How Do You Know If You Need Therapy or If You’re Just Stressed?
Many people wonder whether they need therapy or if they’re just stressed. This post explores common signs, misconceptions, and how counseling can help before things reach a breaking point.
How to Find the Right Therapist (and Decide Between Telehealth vs. In-Person Therapy)
Finding a therapist can feel overwhelming. With so many options, it’s hard to know who will actually be a good fit — or whether telehealth or in-person therapy makes more sense. This guide breaks it down in a clear, grounded way so you can choose what’s right for you.
Is Therapy Working? How to Know When Therapy Is Helping (and What to Do If It’s Not)
Healing in therapy isn’t a straight line. Ups and downs are normal — and real progress is still happening, even when it doesn’t feel like it.
Meet Sara Soehnel, Therapist in Grand Rapids, MI | GR Therapy Collective
Sara Soehnel, LMSW, is a compassionate, skills-based therapist at GR Therapy Collective in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She works with teens and adults navigating anxiety, OCD, trauma, depression, grief, and major life transitions, using evidence-based approaches to support meaningful, lasting change.
Why You Do What You Do: Understanding Your Patterns With Compassion
Explore why common patterns like indecisiveness, procrastination, people-pleasing, shutdown, and self-sabotage happen — and how to shift them with small, compassionate steps. A trauma-informed guide to understanding your nervous system.
Meet Stephanie Hillebrand, LMSW, CAADC: Encouraging Growth, Healing & Connection in Grand Rapids
Stephanie Hillebrand, LMSW, CAADC, is a Grand Rapids therapist specializing in anxiety, depression, addiction recovery, and couples counseling. She provides calm, strengths-focused care at GR Therapy Collective.
John King, LPC | Mental Health & Relationship Counseling in Grand Rapids
John King, LPC, helps men and couples in Grand Rapids strengthen relationships, manage stress, and build emotional awareness through practical, down-to-earth counseling. Drawing from CBT, ACT, and the Gottman Method, John offers compassionate, solution-focused support for those ready to grow in confidence, communication, and connection at GR Therapy Collective.
Understanding Trauma & Healing: How the Brain and Body Recover
Trauma is more than something that happened in the past — it’s how our brain and body carry the effects of overwhelming experiences into the present. For many people, trauma shows up as anxiety, depression, sleep problems, physical tension, or a feeling of being “stuck.” The good news is that trauma can heal. With the right support, the brain and body can relearn safety, balance, and connection.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
A Beginner’s Guide to Healing from Trauma
Have you heard of EMDR but don’t know what it actually is, or wondered whether it might help you? You’re in the right place. In this post, I’ll explain EMDR in plain language — what it does, how it works, who it helps, and what to expect if you try it.
Getting Started with Internal Family Systems (IFS)
A Beginner-Friendly Guide to “Parts Work” and Self-Understanding
Have you ever felt like “part of me wants one thing, but another part wants something else”? That experience is at the heart of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy. IFS, sometimes called “parts work,” is a gentle yet powerful way of understanding ourselves and healing the wounded parts within us.
Tips for Your First Therapy Session
What to Expect and How to Feel Prepared
Starting therapy can feel both exciting and a little nerve-wracking. You might be wondering: What do I say? What if I cry? Will it feel awkward? These are common questions — and the good news is, you don’t need to have it all figured out before walking in the door.
At GR Therapy Collective in Grand Rapids, MI, we want your first session to feel safe, welcoming, and supportive. Here are some tips to help you prepare and get the most out of your experience.