Intention Setting is for the Birds
Understanding and Embracing Intentions As embarrassing as it is to announce to the world, I’ve never understood the obsession with intention setting. I’ve consumed all of the media that a practitioner of IFS and Energy Psychology techniques should, and I still never have felt a real connection to any sort of outcomes associated with it. […]
Why the Pain is Important
More often than not, I embody a used car saleswoman rather than a clinical psychotherapist. I spend a lot of my day asking clients to sit with the very feelings, thoughts, and experiences that they’ve spent a lot of their life avoiding. I try to outline the benefits of doing so, add some humor, console […]
Ending the “Fixer” Cycle
Ever noticed how you end up being the ‘fixer’ in almost every circle you’re in? The one everyone relies on, turning to you whenever chaos brews? This pattern shows up regularly with the folks that spend time in my office, and if I’m being honest, it’s a familiar story in my own life from time […]
Your Needs Are Not a Burden
If there were a handbook I gave to anyone starting their own therapy (or even just thinking about it), the title of this article would head the first page. It’s something that I wish every therapy client knew and could hold true both inside and outside of the therapy room. And in case it’ll get […]
How to Cope with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
As winter’s icy grip tightens, many people experience more than just the chill in the air. For some, this season brings with it a heavy, pervasive gloom known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (aptly abbreviated as SAD). This mood disorder typically occurs during the darker months when sunlight is scarce and the weather is gloomy, and […]
Overwhelmed? Why Adding Another Checklist Isn’t the Answer
In the chaotic whirlwind that life is currently, we’d be hard pressed to find someone who hasn’t experienced moments of feeling completely overwhelmed. Maybe it’s the result of juggling multiple responsibilities, meeting tight deadlines, or even just navigating the complexities of ‘doing it all’ that being a career-centered, family-focused, do-it-yourself type of person. Yikes! When […]
Stop the Endless Worry Cycle
How to Stop the Endless Worry Cycle Stress. Anxiety. Panic. Unease. Concern. Whatever word best describes that endless loop of worry, know that you are not alone in the experience of it. It’s like a bad song on repeat, and it can plague us in various aspects of life – from careers and parenting to […]
The Truth About Self-Care
The Trouble With Self-Care Ah, the elusive treasure of our modern era: free time. After navigating a labyrinth of responsibilities and commitments, two weeks ago I found myself standing at an afternoon of actual free time. It was my hard-earned pocket of freedom; I had spent several weeks planning this. Yet, as I faced this […]
“But that’s who I am” – A Therapist’s Response
Too many times to count, brand new clients report back similar messages. In their first session, they unload the statement “I’m just an anxious person” when describing how they operate in their day to day. They describe themselves as quick to stress, anxiety, anger, overwhelm, and shrug it all off by saying that’s just who […]
4 Steps to Decode Stress and Unhappiness
We all know stress and unhappiness can be incredibly confusing to try to manage, let alone understand. But there’s good news: You don’t have to set up camp or stay stuck in those intense emotions. In fact, those confusingly nebulous feelings are chock-full of information you need in order to begin living a life that’s […]
