self-compassion
With gratitude: Finding peace in a pandemic
Today is the day we celebrate, remember, and honor those who have died in combat while serving in the American armed forces. The long weekend is also usually synonymous with cookouts, beach trips, and spending time with friends and family. Things look a little different this year, for most of us. Nearly three months…
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The Gravity of Grief
I have written before about the ways that loss – whether expected or not – can make the world feel like a foreign place. Navigating life in the wake of a loss is like learning to walk all over again on an unfamiliar surface. Sometimes that challenge of learning to walk on the moon becomes…
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Choose your adventure
The wrapping paper that littered the floor has been swept away, except for those little bits and pieces you’ll be finding under couches and in crevices for six more months. The fridge is full of half-eaten snack trays, and the trash can is overflowing with paper plates and candy wrappers. The Christmas tree is looking…
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Grief in the Season of Joy
Everywhere you look, the signs are there: The holidays are here. Turkeys, holly berries, lights, and snowmen are showing up in every store – and on some front lawns – as we roll into the season of joy. At least, it’s supposed to be a season of joy, or so we are told. …
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Entering the Holidays with Self-Compassion
Halloween has ended, and the holiday season is upon us. We are entering the time of turkey dinners, festive lights, hot chocolate, and family guilt trips – are you ready? For adults from narcissistic or emotionally immature families, the holidays can be a difficult time of year. November is filled with talk of gratitude,…
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Love Languages, Part 2: You loving you
And we’re back for part two of the Love Languages miniseries! Last time, we looked at each of the five love languages and how they might be expressed in a relationship. Hopefully more of your relationships look like the healthy version of expressing these languages than the toxic versions. If that is not the case,…
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Practicing Self-Kindness During the Holidays
I know it’s cliche, but I’m going to say it anyway. Can you believe Christmas is only a week and a half away?! When did that happen? It’s funny how time works with big events. They can feel so far off – until suddenly they’re looming up in front of you. The busy-ness of…
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Why you still feel small around your emotionally abusive family
Learning the dance When I was in middle and high school, I performed in my dance studio’s annual, original Christmas show: The Adventures of Rudolph. Although the storyline differed from the classic animated movie and song, the show was beloved by young children throughout my area. At this time of year, we would have…
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When You’re Too Much and Not Enough (At the Same Time)
It’s happening again. Your heart is starting to pound, your palms feel sweaty, and that little voice in your head won’t stop shrieking the same thing: It’s happening again! Those same little “jokes” that always seem to contain a sharp little jab; that same somehow challenging laughter as everyone looks at you expectantly, waiting…
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The Highly Sensitive Person in a Narcissistic Home
Have you ever cried while listening to a moving piece of music? Ever looked at an interesting piece of art and found yourself getting goosebumps? Or do you sometimes just know that someone is upset just by standing near them, without them needing to say a word? If this sounds familiar, you might be a…
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