anxiety counseling

Why Am I Here?: The Importance of Connecting with Your Purpose for Mental Health and Wellbeing

November 23, 2022

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, depression, depression therapy, grief counseling, poor self-esteem, relationship challenges, self-image, , trauma therapy

If you had asked 5-year-old me my reason for living, I would have probably told you that I wanted to be an artist, a parent, and someone who helped the environment. As a child, I loved making things, had a ton of love to give, and saw the benefits of being of service. As I grew up, my immigrant parents tried to morph my passions…

How Do I Get Over a Breakup?: Tips for Coping with the End of a Relationship and Moving On

October 25, 2022

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, coping patterns, depression, depression therapy, grief counseling, poor self-esteem, relationship challenges, self-care, , trauma therapy

During one of my more devastating breakups, for days, I cried myself to sleep and woke up in the mornings to a pillow quite literally soaked with tears. I remember thinking that the pain may be similar to having an appendage forcibly removed. Reflecting on these details, they seem over the top, but these are my distinct memories of this time. I didn’t think I…

image of a person being embraced by another

What Makes It So Hard to Be Vulnerable?: Why We Avoid Vulnerability and Why We Should Stop

September 29, 2022

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, coping patterns, culturally affirming therapy, depression, depression therapy, family dynamics, poor self-esteem, relationship challenges, , trauma therapy

During a particularly difficult month, I had dinner with a dear friend who was going through a heart-wrenching breakup. He told me the details about the dissolution of his relationship, and I was honored to support him. Then he asked me how I’d been doing. After hearing about his pain and fears about the future, I questioned how much I wanted to share. While I…

Why Am I Afraid to Fail?: How Our Fear of Failure Can Hinder Growth

August 25, 2022

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, coping patterns, culturally affirming therapy, depression, depression therapy, family dynamics, poor self-esteem, , trauma therapy

Why do we fear failure? When I began building my practice, I was excited. I was working a full-time job at a non-profit mental health center, tutoring and facilitating psychotherapy groups at an intensive outpatient program. My plate was already full, but I was eager to have my own practice so I could do the clinical work how I wanted to. As my practice grew,…

What is Climate Anxiety?: How to Cope with Climate Anxiety in an Uncertain Future

July 28, 2022

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, culturally affirming therapy, depression, depression therapy, grief counseling,

Today I made a quick trip to the grocery store. I made sure to bring along my reusable tote and tried to make sustainable choices, like purchasing the juice that comes in a glass bottle because I feel more confident it’ll be recycled. Then I looked over and watched the person next to me purchase three packages of single-use plastic water bottles… and my head…

How Do I Keep Going?: The Importance of Finding Joy (Even When Things Seem Hopeless)

June 27, 2022

anxiety counseling, coping patterns, culturally affirming therapy, depression, depression therapy, trauma, trauma therapy

When we started working on this article, things in our country and the world were swiftly crumbling, and I certainly felt the impact. And then last week happened, and it felt as though the rug was pulled out from under my feet. I was recently reminded, “intellectually knowing that something is coming does not prepare you for the devastation in the body when it hits,”…

What is Intergenerational Trauma?: Understanding the Impacts of Intergenerational Trauma on Mental Health

May 28, 2022

anxiety counseling, communication challenges, coping patterns, culturally affirming therapy, family challenges, family dynamics, poor self-esteem, self-image, trauma, trauma therapy

A few weeks ago, my mother accompanied my children and me on an errand. We were in a familiar store, and my 6-year-old went up the escalator ahead of us and then walked off. My mother started to panic and stormed up the escalator, muttering that someone would take off with my daughter. At that moment, I, too, had felt unnerved but was trying to…

two clear hands held out in front of a face that is blurry to communicate boundaries and saying no

How Do I Set Boundaries?: Learning to Care for Yourself by Advocating for Your Needs

March 18, 2022

anxiety counseling, boundaries, communication challenges, depression therapy, family challenges, family dynamics, poor self-esteem, relationship challenges, self-care, self-image

While the term boundary gets used often these days, it doesn’t mean it’s easy to understand what boundaries are necessarily, or what it takes to establish and reinforce them. My eldest started playing basketball this year, and while I’m typically not a huge sports fan, I was invested when it came to watching her play. One of the things that I quickly learned was when…

Image of two individuals with trash bags picking up litter off of the beach. Both are dressed in warm clothing and are wearing gloves.

Is Doing Good Good for You?: The Effects of Philanthropy and Giving on Mental Health

December 16, 2021

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, depression, depression therapy, family challenges, family dynamics, self-care, , trauma

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others?” — Martin Luther King, Jr. The end of the year can be a time of stress for many. Spending time with family, while joyful for some, can still carry its own challenges and complications. The holidays can be quite loaded, and planning for the holidays can bring up fears, sadness, and feelings…

What’s With All the Burnout?: Defining Burnout and What You Need to Recover

October 18, 2021

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, becoming parents, burnout, depression, depression therapy, family challenges, rest, self-care, work stress

Recently I keep seeing the word “burnout” in the headlines of articles and in stories on the radio. People are talking about work burnout, parenting burnout, even social burnout. It seems that one thing we can all agree on is that as a society, we are burnt out with a capital B. So what is burnout? Burnout occurs when a person has met their limit,…

Why Am I So Tired?: A Case for Rest

September 15, 2021

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, coping patterns, depression, depression therapy, productivity, rest, self-image, trauma therapy, work stress

When I ask the people in my life how they’re feeling, one of the most common responses I receive is, “Tired.” And I can’t tell you how often I will set my sights on having an early night, only to find myself sitting in front of my laptop and television (simultaneously) way past my bedtime. In our busy and hectic day-to-day lives, it has become…

What is Toxic Positivity? And How to Respond to Your Feelings Instead

August 19, 2021

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, coping patterns, depression, depression therapy, trauma, trauma therapy

Even after years of doing this work, I’ve had moments when I am feeling sad or frustrated and I’ll catch myself thinking, “well, things could be worse!” While this seems pretty benign at first glance (or first thought…), I’ve come to understand how this falls under the umbrella of toxic positivity. What is toxic positivity? It’s the tendency to suppress, ignore, or disregard how one…

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