On the Blog
Turning Grief Into Purpose: A Journey of Healing in the New Year
As we ring in a new year, we often find ourselves reflecting on the past and setting intentions for the year ahead. For some, this time of year can also stir feelings of loss—loss that doesn’t fade with time, no matter how much we wish it would. Grief is a universal experience, one that often leaves us searching for ways to keep the memory of our loved ones alive. But what if we could learn to live in a healthy way with our grief or turn it into something more? What if we could channel our...
Flexible Boundaries for the Holidays
We’re into the holiday season, but believe it or not, there’s still time to check in with yourself and your calendar. Have you allowed others' wants and preferences to pull you in every direction?...It happens. We want to have fun, love and show up for others, serve, see everyone who wants to see us, attend all of the parties, host a friends event, attend multiple family events, work events, church events. And At the same time, we want to snuggle up on the couch, get cozy, watch...
The Social Agenda: A Series
As a Millennial, I was blessed to have a childhood that encompassed both dropping off disposable cameras at Rite-Aid and waiting for developed pictures, and being amongst the first generation of humans that could take a picture on a cell phone and share it to millions of people in seconds. What started as a pure-spirited way for people to stay connected and/or build new relationships has now evolved into a multi-trillion dollar industry that affects almost every aspect of modern life....
Thoughts from a Black Millennial Therapist
I knew I wanted to be a therapist when I felt a sense of safety and comfort from those around me who shared things in confidence. I took pride in being the friend who was a good listener. I also wanted to be what I did not have and that was an outlet to release how I was feeling. Specifically growing up in the Black community, seeking therapy was deemed for people who are “crazy”. It was also looked at as a negative or taboo thing to share your “business” with a stranger. Black families often...
Completing the Stress Cycle
Maybe you’ve heard of the book, The Body Keeps the Score. In this book Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk does a wonderful job explaining how our bodies “hold” experiences which we may feel we have forgotten. But then a certain smell or touch suddenly affects us in surprising ways. We may feel transported to a time we wish we had forgotten. Or, we may not be sure why we are all of a sudden feeling anxious. Either way, our bodies are capable of remembering these sensory experiences in ways that have...
Redefining Toughness: A Thought on Men’s Mental Health
“Man up!” We’ve all heard this phrase, again and again. Most of the time, it’s coming out of the mouth of someone telling you “Do what needs to be done.” So that’s what you do. You push everything to the side and take care of business. All those messy emotions and feelings are for someone else, not for you. You don’t have time to deal with all that. You’ve got work to do. What’s the problem? At the end of the day, everything got done and everyone else got taken...
Couples Communication Tips: Building a Strong Foundation
Relationships are hard work. You hear that over and over again but really how do you actually actively put in the work? It is challenging to get actual direction in what needs to be done in order to communicate well. And communication is so vital to a marriage, it is what helps provide connection or what can erode a relationship. Sometimes it truly can make or break a relationship. Time and time again working on your communication can really help with foundational work in a relationship to...