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Anxiety

Heather Edwards Mental Health Counseling / Anxiety
transitions

The In Between: How to Soothe Yourself Through Life’s Transitions

March 12, 2026
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Anxiety, Trauma

Spring is a time of change and transition. As the crocus sprouts, tiny buds on tree tips emerge, and the chill in the air softens, I am reminded of the in between's in life — those threshold moments when one significant period ends and a new one begins. These times stir up emotion. Excitement and hope on one hand, dread and sadness on the other. It's a familiar pattern, one that repeats whether the change involves a relationship, a career, a health journey, the clearing of old trauma, or simply the turning of a season. Transitions can feel deeply unstable and uncomfortable, no matter how many times we've been through them. You might notice a momentary personal regression — a seemingly child-like way of coping with the...

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How Setting Boundaries is a Love Language

January 22, 2025
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Anxiety, Relationships, Stress Management

Blurry Boundaries: There’s a quiet tension in undefined spaces. Seeing clear boundaries as a love language is counterintuitive. Let’s be real: we’ve all been there. You don’t want to say “no” because it feels mean or harsh, so you give a half-hearted “sure” or just leave things up in the air. And what happens? Everyone’s confused, tensions rise, and you end up feeling drained. Spoiler alert: trying to “soften the blow” by avoiding clear boundaries doesn’t work—it just makes things worse for everyone. Here’s the hard truth: blurry boundaries are messy. They tap into three of life’s biggest stressors—lack of information, uncertainty, and lack of control. If you’re avoiding the “no” because you think it’s kinder, you’re actually creating a situation where nobody knows what’s happening, and...

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holiday survival Heather Edwards

Oh, it’s on! Your holiday survival guide

November 28, 2024
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Anxiety, Lifestyle, Managing the Holidays, Stress Management

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...

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EMDR therapy

EMDR: A Life Changing Choice

October 9, 2024
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Anxiety, EMDR, Lifestyle, Self Esteem, Trauma

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...

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normalcy

The Normalcy Paradox: Is it too soon?

May 25, 2021
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Anxiety, Lifestyle, Stress Management

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...

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CBT

CBT: Spring Clean Your Mindset

April 12, 2021
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Anxiety, Lifestyle, Stress Management

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...

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anxiety

Anxiety and Lockdown

December 9, 2020
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Anxiety, Stress Management, Trauma

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...

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change

Butterflies: Proof of change for good

July 7, 2020
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Anxiety, Stress Management

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...

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Control vs Concern during quarantine

April 7, 2020
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Anxiety

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,...

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Heather Edwards LMHC

Heather Edwards, LMHC, LPC, NCC, BCC is licensed in NY, RI, PA, & FL. She is an EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist, Life Coach, & Board Certified Counselor.

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Copyright 2026 © Heather Edwards LMHC.