Ats Counseling-Focus Institute

08/21/2026

POSTPARTUM PSYCHOSIS: Let’s talk about it

Can someone in psychosis know what is real and what is not?

One of the most misunderstood aspects of psychosis is insight. Does someone in psychosis understand their thoughts?

Many people assume a person is either completely connected to reality or completely disconnected from it, but psychosis is not always that simple.

Early in an illness, a person may recognize that a thought, voice, or fear does not make sense. She may think, “I know this probably is not real, but it feels real.” She may be frightened by her own thoughts and try to resist them. This is sometimes called partial insight.

As the illness becomes more severe, that insight may weaken or disappear. What once felt like a disturbing possibility can begin to feel like an unquestionable fact. During an acute psychotic break, logical thinking is no longer reliably guiding the person’s understanding of what is happening. The illness shapes how the person sees their world.

Think about waking from a terrifying dream. For a few moments, the dream feels completely real. Most of us quickly recognize that it was only a dream. A person experiencing active psychosis may not be able to make that correction. Her brain continues telling her that the danger, command, or belief is real, even when no one else can see it.

This also explains how someone can appear organized in some ways while still experiencing psychosis. A person may be able to perform daily functions in a normal way such as answering questions, using a phone, or completing familiar tasks. This does not accurately reflect if the person understands reality or not.

Organized behavior and psychotic thinking can exist at the same time.

Symptoms may also fluctuate. A person can have moments of clarity followed by periods when a hallucination or delusion takes control of her thinking. That inconsistency can be confusing to family members, medical professionals, and jurors.

Tomorrow, we will address an even harder question: Can someone experiencing psychosis still know right from wrong?

08/21/2026

POSTPARTUM PSYCHOSIS: LET’S TALK ABOUT IT

Is Postpartum Psychosis Real?

The trial of Lindsay Clancy has created a difficult but necessary conversation about postpartum psychosis. Her defense maintains that she was experiencing postpartum psychosis when she killed her three children in January 2023. Prosecutors argue that her actions were deliberate and that she understood what she was doing. Whichever side you take, isn’t the focus here but rather bringing awareness to this topic.

To answer the first question: Yes. Postpartum psychosis is a real and serious psychiatric condition. It is also rare, affecting approximately one or two mothers out of every 1,000 births.

Postpartum psychosis is not the same as the “baby blues,” postpartum depression, or postpartum anxiety.

Normal hormonal shifts after delivery may include crying, irritability, and feeling overwhelmed, but typically these resolve within a couple of weeks. Postpartum depression can cause persistent sadness, hopelessness, guilt, loss of interest, difficulty bonding, and sometimes thoughts of death or su***de.

Postpartum psychosis affects a person’s ability to accurately understand reality. Symptoms may include:

• Hallucinations
• Delusions or fixed false beliefs
• Paranoia
• Severe confusion
• Disorganized thinking or behavior
• Mania or extreme agitation
• Rapid mood changes
• An inability to sleep

Symptoms can develop quickly and may change significantly from one hour or day to the next. A loved one may appear relatively calm at one point and become confused, fearful, suspicious, or disconnected from reality later.

Postpartum psychosis is treatable but it requires psychiatric care which includes medication. It is not a character flaw, a lack of maternal love, or an excuse someone simply invents after hurting someone or themselves.

Tomorrow we will discuss possibly the most confusing parts of psychosis: Can someone know that a thought is not real and later become completely convinced that it is?

08/18/2026

Oklahoma School for the Deaf is offering free ASL classes again. Please see the flyer for more information, sign up or share away.
Repost off Oklahoma School for the Deaf Repost from Oklahoma School for the Deaf
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⏰ 10-DAY COUNTDOWN! 🎉

Who’s ready to take FREE online ASL classes with the Oklahoma School for the Deaf? The countdown is on!

📅 Registration opens August 24!

Choose ASL 1, ASL 2, or BOTH and begin your class immediately after registering. Learn at your own pace, from anywhere!

🗓 Registration: August 24–September 30
👉 Mark your calendar and sign up on August 24!
🔗 https://courses.osd.k12.ok.us

Register for FREE Online ASL Classes
A special thank-you to the Oklahoma School for the Deaf Foundation for their generous support in making these FREE online ASL classes possible! 💚🤟

Photo id: Photo ID: A promotional flyer from the Oklahoma School for the Deaf (OSD) advertising free online ASL classes. The design uses green, black, gray, and white and features an illustrated bison wearing an OSD shirt, signing “I love you” while using a laptop. Large text reads, “FREE ONLINE ASL CLASSES.” The classes are self-paced, flexible, designed for beginners, and 100% online. Registration opens August 24, 2026, ends September 30, 2026, and participants have access until December 17, 2026. The flyer includes the message, “Learn ASL. Open minds. Build connections.”

08/18/2026

Congratulations to our Associate Director, Tristan Winkler, on being named one of Enid’s Top 10 Under 40 for 2026! We are incredibly proud to see Tristan recognized for her leadership, dedication to our community, and genuine servant’s heart. This honor is so well deserved!

Pictured: Rebecca Kroeker, 2012 Top 10 Under 40 recipient; Tristan Winkler, 2026 Top 10 Under 40 recipient; and Amy Hartling, previous Top 10 Under 40 nominee.

08/12/2026

We are proud to support Enid Young Professionals as a Silver Sponsor of the 10 Under 40 Awards, which celebrates individuals who are leading, serving, and making a difference in our community.

This year is especially meaningful to us because our Associate Director, Tristan Winkler, has been nominated for this honor. Tristan brings a true servant’s heart to both ATS Counseling and the Enid community, generously giving her time and talents to help others. We are proud of her, and we are grateful for the opportunity to support local organizations that recognize and encourage the people working to make our community stronger. Please join us in cheering Tristan on! 💙

🥈 Silver Sponsor Spotlight 🥈

Thank you to Ats Counseling-Focus Institute for joining us as a Silver Sponsor of the EYP 10 Under 40 Awards!

We're grateful for your investment in celebrating the individuals who are leading, serving, and strengthening our community each day.

08/12/2026

We are so proud of our Associate Director and the servant’s heart she brings to our community. She generously gives her time, energy, and talents to support others, often working quietly behind the scenes without seeking recognition. Her commitment to serving our community reflects the compassion and care we value at ATS Counseling. Please join us in cheering her on and thanking her for the difference she continues to make! 💙

Tristan loves outreach because it gives us the opportunity to meet people during some of their most vulnerable moments and remind them that there are safe, kind people who genuinely care and want to help. Everyone is dealt a different hand in life, but not everyone is given the tools or support to know how to play it. Outreach can provide that support, create opportunities for change, and help break the generational cycles. Being able to witness that change is what makes this work so meaningful to me. She is one of our board members at Enid SOS. #🆘

08/08/2026

We had a marvelous time at Downtown Enid & Main Street Enid’s First Friday! 💙

We loved seeing everyone who stopped by to say hello and create their very own Quiet Critter with us! It was such a fun evening filled with connection, creativity, and community.

We’re incredibly grateful to be part of a community with so many amazing organizations, nonprofits, and local businesses working together to support Enid and the people who call it home. Thanks again to everyone who stopped b! We loved spending First Friday with you! 🫶

If you or someone you know is in need of mental health/behavioral health services, we’re here to help. To learn more about the services we offer or to get started, give us a call at 580-242-4673.

08/03/2026

🍎 Back-to-school season is here! Every child learns differently, and understanding how your child thinks, learns, and processes information can make all the difference in the classroom. At Associated Therapeutic Services, we provide comprehensive Autism, ADHD, Learning, and Dyslexia Assessments to help identify your child’s unique strengths and challenges. Our evaluations can also provide valuable information that may support school services, including IEP eligibility when appropriate. We accept Medicaid, SoonerCare, most private insurance, and private pay. Call us at 580-242-4673, text 580-237-0332, or email [email protected] to schedule an appointment. Let’s work together to help your child start the school year with confidence and the support they deserve. 🍎📚💙