Therapy grounded in real inner work and genuine human connection.
How many times have you been in a conversation with a well meaning loved one and you were told something like “don’t cry”, “don’t worry”, “at least xyz didn’t happen” or “you know what you should do….”? What happened next? Did you feel heard? Did …
There are some great Instagram accounts out there that break down old ways of thinking and teach according to current concepts and findings in the psychology world. I love how these therapists, coaches and teachers are able to capture complex concepts and put them into …
This short technique is scientifically tested and proven to create well being physically and emotionally that we thought might be helpful to share in this moment.
It’s a great thing to practice when you are going to transition activities, like from work to engage with you partner or child.
It works well to start and end your day on a grounded and positive note.
It can support you in a moment of frustration to help you reset.
Just follow this brief video below and then you will have it to use anytime you need it.
If you are not familiar with the HeartMath Institute, go here to learn more.
They are offering their program The HeartMath Experience for free at the moment. It is a series of short videos that offer 4 easy techniques to increase heart coherence and to learn about the importance and impact of heart coherence. I absolutely recommend!!
Even if you are not a parent, this is helpful information because it helps you reflect on your experiences growing up, how it impacts your current lived experience and how you engage in your current relationships. Dan Seigel and Tine Payne Bryson’s new book The …
Not everyone is convinced that feelings are important. I get that. If you are one of those people who is not totally convinced that feelings are that big a deal, this is for you. I explain it this way often to my clients… How hard …
Julie Simon, MFT is an Los Angeles based therapist who works with people and their relationship with food. She has written When Food is Comfort and The Emotional Eaters Repair Manual. She also runs Overeating Recovery groups and has a 12 week program that can be done in person or remotely.
While you may not be anywhere near food addiction or struggling with overeating, this is interesting information.
I’m always looking out for ways to know what our internal signals mean and this falls right in line with kind of information.
Sometimes you might not realize you are feeling depleted in a certain kind of way, but you might notice a food craving you can’t resist. It’s just more concrete. And you might find yourself acting on it.
To find out more about how you naturally best recognize your internal signals, go here. There’s some great information in that post on how to manage stress according to your personal way of operating.
Eating to balance mood-related chemicals would definitely fall under the category of behavioral cues that indicate you are feeling stress or depletion.
Knowing this information means that it comes into your conscious awareness, where you have the power to work with it. When a behavior or craving is operating outside your conscious awareness, you have little ability to change or work with it. This is one of the reasons knowledge is power!
This viral video was shared in a group recently and it stopped me in my tracks. Watch what he does in the first video (3 min) and then listen to what he says about that experience in the second video (4 min). And then I’ll …
It is that time of year. So much is going on and coming up. And, that is natural. When overwhelm hits, it feels like you need to do all the things. What actually needs to happen is taking a step back. Not much good comes …
Every human has them. No matter how much work you have done on yourself. No matter how many skills you have. Overwhelming times descend upon us all.
It could feel like anger, like panic, like fear. Any kind of intensity.
What wise decision can I make for myself right now?
In those moments, we want to fix. We want to take action. Of course. Because we want resolution for what is freaking us out.
Ultimately, in any moment of intensity, you are not operating with all your faculties. You are in the “amygdala is the boss” mode and the amygdala is a brute. The amygdala wants to fast forward everything right now.
I joke with my clients: trying to make a decision when you are this upset is like trying to make big life decisions when you are intoxicated. Would you advise that? Of course not!
The first thing to do is get into a wiser state of mind. Or find someone to guide you into a wiser state of mind and be a willing participant.
It doesn’t have to be anything big. In fact, you probably can’t do anything big. It might just be making a choice like:
I’m willing to not make big decisions right now.
I’m willing to care for myself right now.
I’m willing to choose supporting myself instead of spiraling downward.
I’m willing to take some breaths.
I’m willing to walk instead of scream.
I’m willing to listen to someone in a better head space.
Being willing goes a long way. In fact, it is one of the best predictors of successfully working through any challenge. Read more about that here.
Once you get yourself into a more balanced mental and physical space (nervous system is calmed down and not in fight or flight), you will get to your answer much faster.
Emergency actions can lead to more issues kind of like when you rush and spill your coffee, forget your phone and accidentally kick your dog.
Feelings as a source of information have been discounted for so long, we have some catching up to do! There are some pieces of feeling-related advice that have become commonplace like “listen to your heart”, which is progress. But what does that actually mean? Here …