Adolescent Expert, Jim West offers expert advice to Local and National TV News & Schools Internationally and provides phone or face-to-face counseling in the Orlando area. Jim is an Author, Communicator, School Consultant, Nationally Certified and State Licensed Counselor and specializes in counseling for Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADD/ADHD) and Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD). Jim has been interviewed for multiple TV, Radio, magazine and newspaper articles. He is president of Total Life Counseling Center and his Total Life approach accelerates the therapeutic & healing process by relating to children, adolescents and adults and incorporating wellness. Jim’s clients travel from all over Florida, England, Georgia, Cayman Islands and the Bahamas as he has been able to treat clients with ADHD, Anxiety, Mood Disorders, Depression and more with FDA approved supplements and Dietary Modifications. 85% of his clients have not needed medication or used less medication than when they first came to Total Life Counseling Center.
Dr. William Eaton describes phobias to include fear and avoidance (Eaton et al., 2020) in his study. He explains that most phobias will begin in childhood, though will maintain maximum strength in midlife and late in life. The authors [...]
Women's Mental Health is a crucial issue that affects millions of women worldwide. Over 1 in 5 women in the United States in the past year have experienced a mental health condition. Common conditions are anxiety and depression, although [...]
As we begin each year, it's important to be aware of seasonal depression. Seasonal Affective Disorder, commonly known as SAD, affects many of us during the fall and winter seasons. This is not just the winter blues or holiday [...]
Relationship Issues | How To Fix It| It's true that every couple experiences relationship issues at some point. No relationship is perfect, and disagreements and conflicts are a natural part of any partnership. What's important is how those issues [...]
Michael Brown writes on Understanding and Responding to Grief through The Gottman Institute. A major topic discussed was how during the COVID-19 Pandemic, many people had to grieve their loved ones without ever getting the chance to say goodbye. [...]
As the winter holiday season is coming up, we have to maintain awareness of our mental health. For many of us, the holiday season is filled with joy, fun, and time to gather with family and friends. Although, for [...]
If you remember the song “I want candy” or the New Kids on the Block, you remember the pop singer and child star, Aaron Carter. We were sad to find out that he passed this weekend after suffering from [...]
Perfectionism is a personality trait characterized by the need to demonstrate perfection in how we represent ourselves. Perfectionists may not feel satisfied no matter how hard they’ve worked on something because they feel they haven’t met their unrealistically high [...]
Students with learning disabilities such as ADHD often have trouble with homework and maintaining focus on assignments that require full attention. Some common problems are seen in children with ADHD such as easy distractibility, disorganization, procrastination, inattention, fidgeting, and [...]
Energy. It’s currently a popular belief that you get back what you send out into the world. The implication is that we have a way of interacting with others that ultimately affects the types of challenges, opportunities, relationships, and [...]
With summer coming to an end, many kids have experienced a change in their sleeping habits. Children get less sleep in the summer due to long nights of staying up late without the responsibility of having school the next [...]
According to Orlando anxiety counseling experts we all experience anxiety, but it can be especially hard for many people. There are several aspects of life that may induce anxiety. Recently, fidget rings have surfaced and seem to be helping [...]
Depression Counselor on Perfectionist College Athlete Suicide Not everyone can handle pressure, especially the pressure that college athletes face. This pressure has caused several college athletes and perfectionists to have mental health challenges and ultimately take their own life. [...]
Physically (In)Active Adolescents Physical activity helps our bodies (and our minds) to stay in shape. Unfortunately, it seems as though children in the United States are staying less and less physically active. Although screen time and electronic devices most [...]
For many of us, the Fourth of July is a celebratory event filled with family and barbecuing. For others, the holidays can be quite difficult to face. Dealing with Loneliness Loneliness is a very common emotion to experience during [...]
With summer in session, school’s out and the kids are home. If you’re one of the many parents having trouble finding activities for your children to do this summer, you’ve come to the right place. “I’m bored...” It's inevitable. [...]
According to a federal report done by the National Center for Education Statistics, there were ninety-three gun-related incidents in the United States that resulted in lives lost on school property in 2021 alone. Lives as young as twelve years [...]
Hate Father’s Day? Here’s How to Turn the Day Around If you’re reading this article, you are probably one of the many dads hoping to get through the day. Like any holiday, I guarantee many past emotions are brought [...]
"In a world that is increasingly technological, we use our electronic devices for everything, from work-related matters to personal communication. Think about it, dads. When was the last time we expressed our sentiments in a truly thoughtful way to [...]
What is the gut-brain connection? Your brain communicates with your gut daily, and vice versa, in order to maintain digestion and health. Research suggests that the organisms in the gastrointestinal tract can influence mental health greatly. In fact, the [...]
Orlando family counselor offers as simple conflict resolution program to resolve conflict quickly and get back to privileges. “Sorry! Sorry! Sorry,” is what students/siblings receive over and over again, and then the perpetrator receives a time out, grounding, loses [...]
Do you feel like it takes begging, pleading or even an ultimatum to get your husband to consider marriage counseling? Try to understand from your husband’s point of view why he may be apprehensive about the whole counseling process. This may help [...]
Orlando ADHD Counseling Expert Jim West, MA, LMHC interviewed by Fox 35 | ADHD linked to High Fat Diet? | University of Illinois Food for Thought: Another study linking proving that how we eat effects how we think! There was [...]
World Kindness Day World Kindness Day is celebrated on November 13th every year. It is a day to promote and celebrate acts of kindness among individuals and communities, and to raise awareness about the positive impact that kindness [...]
Negative Impact Social Media has on Adolescents' idea of beauty. For many years, the internet has been over-exposing young teens to society’s beauty standards. Today, women are expected to look skinny but not too skinny, have a flat stomach, [...]
The holidays are known as the time to be surrounded by family and friends. However, for many, it can be a time of loneliness. Many people experience situations like having family and friends who live long-distance, ruminate about lost [...]
As the holidays and the cold weather quickly approaches, it has become increasingly more important than ever to be considerably mindful of those around us. The holidays can be a very exciting time for many but can understandably be [...]
Since Musical.ly rebranded to TikTok in 2018, the notoriety of the app skyrocketed surpassing popular apps like Uber. With TikTok’s specifically tailored algorithm, any teen can be pushed onto the For You page seen by millions throughout the world [...]
The holidays considerably involve spending quality time with friends and family which tend to involve lots of food, activities, and holiday-themed beverages. While it is perfectly okay to enjoy these activities with the ones you love and appreciate the [...]
Holiday Survival sleep Tips to Survive the holidays Christmas can be so exciting and fun but also exhausting and overwhelming as well. Shopping from store to store, and attending holiday parties are fun to celebrate but often we can [...]
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the U.S. Surgeon General Murthy, symptoms of both anxiety and depression have doubled during this time with about 25% of the youth experiencing depressive symptoms and about 20% experiencing symptoms of anxiety. There [...]
Daily Homeschool Schedule Advice The coronavirus pandemic is continuously changing our lives, but one thing for sure is, you’re unsure of how to go about the next few weeks. Like most parents, you’ve suddenly found yourself solely responsible for [...]
Going back to school has always been a stressful time. School supply shopping, school clothes, class schedules, getting your child back onto a school schedule, bus times, etc..But things have become an entirely new level of stress because of Covid-19. [...]
“Reducing Stress from Tests!” “I am going to fail the FSA and repeat third grade!” “I don’t have enough time for the test!” “I can’t sleep the night before the test!” February and March many students across the state [...]
If you were to sit in on a public classroom in 2022, vs sitting in one in 2019, you would see a clear difference in the mood, energy, and overall flow of the day. The pandemic of 2020 still [...]
The Social Dilemma If you’re anything like the other 182.8 million Netflix subscribers, you probably saw “The Social Dilemma” in Netflix's “trending now” category. This hour and a half movie supposedly covers the dangers of social media on human [...]
The coronavirus has become a global pandemic. Schools are shut down, bars, restaurants, beaches, almost everything has closed its doors. Some people aren’t able to go into work, and some have completely lost their jobs. Should you be afraid? [...]
Suddenly Homeschooling because of the Coronavirus? How to Guide Learning at Home In the many changes to everyday life due to coronavirus, school and day-care closures are one of them. Unexpectedly everything from major universities, to day-care centers have [...]
Tips when Quarantined to Relieve Stress, Keep your Kids Busy and Bond with your Family Background With coronavirus spreading daily and the uncertainty of the future, things can be extremely stressful. Don’t be ashamed if you begin to feel [...]
Impact of COVID-19 “Social distancing” is highly recommended and in some cases enforced. Some cities are on curfews, others have enforced schools, restaurants, bars, and clubs to close all in efforts to stop the spread of this virus, and [...]
"I know someone who survived a sexual assault. How can I help?" What percentage of people in the US are Sexually Abused? According to the CDC, 10.6% of adult women and 2.1% of adult men have reported experiencing a [...]
Psychologists used to recommend talking about sex a year before puberty, but now children on average are exposed to pornography at age 8 due to the internet and pop ups. So families are scrambling about how to talk to [...]
I was in the grocery store the other day overhearing a conversation about someone losing their job. The next day I spoke with an acquaintance who talked about a neighbor killing themselves because they lost their job. More and [...]
*'!#$ you mom said Anthony at the restaurant with his family. Jackie, his mother responds "Don't you talk to me like that and if you say that one more time I will slap you!" I knew when Jackie was [...]
How do you compete and land the job with 500 qualified applicants who want the job as well? Let’s start with looking at all the ways you find a job. There are 16 job hunting methods and they are [...]
Orlando Teen Counselor on warning signs of an abusive teen relationship. Having a teen dating in today’s world is quite a challenge! Because so many teens are accepting some level of abuse as “normal” in relationships, knowing the warning [...]
Save Your Marriage Before It Starts Aww, the freshness of spring.The newness of flowers.In Thumper’s words from the movie, Bambi, love has everyone twitter-pated.It’s that time of year when the ladies have bought their wedding gowns, the bakeries are setting [...]
Orlando marriage counselor offers tips on relationships! "I shouldn't have to say anything! If you love me you should spend more time getting to know me and you should know how I feel." Sound familiar? Often a woman believes [...]
January is Divorce Awareness Month and so this article was written to help prepare parents that are pursuing divorce in a way that will cause the least amount of trauma to the children involved. These mistakes are classic mistakes [...]
Couples that set the below boundaries before selecting their mate not only Divorce Proof their Marriage, but they also report the Best Sexual Satisfaction. Living apart Before You Marry-A British government study found that couples who lived together before marriage [...]