Many people try mindfulness practice and feel worse, not better. They sit still, notice their heart race or their thoughts go willy nilly, and decide they’re failing. The truth is so much kinder (and more accurate): your nervous system is doing its job. When you’ve lived with chronic stress, abuse, or ongoing uncertainty, your body […]
Romance Fiction Red Flags: Unpacking Harmful Tropes in Fictional Love Stories (Part 1)
Written by Gwen Soat, LCMHCA Romance Fiction – Part 1 Falling in love through romance fiction is a common pastime for many creatives and story-lovers alike. We read of star-crossed lovers defying the odds, of enemies-to-lovers who choose each other despite their flaws, and friends who find each other to be so much more. Fictional […]
Unhappy Anniversary: How to Cope with Trauma-versaries (Trauma Anniversaries)
What are Trauma Anniversaries? You can feel it before you can even think it. If you’re in – for example – Eastern Tennessee or Western North Carolina you might notice your body begin to tighten around Labor Day. That tension may increase as September 27th draws closer. And this is just one trauma in one […]