couragepsych

I love watching art restoration videos as a form of self-care. I also find these videos can be an accurate metaphor for therapy. Just as an art conservator is working to restore the art, so is a therapist working with the client to end masking and reveal the authentic self. One video particularly spoke to […]

Have you decided to reach out for help? It is a big and important step. You might feel overwhelmed and anxious about starting therapy. Therapy is often an unknown experience for someone and we want to make that process as easy and transparent as possible. So let’s lay out the roadmap of what to expect

Often I find that talking about higher levels of care for eating disorder treatment with a client can evoke fear. Consequently, most of that fear seems to come from the unknown. Different levels of care exist to be able to provide the unique support someone is needing in their journey to recovery. As providers, we

A lot of situations and experiences can lead to you feeling anxious. However, what you do with the anxious thoughts is what breaks the cycle of anxiety. Why?      What if…? When in an anxious state, your mind may be past focused or future focused. Unfortunately, both are a trap and a form of

Body neutrality is a waypoint between body negativity and body positivity. Sometimes, body neutrality is the end goal; however, it can be a nice middle ground when working towards body positivity. The process of practicing body neutrality is two-fold.  1. Practice stopping the negativity to make space for body neutrality. You have to make space

Anxiety and avoidance are best friends when it comes to keeping someone stuck. First, let’s talk about ANXIETY. Anxiety lives in the body and the brain. For example, people who struggle with anxiety may notice physical symptoms such as upset stomach, muscle tension, feeling on edge, headaches, and shallow breathing. Additionally, the mind can be

Defining an empathy miss is important question, but first, it’s important that you know the different parts of empathy. If you didn’t get a chance to read the earlier blog on empathy, start here: https://www.couragepsych.com/empathy/ Now that you have the four main parts down, let’s dig into empathy misses. What is an empathy miss? Empathy

Are you looking to improve your mood? Have you had a hard day? Maybe you are stressed or feeling down?  Here are five things you can do right now that may help you turn your day around.  1. Smile- even if you don’t mean it! Smiling actually tells the brain to release feel good chemicals.*

Engagement in social media use is a prevalent part of how we spend our time. A way to fill time, to “decompress,” to avoid, to entertain, and to connect. But how often do we really take time to reflect on the impact of social media use on our lives? Are we being responsible consumers and

Those little behaviors… Let’s talk about some lesser known eating disorder symptoms that actually have a big impact. Oftentimes eating disorder thoughts, urges and behaviors are heightened when around food. However, it is not always obvious exactly how an eating disorder impacts time at the table. Here’s a list of some table behaviors that are