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.…
Knowing what to expect in therapy can be a bit obscure when you’re starting therapy for the first time. I hear people tell me all the time that when they found a new therapist, they weren’t sure about things like what they were supposed to talk about or if they were supposed to be the…
DON’T ASSUME YOUR PARTNER KNOWS ANYTHING… …about how you feel about them. How often do I hear “Of course I know that my spouse loves me!” “Oh, he/she knows how much I appreciate when they prepare dinner.” The real truth is: 1. You can never hear “I love you” or “I appreciate you” enough! 2.…
The 3 steps of EFT: First, we will map out your inner emotional process by identifying your: emotional triggers fight or flight responses patterns to interpreting circumstances available choices in challenging moments In step 2, we will replace your old dynamics with a new and improved way of thinking and communicating, utilizing your new emotional…
A Thought About the 5 Love Languages Words of affirmation Quality time Physical touch Acts of service Receiving gifts Whether in my premarital counseling course in during my couples counseling intake session, the 5 love languages are an important topic of discussion. Here’s why: We tend to GIVE what we like to RECEIVE. We might…
Anxious. Angry. Avoidant. These predictable reactions are the way you keep responding to challenges and relationships – yet − you still struggle to make complete sense of why you do it. It impacts your family relationships, your love life, and worst of all − your own well-being. You continue to feel mischaracterized by others and…
Trauma is a person’s emotional and psychological reaction to an intense or overwhelming event. When thinking about psychological trauma, it necessary to first understand the symptoms for trauma. Some symptoms for psychological trauma include: Mood swings (anger, irritability, frustration) Anxiety and Fear Guilt and Shame Self-blame Feeling sad or hopeless Feeling disconnected or numb This…
What exactly is the Third Realm? When I decided to name my practice Third Realm, I was knee-deep into my personal heart-centering meditation journey. I was also taking a Jung and Imagery course just prior to the launch of Third Realm, which is when I came across an article written by Haule (1997) describing the…
What is art therapy? Art therapy is a modality, in which art and psychology are combine to address the presenting emotional and behavioral difficulties. The focus of art therapy sessions is often on exploring emotions, thoughts, and behaviors from a symbolic way, in which clients are not obliged to verbalize their thoughts or how they…
How to Check your Self Worth in Two Minutes: Complex Trauma, Safety, and Radical Empathy Complex trauma has earned its name for being just that: layered, invasive helplessness. It can feel like too much weight to bear or to survive. See if this helps: picture an ant carrying an elephant uphill. This type of struggle…