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The Benefits of Emotion Tracking in Counseling

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Emotion tracking is an effective tool that can help clients gain insights into their emotional states and identify patterns that impact their mental health. In recent years, technology has made emotion tracking more accessible for counseling clients. A digital homework app like Therachat, helps individuals learn about themselves in an intuitive way. Discover the benefits of tracking in counseling and how technology enhances the therapy process.

Benefits of emotion tracking in therapy

By monitoring their emotions, clients can better understand their mood fluctuations and recognize recurring trends that may influence their psychological well-being. This knowledge allows clients to work with their therapist to develop strategies to manage triggers. It can also help clients communicate their emotional experiences more effectively — with their therapist and their loved ones. It can also provide clients with a sense of control over their mental health. By actively monitoring their moods, clients can feel empowered to continue taking steps to improve their mental health. This process helps clients stay motivated throughout therapy by allowing them to see their progress over time.

Using a digital homework app

A digital homework app like Therachat includes a tracking feature that allows clients to log their moods throughout the day. Clients can also add notes to their entries to provide more context to their therapist.

Therapists can use the emotion tracking feature in Therachat to monitor their clients’ emotional states and identify patterns over time. This information helps counselors tailor their therapy sessions and address specific concerns — providing more targeted interventions. Therapists can also use it to track their client’s progress over time. This is an effective way to set goals and evaluate the effectiveness of therapy, allowing counsellors to pivot their strategy if client progress doesn’t improve. 

How to track successfully

  • Be consistent: For the most consistent data, encourage clients to track their moods at regular intervals. For example, a daily tracker might note their emotions in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Doing this consistently over time will give clients and their therapists a better idea of patterns. 
  • Be honest: It’s essential that tracking accurately reflects what clients are feeling. Remind them to be candid during these check-ins. 
  • Don’t gloss over the good: Many clients who start emotion tracking are stuck in a low mood cycle, which can sometimes make it difficult to see the good. Encourage them to track the happy moments too. 

Emotion tracking empowers counsellors and their clients

Emotion tracking enhances therapy by giving clients control over their mental health. It also allows therapists to monitor their clients’ emotional states over time. By using emotion tracking in treatment, clients can better understand their emotional experiences and work with their therapist to develop mental health strategies. 

Start emotion tracking with your clients today. Learn more about Therachat for Clinicians. 

How to Successfully Practice Activity Scheduling With Your Counseling Clients

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As 2023 ramps up, clients are focused on implementing their goals and resolutions. For many, this looks like building social connections, making time for family, and scheduling new or well-loved activities. However, for clients who are depressed, activity planning can feel like a significant hurdle. While it can be daunting, Behavioral Activation is a crucial component of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that helps clients understand how behaviors influence emotions. This knowledge empowers clients to re-engage with the parts of their lives that bring them fulfillment and joy. With the support of a counselor, this activity planning framework helps clients prioritize their wants and needs clearly and interactively.

1. Identify the activities your client wants to participate in 

The first step is to get a clear idea of which activities your clients want to do. For depressed clients, this can look like reconnecting with activities that used to bring them joy in the past. Encourage your clients to create a list of hobbies and activities that offer a sense of peace, contentment, or accomplishment. 

2. Help them implement activities in their schedule 

Next, help your client commit to their identified activities. Find specific times of the week that they can schedule for their hobby and participate in uninterrupted. Note down when, how, and with who they’ll do the activity. 

3. Plan for roadblocks

Roadblocks are inevitable when committing to an activity — especially if this is a new hobby. Help your client identify what could get in the way of them following through and spend some time creating realistic solutions to these roadblocks. If your client is more likely to go for a daily walk, suggest they find a walking partner, as socialization will make the new habit more enjoyable. 

4. Check-in often

A crucial part of success is checking in with your client. You can do this easily between sessions by utilizing a HIPAA-secure digital homework app — giving your clients an intuitive way to stay accountable. By assigning weekly activities like journaling and emotion check-ins, your clients can report their experiences to you in real-time, making progress tracking a breeze. 

5. Make time to reflect 

After activity completion, ask your clients to take a few minutes for reflection. 

Questions to consider: 

  • How did they feel before the activity? 
  • How do they feel after accomplishing their commitment to themself? 
  • Was there a difference in mood or overall thought patterns? 
  • Would they like to schedule the same activity, or would they instead replace it with something else? 

These questions allow clients to check in with themselves, boost self-trust, and reinstate confidence in their choices. 

Keep clients on track with activity scheduling

Activity scheduling is one of the best ways to connect clients to their social circles, increase life satisfaction, and get them engaged with their hobbies again. 
A digital homework app like Therachat is an intuitive way to keep clients on track with activity scheduling. It offers a gentle way to give a nudge between sessions and keep counseling top of mind. Learn more about Therachat for clinicians.

10 Journaling Prompts for Counseling Clients in 2023

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As we head into a new year, clients come to counseling with a fresh perspective. This is an excellent opportunity to get them started on the right foot. Whether it’s developing a new healthy habit or refining a familiar one, journaling is one of the best homework assignments to help clients reach their goals. The best way to begin is with a quick and simple daily journaling check-in. This is inexpensive, accessible, and it’s something clients can do on their own time.

Share these 10 journaling prompts to get clients started with journaling into the new year: 

  1. What is your intention for today? 
  2. Choose a word of the day. 
  3. What does your mind need today? 
  4. What does your body need today? 
  5. What does your heart need today? 
  6. What’s something that will make you feel good today? 
  7. List 3 things you’re grateful for. 
  8. What are you letting go of? 
  9. What are you making space for? 
  10. Write out today’s affirmation. 

Reminders when it comes to journaling

Often, clients want to start journaling but feel resistance, also known as a mental block. Some assume there’s a ‘right’ way to do it. Some don’t see themselves as writers (and that’s okay!). For others, the issue is not knowing what or how much to write. That’s why journaling prompts are essential, as they get the creative juices flowing.

Reassure your clients that this doesn’t have to be an elaborate activity. Simply taking 5 minutes daily to write down just a few words is enough to start feeling the benefits of journaling. This will also get clients used to picking up their journal every day, instilling the daily habit. 

You can also encourage clients to have fun with this by personalizing the habit, and the journaling prompts, to their own routine. For example, some clients are night owls and may do better journaling as an evening reflection piece for the day, rather than first thing in the morning. Not only will lifestyle matching help the habit stick, but it will empower clients to take charge of their mental health journey. 

How to keep clients on track with a healthy journaling habit 

To keep your clients on track and help them shift as needed, try utilizing a homework app like Therachat. It’s a simple way to give your clients the nudge they need between sessions while continuing to build client trust. With daily homework reminders, mindfulness exercises, and emotion tracking, it’s an innovative way to help your clients feel supported between appointments. 
If you’re a counselor ready to level up your practice in 2023, digital technology is essential. Meet clients where they are — right on their own devices — with a digital homework app. Learn more about Therachat for clinicians.

How to Better Support Counseling Clients with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

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As the days get shorter, darker, and colder, it’s common for counseling clients to feel a drop in energy. Many begin to feel sad, struggle with sleep, experience changes in appetite, and keep to themselves. As clients experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)  it’s essential now more than ever for counselors to connect with them. This can include regular check-ins, increasing homework between sessions, creating a new fall/winter routine, and supporting them with digital tools. 

Check-in regularly

Many clients pull away from socializing while feeling the effects of SAD. While this may feel more comfortable for clients in the short term, it can be detrimental to their overall health during the darker seasons. Counselors can support better client mental health by checking in regularly. This can include scheduling more frequent appointments or keeping up between sessions with a digital homework app. As research shows, more social connectedness is linked to lower rates of anxiety and depression. Effectively reaching out to clients between sessions can make all the difference. 

Create a new seasonal routine

Clients may need to adjust their routines to feel better in the cooler months. Physical changes, like incorporating light therapy, can be a game-changer for general mood. Routine changes like increasing exercise, spending time with family and friends, and incorporating more nutritious foods into the daily diet are essential in combatting SAD. 

Assign homework between sessions

It’s important to keep up with busy clients between sessions to ensure they’re still moving toward their goals and maintaining positive mental health. Research has shown that counselors who don’t consistently follow up on homework assignments are less likely to generate patient regard for the activity. Without homework, it’s all too easy for patients to forget about their growth, or put it off when out of the office. This is especially true in busier seasons like during the holidays — particularly for clients with packed schedules, like parents or caregivers. 

Assigning homework between sessions allows clients to keep their mental health top of mind in their day-to-day lives. Homework brings their focus back on their goals and progress and creates a better chance that they’ll keep up with regular sessions. 

Homework comes with many benefits. It gives clients control over their wellness, giving them a sense of responsibility. It also creates a space for discussion when it comes to progress  — fostering a healthy client-counselor relationship. It’s also great for counselors as it creates a paper trail, making progress tracking a breeze. 

Use technology to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder

A digital homework app like Therachat is an innovative tool that makes it easy for counselors to support clients during the tough winter months, as they experience Seasonal Affective Disorder. This is especially beneficial for patients who have a hard time booking regular sessions. With emotion tracking, skill-building, thought reframing activities and progress tracking all in one app, it’s never been easier to support clients with SAD. Give your clients an accessible tool they can reach for when they need a boost between sessions. Learn more about Therachat for clinicians.

Boost Journaling Homework Compliance for Counseling Clients

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Journaling has shown to be one of the best exercises to assign counseling clients between sessions. The problem arises when clients struggle to complete homework — sending them off-track in their mental health journey. This means they don’t progress as quickly or efficiently as they could if they kept up with assignments. One of the main goals of counseling is to equip patients with the tools to feel better sooner. Homework is one way to set clients up for success with healthy routines and keep a record that you and your client can refer back to if mental health conditions change.

The benefits of assigning journaling homework to counseling clients

Journaling is one of the most effective and simplest exercises to assign to counselling clients. Its accessibility makes it a no-brainer. All patients need is a pen and paper, or a computer if they prefer, to get their thoughts out and enjoy the benefits. And, different styles of journaling can yield different results. For example, studies have shown that gratitude journaling can help people sleep better, lower stress, improve interpersonal relationships, and can even lead to healthier eating. 

Most importantly, homework like journaling teaches clients that they can apply their newfound skills independently. It equips them with the confidence that they don’t need to rely on a counselor between sessions when something goes wrong — they can reach for pen and paper. 

How to assign homework for better success

Studies have shown that assigning homework is linked to better treatment outcomes. So how can you ensure your clients complete their journaling homework? Simply knowing the benefits usually isn’t enough to keep them on top of it. The best way is to present homework in a way that clients are used to – such as right on their own personal devices. Take advantage of technology with a digital homework app. An all-in-one app like Therachat comes with a whole host of features that simplify your practice while benefiting your clients. 

Clients can easily access: 

  • Daily homework reminders
  • Skill-building activities
  • Emotion tracking
  • Mindfulness exercises

For counselors, a digital homework app allows you to: 

  • Save time and help even more clients. Create and customize digital activities that can be assigned to multiple clients 
  • Follow up with clients through an easy-to-use instant messenger that’s safe, private, and more convenient than texting with your personal number 
  • Track and look back on client progress — showing them how far they’ve come 
  • Enjoy the peace of mind that comes with added security benefits such as HIPAA compliance
  • Forget about filing and managing physical paper documents 

Ensure clients complete journaling homework regularly

Journaling homework comes with a whole host of positive benefits — but clients can only take advantage of those benefits by actually completing homework. A digital homework app is one of the most efficient ways to ensure clients are growing between sessions. Are you ready to simplify and modernize your practice? Learn more about Therachat for clinicians. 

15 Mental Wellness Quotes to Share With Your Counseling Clients

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Counseling clients are often searching for principles to guide them through their mental health journey — particularly if they’re new in the process. For many clients, quotes offer stability and groundedness during a turbulent time. We’ve listed 15 mental wellness quotes to share with your counseling clients. Encourage them to pick a few favourites, and display them somewhere they’ll see them frequently — maybe it’s on their bathroom mirror, on their desk, or in the car. These quotes serve as a reminder of resilience and strength, encouraging your clients to keep going. 

Inspiring mental wellness quotes

  1. “Inner peace begins the moment you choose not to allow another person or event to control your emotions.” — Pema Chodron
  2. “The greatest mistake we make is living in constant fear that we will make one.” — John C. Maxwell
  3. “The best thing one can do when it is raining, is to let it rain.” —Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
  4. “Many of us feel stress and get overwhelmed not because we’re taking on too much, but because we’re taking on too little of what really strengthens us.” — Marcus Buckingham 
  5. “Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be.” – Wayne W. Dyer
  6. “If you don’t like something change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.” – Mary Engelbreit
  7. “It’s been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will.” — Lucy Maud Montgomery
  8. “In our daily lives, we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but the gratefulness that makes us happy.” — Albert Clarke
  9. “In order to move on, you must understand why you felt what you did and why you no longer need to feel it.” — Mitch Albom
  10. “Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the most wonderful things that will ever happen to us.” —Nicole Reed
  11. “Happiness is not a brilliant climax to years of grim struggle and anxiety. It is a long succession of little decisions simply to be happy in the moment.” —J. Donald Walters
  12. Life is ten percent what you experience and ninety percent how you respond to it. — Dorothy M. Neddermeyer
  13. “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.
  14. “Actually spending ten minutes clearing off one shelf is better than fantasizing about spending a weekend cleaning out the basement.” —Gretchen Rubin
  15. “For us, there is only the trying. The rest is not our business.” —T.S. Eliot

Easily check in with your clients

Checking in with your clients can dramatically increase counseling outcomes. It can be as simple as sending them a weekly quote, or a kind message. Therachat allows you to securely message your clients and send them homework through an easy-to-use HIPAA-compliant app. Save time with our pre-made activities like emotion tracking and open journaling, or fully customize activities to fit your client’s unique needs. Ready to modernize your practice? Learn more about Therachat for clinicians.