The holiday season is over. The decorations are starting to be packed away, many holiday celebrations have passed, and the excitement of the new year is starting to settle into regular life again. But for many of us, there’s a lingering feeling after the holidays: a little more pressure to “bounce back” or “make up for” the variety of delicious foods we’ve enjoyed over the past few weeks. Whether it’s from the extra treats, the comfy holiday clothes, or the pressure of common new year’s resolutions, it’s easy to feel like you need to change something about your body.

Valentine’s Day can be a tricky time for polyamorous people. While society often emphasizes the day as one for couples, those in polyamorous relationships may feel the pressure to balance multiple connections, manage expectations, and navigate potential feelings of jealousy or exclusion.

As winter fully sets in, many of us feel the effects of shorter days and colder nights. For some, this time of year can bring about more than just a yearning to cozy up on the couch with your favorite show or book—it can also trigger Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression related to changes in the seasons. While SAD can affect anyone, it's more common in areas with long winters and little sunlight.

The beginning of a New Year is often a time to reflect on the past year and think about the year ahead. For many, it’s a time to set resolutions and make goals, and sometimes this may feel a little overwhelming. Creating a vision board can be a way to help you visualize your dreams, and enjoy the process instead of feeling the sense of pressure that can come with setting goals.

Honestly, it is an unfortunate reality that I am writing this, but a necessity. Recently, I attended an event that was meant to be a joyous celebration, but instead, I was left feeling angry and minimized. As I continued to process my anger, it transformed into a sense of empowerment, and eventually, I felt motivated and slightly unstoppable. The spike in motivation that I felt spurred on this post.

Body image refers to how we perceive our physical selves and how we think others perceive us. It’s a complex interplay of self-esteem, societal standards, and personal experiences. For many, this perception can be strongly influenced by external forces, such as social media and the larger cultural context, as well as internal insecurities. Beauty standards are often unattainable and unhealthy, which can place us in a double bind of striving for external appearances different than our own, or feeling like we are unattractive or outcasted from others.

Complex and challenging relationships with parents are one of the many struggles adults today face and seek guidance and healing around in our therapy offices. These struggles are often born from experiences and dynamics of childhood that continue to influence the parent-child relationship in adulthood. Sometimes, these dynamics are very evident, and other times they may be more subtle and hard to correlate with current experience.

So, you’ve got the ring, the venue, and the guest list all set. But have you considered another helpful part of wedding preparation? Premarital therapy.

In recent years, there has been growing recognition of the profound impact hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can have on the psychological well-being of transgender and non-binary (trans/NB+)  folx. While the physical changes brought about by HRT are often highlighted, the emotional and mental health benefits are equally significant and deserving of attention. HRT has a high potential to contribute to a more fulfilling and authentic life for many trans/NB+ people.

When considering how to approach relational challenges, one area of exploration that may be helpful is identifying and processing past trauma, often stemming from early attachment experiences. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is commonly used for healing individual trauma, which in turn can heal attachment wounds that come from it. Below we will discuss the relationship between EMDR therapy and attachment theory, and how combining these two lenses can help facilitate profound healing.

Letting people into the inner workings of your relationship style and identity can be helpful on the journey towards showing up as your authentic self in all aspects of life. For many, sharing with family and friends that you identify as non-monogamous—whether polyamorous, open, or exploring alternative relationship structures—can be a daunting but necessary step. Here’s how to navigate this journey with grace and authenticity.

In the fast-paced, and sometimes oppressive, world of corporate America, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle. With deadlines looming and meetings stacked back-to-back, many professionals find themselves operating on autopilot, dimming their unique spark. However, maintaining your “main character energy” (MCE) is essential for not only your personal growth but also for creating a dynamic workplace culture. Here’s how to keep your energy vibrant and impactful in the corporate environment.