Drop the Emotional Weight

Blog post image about how healing trauma is like losing weight and releasing energy.

Drop the Emotional Weight. The unresolved emotional energy exists in the here and now. Time to drop the emotional weight.   The body naturally knows how to purge and release emotions that are appropriate in the moment when something causes us pain. The problem is that – over the years – we start being hurt…

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When You Hold In Emotions.

Thumbnail for anxiety and trauma blog psot about repressing emotions and processing them.

When You Hold In Emotions. Repressing emotions to avoid pain leads to defense mechanisms that cause long term harm. In so many ways, the body has everything it needs to heal, whether that be physically or emotionally. When it comes to emotions, the body has natural ways of dealing with emotional energy.   Crying, screaming,…

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The Issue with Overthinking

Blog post image about the issue with overthinking and why we are stuck in cycling thoughts.

The Issue With Overthinking. Constant worry and overthinking is a defense mechanism. The thing with overthinking is that it’s our mind’s foolish way of trying to keep us safe, but it’s aiming at the wrong issue. The things you’re overthinking aren’t the real problems. The real problem is just a feeling of being unsafe that…

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Emotions Trump Thoughts

Brain as a plant: Thumbnail for mental health blog post about thoughts, emotions and subconscious defense mechanisms.

Emotions Trump Thoughts The subconscious cycle between thoughts and emotions… A lot of people talk all the time about how your thoughts control your emotions, and… sure… There is certainly truth to that. If you’re constantly telling yourself that you’re no good, that life sucks, that you don’t deserve love, that things will never get…

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Dropping the Emotional Calories

Thumbnail for anxiety and trauma mental health blog post about how the body stores unresolved trauma like unused calories.

Understanding Emotional Calories The body stores unresolved trauma and emotional energy just like it stores unused calories as fat. In a recent post, I wrote about how trauma is energy, and I wanted to expand on that a little bit.   As I mentioned, in moments of emotional distress, when we don’t feel safe to…

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There’s No ‘Quick Fix’ to Emotional Mastery.

thumbnail for mental health blog post about how emotional healing requires time and practice.

There’s No ‘Quick-Fix’ to Emotional Mastery. Expect the inner-work to be a marathon, not a sprint. I know… when we’re suffering in the moment, we just want it to end as quickly as possible. And yes, there are ways to soothe the suffering in the moment, and there are methods that lead to results quicker…

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Deal with the Present Moment

Thumbnail for mental health blog post about how emotional pain and trauma exists only in the present.

Address the Present. Past Trauma Reveals Itself In the Moment.  When it comes to emotional healing, most people think that we need to dig deep into our past and unearth every painful memory in order to heal. They think that healing trauma means focusing on the traumatic memory itself, replaying it, and analyzing it.  …

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That’s Not the REAL You.

Image for Mental Health blog post about how our traumas create defense mechanisms that shape our identities.

That’s Not the REAL You! Trauma and fear shape who we are in ways we never notice. When we’re young, way before the age where our memories start to stick, we go through experiences that shape us. We experience some pain and learn to avoid it. We receive praise for something and learn to double…

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People Pleasing is SELFISH!

Thumbnail for anxiety and trauma mental health blog post about how people-pleasing is a selfish defense mechanism.

People Pleasing is a Defense Mechanism. It’s not altruistic. It’s a trauma-based defense-mechanism you’re using to avoid dealing with your pain.  One of the most common issues of self-betrayal that I help my clients deal with is people-pleasing. It’s practically a pandemic these days—putting other people’s needs ahead of your own to earn approval, avoid…

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Knowing is Half the Battle.

Thumbnail for mental health blog post about the importance of mindfulness and self awareness for trauma and anxiety healing.

Knowing is Half the Battle. In order to heal trauma, anxiety, stress, fear, etc… we need to become the conscious observer of them. For my fellow 80’s kids, you may remember that phrase “knowing is half the battle” from the GI Joe show, and it’s still applicable for us in our lives with this inner…

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