Heights Family Counseling Anniversary- Pause, Reflect, Celebrate, and Shift

Written by HFC Owner, Amy Rollo, M.A., LPA, LSSP, LPC-S

According to LinkedIn, today marks a year that Heights Family Counseling has been open. I have a love for dates. They allow us to pause, reflect, celebrate, and shift. For instance, an anniversary helps us celebrate our relationship, birthdays help us celebrate life, and New Year’s helps us reflect on the past year and make goals and corrections for the new year. I find that a work anniversary can bring similar actions.

Pause: Most people that know me, know that I don’t pause often. My movement in life is in many forms including a love for running, goal-setting, and working hard to support others in my life. It’s great to have anniversaries to help us pause. Today, I paused and looked around. I saw the 6-office suite build out that will hopefully be ready for our counselors this month. I saw a team of incredible counselors that I am so proud to refer to because of their passions, warmth, and skill. I also noticed the impact in lives, and that is what this practice is ultimately about.  

Reflect: This is my favorite thing to do on anniversaries. You might find me on New Year’s Eve talking about all the curve balls life threw my way during the previous year. When reflecting on the anniversary of HFC, I can’t help but honor relationships. Many people that I had worked with in the past, came back in various roles to help create or celebrate Heights Family Counseling. I had old colleagues send their support, while others joined the team. When I think of our team, I truly appreciate how important relationships are. I even think of the new relationships developed with colleagues throughout Houston. Reflecting was such a reminder to appreciate and honor the people in our world. When you reflect on your relationships in your world, is there a person you want to thank for being there as a support, an old friend you want to connect with, or even a spouse you want to intentionally connect with?

Celebrate: Today, I celebrate taking a leap and believing in myself. That seems pretty simple, but you would not believe how many hours went into my own self-work deciding if I could really follow my passions and dream. While I need to celebrate what my team has created, I also need to celebrate the first step in the creation. The first step was doing something that was scary. I teach my younger clients that the word for that is “brave.” Being brave was probably the hardest step in creating our group practice. The rest fell into place. I often wonder aloud with my clients by asking, “what would life would look like if you didn’t let your fear of the unknown get in your way?” In other words, “would things look different if you acknowledged your emotions in a way to empower you instead of paralyze you?”  Today, we can celebrate bravery and all the emotions it takes to do something you fear.

Shift: I cannot wait to see where life decides to help me bend, turn, and adapt. I encourage you all when you get to shift to think of things, such as “how can I show my partner my love in a way that they need?” “How can I create more purpose in my life?” And, “Is there an area I can improve my self-care?” Questions like these are powerful in creating the shift we need. I love the counseling saying of, “SHIFT happens.” Instead of labeling the negative experience of life, empower yourself with identifying the shift/change you need.

Because relationships in individual, family and couples’ formats are my jam in life, I wanted to leave you with some questions I answered with my own spouse for fun last night. These are the meaningful conversations that can connect you and shift your relationship in a positive direction. Let me know how your conversations go!

1.     “Do you think I make spending time with you a priority?”

2.     “Do I act like I value what you bring to my life?”

3.     “Are you able to have as much fun with me as you do with your friends?”

4.     “How can I be a better friend to you?”

*from Kathleen Mates-Youngman, LMFT Couples Therapy Workbook

 What other conversations could you have in your relationships to help you pause, reflect, celebrate, and shift?

If you’re struggling to pause, reflect, celebrate and shift in your relationships, adult therapy can help. Contact us to set up an appointment.

Amy Rollo is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor and owner of Heights Family Counseling. Amy has been practicing for fifteen years. She has doctoral level training in the areas of child and adolescent counseling, marriage and family therapy, and adult counseling. Amy Rollo provides counseling and evaluation services in the Houston Heights and surrounding areas. Amy’s goal in counseling is to journey with her clients in order to foster positive changes and growth in their lives. Read more about Amy's counseling style by visiting www.heightsfamilycounseling.com and read more about her services http://heightsfamilycounseling.com/services-1/