Shujianing holds a Master's degree in Mental Health Counseling from the Lynch School of Education at Boston College. She has worked and trained in different clinical settings, including college mental health, psychiatric inpatient, and intensive outpatient programming. She is pursuing a PhD in Counseling Psychology. Shujianing self-identifies as a queer 1.5-generation Chinese American woman. She is passionate about working with individuals from diverse ethnoracial, immigration, and class backgrounds and with different sexual orientations and gender identities. Shujianing believes the best treatment approach is personalized and emerges through equal collaboration with her clients. She often draws inspiration from relational-cultural and emotion-focused frameworks and uses somatic and cognitive-behavioral techniques. Shujianing offers services in English and Mandarin Chinese and will be joining our Golden Valley office.
You are NOT your problems.
It takes a lot of courage to ask for help. And, it usually takes a lot of time to muster up that courage.
But, by the time you ask, you’ve most likely internalized your problems.
Internalizing problems over a long period of time can lead to ‘absorbing’ the problems into our identity, meaning you begin to define yourself by the problems. This not only exacerbates your problems, but it also becomes a malicious adversary in our lives.
When you realize this, it’s time to begin to view problems as being ‘other’ and therefore able to be influenced, challenged, changed, even eradicated.
Therapy can help challenge any preexisting internalization of the problem. That is to say, therapy can be understood, in part, as a process by which the individual can begin to be separated from his/her problematic symptoms.
No matter how educated we may be and intellectually or emotionally sophisticated; in the quiet moments when our problem presents as overwhelming how long until some version of the internal message ‘what is wrong with me?’ enters into our consciousness.
We live in a society that relentlessly facilitates the internalization of our problems; intertwined into the habitual fabric of our lives. Some of us grow up in homes where shameful messages were ever present. ‘Something is wrong’ so often became ‘something is wrong with me’. If our problematic symptoms are indivisible from ourselves then we are condemned to being ‘less than’, ‘broken’, being ‘apart from’.
But this is not true.
- You are NOT your symptoms.
- You are NOT your problems.
- You are NOT your thoughts.
- You are NOT your problems.
Through Narrative Therapy, we can help you externalize the problems and affirm that you are not the problem, rather the problem is the problem.
We are here to help.
Am I ready to change?
How does one change?
Most of us have some understanding that in order for our situation to improve something will have to be adjusted, amended, eradicated, enhanced. . .changed. While the fact that nothing changes without change is no doubt stating the obvious, when applied to our complicated lives filled with infinite distractions and rotating priorities our ability to do so is not so simple.
Read moreBirch Expands and Announces Appointments Within 24 Hours
Press Release
For Immediate Release
Contact
John Komarek
john@curlycreative.us
BIRCH EXPANDS, ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENTS WITHIN 24- HOURS AT NEW LOCATION
Golden Valley, Minn. – Birch Counseling announces the addition of Appointments Within 24-hours at its new location in Golden Valley.
“People experiencing a Mental Health Crisis are sometimes asked to wait for weeks, sometimes months.” Surerus said. “As a counselor, asking a client to wait for help during a crisis is unacceptable. We needed to eliminate that barrier.”
For ten years and counting, Birch has been dedicated to making essential counseling services more accessible, and through this new location and new service they increase that accessibility.
“A Mental Health Crisis doesn’t follow an appointment calendar, so why are people asked to wait?” Founder Christa Surerus said. “Birch is proud to offer counseling when a person needs it most: when they muster up the courage to call for help.”
Every year, 1 in 5 people live with mental illness and will need Mental Health Counseling during their lifetime Currently, it’s not unheard of to be put on a two-month wait list just to be seen.
“Life changing events happen to us all, and that can lead to the need for Mental Health Counseling.” Surerus said. “And during a crisis, minutes count. A small barrier like waiting for a scheduled appointment may have a large impact.”
Appointments Within 24-Hours are now offered at Birch’s Golden Valley location and will occur during business hours: 7am-6pm.
Birch Counseling serves Minnesotans with safe, compassionate, and confidential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Counseling. They have locations in Minneapolis, Hopkins, and now Golden Valley.
Birch Counseling Announces No More Wait Lists
Birch Counseling's Founder Christa Surerus announces that they will offer Appointments Within 24 Hours for mental health counseling at their location in Golden Valley.
Help is available
If you believe a loved one is considering suicide, you should know that help is available. In addition to Emergency rooms and crisis hotlines, every county in the metropolitan Twin Cities area has a mobile crisis team. Mobile crisis teams are trained to help. They can talk to your loved one, offer transportation to a safe place, and connect them with resources and professional support.
Response time for a mobile crisis team can be a few hours.
In immediately life-threatening or extremely dangerous situations, please call 911.
Examples of situations when the local county Mobile Crisis Team should be called:
- When you think someone you know is in danger of committing suicide
- When you notice disruptive, suddenly bizarre, or out-of-control behavior of an adult or child.
- When you are a parent who needs to place your children in the Crisis Nursery.
- When you need support in caring for someone who is struggling with mental illness or emotional disturbance.
- When there has been a domestic or sexual assault.
- If you have general questions about handling a crisis or need to be referred to professional resources.
How to reach your local crisis team:
- Anoka (763) 755-3801
- Carver/Scott (952) 442-7601
- Dakota (952) 891-7171
- Hennepin (612) 596-1223 (adults) (612) 348-2233 (children)
- Ramsey (651) 266-7900 (adults) (651) 774-7000 (children)
- Washington (651) 777-5222
10 Questions to Help Identify Suicide Warning Signs
Most who consider suicide will give a loved one warning signs about their plans for suicide. But what exactly are those?
To identify warning signs, ask yourself these 10 questions:
- Do they exhibit or talk about feeling a deep sense of hopelessness about the future, with little expectation that circumstances can improve?
- Are they talking about death a lot or making oblique references to it?
- After a period of depression/moodiness, have they suddenly and unexpectedly become calm?
- Are they withdrawing from social activities - especially ones they previously enjoyed?
- Have they stopped caring about personal appearance?
- Are they engaging in risky behaviors? Reckless driving? Drugs/Alcohol? Unsafe sex?
- Has a major life crisis occurred? Death of recent loved one? Divorce? Bankruptcy?
- Are they putting a lot of their affairs in order? This might include visiting loved ones members, giving away possessions, making a will, and cleaning up his or her room or home.
If you answer yes to these questions, check in with your friend or loved one. Tell them you’re concerned about them. Tell them that you care. Ask them if they’re having suicidal thoughts. Call the National Suicide Prevention line 1 (800) 273-8255.
What should I expect in my counseling session?
Empowering you is the primary focus of counseling.
This is your space.
This is your time.
You are in charge.
You tell us what you wish to accomplish.
Our providers focus on getting to know you. What matters to you, what is important? What keeps you going? What is your idea of a fulfilling, meaningful life?
Birch counselors help you identify obstacles that seem to keep you from living the life you want.
Let us help you get back on track.
Counseling is Confidential
According to the Association for Psychological Services, only 40 percent of the 60 million people who experience concerns about their emotional health actually seek help.
Common concerns and barriers to seeking assistance involve fear of judgment, or a deep-seated sense of “is this even worth talking about?” Some individuals are too ashamed of their problems, particularly in this age of Facebook, where we are constantly inundated with the airbrushed profiles of what appear to be “perfect lives.”
Contrary to popular opinion, the bravest move you can make is reaching out for help. You may have been raised with the idea of self-reliance: you should be able to solve your problems alone, at most with the assistance of a few trusted friends or family members.
For many of our problems, this may actually be sufficient. For many others, it is not. Examples include addictive behaviors, relationship problems, unexplainable feelings of sadness or a sense of emptiness despite life seemingly going well, excessive worry or anxiety, feeling inadequate or somehow defective. Such problems can trigger shame, which keeps us from reaching out. There is fear of judgment or abandonment, fear of our problems being shared with others.
As mental health professionals, we are bound by law to keep your matters confidential. We offer a neutral perspective, and are trained to help you gain a better understanding of what troubles you. Counselors help guide your thinking in the direction of solutions that are right for you, given the context of your particular life circumstances.
The purpose of counseling is empowerment. It is our goal to help you take charge of your own life. We help you choose goals that are aligned with who you are and what is important to you.
Don’t Let Insurance Stop You from Seeking Help
According to the Association for Psychological Sciences, the stigma of seeking help from a mental health provider continue to stop 60 percent of the estimated 60 million people who experience problems with depression, anxiety, substance use, behavioral or relationship concerns.
Those who consider seeking help are often deterred by financial concerns: will my insurance cover this service?
Fortunately, mental health counseling today is covered by most insurance plans.
Birch Counseling is contracted with a number of insurance plans, making care with our providers accessible and affordable.
We would be delighted to assist you with any questions you might have about your insurance coverage for counseling services.
Birch Counseling Now Accepts Blue Cross/Blue Shield Health Insurance
Birch Counseling is so pleased to announce we now accept Blue Cross/Shield Health Insurance, one of the largest providers of insurance nationwide.
In addition to Blue Cross, we accept most PreferredOne plans, UCare, Medica, United, Aetna, UMR, Metropolitan Health, Medical Assistance, ChampVA, Value Options and more.
Dispelling the Stigma of Bipolar Disorder
Like other forms of mental illness, bipolar disorder is often thought of as a character flaw warranting social criticism. Unlike purely physical ailments, we blame the person for their mental state, not the wiring or chemistry of their brain.
This stigma only creates more problems: people avoid seeking help in order to avoid stigma. Those who have received help often feel shame and guilt over their diagnosis.
We need to support each other. If you receive or hear a joke about mental illness, say something. You should know that a number of very creative and talented people have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder: Robert Downey Jr. has been described as the poster child for this illness. Read his story and you’ll know why. The same goes for Robin Williams and a number of others.
Please remember to be kind—everyone is broken in some way. Let’s resolve to understand, rather than judge those who struggle with this disorder.
Does my loved one have a Bipolar Disorder?
As 2.6 percent of people suffer from bipolar disorder, there is a probability that you may know someone who will experience the disorder. Given the strong genetic correlation, your chances of developing bipolar disorder increase greatly if another member of your family has been diagnosed with it.
Knowing if a loved one is presenting signs of bipolar disorders is important. Even more importantly, it’s important to know where and how to get help. A thorough evaluation by a psychiatrist, along with medication, are essential for treating mania and major depression. Talk therapy can help manage symptoms between episodes, and offer support for families.
With good treatment and support from family and friends, people with bipolar disorders can lead productive lives. However, without treatment, the disorder can have a devastating effect on life and relationships.
Identifying Potential Symptoms
Bipolar disorder, as it is so named, is a disorder of extremes or poles from high to low. Depression and manic states are part of the bipolar cycle.
You may notice that your loved one is sleeping less and less, and has unlimited energy and full of ideas. This person can be pleasant and fun to be around, but it can quickly change to irritability, which can lead to verbal or physical outbursts. You may notice that your loved one is self-medicating with drugs or alcohol to offset the effects of the disorder.
You may see increased use of bad judgment from your loved one. They may spend money recklessly and engage in risky behaviors, including casual and unprotected sex, gambling, driving at high speeds, and generally in places where bad things will happen.
If the symptoms continue without treatment, behaviors can become progressively more threatening.
Approaching the Subject
When speaking to your loved one about their behavior, they may accuse you of being boring, oppressive, or ruining their life. You will need to approach it delicately, as pushing a person in a manic state will lead to unnecessary and potentially harmful conflict.
Your best strategy is to use a combination of listening to your loved one and applying leverage to influence positive behavior, like meeting with a mental health professional.
Leverage isn’t about pushing or forcing, but about providing your loved one a choice. For instance, if you are providing something they need like a car, money or something else of value, you can give them a choice about how to proceed: continue receiving these items by getting help, or choosing to live without them and not receiving help.
Never Give Up
Managing an illness, even after receiving help from mental health professionals is a marathon, not a sprint. Your morale and determination will be tested. As you support your loved one who struggles with the illness, don’t be afraid to ask for your own help. Mental health professionals can assist you with finding the resources you and your loved ones need to manage this difficult illness.
A Bipolar Diagnosis May Start as Depression
When a patient’s bipolar symptoms are extremely classic, we can diagnose quickly. However, there are a lot of cases in which the symptoms are not, and require us to dig a little deeper to correctly identify if bipolar disorder is the cause of mental health issues.
For instance, many people with diagnosed bipolar disorder start with depression symptoms at treatment. For some, it will simply be depression. For others, it could indicate more, which is why we do our research to confirm or deny any possible conclusions.
Because 60 percent of bipolar cases are hereditary, we review the family history and a number of other indicators that suggest the potential for mania may be present in a depressive episode. This is important as treatment with some antidepressants might trigger manic episodes in vulnerable individuals.
Indicators can include symptoms occurring in adolescence; having family members with the condition; or a first episode of depression after giving birth--some women who develop postpartum depression turn out to have bipolar disorder.
Additional red flags can include unsuccessful treatments with antidepressants or having undergone severe depressive episodes with symptoms like hallucinations.
As your mental health is our priority, we make sure to review and rule out possible issues that at first may not be evident.
4 Types of Bipolar Disorder
5.7 million Americans or 2.6 percent of the population are affected by bipolar disorder, but their experiences are not exactly the same. Regarding bipolar disorder, there are four distinct types that help mental health care providers identify and treat patients.
Bipolar I disorder
The one and only criterion for a diagnosis of Bipolar I disorder is having experienced at least one full manic episode. Manic episodes last at least one week or require hospitalization, and cause significant impairment in functioning. Mania is characterized by a dramatic increase in energy and a significantly reduced need for sleep. There may be grandiosity, aggressive behavior and even a break from reality (psychosis). The manic episode may be preceded or followed by major depressive episodes. However, some people with Bipolar I disorder never experience a depressive episode.
Bipolar II disorder
There has been at least one major depressive episode lasting at least two weeks and at least one episode in which abnormally elevated mood and increased energy or irritation are experienced for at least four days (hypomania), but never at the level of the full manic episode that is characteristic for Bipolar I disorder. Major depressive episodes or the unpredictable changes in mood and behavior cause distress or difficulty in multiple areas of your life.
Cyclothymic disorder
At least two years — or one year in children and teenagers — of numerous periods of hypomanic symptoms alternating with periods of depression. During that time, symptoms occur at least half the time and never go away for more than two months. Mood symptoms don’t meet full criteria of major depression or hypomania, and cause significant distress in important areas of your life.
Other types
These include, for example, bipolar and related disorder due to another medical condition, such as Cushing's disease, multiple sclerosis or stroke. Another type is called substance and medication-induced bipolar and related disorder.
Research suggests bipolar disorder is 60 percent hereditary, and that it typically appears in adolescence or before the age of 25, but it can also emerge later in life. Biological differences in the brain and an imbalance of chemicals called neurotransmitters and hormones could also contribute. Stressors can act as triggers of an onset, like emotional or physical trauma. Bipolar I disorder is a life-long condition that requires use of medication. Cognitive therapy can assist with early identification and management of symptoms that appear to be chronic or signal onset of a major mood episode. Family members of a person struggling with bipolar disorder often benefit from therapy as well, both in a group and individual settings.