We live in a world with high levels of sensory input – loud movies, bright lights, crowds of people, the 24-hour news cycle, social media and technology that constantly interrupt and demand our attention. If you’re a highly sensitive or empathic person, this can be overwhelming and overstimulating, and leave you exhausted and […]
Fall is here and with it comes busier schedules, colder weather, and shorter days. In the blink of an eye, the holidays will be here, and we’ll be wrapping up another year. Autumn is a natural time for reflection and gratitude and it provides some special opportunities to use seasonal self-care ideas like the […]
Codependency is an unhealthy form of dependency, but it’s not dependency in and of itself that’s the problem. There are healthy forms of dependency, otherwise known as interdependency, that make relationships stronger. But distinguishing codependency from interdependency can be tricky — especially if you haven’t experienced many healthy relationships yourself. What is interdependency? […]
Whether you’re healing from a traumatic event, coping with yet another depressive episode, or trying to become a better parent, you know that progress rarely happens in a straight line. Intentional growth and healing are the results of hard work – often over an extended period of time. Positive changes don’t “just happen” and […]
Have others minimized, shamed, or invalidated your feelings? Having your feelings diminished, ignored, or rejected is a painful experience for all of us – but even more so if you’re a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) or survivor of abuse or other trauma. It’s important to have a sense of belonging and to be a […]
In my last post, I shared 15 Signs You Have a Toxic Parent. Awareness is a great place to begin, but if you have toxic parents, what you really want to know is how to cope with their crazy-making. How are your toxic parents impacting your life? Toxic parents can make your life […]
No one has a perfect relationship with their parents or in-laws. If you’re lucky you have a positive and healthy relationship with your parents most of the time. Unfortunately, for some people – those with toxic parents – this isn’t possible. No matter how hard you try, you can’t have a mutually satisfying […]
When is the best time to start taking better care of yourself? Right now! No matter the season or day of the week, it’s time to put yourself on your to-do list and give yourself the same love and respect that you give to others. Below, I share 10 summer self-care ideas, but […]
Do you have difficulty prioritizing your needs, setting boundaries, and consistently practicing self-care? These are struggles for many people who have codependent traits. We tend to put our needs last, often sacrificing our own well-being to make other people happy or avoid conflict. And when we do consider our own needs, set boundaries, and […]
We all experience stress, a feeling of being pressured or overwhelmed, from time to time. Sometimes feeling stressed only lasts a few minutes or hours — and either the stressor is relieved, or we successfully use our coping strategies to reduce our feelings of overwhelm. And there are other times when we’re under a […]