Cultivating Courage

With the solar eclipse fast approaching, I could not resist using it as a metaphor for worry thoughts! And who doesn’t love a pun?! NASA defines a solar eclipse as when the moon passes between the sun and the earth at just the right time.  As a result, the light from the sun is blocked, […]

Playing is one of the first ways we engage in learning and personal growth. Infants and toddlers allow their curiosity to abound, which results in interacting in fun ways with their environment and others. From there, they learn how the world works and how to be in the world.  Over time, the skill of playing

I was recently asked to give a presentation at an activity in the community on the topic of self-care. I wanted to focus more on the WHAT versus the WHY, and how we can connect self-care to our best selves! Now, I’d like to share those same thoughts with you. Fortunately, most of us recognize

Is there room for compassion?  This is a question I often ask clients. It’s important to weave self-compassion into your routine.  The world can be a difficult place to navigate. On top of that, we are human and make mistakes or choices not in line with our values. Consequently, you may feel shame or guilt

By definition, validation is recognition or affirmation that a person or their feelings or opinions are valid.  But, why is it so important?  Because everyone wants to feel heard and understood.  In fact, validation communicates to someone that they are important and that you are present with them.  Fortunately, there are many different ways that

We are our own worst critics. This is a saying you have probably come across before. An important follow-up question to ask yourself is, how does being critical impact my self-esteem and body image?  We all struggle with confidence and can be overly critical about our bodies at times. It can be hard to befriend

I “warn” most of my clients, before I begin working with them, that I am a book nerd and it is very likely that they will hear about books I’ve read or podcasts I’ve listened to that may relate to their concerns.  In doing so, I have noticed that I recommend several books over and

Let’s talk about body love and acceptance. An article was published years ago that brought truth to light about how messages about a body’s worth is contagious. In the article, a daughter found a photo of her mother in a bathing suit and thinks that her mother looks beautiful. The daughter goes on to recount

We have entered the time of year where holiday gatherings are happening frequently and having a healthy relationship with food an be challenging. Spending time with family, specifically, can add additional stress to your relationship with food. We all initially learn how to nourish our bodies from our family or origin. These food practices are

I have been contemplating mindfulness this week.  One reason is that I practice Iyengar Yoga with local community members once a week.  On the last week of the month, it is restorative yoga.  For those of you new to yoga terms, restorative yoga focuses on lighter and more supported stretches while focusing on your breathing.