A memory popped up on my facebook today from 2016. I took a selfie in a bathroom mirror at a university after presenting at a conference. I drove from Pittsburgh to southern Illinois to present on my thesis by myself. It's been interesting reflecting on just how close I was to dropping out of undergrad [...]
Tag: counseling
The myth about managing time
So I'm reading Make Time for Your Life by Cheryl Richardson, which was recommended to me by a very good friend of mine who also happens to be a fellow writer and nature lover. I've found this book immensely helpful so far other than some of the misguided comments Cheryl makes about therapists (she's a [...]
Chronic Trauma Validation
After starting my career in counseling and psychology I’ve really had it solidified for me that I had spend most of my earlier years in a near constant state of activation. There’s a lot of grief associated with that—The things I might have done if I had my cognitive brain fully online instead of being [...]
Don’t Discourage People from Seeking Counseling
I think sometimes this happens unintentionally. I recently saw a meme on Facebook that conveyed something to the effect of: instead of paying $100 for a therapy session, go out dancing. While I understand the intention was likely playful, I found the image offensive for a lot of reasons. First. I’m part of the ballroom [...]
STOP Saying Talk Therapy Doesn’t Work
Photo by Adonyi Gu00e1bor on Pexels.com Y'all. I'm fired up. Fired. Up. I recently read an Instagram post by someone I respect talking about how talk therapy doesn't work to treat trauma. Does everyone need therapy/counseling to work through trauma? No. But. Talk therapy, generally speaking, means mental health professionals talking with clients to work [...]
Trauma and Communication
I was recently working on something with a client of mine and realized that it applies to me as well at times. Essentially we identified that she expected her boyfriend to read her mind, to be able to meet her needs without her asking. Wouldn’t that be splendid? A lover that knew everything you needed [...]
Quarantine Day 19
Sun permeates trees, inviting Spring awakens dormant rootsLet it fill your lungs and spiritWith hope Lazy day today, though I did go on a walk and did a minimal amount of work. Fighting against cabin fever is so much easier when you can go outside and actually feel the sun warming your skin. I was fortunate [...]
Quarantine Day 16
Looks like we’re getting another 30 days of this. It’s sobering, seeing the estimated projected death toll for the US with the current data. I don’t think I’ve ever felt quite so awestruck by something, in a bad way. I gave a guest lecture this evening, virtually, on sex addiction. I have been scheduled to [...]
Redefining Therapy
One of my friends is going through a hard time. Today we both went to the local Y and swam laps. I'm not his therapist, I'm his friend, but I found myself wondering about doing something similar with my clients. Or winning the lottery and opening a facility where I could have a session that [...]
Behavioral Addictions
This is truly one of my passions-- treating behavioral addictions. Behavior or process addictions actually activate the same pleasure pathways in the brain as substance addictions do... and they can be just as much if not more difficult to manage! This might include sex, porn, gaming, shopping, gambling, relationships... really, the possibilities are endless. Remember [...]
Eternal Ocean of Words 