VanWert Counseling & Wellness, LLC

06/16/2026

Looking for a therapist who feels easy to talk to? 💭
Nyssa offers a warm, judgment-free space, a positive and approachable personality, and a down-to-earth style!

06/11/2026

Our new peer support group 🫂 meets next Tues, June 16 @ 6pm at the Scranton JCC 🫶
Come meet our facilitators, Amy & Vince, find connection, and find NAMI in Scranton 💚💙

06/06/2026

🚨As a mental health therapist who has worked with children and adults who have survived assault, abuse, and trauma, here are 10 things I recommend teaching children:

1. Adults don't ask children for help.
If an adult needs help finding a dog, carrying something, or going somewhere, the answer is, "Let me get my mom or dad." There is rarely a reason an adult needs a child's help.

2. The internet is a dangerous place.
Social media, online games, and chatting with strangers online can expose kids to people who don't have good intentions. Children should not have unrestricted access to the internet or unsupervised interactions with strangers online.

3. Never go to a second location.
If someone ever tries to force you into a car or take you somewhere else, you fight, scream, run, and make as much noise as possible. Draw attention to yourself-statistics show that a person has a higher chance of survival staying put and fighting, than they do once taken to a second location.

4. You don't owe strangers information.
You don't have to tell anyone your name, where you live, where you're going, or anything else about yourself. Additionally, you don’t have to be “nice” to strangers. Short and to the point is appropriate.

5. Trust your gut.
That uneasy feeling is there for a reason. If something feels off, listen to it. Intuition is a gift from your Higher Power.

6. Use your voice. Make a scene.
If someone you don't know is bothering you or following you, yell, "I don't know you! Help!" You scream for Mom or Dad, even if we are not there, other parents will be-and heads will turn. The goal is to get attention from safe adults nearby.

7. Pay attention to your surroundings.
Being aware of what's happening around you is one of the best safety skills you can have. No scrolling while walking, walking with headphones in, or anything that distracts you from your surroundings and could make you a target.

8. Your body belongs to you.
You do not have to hug, kiss, or be physically affectionate with anyone if you don't want to. Not family, not friends, not anyone.

9. Have a family code word.
If someone says they're picking you up, that Mom sent them, or there's an emergency, they need to know the code word. If they don't know it, you stay put and find a trusted adult.

10. Teach children how to protect themselves.
Talk about self-defense, confidence, boundaries, and what to do if someone ever makes you feel unsafe.

These conversations aren't meant to make our kids afraid of the world. They're meant to help them move through it with confidence, awareness, and the knowledge that they can trust themselves and come to us with anything.

What would you add to this list?

06/04/2026

A reminder that you deserve the same care you give to everyone else ✨

06/01/2026

A dysregulated nervous system doesn’t always look like a “breakdown.”

Sometimes it looks like:
• Overthinking every little thing
• Feeling constantly on edge or easily irritated
• Shutting down emotionally
• Trouble sleeping or relaxing
• People pleasing to avoid conflict
• Feeling exhausted but unable to slow down
• Anxiety that shows up in your body — racing heart, tight chest, stomach issues, headaches
• Feeling “too much” emotionally… or completely numb

When your nervous system has been stuck in survival mode for too long, your mind and body can start reacting as if everything is a threat — even when you’re safe.

This is why therapy matters.

Therapy is not just “talking about your feelings.” It’s learning how to:
✨ feel safe in your own body again
✨ regulate emotions without shame
✨ understand your triggers
✨ build healthy boundaries
✨ process trauma and stress
✨ stop living in constant fight, flight, freeze, or fawn mode

Healing is possible. Your nervous system can learn that it no longer has to survive every moment — it can finally rest, feel, and heal. 🤍

05/29/2026

The sun is finally out… and so is the pollen 🤧🌼

Dealing with sinus pressure, headaches, or feeling stuffed up? We’ve got the perfect reset for you!

✨ Sinus, Head & Scalp Massage Benefits ✨
Targeted massage techniques may help:
• Relieve facial pressure
• Encourage sinus drainage
• Ease tension headaches
• Reduce stress and promote relaxation
• Support easier breathing

Perfect for seasonal allergies, sinus discomfort, stress relief, or anyone feeling congested and tense this time of year.

📍 Book your session today and give your mind, body, and sinuses some much-needed relief!

05/29/2026

Starting over or starting something new can feel scary...but you can allow yourself to feel more than one emotion; it can feel scary AND invigorating, healing, exciting, needed.

Change can feel scary AND good.
I hope you take this as your sign to allow yourself to feel happy. and embrace change. 🖤

05/28/2026

Free weekly meals through out the summer for your little ones! 🍎🌞

☀️📍 SUMMER 2026 LOCATIONS! 📍☀️
• Bushkill • Forest City • Pocono Pines • Towanda • Tunkhannock • Susquehanna County • Wallenpaupack
(schedule coming very soon!)

📝 SIGN UP TODAY!
🔗 https://mailchi.mp/0432dc81b387/sunmeals

📣 HELP US SPREAD THE WORD BY SHARING THE SIGN UP LINK!