ACTW Blogs Written by our Expert Therapists
What Matters to You? Living a Value-Aligned Life
Not sure what you value? Learn how to tell values from “shoulds,” identify what matters to you, and live with intention. Therapy in Colorado.
Ambiguous Loss: Grieving Someone Who Is Still Alive
Missing someone who is still here? Ambiguous loss can follow divorce, estrangement, or addiction. Learn why this grief is real and how therapy can help.
“Now What?” Understanding What Happens After Insight in Therapy
One of the questions therapists frequently hear after a client has identified an emotion, recognized a pattern, connected a present experience to something from their past, or become aware of a long-standing thought or belief is, “Now what?” Once something has been brought into awareness, clients understandably want to know what they are supposed to do with it. Therapy may have spent time slowing the experience down, putting words to what is happening, and understanding where a pattern or belief came from. Once that understanding is there, it is natural to wonder: What comes next?
How to Become a Therapist: Understanding Counseling Degrees, Licenses, and Career Paths
Many people feel drawn to becoming a therapist because they care deeply about people, relationships, and emotional wellbeing. However, once they begin researching how to actually enter the field, the process can feel overwhelming. There are multiple graduate degree options, different licenses, and different career outcomes depending on the path you choose. This guide breaks down the major routes into the mental health field, what each degree prepares you for, and what factors might help you decide which path is right for you.
What Serena Williams’ Super Bowl Commercial Reveals About GLP-1 Drugs and Body Image Pressures
During the 2026 Super Bowl, tennis legend Serena Williams appeared in a commercial promoting GLP-1 weight-loss medication through the telehealth company Ro. The ad framed the medication as part of her postpartum health journey and emphasized something many people struggle with: bodies change and losing weight can be difficult.
Setting Boundaries: A Guide to Protecting Your Energy and Improving Relationships
Boundaries are a cornerstone of emotional well-being, yet they are often misunderstood. Setting a boundary isn’t about building walls or shutting people out, it’s about creating clear lines that protect your energy, values, and sense of self. Boundaries are an act of self-respect, allowing us to engage in relationships in ways that feel authentic, sustainable, and mutually respectful.
Breaking the New Year’s Resolution Trap: Sustainable Change Through Self-Compassion
Every January, the same message seems to echo everywhere: This is the year. The year you finally get disciplined enough, motivated enough, organized enough. The year you set the goals, stick to them flawlessly, and become a better version of yourself by sheer force of will.
And then, for many people, February arrives.
Navigating Grief During the Holidays: Tips for Coping with Loss, Anxiety, and Emotional Stress
The holiday season is often portrayed as a time of warmth, connection, and celebration. Everywhere we turn, we’re met with images of cozy gatherings, sparkling lights, and the expectation that this time of year should feel joyful. But for many people, the holidays bring something very different: grief, in all its complexity.
Letting Go of Expectations: How to Reclaim Your Identity and Self-Worth
Expectations are woven into our lives from an early age. Some are spoken outright – what it means to succeed, belong, or thrive. Others are unspoken but deeply felt, tied to our identities and shaped by the cultural, societal, and familial worlds we inhabit. From a young age, we may internalize messages about what it means to be “good enough,” “smart enough,” or “acceptable,” often without even realizing it. These messages can influence how we think, act, and feel about ourselves for years to come.
The Myth of Perfection: Embracing Imperfection for Authenticity and Connection
Perfection often feels like the standard we should strive for: a life without mistakes, flaws, or failures. But the pursuit of perfection can be exhausting, isolating, and ultimately unattainable. It’s a standard that keeps us from appreciating the growth, connection, and creativity that come from being imperfectly human.
Embracing imperfection means shifting how we see ourselves and our experiences. Instead of viewing flaws as failures, we can recognize them as opportunities. It’s about letting go of the pressure to have it all together and finding strength in vulnerability and authenticity.
The Power of Self-Compassion: How Being Kinder to Yourself Builds Emotional Resilience
When someone we care about is struggling, we usually know how to respond: with patience, encouragement, and understanding. But when it’s us facing a challenge, many of us default to
self-criticism, judgment, or pressure. Self-compassion is the practice of treating yourself with the same kindness and care you would offer a friend, and it can gently transform the way we cope with life’s difficulties.