How often do you use your phone or Google calendar to schedule meetings, appointments, hanging out with loved ones, etc? We stay on track of these time commitments because we prioritize them. In that same vein, when was the last time you scheduled time for yourself?

What are ‘cognitive distortions’ and why do so many people have them? Cognitive distortions are ways that our thought patterns can convince us that something is true or false. These are typically thoughts that occur automatically, and are usually used to reinforce negative thinking or emotions. Our automatic thoughts can feel rational and accurate, and most of all, they can feel factual.

Have you ever been in a therapy session and your therapist casually drops a phrase you’ve never heard before? “Hold space”? “Sit with a feeling”? You’re sitting there smiling and nodding politely, but you’re probably thinking, “What does that even mean? Who says that?” Being a therapist, these phrases make sense, are easy to say, and have become second nature over my years of practice, so sometimes it’s easy to forget that not everyone speaks “therapist.”

Individuals have many needs- both physical, emotional, and spiritual. The focus of this series will take a quick dive into the nine different emotional needs. When someone is suffering, we can often take a glance at their emotional needs, and work toward fulfilling those that might not be satisfied. Thankfully there is a way to examine the needs and see which ones may need nourishing, so that you can begin taking the steps toward more emotional contentment. 

“Daring greatly means the courage to be vulnerable. It means to show up and be seen. To ask for what you need. To talk about how you’re feeling. To have the hard conversations.” – Brene Brown

Being brave is not about the absence of fear, it’s about having the courage to be vulnerable – to press on in spite of fear.

What kind of relationship do you have with your body? How do you speak to yourself? How do you nourish and rest?

I remember the first time I encountered it. I was young, maybe 8 or 9, and it happened shortly after an uncle of mine had a sudden explosive outburst during a family get-together. I remember hearing shouting and the sound of dishes shattering from the next room, then seeing glimpses of other family members shushing and steering my uncle away, shutting the door behind them.

We have officially entered what some might call the most dreadful time of year. Valentine’s Day, also commonly known as Single Awareness Day, is upon us. We cannot escape it. The grocery stores remind us of our relationship status. When we try to purchase produce, we are greeted at the front entrance with fluffy stuffed animals staring back at us, floating ‘XO’ balloons, and overpriced red roses that will not last a week.