Happy September! I feel like it was just yesterday that I was planning and writing about the content I’d be sharing this year, and now here we are, wrapping up the last quarter of the year! I’ve been brainstorming content I’d like to share with you all in 2020, and I’m excited about what’s in …
Anxiety
Toxic Relationship Beliefs?
As I sat down to write this blog post, all I could think was: Gosh, dating can be tough. Dating can be tough for so many reasons. For one, in our individualistic society today, it can be hard to simply meet someone we even want to date! When we do find someone we want to date, wading through questions about …
Am I in Love with the Wrong Person?
Amanda arrived for her first counseling appointment. She sat down on the couch, handed in her opening paperwork, and immediately burst into tears. After a few minutes, she was able to explain what had brought her to counseling. She was afraid she was in love with “the wrong man.” Amanda was a bright, attractive woman …
Am I Ready to Date After My Divorce?
I was recently asked how one knows when they’re ready to start dating again after they’ve been divorced. The answer can frustrate folks, in that there is no formulaic answer – it really does depend on the individual and the circumstance. I don’t know about you, but I like formulaic answers. They tend to give me …
Friendships and Marriage
I’ve never been big on Valentine’s Day. (You’re probably wondering why I’m writing about Valentine’s Day in the summertime, but hang with me…I promise I have a point!) Even when I was dating someone in the month of February, I always felt the sentiment of the holiday to feel a bit…forced. I felt I had …
Anxiety and Our Bodies
Perhaps you, a loved one, or someone you know have experienced something similar to the following scenario. One day, you’re going about your normal routine, and nothing seems out of the ordinary, until suddenly, out of nowhere, your chest starts hurting and your heart starts pounding so hard, you feel as though it may pound …
Emotions as Teachers
Emotions have not always been thought of in the most positive light. I’m sure most (if not all) of us can think back to a time when we experienced an emotion, be it positive or negative, and we were told to “tone it down,” “get over it,” or given some kind of nonverbal indicator that …
Get Off the Struggle Bus
“You want me to accept what?!” Sometimes when I talk with clients about allowing their difficult emotions to exist inside of them, instead of offering some “prescription” or intervention for making them disappear, I notice I get one of two reactions: 1) my clients look at me like I have two heads (and may be thinking about …
The Benefits of Self-Reflection
A few years ago, I had a profound experience of crashing and burning. I had been working for a non-profit counseling agency, doing in-home family therapy. I had loved my job for most of my time working there; I loved my co-workers and I believed in the work I was doing. About two years into …
Wholeness
Happy Spring! It’s hard to believe we’re into APRIL already, but I am so glad that we are! I don’t know about you, but, as much as I love the first snowfall of winter, I start to not love the fifth snowfall, especially when it’s in March! I’m excited for spring and the new growth that comes …