gokc Nature Therapy & Mental Health Counseling Blog

mental health, nature, trauma recovery Aaron Shore mental health, nature, trauma recovery Aaron Shore

The Calming Effects of Nature on Trauma Survivors & PTSD

Okay, just breathe!

C'mon, you can do it. This happened a lifetime ago. What's my calming plan?!? Count backward slowly - that didn't work. Somatic breathwork?! Yeah right! What's next? I'm not calling Katie again...I can do this. Oh yeah - get outside! 

If you have ever noticed the fantastic difference it makes being outside versus in our home, office or car? If so, you are NOT alone! Maybe you've forgotten the impact of the warmth of the sun, the gentle touch of a spring breeze, songbirds calling out to one another or the touch of your plants as you stroll through your backyard native garden. Spending time in our natural world offers tremendous opportunity for calm. Nature provides significant effects on our bodies, minds and psyche. This post will examine nature's calming effects on our lives. Specifically, we're going to learn about how outdoor activities give us the most positive effects for healing from our traumas.

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Aaron Shore Aaron Shore

Love or Codependency: How to Know the Difference?

I love this topic! Wait, maybe I'm codependent on this topic. Oh no. Oh God. I am. Whether you have a love addiction, find yourself in a healthy or codependent relationship, finally had a promising swipe right or are trying to rebuild yourself after being in love addicts anonymous, you will be alright! You have everything already within you to make the first step in placing your own needs above your partner. Every. Single. Time. 

Today we're going to dig into foundational components of healthy relationships; signs of codependency & a whole lot in between to help you practice healthy love within yourself and romantic relationships. We are also going to cover some red flags of codependency which may be difficult for those of us with personal experiences including abusive relationships or alcohol addiction. 

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nature, relationships, connection Aaron Shore nature, relationships, connection Aaron Shore

Backpacking Adventures Series: I Threw That Shit in the Fire

Good friends pay dividends for miles and miles (and miles). I underestimate the hilariously entrenched memories until they rage back to the forefront while in a backcountry pick-up truck shuttle from a guy called Leroy. This adventure on the Taum Sauk Mountain section of the Ozark Trail was shared by me & two good friends. The Ozark Trail is a fantastic backcountry trail that (eventually) connects suburban St. Louis, MO to Little Rock, AR

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nature Aaron Shore nature Aaron Shore

Party Time Potting Soil Mix for Aloe Vera Plants

Have you always hoped and dreamed of being the aloe envy of your neighbors? Are you ready for unlimited holiday gifts for your loved ones an off-shoot at a time? Do you find yourself with constant sunburns? Well, then you're in luck! With this simple strategy for success in the right soil, your aloe vera plants will party! Read below to find the best homemade potting soil to perfectly nurture your aloe vera plant and make your dreams come true.

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mental health, connection Aaron Shore mental health, connection Aaron Shore

Borderline Personality Disorder: How to Cope with BPD

If you ever experienced an episode of intense emotions, mood instability, impulsive behaviors exploding into suicidal thoughts and/or self-harm then it's possible you've encountered an episode of Borderline Personality Disorder. We've come a long way in identifying the BPD experience of folks who are suffering from them regularly. This post is not intended as an extensive dive into all components of BPD. Rather, today's post is going to dig into the components of a bpd episode, distinguishing characteristics of personality disorders from other types of mental health conditions and review effective treatments of BPD.

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mental health Aaron Shore mental health Aaron Shore

Can Trauma Cause Memory Loss? Brain Injury and PTSD

In this post, we'll detail several types of traumatic events and how they impact memory loss, difficulty retaining new information, memory impairments and dissociative amnesia. We will also discuss the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and how memory loss due to trauma can affect your daily activities. Last, you will learn about the top evidence-based protocols & proven strategies to help you heal from your traumatic past. You are more than your tragedies. You will heal and thrive.

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mental health, nature, connection Aaron Shore mental health, nature, connection Aaron Shore

Welcome to the gokc blog

Welcome, good morning, how do you do? This is our initial blog post - yay! I hope to add some value to your day, as well as to provide opportunity to stay focused about the things that matter to me. And just maybe we’ll be lucky enough for those topics to matter to you too. This post will cover three things:

  1. Introduce ourselves to you - gokc is a leading mental health private practice in KC

  2. Provide a roadmap for the gokc blog in 2024

  3. Encourage you to keep going no matter what!

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