Self-Esteem/Self-Compassion

Anxiety, Panic Attacks and Heart Attacks

Anxiety and depression are the hallmark feelings that bring people into therapy. They typically mask deeper emotions that we wish to avoid or dare not feel, such as anger, shame, fear, vulnerability or guilt. Panic attacks can also mask strong emotional symptoms AND they can also be misread as being a heart attack. What important to note is that heart attacks are the number one cause of death in women in the United State—so always check it out when you experience symptoms

Women and Beauty

In western culture idealized beauty for women tends to mean youthful looks, facial symmetry, femininity, glowing complexion, and a trim fit body. Women often go to great lengths to achieve their rendition of this ideal, and not necessarily by committing to good nutrition and exercise. Fad diets, surgery, injections, and eating disorders have become all too familiar as the path to achieving “beauty.”

Managing Guilt

People often see me because of their struggles with stress that can show itself as anxiety, depression, irritability, frustration, or guilt. Guilt is a big problem for so many of us juggling work, family, and self-care and these competing demands often feel daunting. It’s impossible to feel good about it all at once.

Create More Love in Your Life

At times it is easy to assume that you know what your partner of child is about to say, or even to complete their sentences. When you remain open to the possibilities, you may find yourself surprised by the outcome. 

People feel deeply cared for when they are heard. When listening—pay attention to the words, the body language, the tone of voice, the eye contact.

 Remember, “tone over content” matters most! That is how something is said matters more than what is said.

Cultivating Gratitude

Cultivating positive attributes, experiences or memories leads to greater happiness and resilience as it fortifies us during times of adversity and emotional turmoil. Of all the attribute one can develop gratitude is the most strongly associated with mental health.

Self-Talk and Self-Compassion

We talk to ourselves constantly throughout the day. It is believed that we have between 25,000 and 60,000 thoughts everyday. Internal talk is a mixture of negative, positive, and neutral thoughts—with the majority of these for many—being negative.
Most of these thoughts are a repetition of the thoughts we had yesterday, the day before, and the day before that.

Self-talk begins early in childhood and persists throughout our lifetime. It is our constant companion. Internal talk is a mixture of negative, positive, and neutral thoughts—with the majority of these for many—being negative. Write down your negative thoughts to understand your “internal script”
Then assess. Are these thoughts true?
Tap in self-compassion and reframe from a kinder perspective.

The Meaning of “Good Enough”

Winston Churchill once said, “The maxim ‘nothing but perfection’ may be spelled ‘paralysis.’” We’ve probably all met perfectionists in our lives, and know how difficult life can be for them … Read more

Why the Way You Breathe Matters

Breathing abdominally is the key to self-regulation and the initiation of a relaxation response.  The breath can be seen as a barometer for how we are responding to a given … Read more