Working with human nature, not against it.
Cold feet. Maybe this is a term you’re familiar with when it comes to weddings. It’s what you see on movies when the bride (or groom) backs out at the last minute and runs away to a different life. “Cold feet” is the term loosely used to describe last minute thoughts of “oh, I...
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 are some guidelines for how to listen to yourself...
Boundaries are one of the most important ways you care for your relationships and for yourself. It’s a way of being honest about what works for you and what doesn’t. This has nothing to do with being selfish. When you are not clear with others about your limits, the result is usually leading you...
Defenses are kind of tricky because they are usually employed without your conscious consent. They are part of the workings of the unconscious mind to protect you. That doesn’t mean you can’t see them. It just means they can be sneaky! I wanted to write about this because I have been seeing it as...
I first had the opportunity of interacting with Leah Niehaus, LCSW when she invited One Heart Counseling Center to share about mindfulness, emotional awareness, and facilitate an art therapy activity at one of her daughter’s National Charity League (NCL) monthly meetings. Leah informed us that this year’s focus for the 8thgrade group was Social...
You are not alone! Many people have the experience of these conflicting states at times and this Huffington Post article brings together what people have to say about it. I find it helpful when I know there are others who have similar experiences. And I see my clients experiencing relief when I normalize their...
Buying something nice for yourself, planning a vacation, or getting organized can feel good. And you know there are times when those things barely scratch the surface of what you actually need. These are times where all you want to do is avoid, fix or stop what you are feeling. You want relief. These...
I recently had the chance to sit down to lunch with Monica Fyfe, MFT, founder of Our Village. Our Village is a 503c non-profit organization offering group based social skills support for any family that has a child managing any kind of social deficit (including social anxiety, spectrum disorders, ADHD, etc). I’ve known Monica...
Yes, social media is a topic of discussion in therapy. Every day. And, we are right at that time of year when people are posting about their holiday activities and we might have a little more time or temptation to be keeping up with what’s going on. This is going to be short and...
We have all either thought or said this at some point: “you wouldn’t act like this if you loved me.” I have to tell you something: this belief is probably causing unnecessary pain and suffering. There is this prevailing thought that people act one certain way when they love someone. They talk in a...