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 …
Singleness
Blind Love
If you’ve read my blog in the past, you probably know that my guilty pleasure TV show is the The Bachelor/ette. (**Warning: if you watch the show and haven’t watched the episode from 7/15, this blog contains spoilers!**) Every Monday night, a group of girlfriends and I gather together to eat, drink, and dissect all of …
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 …
Dating After Divorce: A PICK Group
I’m so excited to announce the launch of our fall Premarital Interpersonal Choices & Knowledge (PICK) group! This group will be specifically for women who’ve been through a divorce and who would like a practical guide for building and establishing healthy and fulfilling long-term relationships. Dating after divorce can feel overwhelming and scary. Is the dating …
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 …
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 …
Why We Need Other People
My idea of an ideal evening? Good food, good friends, and good conversation. I’ve noticed that I feel most myself and most energized in these settings. There’s a reason for that – and it’s not just because I’m an extrovert on the Myers-Briggs! I’ve had conversations with clients and friends–who are introverted–about our longing as …
Living Life to the Full (Anxiety Not Withstanding)
My original idea for this blog post was to talk about how one can thrive and live life to the fullest even in the midst of anxiety. I wanted to provide practical tips and tools for those who struggle with anxiety to use in everyday life to increase their enjoyment of life. I’m realizing that, …