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.
Read MoreYou 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.
Read MoreWhat 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.
Read MoreHave you ever heard of infertility counseling? Not many people have. It's something kind of new in terms of therapy, but I've found it to be incredibly effective with people going through infertility. There are so many emotions and symptoms that come in and out during this journey. You deserve support, guidance, and acceptance during this process, and a qualified infertility counselor can provide that.
Read MoreIt's hard to know what will really happen to your relationship after you've had a baby. Conflict increases for practically every couple and most people are shocked by this. They don't know how to handle it and start to stress out, which results in even more fighting. I talk about some things that will happen postbaby, how to move on from conflict, and give you an exercise to see quick improvement in your relationship.
Read MoreHave you ever thought about what it's like to go through infertility until you're facing infertility? Probably not, unless you have someone close to you that went through it too. Either way, it's hard to know what to expect from this experience. This post explores some of this common issues that people are faced with on their infertility journey. Things will play out differently for everyone, but this will give you an overview of what you may encounter along the way.
Read MoreHave you ever been afraid to ask a stupid question? If everyone else just knows how to do something, what does it mean about you that you don't know how to do it? And even more, what if it's something really simple? This week I'm diving into a personal experience of googling "how to apply lipstick" and diving into the lessons I learned about therapy from this experience. Asking for help can be hard, especially when it's something we feel like we should know. A couple of take aways from my experience, you are not alone (wait until you learn how many results came up from my google search), no one takes what you know and where you are in that process for granted, and gaining support is essential.
Read MoreThe blamer: the person who isn't afraid to ask the questions, who's comfortable hearing the uncomfortable, and sometimes lacks sensitivity. When you're going through infertility, you'll be met with many different responses. People won't always say the right things, but understanding their intentions can help diffuse the situation and guide you both in moving forward in a supportive way. It may feel like you can't lean on anyone, like no one understands you, but if you let someone in they can be there for you. In this post, I talk about ways to deal with a blamer and turn hurtful conversations into helpful ones.
Read MoreContinuing the series, this week I talk about the third type of responder-the "existentialist". The existentialist is the everything happens for a reason kind of person, helpful in many ways, hurtful in others. I have some concrete strategies for how to deal with an existentialist and help them meet you where you are, as well as honor your feelings at the present time.
Read More"At least you are able to spend time together as a couple now before you have kids." This comment has been repeated over and over to people going through infertility, as well as "it's going to be ok" "it'll work out, just relax." In this post I discuss my second type of well-intentioned but a little off base responder: the "minimizer". I share what minimizing does, how these people are trying to help, and strategies for how to deal with them.
Read MoreEven if you aren't going through infertility, I bet you've come across a "fixer"...that person that is already 10 steps ahead and into problem solving mode before you've even finished your sentence. Fixers can be great supporters and awesome friends to have by your side, but there are situations where they're just plain hard to deal with. I'll give you some concrete tips on how to deal with fixers to avoid hurt feelings, sadness, and prevent resentments.
Read MoreHave 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.
Read MoreDo you feel like fighting is the enemy in your relationship? Are you ready to stop fighting all together? My latest post offers some different ways to think about conflict and why your relationship has gotten to where it is. Don't give up, and never stop fighting for your marriage.
Read MoreEver wonder how Snicker's bars can make you a better parent? Have you seen that commercial, "you aren't yourself when you're hungry?" I'll tell you about a technique that will help you to stop and think before you start yelling or disciplining your kids in a way that doesn't feel like you. It's easy to lose your patience at times, but this is a way to remember to HALT before you say something you can't take back.
Read MoreIt's National Infertility Awareness Week and the theme is "Start Asking". I hope to increase awareness of issues faced by the infertility community, but also would like to help those who find themselves in a supportive role learn how to start asking the right questions and begin having meaningful conversations around this painful topic. Read here to learn more.
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