I had a parent call me monthly about her student.She would call anytime he was close to failing and would ask how can we prevent him from failing. She also told me that she emails his teacher almost weekly, and couldn’t understand why she hadn’t heard anything back. I listened empathetically to her talk then asked, "What is the harm in failing?"

I can let work and life distract me from really being present and fully enjoying the people and experiences in my life. I know I am not alone. I find times with friends often interrupted or diminished by regular phone checking.

People can begin to experience healing often after just a single encounter of empathy

I would be a rotten therapist if I didn't have empathy. Empathy allows me to understand and feel the world of my clients. It gives me the ability to help clients feel seen, cared for, and feel normal. People can begin to experience healing often with just a single encounter of empathy.

We have all used food to deal with our emotions. If I have a bad day at work, I might come home and eat some ice cream or chocolate. I have clients who stop at the drive-thru on the way home from work and get large meals and binge eat them in their car before heading home. They do this in hopes of push down some of the pain or anxiety they are feeling.

Change your critical self talk and you will change how you feel about yourself. Learn to notice negative self talk, stop it, and replace it with more affirming language. Don't be your own worst enemy.

I have been blogging for a while now. It started from a place of wanting to share information that could be helpful to people who may never walk into my office, as well as people I work with who need resources even when they are not in the therapy room. I love writing and wish I could do it more regularly, but I honestly can't keep up with it, so I decided to make some changes and try vlogging instead.