HHC Blog

Understanding the Roles in Dysfunctional Families

Posted on July 30, 2024August 5, 2024 by hopehealchange

by Tara Yombor From family dysfunction to slightly more functional families One of my favorite topics as a therapist, specifically working with clients who are in recovery from addiction, is educating them on the roles in dysfunctional families. While working in treatment centers for drugs and alcohol, inevitably, at least one or two groupsa week would land on the topic of family dynamics. I’ve always said, “you can pick your friends, but you can’t pick your family.” What is family dysfunction? You might be asking, what is a dysfunctional family? What are the roles in dysfunctional families? Is my family dysfunctional? How do the different roles come to exist? How can they “benefit” from each other to create a toxic environment? Let me start by saying that every family is dysfunctional – yes, even yours! It’s important to note that there is no “perfect family.” Human beings are dynamic, flawed, and unique. The intensity and impairment of the dysfunction Read more [...]

Happy to Offer Counseling in Rochester

Posted on July 9, 2024July 9, 2024 by hopehealchange

Why We Love Counseling. Why We Love Rochester. Rochester, Michigan is home to some of our favorite things. Where else can you take in the winding trails of Paint Creek? What hike would be complete without the bright and toasty scents of Bean & Leaf Cafe? And of course, we always end our evenings with the sweet, sassy, and friendly folks at Holy Cannoli. Furthermore, Rochester is home to Oakland University, where Josh Jostock, founder of Hope Heal Change Counseling, got his Master's in Counseling. Rochester is our community and we are happy to serve our community. Rochester also offers unique opportunities in counseling. Counseling Challenges in Rochester Rochester is a hub for education. Rochester, Michigan offers unique opportunities for counseling. In addition to some of the biggest K-12 schools in the state, Rochester is home to Oakland University. The challenges of a student today are very different than the students of yesterday. Whether it's stress on grades Read more [...]

5 Things About Life that I’ve Learned Since Becoming a Therapist

Posted on May 15, 2024July 9, 2024 by hopehealchange

by Josh Jostock, Founder & Therapist I remember asking one of my mentors during graduate school, Judy, if being a therapist made life more difficult at times. I believe that to be aware is to often suffer. Hence, people latch on to their own truths and certainties because it turns unknowns into knowns. Judy responded, “Being a therapist has made my life so rich.” Oh how right she was. It’s not all peaches n’ cream, but being the keeper of stories and constantly learning through intimate therapeutic relationships has made my life incredibly rich and I can’t imagine myself doing anything else for a career. The learning just never stops. Coming up with the list below took time because I’ve learned a lot about life since being a therapist. So, these aren’t the only 5 things that I have learned. However, I think these 5 things will be most helpful for people reading that don’t work as a mental health therapist. None of this is ground-breaking or Read more [...]

The Do’s and Don’t’s of Supporting Your Child Through Their Therapeutic Process

Posted on March 7, 2024July 9, 2024 by hopehealchange

Providing therapy for kids and adolescents is something I look forward to everyday that I come into the office. Sadly, many therapists miss out on that opportunity. If many therapists are being open and honest, a part of the reason they turn away minors is because they don't want to have to manage the parent(s) on the side. However, I find that just about every parent is great at letting me do my job as long as we establish the boundaries and expectations of their child being in therapy with me. They are more concerned with supporting their child during therapy. Many parents ask me, "What should I ask after session?" or "Should I say anything at all about the therapy?" It can be a helpless position--Investing money into the process and then having to be a bit in the dark for a stretch of time. The good news--you'll eventually get feedback in regards to the case and we always begin the process with a parent meeting. But waiting for the feedback requires patience and trust. A parent needs Read more [...]

Being a Teen in 2024: How to Understand and Start Helping our Teens

Posted on January 11, 2024July 9, 2024 by hopehealchange

The young generation has it tough in a variety of ways. While I could spend the next 5,000 words explaining why, I’ll temper my explanation down to a small vent session. Then, I’ll provide some brief details on how we are helping teens and preteens at our practice before finally giving some communication tips and tricks for home. Helping Teens Then... It’s 1998. It’s not going well with your girlfriend. After school, the two of you meet by the bleachers and you make a really hard decision — “It’s not you, it’s me.” You break up, you cry, your parents hopefully rub your back that night and tell you it’s going to be okay. You dodge school for a day telling your mom that you have a horrible headache in the morning and maybe she lets you stay home or maybe you grew up in one of those households where you were going to school unless the spiritual leader was reading your last rites. Eventually, you face the awkwardness of having to still be in math class together. Read more [...]