My own brother said to me the other day, “I don’t need therapy. I don’t need someone who does not know me telling me how to solve my problems.” I asked him if he thinks that is how therapy works, and yes, he genuinely does believe that. Oh no! As I therapist for almost 30 […]

The greatest indicator of positive outcomes of a person’s therapy journey is the relationship between the therapist and the client. Therapy should feel like a relaxed conversation between two people who appreciate each other’s company. This is not to say that the conversations are always light hearted, although sometimes they are, but it should never […]

Introduction Modern life moves fast. Between work, family responsibilities, social commitments, and the constant stream of notifications, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. While occasional stress is a natural part of life, ongoing stress can affect both your emotional and physical well-being. The good news is that small, intentional habits can make a meaningful difference. 1. […]

What does this even mean? I get up, go to work, pay my bills, eat my meals, and sometimes if I am on a roll I even exercise. What more do I have to do???? Yes, those things do fall into the category of self-care but they are the mandatory, keep a roof-over-your-head kind of […]

I was teaching a parenting class yesterday and a couple was brave enough to share that their teenager hits them when he is upset. They feel powerless in the situation because they don’t want to hurt him or be arrested for violence, and when they try to talk with him he escalates to violence. As […]

Is it Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or just depression? Trick question. Seasonal effective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that normally starts at the beginning of Fall and lasts through the Winter season. There is also a type of SAD that impacts people in Spring and Summer but this is less frequently experienced. SAD […]

How do you know if this relationship is right for you? Try this exercise to tune in to the answer. Find a quiet place. Be still. Take a few deep breaths and try to clear your mind. In the silence ask yourself, “Is this person for me?” Pay close attention to the feeling in your […]

As my clients exit our therapy sessions I often say “take care of yourself”. Recently a client stopped and asked me what that meant. It had not dawned on me that she may not know what that means. Taking care of yourself means listening to your mind and body regarding what it needs to function […]

Affirmations are statements made in a positive voice to declare to the universe that which you will attend to in your life. Since we always see what we are looking for, affirmations help us to know where to look. They normally start with “I will” or “I am”. They don’ t have to, however. They […]

The irony is that you are not alone in feeling lonely. We all get there from time to time. A contributing factor to feeling lonely is a lack of connected relationships with others. As someone who moved across the country and left all of her family and friends, I know a great deal about this […]