Why We Still Need Pride

Why We Still Need Pride

This month, we discuss Pride Month and how it's still vital to celebrate the rich history of the Queer movement in the US. All Souls Counseling Center is proud to support and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community in working toward wellness and overall mental health. See below for local and national resources for the queer community at home and abroad. Music: The Good Life by Sarah McCoy, used with permission Sources: https://www.britannica.com/event/Stonewall-riotsnica [https://www.britannica.com/event/Stonewall-riotsnica] https://www.history.com/articles/the-stonewall-riots [https://www.history.com/articles/the-stonewall-riots] https://www.apa.org/monitor/2026/03/lgbtq-mental-health [https://www.apa.org/monitor/2026/03/lgbtq-mental-health] Local resources: Blue Ridge Pride - blueridgepride.org [http://blueridgepride.org] Youth OutRight WNC - youthoutright.org [http://youthoutright.org] AVL Stonewall Fest - avlstonewallfest.org [http://avlstonewallfest.org] Cornbread and Roses - cbrcounseling.org [http://cbrcounseling.org] Seek Healing - seekhealing.org [http://seekhealing.org] National resources: Trevor Project Trans hotline PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) - pflag.org [http://pflag.org] National LGBTQ Task Force - thetaskforce.org [http://thetaskforce.org] National Center for LGBTQ Rights (NCLR) - nclrights.org [http://nclrights.org] Human rights campaign - HRC.org [http://HRC.org] Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE) - transequality.org [http://transequality.org] SAGE - SAGEusa.org [http://SAGEusa.org]

When is the right time to seek therapy? (and how do I even find a therapist?)

Stress in a relationship, anxiety about world events, and frustration about family dynamics are all part of being a human. Sometimes these issues can be addressed with support of others in your life to help you get through. If they have a greater impact on your day-to-day responsibilities, relationships, and well-being, it might be a good idea to seek out professional help. If you’ve never been in therapy, it can be very daunting to consider opening up to a stranger - a professional, highly trained clinician, but a stranger nonetheless - and many folks really get stuck at this point. They like the idea of receiving support and validation about what’s going on but also worry about being judged, worry about their privacy, worry about… worrying? Here’s a brief list of things to consider when deciding whether or not to pursue therapy: * What’s going on that I know needs improvement, but I don’t know where to start? * Are the supports in my life sincerely wanting to help, but it seems that this is one of the only things I talk about and they’re out of ideas? * Is the stress of one area of my life bleeding over into other areas and I can’t keep them separate any longer? * Do I seem to be making the same or similar mistakes in my life, in my relationships over and over despite wanting a change? Please join us this month as we explore this topic. Please reach out with any questions or comments. We'd love to hear from you. Music credit: "The Good Life" by Sarah McCoy, used with permission

Stress Management, an interview with Carolina Robles, LCSW

Join us this month for a conversation with our newest staff therapist, Carolina Robles, about managing high levels of stress. We discuss the current local, federal, and global environment where targeted communities are under higher stress levels than ever before. We discuss what you can do to take care of yourself if you're one of those targeted as well as what others can do and not do to offer support to those communities. Music credits: The Good Life by Sarah McCoy, used with permission May As Well Be, by all:ambient (License code: 3QFOKJJBASGB1C6Q)

Standalone 10 minute Mindfulness Meditation

This practice is an extensiojn of the last episdoe from this month as an option for a longer meditation. See episode 11 for details on Why and How to practice mindful meditation. Please reach out with any questions or concerns.

Mindfulness Meditation 101

There are many styles and traditions of meditation. This is one offering that we hope you find helpful. Mindfulness meditation has its roots in ancient wisdom and can help reduce stress levels, increase awareness, and improve mood and relationships when practiced regularly. Join Adam as we explore the Why and How of Mindfulness Meditation practice and then practice together for 5 minutes. Note: there's an additional 10-minute standalone practice also uploaded if you just want to dive into that practice. Please reach out with any questions or comments. Music credit: "The Good Life" by Sarah McCoy, used with permission