The Balanced Life, Huntsville Alabama

September is National Self-Care Awareness Month. So this month, don’t feel guilty for having a little extra “me time”. The term “self-care” has become more and more popular throughout the years, but I still get the question, “What actually is self-care?” from a lot of clients. From my experience, it is definitely NOT eating a whole bag of Doritos in one sitting. Just in case anyone was wondering.

If I were to ask you the first thought that comes into your head when you think about your body, is it a positive thought or a negative one? Chances are, it’s negative.

As social creatures we long for safe connections with others.  And yet often this experience eludes us and leads to feelings of isolation and loneliness.  What creates this disconnection? And how can we make a shift towards connection with safe others?  While this shift is very possible, I also recognize that it is very hard work. The hard work is well worth it when we find safe relational connections. 

What’s your favorite song?  For many, including myself, it’s impossible to answer that question.  We may be able to identify our favorite genre instead. No matter our taste in music, we all use music in similar ways- to remember a special occasion- such as a wedding, to give a boost to clean the house, to wind down from a long day’s work, to focus on a study project, etc. Music is an integral part of our lives.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, an annual observance designed to raise awareness about the importance of mental health and encourage individuals to take action to improve their own mental wellbeing.

Oftentimes clients come into my office with present concerns of depression, anxiety or conflict. Once assessed and a personal history is established, it becomes clear that the problems are not only occurring in the present, but are rooted in experiences and wounds from the past.

“I’m worried about my kid and don’t know how to help them” is a statement I hear often in my office. Concerned parents bring their teens in for counseling because they’ve noticed behavioral changes and know their child is hurting, but often feel lost in how to help them.

Relationships can be warm, fulfilling, loving, and easy but they can also be cold, empty, hurtful and downright challenging and physically and emotionally draining! Thankfully, scientists of all types and backgrounds have been researching why positive relationships are so vital to our lives and how to go about creating and maintaining happy and healthy ones.

I turned 50 last Monday. Even just typing that feels a little surreal.

I often get asked how to help someone through a panic attack.  When put on the spot, my mind used to go blank even though I’ve had lots of training and have learned how to help someone during panicking. 

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home and a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."

“I can forgive, but I won’t forget.”  You either have said those words or have heard them at some point.  What exactly does it mean to forgive?