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.
According to statistics, most kids are spending three and a half hours a day on social media. This is alarming because kids who use social media more than three hours a day risk doubling their mental health issues which [...]
Orlando Teen Counselor Therapist “The thing I remember most about middle school was how tough it was. You're not quite an adult, but you're not a kid anymore.” Jen Walters” It is this battlefield of questions that we leave [...]
It is often believed by educators, counselors, and parents that children and adolescents are shielded from drugs and alcohol, in the private school sector. However, children and adolescents are part of a much larger society, of which private schooling [...]
Roughly 95% of adolescents aged 13-17 report using social media. Social media use can present mental health concerns, such as anxiety and depression, in children and adolescents who spend more than 3 hours a day on social media. This [...]
Summer is well underway and that means no sleep schedules, no eating schedules and more importantly no screen time schedules and while this may seem like every kids dream, the habits that start in the summer have a risk [...]
Attachment is vital to a child and the caregiver's responsiveness to the child is paramount to securing that attachment. Attachment issues are very prevalent in our society today and can play out in a variety of ways. Things such [...]
Student Mental Health Statistics Florida ranks 30th in the nation for dealing with youth mental health 1 in 10 Florida kids suffered a major depressive episode in the last year 2/3rds of those kids said they never got help [...]
Sleep is important. Getting enough sleep isn’t always easy, we might have a hard time falling asleep when we want to or we might not want to go to sleep early at all. Our free time can [...]
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a Cluster B Personality disorder characterized by instability in relationships, self-image, and emotions. BPD can cause affected people to display emotional, erratic, or dramatic symptoms. BPD is the third most prevalent personality disorder, affecting [...]
Many people turn to overeating as a coping mechanism when they are dealing with difficult emotions or stress. Eating can provide a temporary distraction from negative feelings, and the act of eating can release feel-good chemicals in the [...]
Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen have been a couple since 2006 and although they seem like a fairy tale couple, their recent drama proves otherwise. Tom’s first son was born in 2007. However, his first child was not with [...]
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 [...]