Posts in Therapy
What is Minimalism? The Art of Knowing You Are Enough Without Your Stuff

What comes up for you when you hear the word minimalism? If you’re like most people, you will probably go straight to physical clutter and getting rid of stuff in your house. That’s a huge part of it, but there’s so much more. Let’s look at the many levels of minimalism.

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Transparent but Vague: A Mantra to Get You Through the Holidays

Mantras, Mantras, Mantras…a great way to help you get through tough stuff. Holidays are hard for everyone for many different reasons. Who couldn’t use some additional coping skills for their toolbox?

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Aftermath of Hurricane Harvey: Coping Skills & Back to Basics

In times of crisis, we don’t need processing skills or to go deeply into our trauma in the immediate aftermath. We need to get back to basics and focus on our coping skills in regaining normal functioning so that we can engage in making plans for moving forward, building our strength and resiliency, and utilizing our support systems effectively. Learn more tips about dealing with a crisis such as Hurricane Harvey.

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Do You Have Your Emotional Emergency Kit Ready for 2017?

The new year is a great time to explore goals and resolutions, but more importantly I think you have the chance to improve overall coping skills.  2016 took an emotional toll on many, so get ready for anything that may arise in 2017 by putting together your emotional toolkit.  Check it out here. 

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Is Mental Health on Your Wishlist? 9 Strategies for Keeping your Sanity this Holiday Season

Have you considered yourself or your mental health during the holidays?  It's such a great time of the year, but it can be stressful and bring up painful and uncomfortable emotions as well.  I'll give you 9 concrete strategies for managing your stress levels and finding ways to enjoy this time. 

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How Are You REALLY Doing This Holiday Season? The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

You can probably list a million things you love about the holidays, and a million things that bring you down.  It's normal to experience a mix of pleasant and uncomfortable emotions during the holiday season.  How much avoiding are you doing, and how much are you missing what's important?  I go through 3 easy steps you can take to make the absolute most of your holiday. 

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Talk about the Tough Stuff: Thanksgiving and Gratitude

What if you can't think of a single thing to put on your gratitude list this year?  When you're going through something hard, being grateful can be draining and feel impossible.  I explore the role of pain, gratitude, and numbing in my latest post, and how to make the most of these feelings as the holidays approach. 

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"Am I Allowed to Curse in Here?" - Become an Authentic Client

Have you ever asked your therapist if you're allowed to curse in therapy?  Or apologized when you started crying?  I encourage my clients to express themselves the way they need to in that moment.  Anything else is guarded and gets in the way of therapy.  In my latest post I talk about some other reasons this is important and why being your authentic self will help. 

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How #ThisPsychMajor and Other Mental Health Professionals are Changing Lives

Mental health professionals are often misunderstood and misrepresented in the media.  Recently Jeb Bush's statements about higher education, specifically psychology majors, has led to the #thispsychmajor Twitter and Facebook campaign.  In this post, I talk about different ways to enter the psychology field, various issues that therapists and counselors work with, and have quotes from therapist's from around the country explaining how they help people change their lives. 

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"Will I Ever Be Good Enough?" A Relatable Approach to Self-Compassion

Have you heard of self-compassion?  In short, it's a way of understanding the human experience of pain and suffering, knowing that everyone suffers, and being compassion about your own inadequacies or short comings.  For me, I feel like the language of self-compassion can be hard to connect with, but the ideas are so amazing!  Here I break down some of the ideas in a real way that you can embrace. 

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4 Reasons Why “Shoulding” Yourself Isn’t Helping You be a Better Parent

Parents are always thinking about how to be a better parent and what they should be doing.  But is shoulding yourself really helping you to be a better parent?  The answer is no and this post explores some of the reasons why shoulding yourself isn't helpful. 

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A Different Way to Think about Improving Your Relationship

How would your relationship be different if a miracle occurred and all your problems were solved?  What things would you notice in your partner and what would they say about you?  Diving into the miracle question can help you open your mind to new possibilities and begin the process of making changes that will improve your relationship. 

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