CCCNews Podcast: Counselor Colleen Worrell Offers Insight on Mental Health

Jun 6

Written By Columbia Community Connection

By Joshuah Albert

The Dalles, Ore. June 6, 2025 — In a recent episode of the CCCNews podcast, licensed professional counselor Colleen Worrell joined our host Tom Peterson to discuss mental health, self-care, and strategies for shifting destructive thought patterns.

Colleen, who practices in both Oregon and Washington and has worked in the field for more than a decade, emphasized that therapy is less about fixing people and more about serving them.

“Therapy comes from the Greek word for servant,” she said. “It’s like offering someone a bowl of soup. If they don’t like that kind, you offer a different one.”

Throughout the conversation, Colleen explained that many harmful behaviors and thoughts are rooted in the brain’s effort to maintain familiar systems, even if those systems are harmful. She likened neural habits to cattle paths worn through a field: the brain prefers what it knows, even if change is healthier.

“If you try to walk a new path, it’s uncomfortable,” she said. “But eventually, that new route becomes the easier one.”

She also addressed the tendency to focus on perceived failures instead of achievements. “When people point out the 1% you got wrong instead of the 99% you got right, it’s often about their own insecurities,” she said. “We have to train ourselves to see the whole picture and offer ourselves some grace.”

Host Tom Petersen reflected on the cultural shift around self-care, saying he grew up thinking it meant being “tough.” Colleen countered that mindset, stressing the importance of small, consistent steps—like movement, hydration, and kindness to oneself—as a way to challenge shame and anxiety.

“You can’t just tell yourself ‘no’ to a bad thought,” she said. “You have to recognize it, call it what it is, and guide your mind elsewhere.”

Colleen also discussed how feelings are typically rooted in either fear or love. “The absence of fear is love,” she said. “It’s about acting with compassion toward others and yourself.”

Techniques like deep breathing, mindfulness, and seeking support from trusted people were offered as tools to help reframe negative thoughts. She emphasized that everyone struggles and that change is a continuous, uneven process.

The episode wrapped with information about Colleen’s counseling services at Strong Tree Counseling, located at 409 Lincoln St. in The Dalles. She encouraged anyone interested in therapy to reach out via her answering service at 541-993-2789, noting she often refers new clients when her schedule is full.

“You’re not weird because you struggle,” she said. “If you didn’t struggle, that would be weird.”

To listen to the full episode, visit cccnews.com or find the CCC News podcast on your preferred streaming platform.