As 2024 comes to a close many of us are drifting into a state of self reflection, and unfortunately some of us may have noticed that our inner critic is running rampant-excitedly pointing out  all the ways in which we, “failed,” noting all the things we didn’t quite accomplish, or gleefully rubbing our faces into the success of others. Which of course does a number on our mood and self-esteem; not quite the note we would like to end the year on. So how do we balance healthy self-reflection, taking stock of the year that has passed without allowing the Inner Critic room to run rampant?

Check out these positive affirmations for a boost of encouragement or a helpful daily reminder.

As you prepare for the onslaught of holiday cheer, I want you to sit with me here and just take a moment for yourself; to breathe, and to be. Slowly breathe in and out. And as you slowly breathe in I want you to call to mind a stress or worry on your shoulders . . .

Check out the recent ApartmentGuide article we were featured in: 

In today’s fast-paced world, carving out a space for relaxation and mindfulness at home is more important than ever. A dedicated zen room can provide the perfect sanctuary for meditation, reflection, or simply unwinding after a long day.

Your willingness to have faith and jump in with both feet can be such a beautiful strength when it comes to starting therapy. However where this trait will sometimes bite us in the butt is when we are further into the therapeutic process. Below are some tips to help keep that beautiful optimism in healthy check, so that you and your therapist can get a more realistic idea of how things are progressing

Do you find yourself getting stuck in repetitive thoughts or behaviors? Can you spiral about an interaction from the past or the future? Do you find yourself compulsively checking your phone or email, even though you’re not expecting anything in particular? You might blame anxiety or boredom, but would it surprise you to know that sometimes our coping mechanisms actually feed into anxiety? 

Life is so full of ups and downs. Progress is not a simple straightforward thing. Sometimes we take wonderful leaps forward. And sometimes we stumble back. The most important thing is not whether or not we stumble but what we choose to do after. Do we become disheartened? Do we give up? Do we throw in the towel? 

Have you ever heard your therapist use the term enmeshment or refer to two people in a relationship as entangled? If so, I am here to talk about how to support you in learning about how to stand in your power against enmeshment. Enmeshment is a bond that impacts one’s ability to experience autonomy and creates a complex and skewed sense of intimacy. Enmeshment can make it difficult to develop a strong sense of self. It can also lead to blurred boundaries, where roles and expectations are mixed up and there becomes an over-reliance on another person.

In April, I wrote about supporting teens in a seemingly unstable world. Since then, most would agree that the world at large hasn’t gotten any more normal. Dysfunctional politics, news of humanitarian disasters and inhumane conflicts, illusionment through social media, the looming threat of unaddressed climate change, inflation and economic stress; these are part of our shared reality, the boat we’re all in together.