Welcome to The Mental Hug Family
A brief introduction to the who, why, and what.
Reading time: ~8 minutes
Nice to meet you
My name is Brenton and I am currently a provisionally licensed professional counselor. My general areas of focus include helping neuroqueer and millennial adults nurture radical self-acceptance and navigate life transitions, anxiety, and depression.
Being a therapist is actually a second career for me. I spent 11 years working as a registered dental hygienist. I always knew I wanted to be a helper in some capacity. While dental hygiene afforded me great opportunity to help those in need, I began struggling physically and became emotionally burned out. While soul searching for my next path, I discovered that my favorite element of my career as a hygienist was the human connection. Intentional connection.
Many people would confide in me and share their pains, struggles, and fears - yet, I felt as though I couldn’t do anything but listen. Little did I know, that was what they needed most. After pursuing my master’s and opening a private practice, I’m now able to listen, help, and begin writing this next chapter of my career.
Beginnings are hard.
I’ve wanted to blog regularly for quite some time now and while I’ve written a few posts in the past, I find myself always getting hung up on something: ACTION.
You’d think it’d be easy, right?
Set an intention, make a goal, and then……nothing.
Can you relate?
It seems my brain always succumbs to negative core beliefs that ultimately restrict the action steps from happening in the first place. I’m ready to shed the fear and the insecurity and do what my heart is calling me to do.
Why this, why now?
What I consistently have to remind myself is why I wanted to blog in the first place. I’ve found as of late, I tend to feel like I’m trying to catch up to all the content creators in the field right now that seem to have it all together. While I know that they have their own struggles, I can’t help but feel a tinge of jealousy. The shadow of comparison digs its claws into my confidence and I’m left feeling unmotivated, frustrated, and bummed.
My why is not to keep up, but to show up. To show up authentically, to speak truth, and to share what comes natural. Without the pressures of playing catch up and focused more on connection, spreading awareness, and building community.
What kind of community am I looking to build here?
If you’ve read up until this point, you’re special to me. I appreciate your willingness to take time out of your day and look this over. I want to be brutally honest here for a moment - I have an anxious attachment style and that not only affects my interpersonal relationships, it bleeds over into all elements of connection. You reading this warms my heart, you interacting with this confirms I’m helping in some capacity.
Unfortunately, social media has created a desire for “likes” and “shares.” It’s not necessarily all bad - however, it can be difficult to feel as though the information shared is of use. I’m looking to build a community willing to engage, share, comment, like, ask questions, and more! Please don’t hesitate to interact with my material.
What to expect moving forward
At least once a month, you’ll receive an email of the newest posting. Each post will range in topic, however, will still be unified in raising mental health awareness, sharing in community, and relatability to adulthood.
Though, I need you to hold me accountable.
As I hope you stay for the journey by subscribing, I want to ensure that I’m not only creating content my heart desires, but also creating content for YOU. The validation you provide helps release those comparison claws in knowing that this material is helpful in some way to those that read it! Thus, please feel free to share with anyone you think may benefit from my writings and this community as well as liking and/or leaving a comment when able! This will hold me accountable for continuing to create content and share thoughts and experiences with the world.
Disclaimer: This is not therapy.
One main disclaimer with all my writings is to know that this does not act as or replace counseling/therapy. Anything written and shared through this media is for informative, educational, and entertainment purposes only! However, you can still interact, engage, and ask questions!
I am looking forward to connecting with you and beginning the development of this community!
Take care in the meantime,
Brenton
Imposter Syndrome goes away the more you do what you have trained to do. I deal with Imposter Syndrome too. But experience blows that crap away and you find you are right where you belong. I appreciate the ear you gave me when you had your fingers in my teeth. I think we were good for each other. And so we shall continue to be as we both want the best for each other. Keep at it, you have much good to share with the universe.
Grace and blessings, Toni