Did you know that we ALL have a part of ourselves that is buoyed by calmness, curiosity, clarity, compassion, compassion, confidence, courage, creativity, and connectedness? These are the ” 8 c’s”. Please slow down with me for a second, and let me try to provide some hopeful psychoeducation: Even if we feel like trauma, hardship,…
Tag: self-compassion
May our Hearts be Encouraged
Whatever you are noticing inside you and outside you right now, may our hearts… be encouraged! If you’re up for a little experiment, try placing one hand on your heart and the other on your belly. Let them rest there for a couple seconds, then switch. Which one feels better? Do you notice any sensations…
Resiliency Zone During the Holidays (and After)
Our Resiliency Zone is our “ok” zone– our place where we’re in control of our emotions and our emotions aren’t in control of us. In other words, we are calm, alert, and engaged (ie. regulated) and we can function optimally. Other terms to describe this place include the Window of Tolerance and the Optimum Zone…
Why it’s Hard to Believe the Truth about Yourself
“Why can’t I just tell myself a truth/affirmation and then really believe it?” someone might say. Well, there’s actually a neurobiological reason why this is the case for many people. I went to a Havening training last year with Dr. Kate Truitt, a Havening Techniques Certified Trainer and expert on the connection between fear, information…
You are cherished for being YOU
Regardless of what has happened to you, how much you have, what you do, or what other people think or say about you*… you are loved, celebrated, and cherished. On the 11th anniversary of my traumatic brain injury today, I want to warmly and assuredly whisper to you that you are celebrated for the person…
Oxygen Mask: You need to care for yourself before others
I’ve been reading snippets from Respectful Parents Respectful Kids over the past year. I’m especially mindful of parenting these days— as parenting during Covid is HARD, we have an adorably-active two-year-old, and also, I’m very very pregnant (expecting baby girl any day now). Among other things, this workbook so kindly and firmly highlights the importance…
You CAN. You are capable
It was the Little Blue Engine’s attitude that got her up over the mountain to deliver all the dolls and toys to the good boys and girls on the other side of the mountain ( haha, can you tell we read Watty Piper’s The Little Engine that Could with our daughter a lot?!) In psychological…
How to calm yourself through breathing (guided exercise)
Did you know that literally paying attention to your breath… is calming to your central nervous system? Well, it is! Another fun fact— making your exhale longer than your inhale is even more calming. Perhaps you’re already in the practice of noticing your breath. Perhaps you never have. Or, perhaps you’re somewhere in between. Whatever…
How to Improve Brain Health
Neuroplasticity basically means that your brain is able to change (it is NOT static): it can grow and strengthen, build new connections, etc. The fact that I am writing this right now is an example of the amazing miracle of neuroplasticity: even when the traditional routes are damaged or innately weak (ie. such as from…
Beginner’s Guide to Mindfulness
Late last February (two weeks before the national shutdown), I went to a cluster of lectures facilitated by the famous Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis. I remember feeling exhilarated as I walked to this workshop, gleefully rejoicing that my 2-month-old was sleeping (on me), that I figured out how to use the baby carrier and felt good…
Robyn Broadus Therapy 