We have all seen a movie in which the protagonist experiences a life-changing epiphany and their course is suddenly changed for the better. Sometimes it’s a moment of disclosure, finally getting it “all out”. And while I think moments of insight and disclosure can be powerful, they represent only one aspect of the therapeutic experience. … Continue reading Staging Treatment in Complex Trauma
Category: Coping
Self-care is a popular topic of conversation in both psychology and self help circles. Self-care means honoring your feelings, needs, and boundaries and includes physical, emotional, and spiritual components of the self. We specifically view self-care as a form of stewardship. Self-care allows you to live according to your value system and purpose in a … Continue reading Compassionate Self-Care
By Lindsey Boman, MA, LPC "Why can’t I stop?" is often the first question people struggling with addiction will ask me when they come into treatment. They will name all the reasons that they have to maintain sobriety, (family, friends, finances, freedom, health, career etc.) but will confess that they keep choosing their drug of … Continue reading Understanding Addiction
Mindfulness exercise abbreviated and adapted from Dan Siegel's wheel of awareness exercise. Mindfulness is the art of being aware of our internal and external experience. Mindfulness allows us to recognize and stay curious about each part of our experience--our thoughts, our emotions, our sensations--without being swept away by them. After all, each of these is … Continue reading Mindfulness Meditation
Shame is the feeling or belief that we are somehow flawed and unworthy of love and belonging. If we are capable of connection and empathy, we are vulnerable to shame. It is a common human experience. Unlike guilt, which is the conviction that I did something bad, shame is the feeling that I am bad. … Continue reading The Benefit of Shame
Amarillo Professional Counseling and Consultation 