Resources & Articles
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Understanding Depression: From a Normal Emotional Response to a Debilitating Mental Health Condition
This post is educational for the purpose of building self-awareness. It is not a tool or substitute for professional or medical advice and should not be used to diagnose clinical depression. When people talk about being “depressed” in a casual, everyday manner, it blurs the line between a normal emotional response of sadness to…
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Deconstruction Does Not Equal Losing Your Faith
Almost 10 years ago I was alone in my kitchen, anxious, and taking deep breaths in an attempt to stop physically shaking. I’d just wrapped up a text exchange with a respected and influential member of my former church community where I’d indicated I held a theological perspective that differed from hers, all via…
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Understanding Anxiety: From a Normal Emotional Response to a Debilitating Mental Health Condition
This post is educational for the purpose of building self-awareness. It is not a tool or substitute for professional or medical advice and should not be used to diagnose clinical anxiety. From high anxiety situations like public speaking and looming deadlines, to experiences of being the “new kid” or going on a first date,…
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Post-Graduation Slump: Why You Feel Lost After Graduation (And How To Reorient)
You turned in your last papers, donned your cap and gown, then crossed that stage to receive your diploma. You did it! You graduated. But after the graduation parties are over and the last of congratulatory cards from relatives arrive, something inside feels uneasy. Everyone told you that this was the beginning of the…
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You Don’t Have to White-Knuckle It: Why Asking for Help Is the Bravest Thing You Can Do
My kids have been on a space kick lately. Ever since the Artemis II launch captured their imaginations, we’ve been watching everything we can find about space travel. Recently we sat down together to watch Apollo 13, and there’s a scene near the end that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about. If…
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Why Therapy Takes Time (and why that’s a good thing)
A few weeks ago, Maggie and I returned to our alma matter to share how a specific course had influenced our training and continued to impact our clinical work. We reconnected with former professors and classmates, as well as new new students who were just beginning the same journey we had once been on.…
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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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Exploring the Depths: Therapy Beyond Symptom Reduction
Therapy isn’t just for times of crisis or managing symptoms; for both of these times solution-focused therapies are necessary and helpful. However, engaging in depth work through psychodynamic psychotherapy moves beyond these “last resort” therapies and into a proactive tool for long-term wellness and personal growth and development. Shifting From How to Why Most…
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The Problem with “New Year, New You!”
Every January, the phrase “New Year, New You” floods social media, advertisements, and conversations. It embraces the idea of starting with a clean slate and beckons a chance to reinvent oneself. It sounds inspiring, and while I do think that there is some wisdom in new beginnings, I think it’s important to recognize that…
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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…