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Healing in the Upside Down: What Stranger Things Reveals About Trauma and Growth
As a therapist, I was surprised by how deeply Stranger Things mirrors the real-life healing process, showing how trauma, relationships, and self-acceptance shape our ability to grow. But before you go any further, if you haven’t watched the final season of Stranger Things yet, you may want to skip this post until you’ve wrapped…
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Five Ways to Ground Yourself When You Feel Overwhelmed
These small practices can help bring you back into the present moment and help you feel your body and physical surroundings. In turn you feel calmer and gain access to the ability to respond more intentionally to whatever is going on in the moment. Then, later with your therapist or when the situational context…
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What to Expect in Your First Therapy Session
Starting therapy can feel like stepping into the unknown, especially if it’s your first time. Whether you’re meeting with a therapist online or in person, it’s completely normal to feel a mix of curiosity, nervousness, and hope. At Ampersand Counseling Collective we know that even taking the first step to schedule an appointment can…
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Play, Paradox, and Psychotherapy: Reflections on the Transformative Potential of Therapy
Recently, I’ve been playing the solo board game Tin Helm — a small dungeon crawler that is packaged inside of a mint tin. The game consists of delving into a dungeon in search of three gems, battling monsters along the way. It relies on an interesting mechanic — do I choose to visit the location card…
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Is Therapy Right for You?
Do I really need therapy?Are my problems “big enough”?What if I don’t know what I’d talk about? If you’ve found yourself asking these questions, you’re not alone. Many people struggle to determine if therapy is the right next step for them and even the process of deciding can illicit feelings of overwhelm, anxiety, and…
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Introducing Jake Johnson
Ann and I are thrilled to announce our newest member of the Ampersand Counseling Collective: Jake Johnson! We met Jake through our therapist training at the Seattle School and are excited to continue working together ‘out in the real world.’ In light of our “Why Your Therapist Matters” series, we’ve asked Jake to introduce…
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Why Your Therapist Matters – Part III
Last week, Maggie shared about her therapeutic orientation, building on my post from two weeks ago that explained what a therapeutic alliance is and why it’s important. This week, I’ll share about my own orientation and how it guides the work I do. Radical Self-Love in Therapy: How I Approach Healing and Growth At…
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Why Your Therapist Matters – Part II
Last week, Ann wrote about the therapeutic alliance and why it is important to have a strong relationship of trust and safety in order for psychotherapy to be successful. Building on this “relational fit,” I want to continue the conversation on why your therapist matters by looking at your therapist’s training and theoretical orientation…
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Why Your Therapist Matters
Every time I meet with a prospective patient, I share a critical piece of information: Our relational “fit” is critical to the success of their therapy. Therapeutic Alliance We call this the therapeutic alliance, and it is essential for good psychotherapy. This “fit” or “alliance” isn’t just about getting along with each other, it’s…
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What is Religious Trauma and Spiritual Abuse?
Experiences of religious or spiritual trauma/abuse/harm can be hard to succinctly describe, which is evidenced by the fact that it doesn’t yet have one universal name or description. The Religious Trauma Institute uses the term religious trauma and describes it as “the physical, emotional, or psychological response to religious beliefs, practices, or structures that…