Self-awareness in relationships allows us to take ownership of our experience - not just what happened, but how we’re interpreting it.
Most of us have heard of toxic positivity at some point; the pressure to stay upbeat and ignore difficult emotions, even if it's more honest to feel and express them. Of course, we would love to appear and feel positive all the time, but what really are the impacts of always putting on a smile?
When we hear the term self-care, we tend to think of a cozy night in: candles, a bath, maybe a favorite show. While this is absolutely a version of self-care, it’s not the entirety of it. Self-care might look different each day, and what feels supportive in one moment may not feel right in the next. Some days you need movement, connection, or fresh air. Other days you need silence, solitude, or just the reminder you’re allowed to pause.
When people think of trauma therapy, they often assume that remembering the traumatic event is a necessary part of healing. But what if you don’t remember? Whether due to childhood amnesia, dissociation, or the brain’s natural defense mechanisms, many people struggle with unclear or missing memories of painful experiences. If this sounds familiar, you may wonder: Can EMDR Therapy still help?
Our emotions and experiences aren’t just stored in our minds - they’re somatic, meaning they live in the body. Research increasingly supports movement - especially dance - as a powerful tool for emotional regulation, trauma processing, and overall mental health.
When we hear the term self-care, we tend to think of a cozy night in: candles, a bath, maybe a favorite show. While this is absolutely a version of self-care, it’s not the entirety of it. Self-care might look different each day, and what feels supportive in one moment may not feel right in the next. Some days you need movement, connection, or fresh air. Other days you need silence, solitude, or just the reminder you’re allowed to pause.
While every couple is unique, the happiest and most connected ones share key habits that keep their love strong. Here are 15 simple but powerful traits that can help you and your partner build a relationship that feels safe, joyful, and deeply fulfilling.
For those in a relationship with someone who has narcissistic tendencies or NPD – whether a parent, partner, or close friend – the experience can feel captivating, destabilizing, and difficult to navigate. Long-term relationships with these individuals can leave a profound and long-lasting effect.
Here’s the thing: too much screen time is draining our mental energy, increasing our stress, and keeping us from actually enjoying (real) life. As a therapist, I see the impact of this all the time—our devices are disconnecting us from what really matters: ourselves, our relationships, and our well-being. So, this New Year, I’m personally challenging YOU (and myself) to a 30-Day Digital Detox.
In my work with children and parent coaching, many of my client’s parents have asked me something along the lines of, “How can I best support my child when they’re feeling overwhelmed or dysregulated?” This question has come up more recently due to the busy season, so here are some effective strategies* to help your child–and yourself– navigate moments of dysregulation with care and connection.
A common struggle for many of my clients in their 20s is navigating friendships. This includes friendship conflicts, growing apart, reassessing the closeness of the friendship, and defining what types of friendships feel fulfilling in which ones feel draining. In these conversations, we explore the importance of flexibility in friendships and why it becomes so much more pertinent during this life stage.
Working with someone who just gets under your skin can be incredibly tough. Here are a few strategies that might help you manage your frustration:
The purpose of a boundary is to protect our own wellbeing. It is not a punishment to anyone else or a selfish act. Setting a boundary with someone else means: when they do xyz [something that crosses your boundaries], then you will do xyz [something to promote your wellbeing]. Here are a few examples of boundaries:
Traveling with a friend, a group of friends, or your partner can be incredible, but it can also be stressful in unforeseen and unplanned-for ways. I’ve had many clients talk with great excitement for weeks and even months about their upcoming trip with their partner, or their long-awaited trip with their mom to Europe, or their reunion trip with their sister to Australia. Usually, clients return from trips with amazing insights, new experiences, and great photos, but also some stories about the more difficult moments with their travel buddies. They tell me of moments of tension, annoyance, disagreement, difficulty negotiating needs/wants, and trouble with boundary-setting.
