How to Circle the Drain of Caregiving and Come Out Sparkly Clean When you look at your loved one and wish that you could share – and sometimes take away – the intense pain that they’re feeling, you have officially arrived at the title of caregiver. The good news is that in order to receive…
There are no stages of grief for those dealing with the death of a loved one! When I was back in grad school in the late 80’s, we received minimal training on grief. There was one elective class called ‘Death and Dying’. Other than that, we were taught about Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’ 5 Stages of Grief.…
One of the many things untreated trauma impacts is your ability to tolerate making mistakes. This reaction happens because past trauma can cloud you. So mistakes & failures FEEL scary, unsafe, & catastrophic (even when they FACTUALLY aren’t). Check out this week’s blog to learn more about how to tap into the wisdom of making…
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you can have trouble getting yourself to turn your mind, and to be open. You want to do it, but your mind is stuck. It’s not turning. Or you want to do it, but you find yourself feeling willful. Willfullness is when we dig our heels in or…
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…
Our primary job as parents is to teach our children healthy habits of self-discipline and self-regulation. I wholeheartedly believe the most successful way to do this is by connecting to our children in a calm, safe, attuned, and curious manner. When children feel safe, they have the freedom to explore, take risks and develop in…
I start almost every parenting blog with the statement “parenting is hard; really really hard”, and that’s because every time I sit down to reflect on parenting issues, that is the first thought that pops into my mind. I am a professional licensed counselor, and I too mess this parenting thing up… often…. maybe almost…
Let’s get one thing clear: Parenting is hard. Parenting is really, really hard! I am a parent of two wonderful, energetic, curious, and sometimes mischievous kids. My little ones are five and eight years old and watching them grow and develop is a true joy. Even therapists’ children have meltdowns, blows ups, power struggles, and…
Relationships. This is what research is showing us: “People who work on their relationships and stay in relationships are happier”, explains Dr. Waldinger in summarizing the Harvard Study of Adult Development that followed more than 700 men from 1938 until now. The research found that: The social connection appears to be a strong predictor of…