Can Your Curiosity Heal the World?
Discover how curiosity can calm your mind, ease stress, and foster deeper connections. It could even transform growth and heal the world....
Anxiety
Oh, it’s on! Your holiday survival guide
Okay, let’s be real for a second—this year feels weird. Autumn in the Northeast is giving us summer vibes, and Thanksgiving is super late. Is it just me, or does it feel like the holiday season popped up out of nowhere? One second we’re sipping iced lattes in October, and the next, we’re defrosting turkeys and hunting for Black Friday deals. Whiplash anyone? Holiday survival guide, please. And now it’s time to head to Aunt Sally’s for the annual family extravaganza. You know the one: the same casserole dishes, the same arguments, and somehow, the same side-eye from Cousin Linda about your “life choices.” Family, am I right? But don’t worry—I got you. Whether it’s navigating surprise political debates, fielding awkward comments about your love life...
EMDR: A Life Changing Choice
Have you ever been stuck in a mental loop, replaying painful memories like a bad song on repeat? Or you've had moments where past trauma sneaks up on you, disrupting your present with anxiety, self-doubt, or emotional overload. If so, you're not alone—and there's a surprisingly effective tool that can help you break free from those patterns. EMDR: A life changing choice. What Exactly Is EMDR? EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. Sounds technical, right? But don't worry, it’s not as intimidating as it seems. In essence, EMDR is a type of psychotherapy designed to help people heal from the symptoms and emotional distress caused by disturbing life experiences. The magic lies in how it helps your brain reprocess traumatic memories so they no longer...
The Normalcy Paradox: Is it too soon?
One year ago, after more than a month in lockdown, you yearned for a return to normalcy. However, weighing that desire against the real threat of death, you opted for safety and stayed home, many alone and in fear. Today, 128 million people are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in the United States, and 282 million are partially vaccinated. Mask mandates and social distancing requirements are loosening. For many, it’s a ticket to freedom. For others, to roam freely seems a scary and potentially deadly proposition. So, the normalcy paradox emerges. You want it and you fear it. You are having mixed feelings like excitement and reluctance, curiosity and hesitation. In my virtual therapy room, I’m hearing concerns like the following: I’ve changed and my body has...
CBT: Spring Clean Your Mindset
Spring has sprung! Just as Mother Nature ditches the dreary dormant season of winter, CBT can shift your mindset from doom to bloom. Think of it as a spring cleaning for your brain. So, grab the mental Swiffer and dust out the cobwebs. Spray the virtual Windex to clear the fog. It's time to blossom. It’s easy to fall into the habit of negative thinking. The shorter, darker, colder days of winter have a real effect on mood and energy. Over time, it can affect your attitudes, beliefs, feelings, and behaviors. You might begin to automatically assume worst case scenario's. That fearful belief provokes an anxious feeling that further validates the fear that something will go wrong. It’s a vicious cycle that feeds on itself. It’s partially rooted...
Anxiety and Lockdown
Anxiety is on the rise. As we approach another lockdown, you anticipate uncomfortable feelings. You notice parts of yourself vying for attention - the ones that feel fear, loneliness, and shame. The anxiety of unfinished business from the past, beckons your acknowledgment and soothing. Without the external distractions of work, shopping, and appointments, you are forced to sit with your internal world. There are many ways to distract yourself from this discomfort. You can go for a walk, watch a movie, call a friend, dance in your bedroom, or take a class online. It's a temporary "fix" but, will all this “doing” result in healing? What if this is the time to stop doing? What if all this doing has kept you stuck in unproductive being? And what if...
Butterflies: Proof of change for good
Change doesn’t happen comfortably. Just when the caterpillar's world was ending, it became a butterfly. The extenuating circumstances you are in right now are also a new beginning. Uncertainty. Isolation. Fear. Instability. Change. Transformation. Transcendence. Each has an affect on mental health, for better or worse. Each is an opportunity for greater compassion. Your everyday life looks distinctly different than it did a few months ago. Whether you’ve been on lockdown, protesting with Black Lives Matter, or struggling to keep a roof over your head or business - this is a time of unprecedented and profound change. You’re experiencing change in how you socialize, work, educate, love, heal, and relate to the world. It’s unfamiliar, uncomfortable, and uncertain. Traumas are triggered. Self preservation is awakened. The status quo is upended. Emotions are...
Control vs Concern during quarantine
Right now, things feel out of control. And when things feel out of control, a sense of fear and helplessness can take over your thoughts. You become the metaphorical rat in a maze searching for a way out, or around, the dreaded worst-case-scenario. This can be paralyzing from a psychological perspective. But what if there are things you can influence right now? What if there was a way to discern the difference between your concerns and your control or influence? When the two get muddled together, you lose the distinction between what you can actually change, and what you can't. Then you swan dive into the rabbit hole of hopelessness and isolation. Many people are struggling with control during quarantine. Control leads to self efficacy, feeling proactive, and grounded. So,...
COVID-19: Seeking a silver lining
COVID-19 is frightening. Most of us are wondering what COVID-19 will mean for our future. Not knowing what to expect is stressful. In fact, the three largest contributors to stress are: 1. uncertainty; 2. lack of information; and 3. lack of control. I’d say the Coronavirus has checked all three boxes. Many people are struggling with boundaries, privacy, and managing emotions while quarantining at home. Negotiating space, finding ”me time” for self care, and sitting with the uncomfortable feelings challenge even the best coping strategies. So, let’s get back to basics. There’s no magic bullet but perhaps the closest thing is gratitude. Take a breath, get grounded in the now, and connect with your core values. Look around you and notice how many have manifested in your...
Dear Trauma: EMDR changes lives
Dear trauma, I don’t need you anymore. You served a purpose and kept me safe in the face of danger. But now you’re getting in my way. I got this. Yours truly. When trauma happens, your central nervous system reacts in one of 4 ways to protect you: Fight - physically defending yourself Flight - running away Freeze - if I don’t move, they won’t see me - think deer in headlights Faint - playing dead It’s involuntary and automatic. It’s your body‘s way of protecting you in the moment. So, thank your body for doing that - and let it know you’re safe now. In the case of PTSD and limiting beliefs, it’s not enough to know you’re safe. Your body's protective mechanisms get frozen in time...
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