Finding Healthy Tension Reduction Can Help Reduce Urges for Self-Harm and Sabotage
Ever been in an argument and the other person tells you to calm down? In some rare scenario, maybe that was helpful. Most likely, it was the wrong thing to say and actually set you off again! We get a lot of messages that we should be more calm, less stressed. Okay, maybe so. But […]
Book Review: Dr. Becky’s “Good Inside” Full of Parenting Insight and Tools
In case you hadn’t heard, Dr. Becky Kennedy has a new book on parenting called “Good Inside”. While there is no users manual or perfect solution for every situation, her book offers a powerful paradigm as well as useful tools you can apply. Julia Johnson, mental health therapist intern and mother of two gobbled the […]
The Quiet Work of Grief: Letting Time Heal in a World That Doesn’t Stop
Grief is a natural process. You’ve probably heard that before, but when you are in the middle of it, that might sound cold or technical. Let’s think of a “process” like others fundamental to the human experience as falling in love, developing a sense of humor, or finding work that is fulfilling. A process doesn’t […]
Meet ACT Therapy, A Research-based Approach that Helps You Find Change
You may have heard of third-wave coffee, I’d like to introduce you to third-wave therapy. The foundations of therapy are not obsolete, but third-wave brings research and structured theory on how to integrate the most effective elements of counseling. It’s not search-and-replace, but a process of distilling the best and elevating what works. Pronounced as […]
How Parents Impact a Child’s Anxiety—For Better or Worse
Any childhood treatment of anxiety should look at the context of things. The age of the child might mean a fear is fairly normal, perhaps they can “outgrow” it. The situation if of course relevant. Being afraid of school after a bullying incident makes perfect sense. Struggling with certain types of anxiety might also reflect […]
Concerned about “Toxic Parenting”? Three Easy Mistakes Parents Make
For the curious or mildly self-aware, a casual scroll through social media is full of possible labels you can assign yourself. Narcissist, autistic, adult-ADHD, the list goes on. I can guess that if you are reading this, you may already be doing the work to check your behaviors and attitudes. Or you might be reading […]
Families Under Stress: Enmeshment vs. Trauma-Bonding
I always caution my clients, be careful what you Google. With AI advancement and the glut of computer generated content online, things are even trickier. You can be searching for serious answers and find them staring at you, cold-hearted “truth” and believe you have found your destiny or identified a mortal wound. Trauma-bonding is one […]
Mindfulness, Resilience, and the Brain: Unlocking Inner Potential
Mindfulness has become a cornerstone of modern wellness and mental health conversations. While it often conjures images of serene meditation or deep breathing exercises, its implications reach far beyond feeling calm and regulated. Understanding more about how mindfulness works, we can better understand its transformative potential. How We Think of Mindfulness At its core, mindfulness […]
How to Recognize A Trauma Response: Learning Traumagenic States as Fear Response
Compared to the early days of trauma recognition, we are a much more informed and aware culture. From the basic idea of “shell-shock” afflicting soldiers to the modern expansion that life- is- trauma, you can go a mile deep and get lost in all the data. Exposure to this information is great for reducing stigma […]
Christmas Nostalgia: Why the Holidays Heal and Why they Hurt
Imagine it’s the middle of December, and you suddenly catch the scent of freshly baked gingerbread cookies. Instantly, you’re transported back to your childhood, helping your family decorate cookies around the kitchen table while holiday music played in the background. The warmth, laughter, and love you felt during those moments make you smile, even years […]