What inspired you to become a counselor? When I was a child, I thought “when I grow up, I want to be a pastor”. As I went through middle school and into high school, I realized that there was no way I could get up there and do public speaking. So middle of high school, I quickly threw that off...[ read more ]
What are you noticing at this time about your counseling work with clients in consideration of how the pandemic has changed our world? What I am noting most of late is the impact on children. Just today a friend’s second grader was diagnosed with Covid. That’s a pretty tender age to be hit with a virus that has killed many....[ read more ]
What inspired you to become a counselor? I have always loved connecting on a deep level with people. Growing up I loved hearing people’s stories-- of their pain and triumph, of their disappointment and hope, and of their dreams both realized and not yet. Deep, honest conversations give me life. In pursuing counseling, I saw how I could sit with...[ read more ]
The past year and a half has changed how many of us live, work, and go about our days. Though the intensity of the pandemic is beginning to shift, a new norm is emerging. Whether it's options like still doing some or all of your work from home, having new, virtual tools for your kids’ learning, or ordering your groceries...[ read more ]
Trauma presents in a variety of ways. Traumatic symptoms can show up after a single incident like a car accident or by way of a repeated, pervasive experience, like physical abuse. And when long exposure to traumatic stress is at play, it is called complex trauma. We can think of trauma as anything too much, too soon, too fast for...[ read more ]
You probably recognize this scenario: A friend or family member makes a comment about a current issue or political figure, and you feel your body and mind reacting. Your blood pressure rises, muscles tense and a series of automatic thoughts enters your mind like, “How could they say that?” or “They are so wrong!” Maybe you feel an urge to...[ read more ]
By looking at our photo collections, it seems like the “important” stuff of life takes place at big events and special occasions. While we enjoy those memorable times, the majority of each of our lives plays out in ordinary day-to-day tasks that rarely get documented. In fact, my daily round looks a lot like yours and everyone else’s. Instead of...[ read more ]
The impacts of guilt and shame have been a consistent topic in the therapy room. Clients, finding themselves tossed and turned by the waves of these emotions, have reported increased levels of anxiety and depression, the symptoms of which often leads to a paralyzing sense of immovability. The guilt/shame cycle has a cunning way of making our brain fire in...[ read more ]
What types of self-care activities would you recommend to clients during this holiday season in light of the continuation of the pandemic? “I have found that for me and also for my clients, ideas or past habits of self-care abound, but the road blocks to self care right now can look like low energy, a mental load that's past capacity,...[ read more ]
What inspired you to become a counselor? I had a job in college that was in the same office suite as the counseling center on campus. During lunch breaks, the therapists and I would often chat about our lives, trading stories back and forth. My eyes would light up whenever they talked about what they learned in school or traded...[ read more ]