Chesterfield Counseling Associates

Millions of people in the United States struggle with the disease of alcohol or drug addiction.  But despite the availability of treatment, many are still confused by the path to recovery - specifically when it comes to "rehab".  Guest Natalie Garrett from The Harris House in St. Charles, MO gives us an inside look at what a treatment center does and what a client can expect in terms of...

January is all about Goal Setting here at CCA.  But how do we set goals that are actually attainable? And what do we need to do in order to be successful?  Listen in as our coaches and counselors give their expert advice (and some personal stories) about this important topic.  Connect with us at: https://www.chesterfieldca.com/team-1-1 For more information about Chesterfield Counseling, our team a...

Clients will often report that "a good listener" ranks at the top of the values that are important in a relationship.  But listening is so much more than just hearing what someone is saying.  It involves connecting with someone else's experience, empathizing with their feelings and showing them that you care by following their thoughts and stories.  Listen in as Kyle, Sydney, Grace...

Did curiosity really kill the cat? Or is that an old wives tale constructed to keep people from looking too deeply at something that could cause them pain? In this thoughtful episode, 4 members of our counseling team share their insight on the nature of curiosity and how it can help: - mental health practitioners to put aside our own biases and assumptions. - clients to become more introspective a...

In the latest episode of the Chesterfield Counseling Associates podcast, join coaches Ali McWilliams and Sonja Meyrer as they explore the transformative power of introspection in coaching. Their insightful discussion highlights how a profound understanding of our internal world—encompassing emotions, beliefs, and values—can dramatically enhance our overall well-being. Discover how tools like the E...

Listen in as Chloe and Sonja continue their conversation about setting healthy boundaries in relationships.  Catch PART 1 of this series in Episode 23.   For more information about Chesterfield Counseling, our team and our workshops - please visit http://chesterfieldca.com or email us at info@chesterfieldca.com

In 2023, the Surgeon General released the findings of a study on “The Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation.”   Suffice it to say, the news is not good.  While it is normal for people to experience seasons of loneliness (during transitions, moves, loss of a loved one, life changes etc.,), this study seems to indicate that despite our technological  "connectedness,"  we now find ourselves...

Having healthy relational boundaries can be difficult.  We often feel badly about setting limits because they might cause someone else to be unhappy.  Or we might use our boundaries to manipulate someone into doing something as a way of controlling them.  In reality, healthy boundaries can preserve friendship, ease anxiety and help us improve the way we love and respect the people we care about. ...

The data keeps rolling in: despite our limitless ability to connect with other people digitally, people are experiencing more loneliness than ever before. As it turns out, humans crave face-to-face, real-time interaction with others who understand us, encourage us and make us feel seen.  In this interview, spiritual advisor and coach Ron Sweet shares about the importance of male friendships in all...

People who are on the journey to improved mental health often wonder if they should see a therapist or a psychiatrist and whether these services might overlap.  In reality, studies show that the answer is: both.  Join us as our in-house Psychiatrist Dr. Katherine Buchowski explains the role of a psychiatrist in supporting the work of therapy and how she serves her clients in a wholistic and team-c...

The field of psychology has changed quite a bit since the days of Freud and psychoanalysis.  In fact, psychotherapy has since evolved into the preferred solution for many modern-day challenges –such as loneliness, stress, depression and more.  Many folks who have been in therapy have experienced what we would call “talk therapy” or CBT which is probably still the one of the most common approaches...

In today's lively episode, Counselor Sue Melaragno and Coach Sonja Meyrer  spend some time with their adult sons: Drew and Devin.  Both young men are now counselors in their own right  and they share about their journey into the world of counseling as well as their experiences growing up with a “therapist” mom. Both Sue and Sonja  discuss how a background in mental health affected their paren...

We are all familiar with bullies - people who have the ability to make us miserable by picking on or tormenting us.  But for some of us, the most sinister bully is the one that lives in side: It’s our own inner critic who taunts us with messages like “you can’t”, “you are not enough” and “you are not worthy.”  And in our episode today, we will be considering where the inner-bully comes from and ho...

Can we start by saying that that caring for someone with dementia is not easy!  And it is not uncommon that a spouse or family member can find themselves seriously burnt out or fatigued while trying their best to care for someone.  In this podcast, therapist Tanner Meyer addresses the mental health aspects of living with and CARING for someone who is struggling with dementia from her professional...

We have an amazing and diverse team of professionals here at CCA.  All of us are there to support people in their quest for mental/emotional/relational health.  But although we are in the same field, we don’t all have the same type of education, certification or licensure.  In fact, if you look over our CCA Team bios on our website, you will see a variety of different titles and acronyms which spe...

Childbirth and motherhood are often described as times of great joy and wonder.  We gaze adoringly into the eyes of our "creation" and feel like our heart might just burst with love.  But other feelings can accompany this season of life as well; exhaustion, frustration, depression and anxiety to name a few.  In fact, many, if not all mothers will report a host of confusing feelings that...

Adopting a child can be one of the most fulfilling and beautiful experiences ever.  And it can also be exhausting, emotional, guilt-producing and all around mentally taxing.  Counselor and adoption specialist Laura Winters walks us through the different ways that a mental heath professional can support the birth family, the adoptive family and the adoptee before, during and after the adoption.   F...

The news seems to be full of new reports and allegations of the misuse of power by clergy and spiritual leadership.  But in reality, religious trauma is not a new phenomenon - perhaps we are just more aware of it today.  Listen in as lifelong counselor Jane Burns shares her decades of experience in leading an "ICU group" for those who have been shamed, hurt or taken advantage of during t...

Three of our couples therapists share their success with Couples EFT - Emotionally Focused Therapy.  This evidence-based approach- developed by Dr. Sue Johnson - attempts to reduce a couple's conflict while creating a more secure emotional bond. While undergoing EFT, couples learn to express deep, underlying emotions from a place of vulnerability and ask for their needs to be met. For more in...

Today we are going to be going behind the scenes into a hospital or a hospital ER.  When we think of an ER, we typically think of treatment for physical emergencies like an accident or heart attack.  But rarely do we think of the ER as a place to go for mental health emergencies.  And yet our guest, therapist Kyle McClain,  has spent a great deal of his career doing just that – helping people get...

OCD is a commonly misunderstood and often debilitating disorder.  Listen in to this fascinating interview as licensed therapist Kristy Cobillas shares her professional and personal knowledge about obsessive and compulsive cycles and how to break them.   For more information about Chesterfield Counseling, our team and our workshops - please visit http://chesterfieldca.com or email us at info@cheste...

Things have changed for many people since Covid- including kids and teachers.  Join us as we talk with 3rd grade teacher and educational coach Alyssa Lipson about how to support your child by developing a healthy rapport with their teacher.  Listen to this educator and parent of 4 answer the question, "What do you with parent's knew about teachers?" For more information about Cheste...

Nutritional therapist and licensed counselor Blair Mayher helps us understand the importance developing a healthy relationship with food from an early age.  In this podcast, we discuss common struggles when it comes to food and how external and messages can distort our perceptions.  At the end, Blair offers thoughtful tips for any listener.   For more information about Chesterfield Counseling, our...

Therapists use many different types of approaches to support their clients in working toward their mental health goals.  In this episode, counselor Tiffany Wild gives us tells us about her success with the Positive Psychology model and the assessment tool that helps many of her clients.  For more information about Chesterfield Counseling, our team and our workshops - please visit http://chesterfie...

Counselor Ginny Lupka helps us understand what Spiritual Abuse is, how to recognize it in our own lives, and what steps we can take to heal from it.   For more information about Chesterfield Counseling, our team and our workshops - please visit http://chesterfieldca.com or email us at info@chesterfieldca.com