People who are new to therapy often have the expectation as if the therapist has a manual to step 1, 2, 3 to teach the client what to do to “get rid of my depression, sadness, or anxiety”. However, the process of therapy is not as clearly laid out with manuals that therapists were taught…
I decided to support a friend at an AA meeting for the first time during COVID. I have to admit that it felt eerie when I first entered the room. Nothing like how it used to be before the pandemic. After all, all who were inside were desperately in need of psychological resuscitation. However, when…
Self care is the ultimate buzz word in therapy. We are bombarded with reminders to practice self care as a coping skill, to decrease stress, to recharge our batteries. But what actually constitutes self care? Visions of spa days and yoga classes come to mind, but seem out of reach for a typical day as…
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a result of having experienced acute, chronic, or complex trauma. Let’s dive in and deepen our understanding of trauma before we discuss therapy. Common Sources of Trauma Birth trauma Bullying Community violence Physical and emotional abuse Neglect Parental Separation Injury Medical trauma Substance Use Incarceration Natural disasters Terrorism…
Grief is a natural response to loss–both universal and personal. Individual grief can vary depending on the nature of the loss and can be caused by the death of a loved one, ending of a relationship, loss of a job or independence, diagnosis of an illness, etc. Grief is a strong, sometimes overwhelming emotion that…
This blog post is in reference to my Instagram series, ‘Coping with Chronic Illness’. To see the list of coping skills referenced, please visit my Instagram page. In my recent Instagram post, I listed 4 suggestions on how to cope and manage with chronic illness. These suggestions included: 1) Listening to uplifting and supportive podcasts…
The Devastating Impact of Chronic Illness/Pain If you or someone you know has walked through the valleys of managing chronic illness or pain, you know how life-altering, shattering, and heart-breaking the journey can be. Chronic illness and chronic pain can come in many different forms but they share many similar crushing emotions and experiences. When…
Do you ever wonder what a real vacation looks like? Have you ever taken the kind of vacation that you really need? Well, I sometime wonder why our time away has to look like what we see on television or what we hear our co- workers say as they make their Disney reservations for the…
Do you ever wonder what a real vacation looks like? Have you ever taken the kind of vacation that you really need? Well, I sometime wonder why our time away has to look like what we see on television or what we hear our co- workers say as they make their Disney reservations for the…
A short blog post to start out the new year … If you’re heading into 2022 with a heavy heart, you are not alone. We are still in a global pandemic, and many of us are grappling with immense loss and grief on personal, collective and ancestral levels. Society puts a lot of pressure to…