Brook L. McKay, Therapy

Brook L. McKay, Therapy Brook L. McKay is a limited license psychologist providing individual and couples therapy (telehealth/online therapy services only).

SELF-IMAGE. Cultivating a positive self-image means challenging negative beliefs, acknowledging your strengths and havin...
06/22/2026

SELF-IMAGE. Cultivating a positive self-image means challenging negative beliefs, acknowledging your strengths and having compassion for yourself. Easier said than done, I know. It is hard to quiet our inner critic when we look in the mirror. The one telling us we are not up to scratch. The good news is we do have influence over this.⁣
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The fact is, we all have something we would like to change about our self-image, but having an overall positive and healthy perspective of ourselves should override the critic. It is possible to love ourselves on the inside and out. Start by paying yourself a compliment.⁣
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Homework: Write a list of 5-10 positive things that make you, you!⁣
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Photo credit: Self-Portrait by Oliver McKay⁣
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BOLD. Life is a journey, but what does it mean to live a bold journey? How can you be bold?⁣⁣All too often, when faced w...
06/15/2026

BOLD. Life is a journey, but what does it mean to live a bold journey? How can you be bold?⁣
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All too often, when faced with a challenge, we choose the path of least resistance. No judgment there! Taking a risk is never easy and is often met with rejection and disappointment. But remember, those who came before you – take inspiration from the trailblazers.⁣
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We don’t meet our potential in life by being a bystander, we do so by channeling our inner courage, confidence and desire to take a risk. Learn from others who have done so already.⁣
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Full article Bold Journey (link in bio):⁣
www.boldjourney.com/meet-brook-mckay⁣
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Homework: Be bold.⁣
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06/08/2026

DEAR ME. I will say with great certainty that we have all had a time in our youth where we felt we did not belong or felt insignificant. A time when we were unable to find our place and purpose in this world . . . thinking we never would.⁣
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As adults, we attempt to evolve and shed childhood wounds. We realize our circle is not limited to the confines of the school or neighborhood we grew up in. We slowly find like-minded people. We find our purpose. We look back and can barely recognize the childhood we left behind. We now know we will see better days.⁣
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Homework: Write a letter to a younger version of yourself about the future you.⁣
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Song credit: ‘Dear Me’ by
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I SPY. The game of car rides as a child is a concept we should adopt as adults. What this simple guessing game forces us...
05/25/2026

I SPY. The game of car rides as a child is a concept we should adopt as adults. What this simple guessing game forces us to do is focus on the present moment. It creates the opportunity for us to notice the small things, which in our go-go lifestyles is typically overlooked.⁣
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We take for granted the moments worth appreciating. We become conditioned to keep achieving and doing more in our pursuit of happiness. Ironically, if we took a moment, we would realize happiness is in the small things – the first sip of coffee in the morning as the sun comes up, a song playing that reminds you of a memorable time or the chat with your kid on the way to school. The small moments remind us that happiness doesn’t always come from big achievements.⁣
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Homework: Play ‘I Spy’ each day to notice one small thing.⁣
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05/18/2026

SELF-SOOTHE. The ability to self-soothe is one of the most important skills you can learn. We all get overwhelmed for one reason or another – a fight with your partner, deadlines at work, financial concerns – you name it. When we get overwhelmed by stress, our nervous system (specifically our vagus nerve) gets stuck in ‘fight-or-flight’ mode. It can be really hard in this moment to regulate our emotions to a state of calm and quite easy to turn to unhealthy coping options to destress.⁣
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Instead, the next time you feel overwhelmed by life, try one of these self-soothing options in order to ensure your vagus nerve is functioning effectively to help promote emotional balance:⁣
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* Listen to calming music paired with visual imagery⁣
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* Walk and take in your surroundings without headphones on⁣
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* Hug yourself for 30-60 seconds⁣
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* Take a warm shower or bath⁣
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* Do a structured breathing exercise⁣
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* Try progressive muscle relaxation (Google it)⁣
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* Do your favorite self-care activity (drawing, baking, running, dancing, call a friend)⁣
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BOND. Developing a bond with a child from birth onwards is complex. Bonding isn't a single ‘magic moment’; it is the res...
05/11/2026

BOND. Developing a bond with a child from birth onwards is complex. Bonding isn't a single ‘magic moment’; it is the result of thousands of small, repeated interactions over time. Just as in this collage of curated bonding moments.⁣
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But make no mistake, behind the happy memories in this photo remains the ‘invisible load’ of being a mother. The mental gymnastics of trying to raise another human and remain sane is real. As mothers, we don’t always get it right or possibly never do. We try. We try to bond in our own way.⁣
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I know I am a perfectly imperfect mother, but I know the profound positive impact creating a secure bond will have on my child’s development. I also know the negative impact of not creating a healthy bond, so I try to make bonding a priority.

Of course, not all of us were or are able to have a good bond with our mother and that is OK! Just don’t let that deter you from interacting with any child in the smallest of ways as each positive interaction counts. Thank you to all who mother us; it takes a village!
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Homework: Ask yourself today, what type of bond did you have with your mother? And how did it positively and/or negatively impact your life? ⁣
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FACETIME. Why should we talk anymore when we can just text, order on an app or tune out with headphones? A 2026 research...
05/04/2026

FACETIME. Why should we talk anymore when we can just text, order on an app or tune out with headphones? A 2026 research study shows we have gone from 16,600 words spoken per day in 2005 to 11,900 per day in 2019; a 28% decline. If you don’t find this concerning, you should.⁣
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As I have mentioned in a number of my posts, socializing and social support is key to better mental health. By disengaging from opportunities to interact with others IRL, we are further isolating ourselves from society. Think about it – ordering coffee online instead of talking to the barista, texting ‘congrats’ instead of calling, going everywhere with our earbuds in instead of engaging with strangers, and the list goes on. Talking requires our brains to process and respond to conversations in real-time at a rate of 200 milliseconds. Less talking, less engagement could lead to increased loneliness.⁣
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Whether typed conversations provide the same social benefits as spoken conversations is still an open question. Yet a few things are certain, you won’t be ‘ghosted’, wait for those ellipses to emerge or misinterpret tone when you talk to someone in person.⁣
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Homework: Dial or video call a friend for a chat this week.⁣
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NB: The 2026 study mentioned was published in Perspectives on Psychological Science by researchers from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the University of Arizona (journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/17456916261425131)⁣
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FLAWS. Are we all flawed in some way? Of course. We each have a trait or quirk we deem to be a weakness, but is it reall...
04/27/2026

FLAWS. Are we all flawed in some way? Of course. We each have a trait or quirk we deem to be a weakness, but is it really? In actual fact, these traits you believe to be flaws can and will become your strengths if perceived differently.⁣
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For example, you might deal with anxiety and often imagine the worst-case scenario in any situation. Yet, when faced with the most challenging situations, you will be the best prepared. You might be a highly sensitive person, but when in a group setting you are the first person to notice when someone is upset and needs support as you possess empathy. You might be a procrastinator who leaves tasks until the last minute, but in high pressure situations you are able to produce practical solutions quickly. Whatever your flaws, embrace each as they become a valuable asset in the right situation.⁣
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Homework: Own your flaws and use them as your superpower.⁣
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04/20/2026

CHALLENGE. When faced with a new challenge, do you view it as an opportunity or a chance to fail? This is the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset. With a growth mindset, you say, ‘I can learn to do this.’ With a fixed mindset, you don’t even try because you don’t want to fail. It is the difference between viewing failure as an opportunity to grow versus failure as the limit to your abilities. ⁣
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I was not born to ride a BMX bike, but I wanted to try it for the first time. It was an opportunity to challenge myself and I knew with some effort and skills learning, I could make it around the track. I won’t be racing the ‘kids’ any time soon, but I did not allow my brain to convince me I was not capable of trying.⁣
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Homework: Challenge yourself to try something new with a growth mindset.⁣
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INNOCENCE. As I marked another year around the sun this past Thursday, I took a look back at myself in my childhood phot...
04/13/2026

INNOCENCE. As I marked another year around the sun this past Thursday, I took a look back at myself in my childhood photo album. Those days where I prioritized curiosity over fear, friends over family and candy over a meal.⁣
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I remember it as if it were yesterday riding all around in the iconic ‘Big Wheel’ or ‘Power Cycle’ tricycle of the 70s/80s. I was able to find joy in the simple things, inhale life with no preconceived notions and explore with unbridled enthusiasm. I was able to express how I feel with unfiltered honesty. I was able to be confident without being self-conscious. I was able to be kind without any bias. I was living my childhood innocence era as we all do.⁣
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So, then what happens? I experienced life and others showed me a new reality. I am a child at heart and use this mindset to bring me back to the innocence and joy of life when life brings me down (because it will). Others can try to steal your joy, but never forget, your inner child prevails – keep riding and making lifelong memories.⁣
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Homework: Choose to have joy in your life and be kind to others – there is a child within us all and an adult that needs healing.⁣
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Address

22757 Woodward Avenue
Ferndale, MI
48220

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 8pm
Tuesday 8am - 8pm
Wednesday 8am - 8pm
Thursday 8am - 8pm
Friday 8am - 12pm

Telephone

+12487024907

Website

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