With the cultural rise of extreme thinness, it can be hard to think neutrally about our bodies and not feel challenged by our own appearance. With that in mind. It can be helpful to remember that we are not the only ones who can struggle, children can do. Now, we obviously can’t control everything in the environments that our children are in when it comes to school, friends, and media intake, but we can make an effort to pursue body-neutrality in our own homes. To be clear,

You finally get home from a wonderful vacation. The photos are still on your phone, the memories are fresh, and yet instead of feeling refreshed, you feel sad, irritable, or unmotivated. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. Many people experience what is commonly called the "post-vacation blues," which is a temporary emotional slump that can happen after returning from time away. Why Does It Happen? Vacations often provide things that are missing from everyday life: fr

Okay, so you meet another mom, start chatting, and before you know it you’re deep into nap schedules, snack preferences, and preschool drama. While conversation topics of this nature are incredibly valuable, sometimes you just want to talk about something that taps into the other parts of your identity outside motherhood. If you’re craving a deeper, more meaningful connection with other women, here are 10 easy, down-to-earth conversation starters that help you bond over sh

As we head into the summer, there can be a higher preoccupation with bodies. This can come from being in a bathing suit, being around more peers, and a higher discomfort regarding the heat. While our awareness of our bodies and its functions increases, there can also be a heightened sense of shame regarding our bodies that accompanies the awareness. This can be quite triggering for those who have a history of eating disorders, body dysmorphia, or trauma that roots in fatphobi

With summer around the corner, it’s common to experience an energetic shift of excitement and anticipation. Going to the beach, taking long walks, and going to outdoor events are all things to start looking forward to. However, it can be hard to think about how being outside can impact our mental health in a negative way when it feels so good to see the sun! We wanted to curate a short list of mental health outcomes from heat exposure as well as ways to manage regulation in t

Betrayal is such a complex feeling that can be really disruptive. While we all aren’t navigating what that looks like in the public eye, it can be helpful to consider these steps to have an understanding of how you would navigate a similar situation effectively.

Systems of oppression impact everyone, even when we aren’t aware of it. As therapists, there is a due diligence to be mindful of intersectionality and how these systems impact our clients in order to ensure quality care. However, there are inherently biases, clinical theories, and interventions that are unfortunately long-standing and pre-date many initiatives of inclusivity and were developed through a Western-centric model. Now, therapists (among other care providers) are i

Trauma is being discussed more culturally than it ever has before. We hear it on TikTok, in medical offices, and even use it in our everyday discussions. While this increase in visibility is objectively helpful, it can also be very difficult to conceptualize at times and we can become selective and narrow-minded when it comes to all the different types of trauma. While this isn’t intentional, and is rooted in the history of stigmatization of mental health, it can be helpful t

Mindfulness is thought to have two key components; doing one thing at a time and being non-judgemental. By doing one thing at a time, we are bringing our focus into the here-and-now, choosing to pay attention and actively staying focused.

According to Female Friendship Coach and Educator, Danielle Bayard-Jackson, there are three essential elements foster deep, meaningful connections among women: Support, Symmetry, and Secrecy.

In the world of sport psychology, mental toughness has been upheld as one of, if not, the most important skill we can teach athletes. While there are some aspects of mental toughness that can be thought of as helpful, there are also more well rounded, sustainable, and inclusive ways to prioritize athlete’s mental health.

Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) has been gaining a lot of traction in the past year as more and more people are discussing it in clinical settings as well as in social environments. However, there can be some general confusion and murkyness about what CPTSD entails and how it might be impacting people. We wanted to take some time to clarify how this differs from PTSD and give clarity to some of the ins and outs of CPTSD. What is CPTSD and Where Does it Come Fr

While being in therapy can bring so many positive changes to our lives, there may come a time when it feels like you’re in need of a change. This is fairly common as our needs are constantly changing as individuals as we grow and learn. However, it can feel confusing or challenging to figure out when and why we might want to try a different therapist. These situations can often create some murky feelings and grey area, which can make the process all the more difficult. We tho

Mindfulness ebbs and flows in and out of popularity within our culture pretty consistently. While it gives us great sound bites like ‘very demure, very mindful’ sometimes there can be difficulty actually rooting into what mindfulness is. It is a practice that has been around for centuries. The origins of mindfulness are thought to be from Eastern practices of Buddhism, and gained popularity in the US in the 70s when Westerners studying the practices introduced it to the Weste

Participating in 'Dry January' is something that has grown in popularity over the last couple of years. People choose to stop drinking alcohol for the month of January as a way to recover from holiday celebrations, test their will-power, and even just save some money. Some find it challenging to engage socially, others see it as a welcomed change, and for some, it turns into a new-normal. Trying something first before making a big change is usually helpful. However, it can be

While seeing the turn of the year as a way to refresh, renew, and set intentions, sometimes there can be a subliminal tone of judgement, criticism, and resentment. While all of these feelings are valid, maybe it’s time we look at the way we are completing New Year’s rituals that may be impacting our overall mental health and self-perceptions. If you are someone who really struggles with resolutions, that’s not your fault. Oftentimes, resolutions are behavioral changes that ha

Antisocial Personality Disorder, Depression, Psychosis, Trauma, and Bipolar are all diagnoses that you’ll find if you do a quick search on ‘The Grinch’s mental health.’ While there is certainly a case to be made for dysregulation, there is also a lot to be inquisitive about when it comes to The Grinch’s behaviors and how we perceive them. By being curious and non-judgemental, we can think about parts of his life that parallel issues that occur in our world today. Now, while w

With the holidays coming up, it can be helpful to think about what our emotional responses might be in order to plan for coping ahead of time. While people-pleasing is often viewed as kind and considerate, we want to take stock in if the behavior detracts from our experience and emotional well-being vs. adding to it. Here are a few dynamics and situations to think over in preparation for the upcoming festive season to protect yourself and your emotional wellness.

. With an uptick of skinny-tok, diet culture, and a regression of body liberation, we are evolving more and more into a culture that is emotionally unsafe for those trying to maintain recovery. While people have the right to do what they want with their bodies and GLP-1 prescriptions (or non-prescribed weight loss substances) are on the rise, there has been a substantial increase in critical rhetoric surrounding people who elect to not lose weight via these supplements, speci

One thing that can have a significant impact on our routine that time of year is also daylight savings time. While shifting an hour may not seem like much, our mental health can be impacted significantly. People can feel more groggy, tired, and lethargic. It can also create quicker dysregulation and limit our capacity for coping. While we can’t stop the time change, we can prepare and plan for the impact.