One person brings something up. The other hears it as criticism. One pushes harder to be heard while the other shuts down, gets defensive, or leaves the conversation. Before long, the original issue has almost disappeared, but both people walk away feeling frustrated, misunderstood, or alone. If this sounds familiar, the problem may not be […]
You decline the invitation, again, and then spend the rest of the night replaying the text you sent to get out of it. Or you sit in the meeting with a thought you want to share, feel your heartbeat pick up, and let the moment pass. Afterward a familiar question shows up: am I just […]
Sometimes people reach a point where they want a clearer understanding of themselves or someone they love. Perhaps your teen is working hard but school seems more difficult than it should. Maybe you’ve wondered whether challenges with attention, learning, anxiety, or mood are connected in ways that are difficult to untangle. Or perhaps you’ve spent […]
If you have decided that you want to work with a therapist, we imagine that your decision may not have come easily. For many people, realizing that it may be a good time to start therapy is progress on its own. What tends to follow, however, is a practical challenge that nobody prepares us for: […]
Defense mechanisms protect us from feelings that our mind has decided are too much to handle. It redirects, reframes, deflects, and sometimes distorts reality in convincing ways, all in the service of keeping us functional. These mental strategies are called defense mechanisms, and once we know how to recognize them, we start spotting them everywhere. […]
We recently presented to the Junior League of Nashville on the topic of “Managing Storm Anxiety.” Joined by Andrew Leeper from Nashville Severe Weather (we are huge fans so it was a thrill), we shared information about the different ways that people respond to severe weather and ways to manage it. Storms can evoke powerful […]