If you are of high school age or older (maybe even middle school age or older) I bet you can answer “yes” to at least one of these questions. Ever had someone you trust intentionally try to hurt or sabotage you? Ever had someone act like your friend only to find out they were not? […]
I have had the feeling for a while that some kind of change is coming. I have shared this sentiment with my loved ones and close friends. I have told them that I feel changes happening around me that are definitely for the better. And I am not necessarily talking about anything mind blowing. Positive […]
Every year we transition whether we like it or not. We move from one year to the next every January 1st whether we feel ready or not. Some years we may savor the close of a year, basking in holiday light, pulling those we love close and waxing poetic about all the good that has […]
I wholeheartedly believe in the resiliency of the human spirit. I guess I kind of would not be a “good therapist” if I didn’t. I believe that human beings can experience terrible things and emerge wiser, stronger, kinder and braver than they ever knew possible. Also as a therapist, I know how awful trauma can […]
I have always been drawn to trauma in a sense. I don’t mean I like trauma or am fascinated by the medical needs of trauma survivors like my doctor friends who want to literally put people back together. But, I have always had a heart for trauma survivors. Maybe it is the therapeutic personality streak […]
The first time I practiced my friend’s gratitude challenge of identifying 1,000 things I am thankful for in one year it was not too difficult. I mean, it was hard not to repeat anything on my written list of 1,000 things, but I was not in a particularly challenging life season at that time. I […]
I have to admit that Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. A table overflowing with homemade food, family and friends gathered together and of course everything pumpkin. I also love Thanksgiving because the focus is on giving thanks and sharing with others—not getting things or spending money. I love Christmas as much as the […]
Body hair, acne, body odor, big feelings and an endless appetite. These are the first words I think of when I recall my teen years. The other thing I remember most about my tween and teen years is how monumental everything felt.
“Just wait until they are a teenager!” Ever hear those words in conversation? I hear these words often in my neighborhood and in social circles and I have to admit this comment always makes my insides twitch just a little.
Ever heard of fight or flight? If you have ever experienced trauma you know that when people are in highly stressful situations they tend to fight, flight or freeze. I don’t have time to go into all of the science behind why some people fight and others run away or freeze, but “fight or flight” […]
