As a therapist and facilitator of a monthly free support group for women struggling with infertility and/or early pregnancy loss, I bear witness to the full range of grief expressing itself. Not being able to conceive or to keep a pregnancy is a loss like no other. It questions the very fabric of a woman's [...]
Man's best friend has received much praise, and here is more to come, prompted by witnessing our dog's reaction to a recent traumatic injury. Our dog, avid ball catcher and squirrel chaser, managed to jam a two inch piece of wood between two of her front paw toes. Nothing was noticed at the time of [...]
One of the reasons why I do the work I do is because life has dealt me my own share of hits and blows. Like you, I am not immune to loss and pain; no one is. Thirty years ago on this day, it came on a very cold early morning in February; the sun [...]
As adults, we are quick to brush off feelings of hurt. In public, we cover them up with a smile or a wave of the hand. It's not that bad, really. In private too, we may dismiss when we feel misunderstood, put down or overlooked. Instead of letting ourselves have our feelings, we tell ourselves [...]
When people come to therapy, they usually come because they are in pain. Life hurts, and it hurts more than they alone can handle. But while pain brings them to counseling, it is often not the pain that needs to be changed. It is the fear that engenders it. Pain is not a bad thing. [...]
As a professional therapist, I don't hold a monopoly on therapy. Therapy can be many things, and thank God for that! Talking with a friend, crying, practicing yoga, gardening or going on a solo backpacking trip can be effective as well. So is getting a tattoo. Until recently, I never thought about getting inked, but [...]