By Jackie Carrera, MSEd, Resident In Counseling in Northern Virginia 
There are difficult conversations taking place as we experience worry concerning different areas of our lives. A lot has happened during the past six plus months and it has been a stressful time for many of us. I wrote about communication in a previous post and taking a pause in discussions when emotions are heightened and during periods of stress. Taking a pause as well as coming back to discussions at a later time are needed now. I think there is a time for action although with action we sometimes need to take a step back.
I had a friend contact me earlier this week and when the conversation turned to politics, I realized that it was not a good time to have that conversation. There were so many other stressors on my mind. I talked with my friend and decided that we should set some boundaries for our talks. We have a routine of checking in with each other and I wanted to cover other areas during out talk. It was something that we were able to agree on.
Setting Boundaries
Talking about setting boundaries in conversations and taking a step back can be challenging for some. It is not always easy to set boundaries when talking with friends and family. However, when there are agreed upon boundaries, you will find that you can have much less stressful conversations.
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About Jackie:
Jackie is a Resident in Counseling providing counseling services in the Alexandria location. Jackie earned
an M.S.Ed. from Old Dominion University in Mental Health Counseling and has training in art therapy. In addition to her counseling background, Jackie also has a degree in the arts with an MA in Art History from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Jackie is a humanistic counselor who provides person-centered counseling in both English and Spanish. She is dedicated to providing a safe space for clients to explore experiences and to work towards positive changes guided by their desired outcomes. Jackie believes that compassion, collaborative dialogue, and trust are important in the therapeutic process. She has experience with cognitive behavioral therapy, strength based counseling, solution-focused counseling, the use of creative arts in counseling, and motivational interviewing. To learn more about Jackie, visit HERE.