How To Set Your Compass

Fear is a dirty liar.

There, I said it. Sometimes I just need to get to the point.

The part of you that doesn't walk down a dark alley at midnight? The one that doesn't jump off tall buildings or drive the wrong way in traffic? That isn't fear. That's wisdom. Those things aren't smart.

I'm talking about fear. You know the one. It stops you in your tracks and blocks you from moving through your own dark spaces. You either run or freeze. It goes by other names. Some call it anxiety.

A Letter From The World To You

By Greg Rakozy

(The ones who need to write this, cannot. Please consider this their letter)


Dear Precious One And Only You,
Inside you. Can you feel it? Your heart beating. Your chest rising and falling. Your body fidgeting. 
You are alive.

What Is Brainspotting Like?

If you've ever wondered what Brainspotting is like as a client, or why you want to do it, here's a handy quick video to tell you all you ever wanted to know.

Our Best Kept Secret

by Toby

"Oh, funny, my friend just texted me because she's getting out of her therapy appointment too!"
Comments like this are typical for my teen clients. They openly discuss their mental health and therapy appointments. They exchange ideas and experiences during lunch. They even encourage one another to seek professional help when they are cutting themselves, depressed, anxious or suicidal.


Yes, times are changing and I am proud of how this young generation respects their mental health.

But there is a strange divide. For my clients who are only ten to fifteen years older, I am far more likely to hear
"This is so embarrassing"

How To: Protect Your Kids From The Bad Guys

I usually don't like to write about this kind of thing. But I can't stop thinking about it.


We spend so much time trying to keep our kids safe. We research car seats and we shop organic and we don't let them play in the front yard without supervision. And our desire to keep our kids safe is so noble. It is so right.

But we are also getting it really, really wrong. 

Yes and No

Oh my word. You guys. I'm on draft number five. Five. I still haven't sent it.

You see, I have to send an email. An email I don't want to send. It's time.

I've been living my life in a way that I would tell a client not to. Whoops.

Look Ma! I'm A Guest Blogger

...It feels so fancy!

This week I contributed to a different address. If you Click Here you can see my post: "The Tribe".

Here's a snapshot:

"The room is so full when the baby is born. The room is so empty when the mother is born. Both need a cheering section. Both need whispers of encouragement and support. Both need to be seen." Read more

Lost Together

I love teenagers.

I mean, don't get me wrong. They can be a terrific pain in the ass. But I still love them.

They have this way about them. Everything matters so much. They take life and its meaning seriously and they ponder their place among the world with such deep focus.

Labels- Do They Help Or Hurt?

Photo By Pixabay

You may have noticed, we have a lot of labels these days. Between the addiction and psychiatric labels, we have covered a good chunk of the population. I've heard more than one client say "But everyone has something right?"

Before I go any further, I need to tell you what this blog is not.

This is not one more post about how diagnostic labels are evil. They aren't. Diagnostic labels serve a function. They are a tool. Namely, they were created so that medical institutions could treat them and so that insurance companies could pay for their treatment.

The Story Of All Of Us

Photo By Henry Kowaleski

Once upon a time you were conceived. A bundle of potential, you were declared "good enough". In your personal Eden, life was complete. For a time you knew sufficiency.

Then you joined the outside world. Maybe this was met with rejoicing. Maybe it was met with silence and loneliness. Maybe you were cherished. Maybe you "cried too much".

And life happened. And the cherub slowly fell from grace.