FALL INTO BOUNDARIES- October 2025 Newsletter!

 

Welcome to the Fall Season of 2025! 

I pray & hope this new season is a blessing for you, your family, friends, work life and all other aspects that’s part of your daily life. I’m absolutely shocked to believe that we only have 3 full months left of this year! Wow! 2025 has truly flew by.

Why are you receiving this Newsletter? Well, you may be a former, current, or potential new counseling client with Write The Vision Advocacy, Consulting & Counseling (WTVACC) or connected with Grow Therapy. You may be a trusted therapist or another type of holistic health specialist. I hope you will accept this invitation of this counseling community to continue to empower, encourage, and inspire us in all seasons. Thank you for joining me on this incredible journey in our Holistic Health! As we embark into this new season, the last quarter of this year I would like to share some important updates and potential helpful tips to make this a successful counseling season for all of us.

I want to make sure we are moving forward on a good foundation and on the same page of understanding with therapy. I am a huge advocate when it comes to Rest. I believe we all should be able to review our weekly schedule and decide on 1 day we can use as a day of rest. A day that we reframe ourselves from heavy labor/work and obligations. A day that we can sleep, experience a slow morning and day. A day we choose what to do that will help bring us joy and peace to our mind, spirit and body. Rest and Work is very important, and we need both to live a well-balanced life. As a Christian believer I love this passage concerning Rest from the Holy Bible, the Gospel of Matthew 11:28-30 ICB (International Children’s Bible) states, “Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads. I will give you REST. Accept my work and learn from me. I am gentle and humble in spirit. And you will find rest for your souls. The work that I ask you to accept is easy. The load I give you to carry is not heavy.” We will reach seasons that our schedules are loaded with plenty of work, and we will need to endure those seasons to receive the results needed. Then we will reach seasons that we need to take a moment to catch our breath, pause, stop, and rest. All seasons we experience have its unique purpose. As a therapist, I also experience these seasons. To be honest, I believe September was the busiest month of this year thus far with Counseling and other aspects of my life. We shall see what this great month of October will show us…

I am very much looking forward to my extended time of rest which I like to describe it as an “extended Sabbath.” Some people may call this personal leave, vacation, or holiday. As a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), I desire to strive to become better, more effective, productive, and relevant with improved skills for counseling sessions and to help improve treatment plans. For this to continue, I must schedule my sabbath. It is imperative that we all plan for our continued sessions, future schedule or rescheduling sessions. In addition to completing and practicing homework, safety plans, and plans of action for the remainder of this year. Since the therapy schedule will be limited for this Fall season, please be considerate, mindful, and respectful of late cancellations and no-shows. As we all know “Life Happens” and there’s valid reasons for late cancellations (less than 24 hours prior to session) and no shows. I understand we are all human and there’s circumstances we are unable to control. As you already know I am very understanding in these situations. Please take note of when there’s a late cancellation or no show for the previous scheduled session with no communication nor explanation, as per policy/informed consent that you’ve read, agreed and signed to, will be charged the $100 non-emergency fee. This is due to your therapist time, effort, preparation, and business finances for sessions. Also, when a late cancellation or a no show occurs a current or potential new client that may be in need is unable to request nor schedule for that session day & time. My main concern and request with cancellations is to do your very best to communicate with me via your Grow Therapy message portal, Therapy Appointment message portal, Email: writethevisionacc@gmail.com and/or phone call (leave voicemail) or text my therapy phone (757) 773-7488. It’s important to also have your emergency contact on standby for them to reach out to me on your behalf when it’s necessary. Consistency is key for your continued therapy treatment and progress.  

Since this will be a busy season with sessions, events and vacation, I am no longer accepting new clients until January 5, 2026. This will help me to give you the quality of care you deserve and to make sure I do my part by making sure we are scheduled, and you are prepared for my leave of absence. Please keep in mind these are my normal therapy office hours for scheduled sessions, portal messages/emails, phone calls, and text. You may send a message via Grow Therapy, Therapy Appointment, email or text anytime with the understanding I will respond during office hours.

Therapy Office Hours

•        Mondays and Tuesdays: 10am-8pm.
•         Wednesdays: 10am-6pm.
•         Thursdays: Administrative day. Unavailable for normal scheduled sessions. Sessions only for crisis/emergency reasons.
•         Fridays, Saturdays, & Sundays: Unavailable for sessions. Rest days. Please refer to your safety plan, emergency contacts/ phone numbers and hospital locations for mental health emergencies.

*Therapy FYIs:

Thank you for extending grace at the beginning of our sessions. I normally give myself and clients a 5-minute grace period to join the virtual therapy room. This is due to back-to-back on the hour sessions. This allows me a moment to breath and reset for the next session. I will continue to make contact via phone call, text, portal message or emergency contact if you have not arrived in session by the 10-minute mark. Please note if you do not arrive by the 15-minute mark with no communication and no explanation the session is considered a No-Show. 

 If you are not home during your Therapy session, please make sure to message me at the beginning of the session of your exact location. This is for your safety if there is ever an emergency and for counseling best and ethical practices. If you choose to have your therapy session in a car you will need to be alone and parked in a safe environment. Please reframe from driving during our sessions. I understand life happens, please try your best to plan accordingly and communicate the situation with me as soon as possible and just in case we need to reschedule. This is for your Safety. Also, please note as a reminder I am only licensed to practice Counseling for the State of Virginia. This means you as the Client will need to be in Virginia during our sessions. I have the allowance and ability to be anywhere in the USA to still counsel clients in Virginia. This is due to each state having their own set protocols to licensure and expectations. 

Please be reminded that it is required for us to meet for therapy at the very least once (1) a month for the best therapy and ethical practices. I am unable to advocate and support your treatment if I am unaware of your overall well-being. I will continue to do my best to make contact via portal message and text when we are approaching the 30 days or past 30 days of no contact and session. If there is no plan to schedule a session by the suggested time or we have reached past the 30 days of no session, your case will be archived/discharged from services. Please do your best to meet for sessions for the agreed suggestion shared (weekly, every other week or monthly) for the best treatment outcome. 

Thank you for your understanding in these above areas.

              ***Personal Leave/Vacation Dates***

• Unavailable from Friday, November 07th to Monday, November 24^th 2025. I will not have access to my phone and laptop devices during this time. In case of a medical emergency or if you are in immediate harm, you will need to contact #911 by phone. In case of a Mental/emotional health emergency you will need to contact #988 by phone or contact the behavioral emergency hotline on the back of your insurance card. Or call your local city or county behavioral emergency services hotline. And/or visit your local hospital/emergency room. You may also contact another trusted therapist that will be helping to assist with emergencies and continued mental health support.

These are the counseling contacts that you are encouraged to contact when necessary, during the hours from 10:00am to 8:00pm during the weeks of my absence. Please understand that these counselors also have their own normal counseling sessions and other responsibilities during these weeks. These counselors are aware of my absence and were so kind and thoughtful to help with support during these weeks. I am truly appreciative and thankful for these trusted therapists.

 1)   Mr. Jeremy S. Poling, LPC (specialize in anxiety, depression, couples & family counseling). Phone: (540) 830-1777.  Email: polingtherapy@gmail.com & jeremypoling@me.com

 2) Ms. Jakeil Gilchrist, LPC (specialize in anxiety, grief, family counseling, & self-confidence). Phone: (757) 738-7542. Email: healingshipts@gmail.com

3) Mrs. Miranda Brown, LCSW (specialize in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy_DBT, suicidal ideation/self-harming behaviors, trauma & couples counseling). Phone: (757) 271-9030.

4) Dr. Cheyenne James, Psy.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist, LPC, CSAC. (specialize in trauma). Phone: (540) 425-3543. Email: Cheyenne@friendlycitypsychology.com

All of these counselors are also connected on the Grow Therapy platform.

       

·       Unavailable for Thanksgiving week, Tuesday, November 25^th to Sunday, November 30^th 2025. I will only have access to my therapy phone and laptop devices for mental health emergency reasons only.

 

·       Available for normal schedule sessions from Monday December 1^st to Wednesday, December 10^th 2025.

 

·       Unavailable from Thursday, December 11^th to Monday, December 15^th 2025. I will not have access to my therapy phone and laptop devices nor internet access. Please refer to emergency support contacts shared above. (Dr. Cheyenne James will be unavailable for these dates).

 

·       Available for normal schedule sessions Tuesday, December 16^th and Wednesday, December 17^th. Thursday, December 18^th will be available for sessions upon request only.

 

·       Unavailable for Christmas and New Years Week! Friday, December 19^th to Sunday, January 04^th 2026. I will have access to my therapy phone, laptop devices and internet for emergency reasons only.

 

·       Available for normal schedule sessions starting back on Monday, January 05, 2026!

Fall into Boundaries this October & November

Holistic Health Tips!

~Message from Ms. Kim McLeod, LPC ~

“Why are boundaries so important? What’s the big deal?  We must remember we are all human with real needs, wants and desires that will help us with living a well balance life and good overall health. As adult individuals we must remember we are all responsible for ourselves. Yes, You, the man or woman in the mirror, you can take care of you! In our current society, living in Virginia or another part of the USA, I believe it’s safe to say we have access to many resources to do our best to create a healthy lifestyle. For some people it may be more difficult than others to do this and that’s okay. And if you are reading this, you have support to help you establish and practice effective and healthy boundaries for your everyday life. Remember you are 1 person with many titles and responsibilities with only 24 hours out of the day. It’s ok to think of yourself and identify what you may need on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. This does not make you selfish. At some point you must eat, sleep, and work; And these are just the basics of a day. We can’t always be the superhero for self and everyone we know nor circumstances we are aware of. Some days you may can give your very best of 100% and some days you can only give 50% and that is Okay too. As humans we can’t be 100% every day, in every situation and for every relationship. Let’s be realistic and reasonable, it’s not happening. And if you try, you will experience burn out and not much of anything will get done. I remember about 15 years ago I listened to sermon from Pastor Mark Driscoll online, and he was teaching a series about rest. Pastor Mark made a statement that has stuck with me all of these years, it was “If you don’t volunteer to rest, one day your body will involuntarily make you Rest.” Between that statement, the Boundaries book, and knowing very dear loved ones throughout the years health declined because of the lack of rest has become game changers for me in this area of rest. And if I may be transparent for a moment, I have also learned the hard way when I sacrificed not resting well in the areas of mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health. This is why I am so passionate about this subject. So, take a moment to breath, sit down somewhere and take a nap. Start practicing saying “Yes” to a break and to your needs and “No” to people, events, activities, etc.  that don’t benefit your overall Holistic health.  Believe me I know, this is easier said than done. But this is why I am here and with all these wonderful resources to help guide you through the process. Below are some simple tips to get you started or continue in some of these areas of health.

 Mental/Emotional Health: Stay on top of your counseling session schedule by making sure it’s in your daily planner. This may be in your phone calendar, whiteboard, or paper planner that you check daily.  Recognizing your counseling session schedule barriers. Make sure your private space is secured at least 15 minutes before session. And allow at least 15 minutes for yourself and/or with your romantic partner after the session to debrief and process before your next task.

  Spiritual Health: Create a routine in the morning, afternoon or evening (pick 1 timeframe) for a moment of prayer or meditation in a private and quiet space or in nature. Start with 10 minutes uninterrupted. No screentime.

 Physical Health: Dedicating at least 1 day a week for physical activity/movement for at least 10-20 minutes. Also, I was informed by a current client that this month of October is Breast Cancer awareness month. So, let’s schedule those mammograms!

 Social Health: When someone ask you an uncomfortable question or want you to entertain a conversation that has the potential of triggering you in that moment; politely verbalize, “I am uncomfortable and not ready to have this conversation. Can we table this topic for a future time.”

 Home Health: Pick 1 day weekly for 1-2 hours to declutter 1 room or area of your home.  

 Financial Health: Create a checking or savings account specifically for entertainment, fun & vacation. Guilt-free spending. Determine a realistic and reasonable amount or percentage that works for you to save each payday. The amount can be as low as $5 or 5% of you pay. Consistency is key and eventually it will add up.

  Work Health: Schedule your PTO!!! Take that vacation, weekend getaway, or staycation (Enjoy your mortgage or rent). Get some good rest in, or do nothing, binge shows or movies. Take a mental health day on a random day.

  Legal Health: Review 1 aspect of your end-of-life planning. This may be an insurance policy, Living Will. A Trust. Debt. Retirement plan.

 

v Boundaries Statement/Quote:

 “Any confusion of responsibility and ownership in our lives is a problem of boundaries.” From the Boundaries book by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend. (Cloud, H., & Townsend, J. (2017). A Day in Boundaryless Life. In Boundaries (pp. 27–27). essay, Zondervan).

 

v Boundaries Journal Prompt: “Why are you confused about boundaries—when and how to draw them for yourself or even whether drawing boundaries is okay?”

From the Boundaries workbook by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend. (Cloud, H., & Townsend, J. (2018). What Does a Boundary Look Like? In Boundaries Workbook (pp. 13–13). Question/statement, Zondervan).

 

v Boundaries Drama series: Forecasting Love & Weather (Netflix)

 

v Boundaries song: Laura Marano – Boundaries. Laura Marano - Boundaries (Official Music Video)

Laura Marano – Boundaries Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

 

*More special dates for this Fall season*

 October All Month: Breast Cancer Awareness. Filipino American History Month, National ADHD Awareness

o   October 6^th- Super Moon/Harvest Moon

o   October 7^th-National Taco Day.

o   October 10^th- World Mental Health Day.

o   October 13^th – Columbus Day/Indigenous People day.

o   October 14^th- National Dessert Day.

o   October 15^th -Hispanic Heritage month ends

o   October 21^st - New Moon.

o   October 24^th - United Nations Day.

o   October 29^th - National Cat Day.

I hope the above will be a great help to you in this beautiful Fall season. Please remember you have help and support in this season. You don’t have to experience and walk this journey of life alone.

 

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Let’s Fall into Boundaries!

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 ***If you are a former, current, or new client or trusted therapist or community partner and you will like to share a testimony, statement/quote, song, journal prompt, activity, event, or an insightful message concerning any area of Holistic health please share; Also, if you have a suggested newsletter theme that you believe may be of encouragement for a future newsletter, please share with me directly in the contact details shared above. No worries, no names nor other personal information will be shared about clients in the future newsletter publications. The goal is to publish a newsletter monthly or quarterly throughout the year. ***