Balanced Mind, LLC

Meet Melissa Pilarski, LPC!

Works with: Adults who find themselves overthinking, people-pleasing, feeling stuck in relationship patterns, or wondering why they react the way they do.

Approach: Warm - Insightful - Collaborative

Why they do this work: I love helping people better understand themselves, heal old wounds, and build lives and relationships that feel more authentic and fulfilling.

One thing they want clients to know: The patterns you’re frustrated with usually make a lot more sense once we understand the story behind them.

Favorite coping skill: Practicing mindfulness in nature.

Book/resource recommendation: No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz

Outside the office: I enjoy time spent with loved ones, being in nature, crafting, painting, and restoring and decorating our home.

Close: Melissa has availability for new clients. To schedule reach out to our intake coordinator at

(724) 991-1289.

Parks & Plates kicks off this week‼️ This a free community initiative focused on feeding children 18 & under,
running from June 15th through August 14th.

Parks & Plates is an opportunity to bring kids and their families together at the five parks in the City of Butler for lunch, organized activities, games, and positive mentorship in a
welcoming environment.

The goal is simple: make sure every child has a place to eat, play, and feel supported.

Sign-up today for any/all of the 5 City parks:

🔗https://www.breakthroughbutler.org/copy-of-mindfulness-resources

📧 [email protected]
📱 724.305.0720

One of the foundations of good mental health is sleep. It also tends to be the area we talk the least about! Look at these tips from the Mayo Clinic and try some tonight.

Is there anything they missed that you find helpful?

Sleep: Foundation for healthy habits Sleep provides the foundation for all our daily habits and decisions. To maximize your sleep health, here are some tips you can follow.

Lets Play a Game!!

You have probably seen one of these before- a Rorschach inkblot. Back in the early 1900's, a Swiss psychologist named Hermann Rorschach started using these ambiguous inkblots to understand how people perceive the world.

There are no right or wrong answers. That is the whole point!

What you see can depend on your mood, your experiences, or just what your brain decided to focus on in the moment.

Look at this image for 10 seconds and tell us what you see! No judgement, the stranger the better!

Meet Ashlyn Flach, MS, LAPC!!

Works with: Teens and Adults

Approach: “Non-judgemental, strengths-based, and client-focused!”

Why they do this work: “We all have stuff, myself included. Talking to a mental health professional can make it easier to carry our stuff and reminds us we are never alone in what we are going through.”

One thing they want clients to know: “You don’t know what you don’t know.” This reminds us that we are all just doing the best we can with the tools and knowledge we have at the time, and therapy can open the door to learning new, healthier ways to handle things moving forward.

Favorite coping skill: The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique is a simple mindfulness tool used to snap your brain out of anxiety, panic, or overthinking by forcing you to focus entirely on your physical surroundings using your five senses.

Book/resource recommendation: The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk

Outside the office: “I have a rescue dog named Ziggy and I love plants, gardening, and hiking!”

Ashlyn has daytime availability. To schedule, reach out to our intake coordinator at (724) 991-1289.

As we hopefully 🤞 get more sunny weather, here is something to keep in mind during those days when you can't, or don't want to, be outside.

What Is "Sunshine Guilt" and Tips to Manage It This Summer Do you feel guilty when it's a nice day and you're not outside? Explore the psychology behind sunshine guilt and how to manage it, whether you’re inside or outside.

Today's coping skill is "Safe Place Visualization"

* Relax using mindful breathing
*Imagine yourself in a safe place- real or imaginary
*Use your imaginary senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste to explore the environment
*make it as peaceful and calm as possible

Tell us where you imagined!

Meet Ashley Rea, LPC, CAADC!!

Works with: adults, those in recovery from alcohol and/or drugs

Approach: Goal-oriented, motivated, client-centered

Why they do this work: I am grateful for the opportunity to be alongside clients on some of the high's and low's in their lives and work on becoming better versions of themselves

One thing they want clients to know: I will not judge you for whatever you talk about in my room

Favorite coping skill: practicing mindfulness outside

Book/Resource Recommendation: too many to count! But you are welcome to borrow them from my office if you see any that you find interesting

Outside the office: Hiking, camping, plants/gardening, reading, and playing with my dogs

Daytime availability Monday - Thursday 10 AM - 4 PM

Today I'd like to share a tool I use in the office with my clients in Gifted Programs.

Just because your child isn't in the gifted program doesn't mean they don't have some of the traits. Gifted kids often have very intense emotions, feel different than their peers, and struggle when they feel challenged.

I use this book to help them cope with stress, gain social skills, and build healthy self-confidence.

You can use this book at home but if you think your child would benefit being led through by a professional, give our office a call!