Our Blog
Read articles about current mental health topics from our team of professionals.
What Covid-19 has taught me about Authenticity
I was talking to a friend recently who shared that Covid had brought enough stillness to her life to allow her to engage in deep introspection. This deep introspection had brought about a new awareness to the way she lived her life and how she showed up in the world....
The Power of Effective Self-Talk
I have a confession. I used to view self-talk as self-deception. When I was a teenager, I learned positive self-talk from a teacher. I resisted it because she taught me to feed myself sugar-coated messages to feel better. I didn’t appreciate the power of...
Childhood Sexual Abuse – A path to healing
‘You can recognize survivors of abuse by their courage. When silence is so very inviting, they step forward and share their truth so others know they aren't alone.’Jeanne McElvaney Effects of Sexual Abuse During Childhood Because childhood sexual abuse takes place at...
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a depressed response to the short days and long nights that occur around the winter season (Hadsall, 2020). SAD affects an estimated 5% of the US population and affects four times as many women as men (Hadsall, 2020; Rosenthal,...
Making Time for Self-Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are many unknowns in our world which has resulted in a collective sense of heightened stress, anxiety, and fear. For many of us, the pandemic has placed an unprecedented amount of demand and responsibility from work, school,...
The Gift of Being Present
I used to think of suggestions such as “sit and breathe… just meditate for 5 minutes” as short of impactful to say the least. Eventually I stumbled upon the idea of being present. The concept sounded serene and poetic—something that my brain could latch onto and think...
Self-Care: #1 Priority
Self-care comes in many forms depending on the individual in need, however, everyone at some point should pay more attention to their wellbeing. Some may think of self-care as a time period set aside for self-indulgence such as: a trip to a luxurious spa, lavish...
Attachment Style as a Tool for Relational Growth
Have you ever wondered why you may be reacting or connecting to a person differently than a friend or sibling? Our minds automatically process interpersonal relationships through attachment patterns. As infants, we unconsciously learn how to modify our behavior in...
Self-Care: A Basic Necessity
When I recently I told my husband I was feeling anxious about writing an article on self-care, he immediately exclaimed, “That’s because you don’t practice self-care!” I smiled and took comfort in how well he knows me—he is right! How can I write about...
Grief and Loss in Times of COVID-19
We all experience loss eventually. The past year especially has been a year of grief on various levels. Physically staying away from loved ones, losing loved ones, or not being able to attend a funeral because of restrictions has made our grief more complicated. Grief...
Building Relationships Can Save a Life
As a community, we need to work toward becoming comfortable with having conversations about suicide. Social myths tell us that talking about someone’s suicidal thoughts will push them toward completing their death. However, often a person’s thoughts of suicide decrease when there is a safe and containing conversation; when a loved one actively listens and empathizes.
Coping with Anxiety: Grounding Techniques for everyday use
Anxiety is one of the most pervasive mental health concerns with a 20% lifetime prevalence (Whiteford, et al., 2013). Anxiety can cause racing thoughts and feelings of nervousness, restlessness, and tension. At times, these sensations can often feel overwhelming. ...
Anxiety
I’ve learned, the first step in addressing anxiety, is to acknowledge its presence without scrutiny.
Managing Holiday Expectations
Take a breath and recognize what is realistic and what may be overwhelming to you, and not try to overexert yourself to appease people. Set realistic holiday expectations for yourself, in what you can do and what you may not be able to do this holiday season, and create a plan to not exhaust all of your
Friendship and the Seattle Freeze
The term Seattle Freeze refers to a widely held belief that it is especially difficult to make new friends in Seattle, Washington, particularly for transplants from other cities
Transgender Day of Remembrance
On November 20th, please take a moment to join a community vigil, honoring the unnecessary violent deaths of 33 #TGNC individuals this year, as well as find a way to year-around honor and offer a greater quality of life for those courageous and resilient TGNC human beings. To all those identifying as transgender and gender non-conforming: you are strong, courageous, and if you are struggling please do not be afraid to find trustworthy people, including therapists, who can fight on your behalf.
Coping with Life Transitions
For many, life transitions are scary. As change sits foreign and uncertain, many people prefer a routine, as it allows them to feel comfortable in their day to day experiences, and change rattles that monotony. Transition may make them fearful and/or anxious, both
Discovering Your Path: Eating Disorder Recovery
Becoming aware of our relationships with our bodies and journeying towards a healthier relationship with them can be difficult, but never hopeless. There are a few components of recovery that can
Redefining Expectations and Success
Rather than trying to live up to other people’s expectations, ask yourself, what does success look like for you? Look inward and place your focus on what brings you fulfillment and makes you feel alive. We are built with an inner guide, which is sometimes referred to as heart, intuition, or gut instinct, but are often trained to disregard this guide in favor of listening to others who “know better”.
Authenticity
Being true to oneself is not simply an individual choice, but includes how we interact with others. When we are authentic, seen, and still chosen and loved, our relationships thrive, as do we in our capacity to give and receive love.