Category: <span>Therapy</span>

Therapy June 15, 2021 By Joel Schmidt 0 Comments

My Favorite Parts of Being a Therapist

Being a therapist is hard work. Not always, though. Sometimes someone I really "get" makes everything in the therapeutic process effortlessly align. I know exactly what the person in front of me needs to hear. I know exactly what it is that will help - and the person I'm working with just runs with it. Other times, not so much. I'm confronted with challenges, things I've never heard before, and struggle to find the right words. The fact of the matter is that we're all pretty complex beings - none of our histories or situations exactly like anybody else's. I dig deep into my therapy "tool box", consult with other professionals, scour resources, and create intricate individualized treatment plans...all with the goal of ultimately helping someone put together the intricate puzzle of their minds and lives. It's hard as hell at times...but man is it rewarding when everything finally comes together...when the collaborative work I'm doing with someone over weeks or months finally starts to pay off. As hard as it can be, there are so many things I absolutely love about this profession...and I can't imagine doing anything else in the world.

talking to therapist, concerns in therapy, conflict avoidance, assertiveness, therapy, counseling

Therapy May 19, 2021 By Joel Schmidt 0 Comments

Things to Bring up in Therapy – Even if they’re Kinda Hard to Talk about

Therapy is an interesting thing. The therapeutic relationship between therapist and client - unique and unlike any other relationship. We share about our past, our secrets, our fears, struggles, and our hopes and dreams...It's one of the few places we can go where no topic is off limits or too taboo. Your therapist, non judgmental and acting with "unconditional positive regard" for you, provides not only an active listening ear, but acts to be as objective and unbiased as might be possible in their feedback to you. They promote healing and growth, and sometimes take you to uncomfortable places - all within one of the safest and most protected of spaces...and even though there's no direction you can go that your therapist should not be open to exploring within the context of healthy boundaries, some things are hard to talk about in Therapy. As with life and with our personal relationships outside of therapy, it's often the difficult conversations that we can be most tempted to avoid - as important as they might be.

Leaving things unsaid in therapy can create barriers that make it difficult to move forward or to get the kind of progress you ultimately want to see. Here are a few things that are important to bring up to your therapist - even if they're hard to talk about. Conflict-avoidance is one of the most common issues people struggle with (and that we see in therapy), so working through these things in therapy will ultimately help you practice the kind of communication you want to have in your personal life and often prove beneficial to the therapy process.

Online Counseling March 25, 2020 By Joel Schmidt 0 Comments

Teletherapy: What it is, Benefits, and How it Works

Amid the COVID-19 outbreak and social distancing recommendations, people are opting to (or being told to) stay at home. This means that many things that we typically do face-to-face (such as doctor’s appointments, work meetings, and even social interactions) are now being done virtually from home. Many therapists, including myself, are even temporarily taking therapy online in order to protect the safety and well-being of ourselves, the community, and people we work with.

So what is Teletherapy?

Teletherapy – also referred to as distance therapy, online counseling, or virtual therapy – simply refers to therapy that is conducted online via live video sessions on a secure platform similar to Facetime or Skype. It’s easy to do – and aside from being done remotely – is no different than a traditional face-to-face session.

Benefits of Teletherapy

Research has shown that online counseling sessions can be just as effective as traditional in-office sessions. In addition, they come along with a lot of added benefits for people who choose to go this route. Here are a few of those benefits:

They can be done from almost anywhere! – I’ve had sessions with clients from their car, office, and couch.
No need to drive – Online counseling sessions eliminate the need to spend time or gas money traveling to or from the Therapist’s office.
Privacy – Since you pick the time and preferred location to conduct your session – and aren’t physically visiting your therapist’s office – you can ensure your own privacy.
Flexibility – Since you can do therapy wherever you choose and don’t have to arrange for travel/transportation, you might find that you have increased options for when your session can be done. Lunch break? why not?
It’s safe! For obvious reasons, doing online counseling sessions is probably safer right now than exposing yourself to the general public and other people who could get you sick.

How it works and what you need

Teletherapy is simple. All you need is private/quiet space, an internet connection, and a phone or computer with audio and video capabilities. A couple minutes before your session is scheduled to begin, we’ll send you a link to click on that will securely connect us. It’s that easy! If you aren’t super “tech savvy”, we’ll patiently help make sure you’re all set up and ready to go.

If you’re considering giving online counseling a try, reach out by sending us a message or by calling or texting 727-258-5231. We’ll briefly discuss your reasons for counseling, schedule an appointment if it sounds like we’ll be a good fit, and will send you a link to complete some basic information about yourself.

Float on Counseling’s physical office is located in the Carrollwood area of Tampa on North Dale Mabry Hwy. With discretion and extra precautions in place, we are still seeing some clients in the office when virtual counseling is not a viable option.

Joel Schmidt, MA, Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Therapy March 18, 2020 By Joel Schmidt 0 Comments

Our Efforts to Support Tampa Bay

Just like that, everything has changed. Jobs are being lost, local businesses are being forced to shut down, lives are being disrupted, and uncertainty about the future has led to widespread anxiety, stress, and panic. At a time when we need to be most connected, we are being asked for good reason to remain “socially distant” – which if it hasn’t already – will be leading to increased isolation and loneliness…There are, however, steps we all can take to ensure we remain physically and mentally healthy during this time.

As a mental health provider, we have felt it important to not only adapt to the situation at-hand, but to provide much needed therapeutic support to the community during this time. Here are the steps we are taking to do our part. We encourage you to reach out by sending us a message or by calling/texting 727-258-5231 if you have any questions. Read more

Therapy March 11, 2020 By Joel Schmidt 0 Comments

How Learning to Play the Piano is JUST like Therapy

So I started piano lessons about 6 weeks ago and this wasn’t the first time. The first time I got started was about a year ago. I took 3 lessons and abruptly stopped. One of the reasons I gave for giving up so soon was that I was “too busy” and too distracted with my professional life. Although there may have been some truth to the fact that I wasn’t really ready, a lot of it boiled down to me being frustrated. My piano instructor wasn’t the best fit for me. He moved too quickly for what I was comfortable with and it made me feel sort of slow and stupid. I wasn’t picking up on things quickly enough, but this wasn’t all his fault. I wasn’t taking the time I needed between sessions to practice what I was learning. I sat with him for a half an hour each week, but was then avoiding the work that needed to be done to make some improvements before the next time I met with him. Subsequently, I dreaded going back in to meet with him to “face the music”. I cancelled my 4th session and did not go back. Read more