When most people think of summer, they picture sunshine, BBQs, and carefree evenings. But what if, instead of feeling carefree, you’re feeling… off? Maybe you’re more anxious, no motivation, or just pressured to be happy when you’re just not. If that’s you—you are not alone. Not everyone feels their best in summer. For folks navigating chronic stress, autism or ADHD, or recovering from dysfunctional relationships or other traumas, sometimes the sunshine just isn’t enough. Here are some ways you can stay grounded and connected to yourself when the season is harder than expected.

When you hear the phrase ‘therapy intensive,’ you might imagine someone in the middle of a breakdown. But that’s only part of the picture. Therapy intensives aren’t just for emergencies—they’re for anyone who’s ready for a reset. More and more, clients are using them proactively—for clarity, momentum, and deeper healing — on their own timeline!

We grieve all sorts of things: a parent who can’t really show up for you, a marriage that’s deteriorating, a gendered self we tried to wear for decades, the body we once trusted, the dream we carried for years and never got to live. These living losses hurt. And like all grief, they bring us—eventually, repeatedly—to a place we call acceptance. But what if acceptance isn’t what we think it is?

When we think of denial, it's often framed as an obstacle—something to overcome, a stage to pass through quickly on our way to "proper" healing. But what if denial serves a deeper purpose in our grieving process? What if this maligned response is actually one of our mind's most sophisticated protection mechanisms? Often times we are grieving something long before we realize it and the moment the denial lifts is the moment we ‘come to’ about what others may have been watching us act out for some time. This is why I have placed this installment near the back of the series - because for many people, denial can occur somewhere in the thick of the messy, unpredictable sea of emotions much like life itself: unpredictable and unexpected, with the fog clearing only to finally illuminate all that came before it.

Grief doesn't just follow death, it accompanies all significant losses—relationships, jobs, opportunities, health challenges, identity changes, or even losses of hopes and dreams. Among the complex emotional landscape of grief, depression stands as perhaps the most misunderstood stage. Unlike the more active stages of denial, anger, or bargaining, depression in grief represents a quieting, turning inward that's both necessary and deeply challenging.

The bargaining stage has something particularly maddening about it. One moment, you’re accepting what happened; the next, you’re crafting elaborate deals with the universe that could somehow undo the loss. It's like being caught in an eternal tug-of-war with reality. And here's the thing about grief that nobody tells you: it isn't reserved only for when someone dies. It comes for us in countless forms—when relationships end, when friendships dissolve, when one of our dreams have to be abandoned, when our identities shift, when possibilities close, when the future we imagined disappears.

When it comes to our mental health struggles, many of us have perfected the art of the dodge. We're talking about a deep-rooted pattern that keeps us haunted by the same painful themes or issues, never quite breaking free. Avoidance is the mind's automatic self-protection system. It's what happens when our brain decides, "This feeling is too scary, this memory too painful—let's go anywhere else, immediately!" And in the short term, it works brilliantly. That’s the problem.

Many of us have been taught to fear our anger. We learn early that anger invites violence or danger, that it's an emotion best suppressed or avoided. This widespread misunderstanding does us a tremendous disservice, cutting us off from one of our most potent creative resources. When anger is properly channeled, it offers extraordinary creative potential that too many of us have been conditioned to dismiss.

We often think about relationships in terms of building, growing, and nurturing. But what about when they change dramatically or end altogether? The transitions that reshape our connections with others—divorces, breakups, family estrangements, friendships that drift apart— can be among life's most painful experiences. These moments can challenge not just our emotional wellbeing but often our very identity. This is where radical acceptance becomes not just helpful, but essential.

When we embark on a journey of personal growth—whether through therapy, self-help, spiritual practice, or simple life experience—we're often sold the sunny side: transformation, liberation, authenticity, and wholeness. The glossy promises of becoming our "best selves" fill bookshelves and social media feeds.

What rarely makes the marketing materials is the unavoidable companion to all meaningful growth: grief.

Motivation is a thrilling spark, a burst of energy that propels us into action. It’s that intoxicating moment of inspiration when we feel like we can conquer anything—a new fitness goal, a creative project, a career move. It arrives in an almost magical and captivating way, often unbidden, pushing us forward with enthusiasm and excitement. But inevitably, it fades. And we are left wondering why we don’t feel quite as excited as we did before. Soon enough, if we rely solely on motivation, we cycle through disappointment several times before we may feel our our goals beginning to slip away, gathering dust alongside abandoned resolutions and forgotten ambitions.

Narcissistic parenting isn’t about a diagnosis. Let me repeat. It isn’t about a diagnosis, it is instead about the traits that are so frequently discussed in popular culture recently and frequently taken out of context. That said, these traits leave a very strong impression because they are not just about having a difficult parent; it’s about growing up in an environment where love is given only under certain conditions and your sense of self is shaped around someone else’s expectations. This kind of upbringing can leave deep, lasting wounds, but understanding the dynamics is the first step separating yourself from it and creating a path toward healing.

Life is overwhelming when it seems like the world is quite literally on fire. So how do we keep our center amid the pressure cooker of climate change, social upheavals, an endless political circus, and the sheer pace of modern life? Whether its mindfulness, community, humor, or collective action, you can keep your inner flame alive without being decimated by the blaze. And if all else fails, some dark humor, a good snack, and a good cry might be just what you need.

In the swirling currents of American discourse, trans kids have become an unjustified flashpoint in debates that prioritize ideology over humanity. From headlines claiming an "epidemic of irreversible medical interventions" to rhetoric portraying supportive parents as misguided, reckless, or harmful, much of the narrative surrounding these children is riddled with misinformation. As these narratives dominate the conversation, the actual threats to trans kids' lives are dangerously overlooked – their health, safety, and well-being. It’s time to debunk the myths and focus on what truly matters: supporting them so they have an equal opportunity to thrive alongside their peers.

Recently when I was in the shower, I went to shave my legs and realized “The water is already cooling off. I missed my shaving window again, dang it!” And just like that, I had to call it. Not because I was done with my shower tasks or because my morning was marching onward but because my neurodivergent brain’s preferred notification system for showering is simply running out of hot water. Sound familiar?

Intersectionality as a concept has become more widely known in recent years. It is a vital concept in contemporary discourse on social justice, identity, and inclusivity. Yet it has not yet reached the wider field of treatment and care in mental health. Coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989, it acknowledges that individuals experience multiple layers of discrimination or privilege due to their intersecting identities, such as race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and socioeconomic status. When applied to mental health, intersectionality offers a crucial framework for understanding how these diverse facets of identity shape individuals' well-being, how they experience the world at large, and with support and mental health care.

Narcissism has been a hot topic recently. Narcissistic abuse is a form of emotional and psychological manipulation that aims to execute control over one person in effort to reduce insecurity in another. It can range from obvious to subtle and insidious but it uniformly leaves invisible scars that can take years to identify and heal. In this post, we’ll explore the tactics commonly used in narcissistic abuse, the mental health impacts survivors may experience, and how treatment can help facilitate healing and recovery.

In recent years, the conversation surrounding gender-affirming healthcare has shifted dramatically, driven by both increasing visibility of transgender and nonbinary individuals and a surge in political attention and stigma. This era of heightened focus has brought both progress and challenges. Policies and legislation from the last five years have profoundly impacted access to care, shaping the experiences of many gender-diverse individuals seeking care.

The term "neurodivergence" celebrates the diversity of human brains, recognizing that differences in processing, perception, and interaction can be assets rather than deficits. There are several types but this blog post focuses on the four that are most well known: ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Giftedness, and Highly Sensitive People (HSP).

Trauma has a sneaky way of pulling us off course, creating distance not just from others but also from ourselves. It can leave us feeling unmoored, disconnected from the internal compass that helps us navigate life—our values. Reconnecting with these values is not just healing; it’s transformative. They provide a path back to center, helping us establish boundaries, recognize safety, and uncover meaning in our relationships with others and ourselves. They remind you of who you are beyond the survival strategies, helping you build a life rooted in authenticity, safety, and meaning—a life that feels like your own again.