Trauma – How Trauma Shows Up in Everyday Decisions Trauma. Do you find yourself making choices that seem logical in the moment but create patterns that don’t align with your deeper values or desires? Perhaps you consistently avoid certain situations that objectively present minimal risk, automatically say yes to requests despite feeling overwhelmed, or…
Authentic selfhood – How to Reconnect with the Real You Authentic selfhood. Do you sometimes catch yourself wondering who you actually are beneath the roles you play? Perhaps you’ve become so adept at being what others need—the reliable colleague, the supportive friend, the perfect partner, the successful professional—that you’ve lost connection with your authentic…
Conflict avoidance – Why You Avoid Conflict (Even When You’re Right) Conflict avoidance. Do you find yourself agreeing with others even when you actually hold a different view? Perhaps you experience intense anxiety at the mere hint of disagreement, quickly backtracking or apologizing to restore harmony. Maybe you carefully monitor your opinions to avoid…
The Loneliness of Always Being ‘The Strong One’ Loneliness. Do you find yourself being the person everyone turns to in a crisis? Perhaps you’re known for your emotional stability, practical advice, and ability to handle whatever life throws your way. Maybe friends, family, and colleagues consistently rely on your strength while rarely asking how…
You Don’t Have to Be in Crisis to Deserve Support Healing Your Relationship with Support: Reframing Help as a Normal Need Do you find yourself waiting until you’re completely overwhelmed before seeking help? Perhaps you minimize your struggles, telling yourself they’re not “bad enough” to warrant support. Maybe you compare your challenges to those…
The Cost of Being the ‘Peacemaker’ in the Family Healing the Peacemaker Role: Reclaiming Authenticity and Self-Expression Did you grow up as the one who smoothed over conflicts, anticipated potential problems before they erupted, or maintained harmony at all costs? Perhaps you were labeled the “easy one,” the “mediator,” or the “peacemaker”—roles that came…
Healing Emotional Numbness: The Protective Response to Overwhelming Grief Have you experienced times when you should logically feel sad or grief-stricken—perhaps after a significant loss, during a painful ending, or in response to truly difficult circumstances—yet instead find yourself feeling strangely empty or numb? Maybe you observe others expressing appropriate sadness while you remain disconnected…
You Were Taught to Abandon Yourself to Be Loved Healing Self-Abandonment: The Price of Connection and Belonging Abandon Yourself. Do you consistently prioritize others’ needs, opinions, or comfort over your own? Perhaps you automatically set aside your preferences when they differ from someone else’s, doubt your perceptions when they conflict with another’s view, or feel…
Understanding Emotional Shutdown: A Protective Response to Connection Do you find yourself emotionally withdrawing precisely when relationships become most meaningful? Perhaps during moments of potential closeness, you experience a sudden sense of emptiness, distance, or detachment that wasn’t there moments before. Maybe your partner or friends comment that you seem to “disappear” emotionally during conflict…