“Shame is the warm feeling that warm feeling washing over us, making us feel small, flawed, and never good enough” -Brené Brown The physical experience of shame includes hot flushing, the strong urge to hide and put your head down, and difficulty speaking. Shame brings on self-critical thoughts such as “who do you think you … Read more
Mother’s Day is approaching quickly and as with all holidays, it can bring some uneasy feelings for some individuals. Most of us are brought up in society, believing and sometimes directly told that the relationship should be rewarding and close for both parties, yet rarely do we hear open discussions of dissatisfying relationships with your … Read more
It is no secret that humans have an innate need for love, belonging, and relationships. The extent to which individuals are successful in developing these things however varies depending on a host of factors (e.g., social involvement, personality, etc.). One of the most prominent factors that serves as a vessel for fostering and also deterring … Read more
EMDR is a holistic approach to healing trauma. Through EMDR processing, traumatic neural networks are integrated into adaptive networks, leading to healing. This post is to help explain what neural networks are, how they’re formed, and how EMDR doesn’t just target memories, but rather targets and heals entire neural networks to ensure a holistic approach … Read more
Sometimes, love stinks. Maybe you discovered something about the person you’ve been dating that you really cannot live with. Or maybe things have really changed for the worse since the two of you moved in together. Perhaps you’re head-over-heels in love with a person you just met and struggle to take it slow. Regardless of … Read more
If you’re anything like me, you hear the word “vulnerability” and immediately duck for cover. It’s terrifying to think about letting go of defenses and opening up. Doesn’t being vulnerable mean you’re weak? No, it means you’re able to be hurt which is very different from being weak. In fact, I have come to learn … Read more
For about 5.5% of people who menstruate and are of reproductive age, their menstrual cycles bring on even more challenges. In a society that often stigmatizes menstrual cycles, nor has a lot of research and remedies available, my guess is that number is even higher and menstruating people are struggling in silence. Do you have … Read more
It’s officially Springtime; so you know what that means! Out with the old and in with the new! Spring represents new beginnings and rebirth, as it is marked by flowers blooming, crops sprouting, animals returning from hibernation, and the cold winter climate dwindling away. Change is not only evident however within our agriculture, weather, and … Read more
And…breathe out Is it just me or does it seem like there is more and more to do every day? It is like a perpetual conveyer belt of tasks! When I’m not able to find ‘off switch’ to that conveyer belt at the end of the day and begin to relax and wind down, I … Read more
Anger is an adaptive emotion that prompts us to take action and protect ourselves. Although greater specificity for identifying and understanding anger is provided in the previous blog post, anger generally manifests with a prompting event (e.g., a person feels attacked or threatened) physiological sensations (e.g., muscles tightening) and anger thoughts (“this should not be … Read more