Ron Henson - Mental Health Therapist

08/13/2026

So, two days of consecutive big updates is definitely not on brand for me but here we go.

I’ve been working behind the scenes on something else for a while, and I’m pretty happy to finally share the new and improved In Situ Counseling & Coaching website.

I actually liked the previous version of my website, but looking back, I think it reflected where I was at when I first started building the practice. At that point, I was still figuring out what I wanted In Situ to look like, how I wanted to describe my work, who I wanted to reach, and how all of the pieces of a private practice were supposed to fit together.

As the practice continues to grow and become more established, I realize the website needed to grow with it.

That meant teaching myself quite a bit along the way. Website design, branding, SEO, accessibility, structure, and probably more technical details than I ever expected to know as a therapist. There was a lot of trial and error, but this version feels much more reflective of where the practice is now and where I want it to continue going.

The updated site gives a clearer picture of who I work with, the concerns I commonly help with, what therapy with me is like, insurance and payment information, frequently asked questions, and how to get started.

If you’re considering therapy, looking for a resource for someone you care about, or are a fellow professional looking for somewhere to refer a client, feel free to take a look.

🌐 www.insitucounseling.com

In Situ Counseling & Coaching offers in-person therapy in Alton, Illinois, as well as virtual therapy throughout Illinois, with evening and weekend availability.

And if you know someone who may benefit from another mental health resource, feel free to share the site with them.

Looking for a therapist in Alton IL? In Situ Counseling & Coaching offers in-person and online therapy across Illinois for anxiety, ADHD, relationships, and more.

08/11/2026

I’m excited to officially announce that In Situ Counseling & Coaching now has an in-person office in Alton, Illinois!

When I opened my private practice earlier this year, services were entirely virtual. Opening a physical office feels like a pretty significant next step, and I’m excited to finally have a space where I can meet with clients in person and continue growing the practice within the local community.

The Alton office is now open **by appointment only**, while virtual therapy continues to be available throughout Illinois.

I work with adults, teens, and couples navigating concerns including anxiety, depression, ADHD and executive functioning difficulties, overthinking, stress, relationship concerns, life transitions, self doubt, and other challenges that can make everyday life feel heavier or harder to manage.

My approach to therapy is collaborative, practical, and individualized. I want therapy to be a place where you can actually talk through what is happening, better understand the patterns underneath it, and work toward meaningful changes that fit your real life.

📍 Location: 2710 College Avenue, Suite E5, Alton, Illinois, 62002

https://maps.app.goo.gl/VTtrsqUmNa56HhYA9?g_st=ic

• In-person counseling in Alton
• Virtual therapy throughout Illinois
• Evening and weekend availability
• By appointment only

If you’ve been considering therapy, you can learn more about the practice, explore the new location, or reach out to schedule a consultation through the link below.

I’m very excited about what this next chapter means for In Situ Counseling & Coaching and look forward to continuing to serve Alton and the surrounding communities.

2710 College Ave Suite E5, Alton, IL 62002

06/24/2026

In Psychology, the concept of meaning-making is a core component of our work. Research on how people make sense of their world has often focused on how certain types of meaning-making lead to different outcomes.

For decades, discussions of locus of control have often been simplified into a familiar idea:

-Internal locus of control = healthy
-External locus of control = unhealthy

Not all internal control is healthy, and not all external attribution is unhealthy.

I believe Western bias in viewing independence and self-sufficiency through individual accountability as ideal has resulted in possible missed opportunities for flexibility and nuance.

This realization has led me to develop a conceptual expansion of locus of control known as FLOC (Functional Locus of Control) model.

This model examines locus of control across two dimensions:

Where does a person perceive control coming from?
-Internal: within oneself
-External: outside oneself

What is the outcome of the perception of control?
-Adaptive: outcome is working for the client
-Maladaptive: outcome is not working for the client

This creates four patterns:
1. Adaptive Internal
2. Adaptive External
3. Maladaptive Internal
4. Maladaptive External

This model draws inspiration from several established psychological theories including The FLOC Model builds on these ideas by suggesting that the question is not only: “Do you see control as internal or external?” but also: “Is your relationship with control helping you create a more effective life?”

An important note to understand in general about locus of control is in the insight that although a person might have a maladaptive locus of control this is not a sign of personal failing but rather an acknowledgment that a person's locus of control is often the result of prior meaning making attempts and at one point those meaning making attempts served the person even though the current functioning may no longer be effective / adaptive.

Effective therapy and treatment require flexible tools and understanding that don't stigmatize the client and support providers in understanding their clients in context as people.

06/19/2026

As therapists, we are aware that people experience patterns in their lives and we are trained to help clients identify those themes and patterns as one of the first steps to making changes. Part of the works includes the important step of safety planning when clients experience thoughts of su***de, self-harm or homicide.

For many clinicians, especially early in their careers remembering all the steps to effective safety planning can be challenging. In my view, the step focused on identifying triggers is sometimes overlooked despite this step being really important in prevention.

In my own work with clients when it comes to safety planning and behavioral change, I developed an acronym to help the client and I better understand their experience in 5 key areas.

I present to you with BITES. This acronym helps clinicians and clients explore what typically happens prior to their unique mental health experiences. Through this mnemonic device I assist the client with identifying the Behaviors, mental Images, Thoughts, Emotions, and physiological Sensations that occur in the weeks and days leading up to a crisis.

By breaking up each of these areas into distinct domains I have found my clients and I are more effectively able to dissect their concerns and see real patterns. This also allows the clients to more effectively become aware of the warning signs a crisis might be forming and take steps to engage in the coping and self-care needed before the crisis point develops.

Outside of safety planning, BITES can be an effective tool for exploring the client's experience. This framework builds on CBT by including more specifically the mental images and sensations that a person experiences that can provide a more comprehensive picture of the client.

***deprevention

06/18/2026

Reality Therapy is one of the more misunderstood theories in the field of psychotherapy. As a practitioner of this modality, I have read multiple books on the subject. A few key areas stick out to me regarding the lack of understanding on this theory.

One of the primary challenges I see is the choice of certain language used within our theory. For example, in Reality Therapy we believe mental health distress originates from unmet needs and unsuccessful attempts to me our needs resulting in “frustration.” In my view, "frustration" is misunderstood in our theory due to this label being tied to clusters of words associated with anger/ agitation/ annoyance. A more thoughtful word choice would be friction or discomfort. These words more accurately home in on what I believe William Glasser was aiming for when he developed his theory.

Rather than frustration, any uncomfortable sensation or emotion can highlight unmet needs in our experience. This is not say that I believe these uncomfortable sensations or emotions should be avoided, rather I believe such experiences can serve as the needs barometer for our experience and when used appropriately through adaptive behavioral choices can help guide use more effectively to meeting our needs to achieve our individual quality worlds that each of us strives for.

06/12/2026

I want to take a moment to apologize for my prior endorsement and use of AI. After reflection and introspection, I have decided to retract my prior praises of that technology.

Like many, I thought AI would be helpful in reducing the burden on PEOPLE. I thought AI could help me be more productive and as a result reduce the demands of the day to translate into more time and energy for other areas of my life. I believe many of us thought that.

I assumed if we could only find ways to be more efficient to work smarter than we could get to a place of not feeling overwhelmed with tasks and mentally and physically taxed by the demands of our professions. I have been misled. Big tech has taken advantage of the working classes physical, mental, and emotional vulnerability.

As I have become more informed, I realize that this technology for all its promises cannot and should not be used any more. I have cancelled all subscriptions to the big tech companies along with those leveraging AI. Going forward any content I create will be done manually through my own devices.

It saddens me to know that this technology could have been something great to help everyday PEOPLE. Unfortunately, those pioneering this technology are doing so with reckless abandon without consideration for the harm to PEOPLE, the planet, and privacy all in the name of profit.

I encourage others that are also utilizing AI technology to discontinue using it as well. Enough is enough.

06/01/2026

You say yes when you are tired. You stay longer than you want. You answer the message even when your energy is already gone. It feels easier in the moment, more kind, more responsible.

But every time you override that small inner signal, a little more of your peace slips away. The quiet exhaustion builds. The resentment creeps in. And you wonder why you feel so drained even when nothing dramatic happened.

Protecting your peace is not selfish or cold. It is a quiet kind of courage. It is choosing to honor your limits before they become resentment. It is learning that a gentle no can preserve the yes you actually want to give.

Your energy is precious. Your presence is a gift. You are allowed to guard both.

If protecting your peace has felt hard or unfamiliar lately, In Situ Counseling & Coaching offers virtual therapy for adults in Illinois including evenings and weekends. Gentle support can help you practice those boundaries with kindness and clarity.

🌐 www.insitucounseling.com
📞 618-539-2149
📧 [email protected]

05/31/2026

End of May always carries a strange mix of feelings.

Mental Health Awareness Month reminds us to check in, speak up, and keep growing, yet for many of us the truth is quieter. Some days you are not blooming. You are barely holding steady. The energy that used to come easily now feels buried, and the pressure to show progress anyway starts to weigh on you.

This is one of those seasons that asks for rooting instead of reaching. For going deeper into what grounds you rather than forcing flowers that are not ready. Resting. Reorganizing. Letting old leaves fall without apology. Healing does not always look productive or pretty. Sometimes it looks like stillness while the roots do their invisible work.

If you are in a rooting season right now and it feels like you are falling behind, you are not. You are preparing for whatever comes next in the way that actually lasts.

If this season has felt heavier than you expected, In Situ Counseling & Coaching offers virtual therapy for adults in Illinois including evenings and weekends. Gentle space to honor where you actually are instead of where you think you should be.

🌐 www.insitucounseling.com
📞 618-539-2149
📧 [email protected]

05/30/2026

That voice in your head is loud sometimes.

It tells you that you should have done better, been better, moved faster. It points out every flaw and calls it truth. And because it sounds so familiar, you listen. You shrink. You push harder. You apologize for taking up space.

But the inner critic is rarely kind, and it is almost never wise. It learned its tone from old wounds, old rules, old fears. It does not know the full story of who you are now or what you are capable of becoming.

There is another voice, quieter at first, that speaks with curiosity instead of judgment. With compassion instead of correction. Learning to turn toward that voice does not mean ignoring problems. It means meeting yourself with the same gentleness you would offer someone you love.

If the critic has been especially loud lately, In Situ Counseling & Coaching offers virtual therapy for adults in Illinois including evenings and weekends. Gentle support can help you turn down the volume on the old stories and write some kinder ones.

🌐 www.insitucounseling.com
📞 618-539-2149
📧 [email protected]