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When Our Thoughts Go Too Far
When we are in emotional pain, our thoughts can be more against us instead of for us. Our inner voice can be the one that puts us down the hardest. This critical voice could have developed for various reasons: family of origin, bullying, or abusive/unhealthy...
COGNITIVE DEFUSION: Untangling Troublesome Thoughts
The Web of Painful Thoughts We all experience unhelpful thoughts from time to time, such as thoughts that make us feel sad, angry, afraid, and/or hopeless. For some of us, it tends to be more often than less. To make things worse, they can be on repeat in our heads...
CULTIVATING RESILIENCE: Purpose
What is Our Purpose? This is a big question and quite difficult to figure out. Fortunately, for the sake of building resilience, we don’t have to have a clear and fully flushed out answer. The more precise it is makes it easier to hold onto, but overall we simply need...
So You’re Thinking About Taking Medication: Part Two
During my last blog, we focused on the different treatment approaches that impact a providers view on prescribing medications. Today, I’d like to spend some time focusing on the emotional struggles you may be facing that might lead providers to a recommendation for...
So You’re Thinking About Taking Medication
So you’ve decided that you’re tired of feeling stuck, overwhelmed and confused. While support from friends, families and your faith communities has been invaluable, you’ve discovered that it’s just not enough. You meet with a provider and they begin to suggest taking...
CULTURAL INFLUENCES ON DATING: What Black Women Can Do
In the last two blogs, we’ve spent some time talking about dating for black women as a Resilient Group and from a Spiritual Lens. Today I’d like to “wrap it up” [for now 🙂 ] with a list of tips and words of encouragement for my sistas! What can Black Women Do? Don’t...
Being Fully Present: Four Senses
Practicing Mindfulness If you are involved in any kind of therapy or self-care world, the idea of mindfulness is probably familiar to you. Optimum Joy’s therapist Daniel has a great post on the concept and practice of mindfulness if you’re interested in learning more,...
CULTIVATING RESILIENCE: Social Support
Understanding Social Support We all have to learn how to weather the storm, and part of going through tough times effectively is by being able to enlist the help of supportive family and friends. How well do you garner social support when you need it? One aspect of...
CULTURAL INFLUENCES ON DATING: Being A Black Christian Woman
Dating trends have changed overtime. More recently, there has been a shift from dating in your 20s to dating later in life. While this has impacted many, I’d like to continue the discussion of how it may impact black women. In my last blog, I focused on the...
CULTIVATING RESILIENCE: Will
What Is Willpower? Many people have experienced a moment when they feel a rush of motivation, energy, or intensity to do something or accomplish a goal. Whether it be getting that last minute homework assignment completed or wrapping up that task at work to finally...