Articles
Welcome to the articles page for Mindful InnerChange.
Fear: Rational or Irrational?
Fear is a complex emotion that invokes a specific physiological response in us. It engages the sympathetic nervous system so we may be ready to defend ourselves and fight for our lives or run and escape danger. There is also the freeze response that is not mentioned...
Depersonalization / Derealization Syndrome
Do you or someone you know express feeling like their life is not their own? As if their essence is detached from their body and the events happening around them feels like a dream? Some people may have these feelings briefly while others express this as a persistent...
Parentification Trauma
I have been writing about different types of traumas and in general to bring peoples’ awareness to the fact that it can be stealthy. I have had many clients come to me initially for a specific reason and say their childhood was “normal and pretty good.” As we continue...
Alcohol and Mindfulness
The topic of alcohol and mindfulness felt appropriate in the month that many call Dry January. It has become a tradition because it offers your body and mind a chance to reset and reflect after the seasonal bloat and weariness. As a therapist, I encourage everyone to...
Does Self-Help Really Help?
For years, the self-help space has grown and become more diverse. Entire sections at bookstores, categories online for books and videos, online courses, and more have all become so readily available. There are many reasons why so many people are drawn to self-help....
Unapologetic Healthy Boundaries
When we establish healthy boundaries, it defines clearly what is appropriate behavior in our relationships – intimate, friendship, professional, etc. This practice is crucial for self-care and positive functional relationships. Each person is unique as to how those...
Shadow Work is Psychotherapy
The psychoanalyst Carl Jung, and one of my personal favorites, identified the collective unconscious which is comprised of eight archetypes. Self: The center of the personality or psyche — your conscious awareness Shadow: The dark and emotional aspect of your psyche...
Constant Search for Balance
We hear it from our doctors, therapists, parents, and others that we need to find balance, but what is that really and how does it feel? You may be surprised to know that the answer is much more holistic and involves many factors and so the image of the scales with...
Practicing the Pause
In our everyday life, many times emotion overrides logical and rational thoughts. We sometimes have regrets after we say or do something driven by emotion and wish we would have done it differently. In addition, nervous energy can seem to take the reins of our...
Hyper-Independence: Men
What does hyper-independence look like in men? I have written about hyper-independence as a general topic and about the impact on generations of women. The extreme autonomy and self-reliance that invokes extreme discomfort when contemplating asking for help. There are...