Beyond the Couch
At Anna Thames Counseling.
Welcome to Our First Newsletter!
We created this space as a small way to stay connected and share thoughtful, practical, and encouraging content you can carry with you.
Each month, we’ll bring you something a little different—from mental health insights and therapist perspectives to useful tools, gentle reminders, and things worth saving for later.
Mental Health Spotlight
The Kitchen Isn’t on Fire, Everyone Is Fine—and You Still Can’t Relax
You finally have a quiet moment.No one needs anything. There is no emergency. Nothing is actively on fire.So, naturally, your brain decides this is the perfect time to hold a mandatory staff meeting—with every role you play in attendance—to confirm that all 5,000 tasks have been completed before you are officially allowed to rest.Did you check your phone? You literally have 20 unread messages!Do we have milk?When was the last time you washed your hair?You did put the kids to bed, right?Where even is your phone?
UGH! Just close your eyes. No one is saying “Mom.”Apparently, peace feels suspicious.When you spend most of your time managing responsibilities, anticipating problems, and keeping everyone else’s life moving, your mind becomes accustomed to being “on.” The moment things get quiet, it assumes you must have forgotten something.Rest can also feel uncomfortable when productivity has become your proof that you are doing enough. Sitting down may feel lazy—even when your body has been politely requesting a break and is now preparing to file a formal complaint.You don’t have to earn rest by reaching complete exhaustion.You also don’t have to relax perfectly. Start by noticing what happens when you slow down—and remind your brain that not every quiet moment needs an agenda.Click here to request an appointment on our portal
A Quick Check-In
What have you been carrying lately that no one has asked you about?
Maybe it’s:
A responsibility you’ve quietly taken on
A decision you’ve been putting off
Something you haven’t had space to process
The pressure to keep everything moving
Pause for a moment and notice what comes to mind.
You don’t have to solve it right now. Just give yourself permission to acknowledge it.
Save This for Later
The 5-Minute Brain Dump
When your mind is racing through everything you need to remember, set a timer for five minutes and write down everything competing for your attention.
Don’t organize it or make it look pretty. Just get it out of your head.
When the timer ends, sort what you wrote into three categories:
DO
Something that needs your attention soon.SCHEDULE
Something you can choose a time to handle later.LET GO
Something that does not need your attention right now—or may not need your attention at all.
You do not have to complete everything on the list. The goal is simply to move it out of your head and put it somewhere you can return to later.
Ask a Therapist
“How do I know if what I’m dealing with is something I should talk to a therapist about?”
Here’s the short answer: If you keep wondering whether you should talk to someone, it may be worth talking to someone.
You don’t have to wait until your life is falling apart. Maybe you keep replaying the same conversation, feeling resentful about the same situation, or asking Google the same question in 14 slightly different ways.
That counts.
You also don’t need to show up with a diagnosis, a five-step plan, or a PowerPoint explaining your childhood. You can simply say, “Something feels off, and I’m not sure what to do with it.”
We can start there.
You Asked:
OFF THE CLOCK & UNSCRIPTED
The real person sitting in the other chair (no clipboard required).
Meet Anna Thames
Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor | Owner
🎧 What I'm Listening to, Watching & Doing
I am a HUGE true-crime fan. You name it, I've probably watched it. Crime Junkie and Rotten Mango are my favorite podcasts, and I love crime documentaries and watching actual court hearings. Before becoming a therapist, I wanted to be a forensic psychologist and work with serial killers—which, honestly, explains a few things. 😂
Otherwise, you'll find me at a ball field 6–7 days a week. I have the wagon, tent, cooler, Band-Aids, snacks—the whole nine yards. Need a snackle box? I've got you. I may arrive in a cute tennis skirt, but there’s a good chance I’ll leave looking like the ball field won after hauling water to sweaty football players all day.
🛋️ My Session Energy
Direct, authentic, nurturing, and usually a little sarcastic.
I believe you're the expert on yourself—but sometimes we all need someone to help us see what we can't see from inside our own mess.
Therapy with me isn't always serious. We laugh. We joke. Occasionally, we use some dark humor. But I'm also not going to sit across from you week after week and watch you keep repeating the same cycle without helping you recognize it. What would be the point of therapy if I did?
I'll be honest with you, but I'll also be right there beside you while we figure out what comes next.
😂 The Human Moment
Oh, my clients already know I don't have it all figured out.
They'll ask, “How's your day going?” and sometimes the answer is basically, “Look, I'm just trying to make it through like the rest of y'all.”
I'm really not that cool.
Some days you get put-together therapist Anna. Other days you get leggings, a messy bun, and a bandana because I have to get somebody to a ball field and doing my hair simply did not make today's priority list.
Honestly, some days the makeup is doing a tremendous amount of heavy lifting to convince everyone that I have my life together.
Therapists have tools. We have training. We know the coping skills.
We also put our phones in the refrigerator (maybe that’s just me 🤷♀️).
A Little Something Good
Click here to request an appointment on our portal
A Little Permission for This Month
You are allowed to slow down without finishing everything first.
You are allowed to enjoy a quiet moment without filling it with something productive.
And you are allowed to have a day that is simply a day—not something you need to optimize, improve, or make the most of.
Rest is not something you have to earn.