Steps Family Therapy

This 20-page booklet is an expanded explanation of the model presented in an earlier blog post about the STEPS. It provides simpler explanations, more examples, and more education about specific diagnoses. Please read it slowly, and take time to reflect on how it applies, as it certainly will to all of your relationships. And please share with everyone! When sharing this material, please share the link to the blog post instead of the PDF link. This will help me track how many people are accessing the booklet. Booklet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UXD3VE4UbH1chSdCHOWM6kX826Wbf030/view?usp=sharing Audio Version (Podcast): https://open.spotify.com/show/4NW8Sf2AQKf4o8VytImDaz?si=tO48GBs1SFu27nceNLK8-w https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/steps-with-boone/id1634436916 Short video explanation: https://youtu.be/T7l7D1ukw0c For even more depth on effective interaction, see my book 101 Therapy Talks   here.

 Hello! Welcome to the Steps Family Therapy Blog .  This blog contains homework assignments for clients, but also useful information for everybody else.  I'm putting the posts into audio format through my podcast "Steps with Boone" found on most major podcast streamers: https://open.spotify.com/show/5dloQVpXssuuX2EX9NxtNx https://podcasts.apple.com/.../steps-with-boone/id1634436916 https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/634b7a13a82792001234e124 As of October, 2023, most of the blog posts from previous years have been included in the book  101 Therapy Talks.  If you are a client, you should receive a free digital copy. If you are not a client, you may purchase the book here:  Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/101-Therapy-Talks-knowledge-relationships/dp/B0CLK16V2R/ref=sr_1_3?crid=STCISQMZFKD9&keywords=Boone+Christianson&qid=1698118885&sprefix=boone+christianson%2Caps%2C163&sr=8-3 There are several video versions of the posts as well, found on my...

 Welcome to Steps Family Therapy! Address:  965 S 820 E, Spanish Fork, UT (near Spanish Fork Junior High) Therapists : -Boone Christianson, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist; Availability: Tues/Wed 8-5, Friday 8-2; Spanish, Portuguese -Kaprena Moore, Clinical Social Worker; Availability: Monday 8-3, Thursday 12-6; Spanish; under Supervisor Garret Roundy, PhD, LMFT; Some Saturday slots available (see below) Services available: Individual Therapy : For those wanting to treat diagnosable conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD, addiction, excessive anger, insomnia, or anything else with a psychological component. We tend to use Somatic Experiencing, Internal Family Systems,    EMDR,  and Emotion-Focused models, but also have experience in Cognitive-Behavioral and derivative approaches (ACT, DBT, etc.). If we find that presenting issues are directly linked to current relationships, or that certain relationships could accelerate healing, we may insist ...

  I am a mom, wife, therapist, foodie, musician, audiobook worm, and morning walk-taker. I’m sure I’m a few more things but these are my favorites right now. I come from a very big family, with 6 sisters and three brothers! Now that my siblings and I are having children of our own, we are roughly the size of a small village. I absolutely love my family. They are my best friends, in-laws included!  I met my Boone several years ago on a dating app (see his therapist profile for a little more of the story) after having been a single mom for a minute after my first marriage ended. He is the best human I know. He has walked with me through the minefield of my own past trauma and triggers and sees me as a whole human. Much of how I work with my clients on their trauma is based on the healing experiences I had and continue to have with Boone as we navigate mine. Joining him at Steps Family Therapy after finishing school was a no-brainer. OF COURSE I wanna work with my best friend! We...

1.a. 3-Step Model 1.b. 6-Step Model 1.c. Complete Model 1.d. Split-Brain Model 2. Brain and the Bucket 3. Trauma Tree 4.a. Course of Healing (U-Diagram) 4.b. Wide Brain Model 5. Inducing the Crisis 6.a. Impala Recovery 6.b. Human Recovery 6.c. Assault Block 6.d. Trauma Buildup 7.a “Wipe That Stupid Smile”  7.b. 7.c. 8.a. Grief Pies 8.b. Grief Slopes 9.a. Healthy Woman Prepartum 9.b. Stress Bucket Postpartum 10.a. Healthy Doll 10.b. Anxious Doll 10.c. Dependent Doll 11. Arousal

  See the related video here: https://youtu.be/R3NExV6nl7Y?si=fokbA8Y0mNDNjktL The more I do this, the more I realize how subjective mental health progress really is. The definition of your optimal state of health depends very much on your current state and your environment. This post posits a general definition of an optimal mental health state and optimal environment, while recognizing that many people can only hope to achieve the best state in sub-optimal environments, and gives examples of treatment courses. An optimal state for humans would be characterized by high frontal lobe brain activity. This means a state of high awareness of the past, present, and future (no need to avoid thoughts or memories), coupled with low stress activation (low anxiety about the things within awareness). There would be high ability to relate to and cooperate with other humans, and it would be enjoyable. Critical thinking, creativity, and problem solving skills would be sharp. All emotions would...