Open Skye Counseling, PLLC

✨ 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐒 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 ✨

🌿 Build Self-awareness
🌿 Find Clarity
🌿 Make Intentional Choices

Clarity creates something powerful: AGENCY—the ability to shape your life in a way that aligns with who you are and who God created you to be.

💬 You don’t have to stay stuck. Growth starts with understanding.

💙 Accepting Aetna & Blue Cross Blue Shield
💙 Self-pay and sliding scale

We cannot heal from what we cannot feel.

Emotional avoidance may offer short-term relief, but avoiding or numbing difficult feelings can prolong distress and delays healing.

God gave us our emotions, and they often act as clues – when we name what we feel and allow ourselves to sit with it, we begin to understand what needs care, attention, and healing.

Emotional maturity takes more than awareness; it takes practice!

"Some of the people in your life won’t ever change.
And that’s okay.
You don’t have to fix them, convince them, or manage their emotions.
What is yours to choose is how you show up.
Consider your boundaries, your tone, and your peace.
Walk into these situations grounded.
Stay connected to who you are.
Leave with your values intact.
That kind of response changes everything" - Dr. Henry Cloud

Facing past hurts can feel overwhelming —
because your nervous system learned to protect you.

In therapy, your nervous system can experience steady support, compassionate presence, and space to move at your own pace.

From that foundation of safety, personal understanding grows.
And from understanding, the healing process begins.

How many times have you struggled with unwanted, negative thoughts? We all do sometimes. Remember this the next time you feel stuck:

🧠 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀.

Not every thought you have is true.
Not every thought deserves your belief.
And not every thought requires action.

Instead of saying, “I’m not good enough,”
try, “I’m having the thought that I’m not good enough.”

That small shift creates space — to question it, to breathe, and to choose.

Your thoughts are suggestions, not commands.
You decide which ones to act on.

“Your inner world shapes how far you go in the outer one.”
— Dr. Shadé Zahrai

💛 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧; 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

✨ Listen first.
When your child is upset, pause and truly listen. Not to correct. Not to fix. Just to understand. When children feel heard, their defenses lower. Connection opens the door for guidance.

✨ Validate emotions.
Validation doesn’t mean agreeing with the behavior — it means acknowledging the feeling.

“I can see you’re really frustrated.”
“This feels hard for you and you're disappointed”
“You really wanted that to go differently.”

✨ Parent with clear expectations.
Children thrive when boundaries are predictable and consistent. Clear expectations create safety. You can be calm and firm.

“I won’t let you hit.”
“It’s okay to be angry. It’s not okay to hurt someone.”

✨ Use positive reinforcement to shape behavior.
What we notice grows. When we intentionally highlight specific effort, kindness, responsibility, or problem-solving, we reinforce those behaviors.

“I noticed how you took a deep breath when you were upset.”
“Thank you for cleaning up without being asked.”

Positive reinforcement helps children understand what to do, not just what to avoid — building confidence and internal motivation over time.

💜 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 + 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 = 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞, 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐊𝐢𝐝𝐬 💜

💜 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴.
— Dr. John Gottman, clinical psychologist

𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀

Interpersonal conflict is often a signal of an unmet underlying emotional need, rather than a disagreement about surface issues.

Behaviors such as criticism, withdrawal, or defensiveness commonly reflect needs related to:
• Emotional connection
• Feeling heard and understood
• Safety and reassurance
• Respect and appreciation

Shifting the focus from who is right to what need is being expressed can reduce reactivity and support more effective communication.

At Open Skye, we're committed to helping couples understand, reconnect, and move forward.

💜 Therapy isn’t about fixing your feelings.
It’s about making room for them
and choosing actions that move you toward what you value most in life.

"Make room for the storm" while learning strategies to remain steady while it passes.

💜 Office Hours & Contact

I offer compassionate, evidence-based counseling with a whole-person approach—supporting individuals, couples, and families navigating anxiety, trauma, grief, OCD, life transitions, depression and seasons of uncertainty. My work is clinically grounded and faith-informed.

🕊 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀: Tuesday–Thursday, 9:00–5:00
💬 𝗣𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Self-pay at this time, with sliding scale options available
📞 𝗣𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲: 657-580-4135
🌐 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲: openskyecounseling.com

If you’re wondering whether counseling might be helpful, you’re welcome to reach out. You don’t have to navigate this season alone.

Call now to connect with business.