Shame and Anxiety: Why They Show Up Together (and Why You’re Not Broken)
If you have anxiety, there’s a very good chance you also have a complicated relationship with shame. Anxiety shows up… and then shame immediately pulls…
When Abnormal Becomes Normal: How Extreme Dysfunction is Tolerated in Families
Ava would walk home from school alone everyday. She’d open the screen door to her house with her green backpack slung over her right shoulder,…
Connecting with Your Inner Child for Your Mental Health
Birthdays have always brought a lot of emotions to the forefront for me. As I am presented a cake with an extra candle, I am…
People Pleasing: Breaking Out of the Cyle
Have you ever met someone who didn’t seem to care what other people thought and admired him or her? Maybe you even thought, “I wish…
Softening Your Inner Critic
As a therapist I often hear my clients describe having an ever-present, critical, nit-picking inner critic. They struggle with self-doubt and shame, unable to see…
Forgiveness, Part 2: Forgiving Ourselves
“Forgive yourself for not knowing what you didn’t know before you learned it.”–Maya Angelou Have you ever found yourself feeling guilty, even when you may…
Parents, We Can’t Be There For Everything
One evening, while sitting in the local park with my children, the ice cream truck slowly drove up, playing that infamous and decidedly repetitive Ice…
The Golden Rule, for Yourself: The Wisdom of Self-Compassion
As a child we learn many different rules: Don’t talk to strangers, play nicely, share, say “please” and “thank you,” always ask permission, eat your…
Every Day is Opposite Day when It Comes to Social Anxiety
Social anxiety can be debilitating. It can keep you from you living the life you desire and deserve for yourself. It can stop you from…
How to Identify Passive-Aggressive Behavior
By Marilee Feldman, LCPC, CADC Most people who come to me for counseling—whether it’s for anxiety, depression, relationship concerns, substance abuse, or stress management—are on…
If You Wrote a Letter to Yourself: Healing Shame
You’ve probably heard the familiar saying, “We are our own worst critic.” This means we hold ourselves to a higher standard than perhaps anyone else…
Validation: the Key to Successful Relationships
“Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost indistinguishable.” —David Augsburger If I had to name the…
