ACSEL For Mental Health Professionals:
How ACSEL Can Work With You
As someone who is a therapist, I know the importance of therapy.
It is a vital part of discovering the inner self and working through the past to get to a better present and future. Oftentimes, as a counselor, I get stuck in the solution-focused aspect of counseling; with roots as a school counselor, it comes almost second nature to me.
However, as a therapist, I find myself thinking, "If we just delved into their past, worked through some of those hardships, and figured out what the lesson to learn was, then this situation in the present would be way easier for them to get through."
Here is where Natasha, the wellness facilitator, comes in.
I want to be present with your clients to help them apply what they've learned from you to their present and future through guided group meditations. They are not talking to me directly and in detail about their lives. I am just providing a soft place to land so they can really think and work through their issues on their own.
Kind of like how people study at the library. They can do it at home, for sure! But studying feels different when surrounded by others who are also studying. No distractions are present, and there's also a "pressure" to lock in because others are also there doing the same thing.
Workshops are mostly spent either in silence during journaling & reflection time, or with me conducting the guided part of the meditation. Any talking or sharing happens at the beginning for intention setting and at the end for a debrief.
I have used guided meditation and journaling since I was a kid, and went through a lot of trial and error before I figured out what I needed to truly ground myself without feeling like I was just pretending. I truly believe I can help women finally overcome their mental blocks and make room for greater flexibility in their lives.
I would be honored to share this partnership with you. Talk soon<33
FAQs

01
"Are you trying to replace me?"
Nope! I very rarely take 1:1 clients. Workshops are strictly a group-only experience. However, our 90- day program consists of 3 individual sessions, focused on meditation & future growth.
02
"I have boundary concerns."
The best part about a coach that is also a therapist is knowing that they know where the boundaries are, and can hold firm with them. I make my goal as a coach very clear. No therapy. I stop any "oversharing" and guide the individual to write it down for their next therapy session.


03
"Isn't BLS basically EMDR?"
Nope! As an EMDR-trained therapist, I am educated about where to draw the line. Bilateral stimulation on its own is a peer-reviewed stabilization technique. We are using BLS to stay grounded and focused in our meditation practice.
Now, if I stopped BLS every 30 seconds to 2 minutes and asked them to think about their negative cognitions and the past, that would be group EMDR.
04
"What if someone gets dysregulated?"
So, yes, this will probably happen. Feelings might manifest through sadness and anger. To support healing, sessions will begin and end with reminders to practice self-care, book a counseling session, or text 988 in the event of a crisis.
Throughout the guided meditation, I will encourage participants to stay at or below a 5 out of 10 on the disturbance scale.

Any other concerns? Email natasha@acselcoaching.com for more info!
How to use ACSEL in your mental health practice:
1
Ask your client what came up during the themed workshop session. Take them back through time, and work from the past to the present.
3
Use ACSEL as an ongoing practice. Sometimes it will work amazingly; sometimes it won't go as well as they thought it would; sometimes they'll forget about it. That's okay. Consistency teaches self- compassion.
5
Bilateral stimulation is a peer-reviewed method to improve stabilization. Ask clients to use ACSEL as a resource when they're ready to try something new.
2
Make it homework: Ask your client to meditate, and give them meditation topics to mull over.
4
Mindfulness and distress tolerance are both a part of DBT skills. Use this as a unique way to try skills with a neat twist.
6
Send clients to ACSEL when they don't need therapy as often. Let us help you heal more people on your waitlist by caring for clients transitioning to termination.
