Teen, or Family, you have come to the right place. I specialize in crisis counseling, addressing suicide ideation as well as counseling that focuses on perfectionism, procrastination, time management, and high anxiety. I will also help your child navigate the teen world by developing communication skills, manage anger, and improve peer relationships. With my help, a safe space will be provided for your child to express and explore the underlying causes of the issues at hand. Let's Connect! Learn More