Trauma is a fickle thing. It is highly nuanced and follows almost no easily identifiable pattern, making it difficult to predict how it will affect an individual. It can also be difficult to agree upon what counts as legitimate trauma as each person responds to distressful experiences differently. What is interesting about trauma is how…
Change is hard work. It’s so easy to stay stuck when the battle you are facing is fierce. Maybe you are stuck in an addiction of some kind. It can be food, alcohol, drugs, sex, or whatever vice that is keeping you stuck. The battle to get free can seem so hard to face that people may…
Getting Started Deciding to go to therapy can be a challenging decision. Things may feel like they are fire, feeling like you are in crisis or like nothing will ever get better. For some coming to therapy is about addressing past “stuff” that keeps resurfacing, feeling like a never ending pattern. Sometimes it’s dealing with…
Full disclosure: I have sat here overthinking how to PERFECTLY begin this blog post for WEEKS. No cap, as the cool kids say. (My teenager would murder me for typing that. Also no cap.) Do I focus the conversation on the therapy for overthinking? Should it be titled, “Perfectionism and its Pitfalls” or something more…
One of the most significant aspects of recovery for Adult Children of Alcoholics/Dysfunctional Families (ACOAs) is shedding the old survival strategies and allowing yourself to soften into a more flexible and life-giving stance toward yourself. In essence, ACOAs have to learn how to be the loving parent for themselves that they never had. Being your…
People often ask why people stay in abusive relationships, but the truth is that it never starts that way. It starts like any other relationship, sometimes even more magical as the abuser will often mask their true selves and portray characteristics and values to please their victims. Then very slowly they begin to change. They…
A common desire is to strive for perfection in every aspect of our lives. We want to be perfect in our jobs, our relationships, our hobbies, and even in our physical appearance. But the truth is, perfection is impossible. Perfection is an unattainable standard that we often set for ourselves. It’s a goal that we…
If someone was recording the things we tell ourselves every day, what would your book say? I’m going to bet it isn’t very encouraging. Now reading that book, would you take those things you’ve told yourself and tell them to your loved ones, to a small child? Again, I’m going to bet you wouldn’t. We…
Do you struggle with “What If” thoughts? If not, maybe you know someone who does. If you do, do you often have the “What If” thought then start thinking about what you would do if it happened? What you would say? How you would feel? How others would respond? How you would respond to them?…
The Power of Mindfulness for Teenagers: Cultivating Present Moment Awareness and Reducing Stress Overwhelmed, anxious, and constantly on the go – teenagers today face tremendous stress daily. Did you know that over 30% of Colorado teens struggle with depression and anxiety? It’s a concerning statistic highlighting the urgent need for effective tools to support their…