More Than Therapy

Stacy Schaffer is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Arvada, Colorado, with over twenty years of experience specializing in child and teen therapy. She is passionate about helping children heal from grief, anxiety, and childhood trauma through innovative approaches like Synergetic Play Therapy, which emphasizes therapist authenticity and creating a safe, understanding space for child...

Today on More Than Therapy, we have the profound pleasure of welcoming Leah Johnson, a transformational leader whose journey from a 25-year career in politics to a life devoted to creativity, healing, and joy is nothing short of inspiring. Leah is a best-selling author, internationally sought-after speaker, certified Intentional Creativity instructor, and retreat leader who helps people reconnect...

Born in Athens, Greece as an Air Force brat, Teri M. Brown now calls the North Carolina coast home. In 2020, she and her husband, Bruce, rode a tandem bicycle across the United States from Astoria, Oregon to Washington DC, successfully raising money for Toys for Tots. Teri’s debut novel, Sunflowers Beneath the Snow, is a historical fiction set in Ukraine, her second, An Enemy Like Me, is set in WW...

Jim Marshall is a polymathic intellectual who has has devoted over 50,000 hours to the study and practice of multiple dimensions of human development. He received a classical education at a Jesuit Military School, was accepted into engineering school while still a junior in prep school, and attended college on academic scholarship. He graduated college with a Bachelor of Science cum laude. While s...

What are you afraid of? What caused these fears originally? Are the same factors still in place now as when the fears were first created? In what ways can we face our fears? What happens to fear when we accept it for what it is instead of fighting it?--- This episode was recorded by Felipe Blue, L CAS, L AC, L CMHC, LPC, C CS, C CTP, C MNCS, C -DBT at More Than Therapy. www.morethantherapy.org 201...

What kinds of thoughts keep you from feeling joy for the good fortune of others? How can you learn to feel this joy? How can you increase your awareness of your feelings towards others? How do you feel when someone else shows sincere joy for the happiness and good fortune in your life? This episode was recorded by Felipe Blue, L CAS, L AC, L CMHC, LPC, C CS, C CTP, C MNCS, C -DBT at More Than Ther...

Felipe Blue, LCAS, LCMHCA, CCS has created " Addicted to Surviving " which is a book and program from More Than Therapy , a non-profit organization, which explores the profound connection between past trauma and the development of compulsive and addictive behaviors. It posits that these behaviors are not personal failings but rather adaptive survival mechanisms that, while once necessary...

It's Okay to Not Be Okay!: An Empowering Gude to Men's Mental Health by Felipe Blue, LCAS, LCMHCA, CCS from More Than Therapy... here's a comprehensive guide addresses  men's mental health , exploring the historical and cultural roots of  stoic masculinity  that often hinder emotional expression. It emphasizes  recognizing signs of distress  and the  power of vulnerability  as crucial steps toward...

Andrain Horton meets with Felipe Blue to discuss trauma. Andrain Horton is the visionary founder of Bend The Mind Metamorphic Academies, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in October 2021. Driven by a commitment to serve underserved communities, Andrain co-founded the academies with Alexis Figueroa to provide healing and coping mechanisms for individuals impacted by trauma from social...

This extensive book explores the profound impact of absent fathers and societal expectations of strength on Black men, emphasizing the "unspoken burden" of emotional suppression. It highlights how historical and systemic barriers intertwine with personal experiences of loss, leading to cycles of isolation. The source then transitions to discuss pathways to healing, stressing the importan...

Felipe Khristopher Blue discusses men's mental health, and the title of his book, " It's Okay to Not Be Okay. " He talks about how societal expectations have shaped the way men express themselves, and how this can lead to issues like anger, irritability, depression, and substance abuse. He provides practical strategies and self-care practices for men, such as mindful journaling,...

Learning a new skill, like playing the guitar, requires transforming theoretical knowledge into practical ability. The author shares "Golden Rules" for mastering any new skill, derived from their guitar-learning journey. These rules include: Consistency is King: Regular, short practice sessions are more effective than infrequent, long ones. Immerse Yourself: Become deeply familiar with t...

This document summarizes the key themes and "Golden Rules" for mastering a new skill, as presented in the provided excerpts from "Mastering Skills: Guitar and Beyond." The author uses their journey of learning guitar as a framework to outline universal principles applicable to a wide range of skill-based pursuits. The central idea is the transformation of theoretical knowledge into practical abili...

What is the origin of Mother's Day? Mother's Day, celebrated on the second Sunday in May, has its roots in the early 20th century. It was initiated by Anna Jarvis who sought to honor her mother's sacrifices and, by extension, the sacrifices of mothers everywhere. In 1914, it officially became a holiday in the United States, serving as a day to acknowledge the crucial role mothers play in shaping l...

Happy Mother's Day! Mother's Day is a holiday with a specific historical origin (Anna Jarvis, 1914). The experience of Mother's Day is highly individual and can range from joy and celebration to pain, grief, and struggle. It is important to validate all these diverse emotions and experiences without judgment. Compassion, both for oneself and others, is a key element in navigating the emotional com...

Can you think of some good things that have come through your own self-discovery? What might our knowledge of ourselves reveal about life? Do you know anyone who constantly struggles looking for answers in the wrong places? How might you help them find the right place? Spoken by: Felipe Khristopher Blue, LCAS, LCMHCA, CCS, CCTP, CMNCS, C-DBT (Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist, Licensed Clini...

 The stigma surrounding mental health has various impacts on individuals, such as preventing them from seeking treatment and causing discrimination in the workplace. Addressing stigma can lead to better access to care and resources for those with mental health conditions, as well as promoting social inclusion and empowerment for individuals to manage their health and pursue their goals. It can als...

How easy is it for you to notice all that is around you? Can you do it all of the time? Most of the time? How much do you lose when you do not pay attention to the present moment? Will you ever get it back again? Part 1 presented by Felipe Blue, LCAS, LCMHCA, CCS. Part 2 presented by Jude and June Blume. Recorded in connection with: More Than Therapy 201 W Main Street Suite 316 Durham, NC 27701 Do...

In this episode, we dive into the transformative process of creating a vision board for 2025, building on the reflections from last year's board. We discuss the importance of self-reflection and goal assessment as we evaluate what worked and what didn’t in 2024. Key Highlights: Reflecting on 2024: We start by encouraging listeners to take a moment to look back on their 2024 vision board. What goal...

Today's thought of the day enters on the power of selfless service, emphasizing that everyone possesses the capacity to contribute positively to others' lives. It defines a "heart full of grace" as virtuous and compassionate, suggesting that serving others cultivates both personal growth and spiritual connection. The author encourages readers to embrace service with love and compassion, prompting...

The thought of the day presents a reflective meditation on perspective, contrasting optimistic and pessimistic viewpoints with a more analytical, engineering-like approach. It explores the author's personal experiences of shifting between these perspectives, emphasizing the power of choosing gratitude and appreciating life's blessings. The meditation encourages self-reflection on how one interpret...

Take time today to help one another. How often do you commit small, seemingly insignificant acts to help others? What are the effects of those acts? If courtesy is contagious, can it be also that helping acts are contagious? If we serve others, do you think that those others will be more likely to serve in their turn? Do you think that we can serve others by allowing them to serve us? How often do...

Find acceptance and growth in the difficulties you face. How do you see difficulties in your life? Do you accept them as learning or teaching situations or wish they would go away? Have you grown more as a person when dealing with difficulties or when life has been flowing smoothly? F elipe K.  B lue,  L CAS,  L CMHCA,  C CS,  C CTP,  C MNCS,  C -DBT Executive Director of  M ore  T han  T herapy 2...

Ken and Karen of Teams, LLC, a business extension of More Than Therapy founded by Judithe Louis-Ingram, as they do a review of a Pod Deck library entry called "Dating Life" created by Felipe Blue & Jemma Al'Salaam in preparation for a podcast episode based on dating which debuted on the More Than Therapy podcast. This deck comprises 49 probing questions to  elicit intimate details  about a per...

Why do many of us spend so much time counting others blessings or comparing ourselves to others? What purpose do such actions serve? What are some ways we can focus more on our own blessings and less on those of others that seem better than our own? Recorded by: Felipe Khristopher Blue , LCAS, LCMHCA, CCS, CCTP, CMNCS, C-DBT Executive Director of More Than Therapy 201 W Main Street Suite 316 Durha...