The holidays arrive every year accompanied by twinkling lights, festive songs, and for many families, an undercurrent of tension. Celebrating with family can sometimes feel less like a haven from the everyday stress and more like tiptoeing through a booby-trapped obstacle course, where one comment can set off years’ worth of pent-up feelings. Holidays can…
Relationships
How Our Team Practices Gratitude: Thanksgiving Inspiration & Wishes from Wildflower
Gratitude has a way of grounding us—helping us see what’s here now instead of focusing on what’s missing. In a world that often feels divided, taking a moment to express genuine appreciation has never mattered more. A thoughtful word, a considerate gesture, or a shared moment of connection can ripple outward, reminding us that kindness…
Why is Making Friends as an Adult so Hard?
We all know what it feels like to be lonely. No one wants to be characterized as a “loner” or “antisocial,” and yet most of us have felt deeply disconnected from others at one time or another. When we feel lonely, it is easy to feel like we are, literally, alone. Research shows that loneliness…
From Overwhelm to Connection: Managing Emotional Flooding as a Couple
Being overwhelmed is something that everyone has experienced. When we are in this overwhelmed state, we are not able to be our best selves, and it sometimes feels like we have lost control of our emotions and our actions. This experience can feel like we are “seeing red” or like it saps us of all…
Thanksgiving and Mental Health: Setting Boundaries around Challenging Family Dynamics
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, we may find ourselves filled with a range of emotions from excitement to frustration to sadness and perhaps even dread. Holidays like Thanksgiving that tend to focus on relationships with our family of origin, can generate feelings of shame and isolation for those who have chosen to place boundaries,…
Sexuality, Infertility, and Mental Health: Bridging the Gaps
Article by Kate Ernstrom, LCSW, PMH-C, CST and Gabby Pendley, LCSW, CADC, PMH-C Infertility is a highly personal journey, impacting not only one’s hopes for the future but also emotional, relational, and sexual health. In today’s world, an estimated 10-15% of couples experience infertility (ASRM, 2023), a reality that often creates a ripple effect across…
Navigating Dating Apps and Modern Dating Part 2: Attachment Styles & Ways They Impact Dating Satisfaction
In Part 1 of this series, I discussed some common experiences related to frustrations with modern dating, and specifically, dating apps. I shared some tips to navigating modern dating including how to: Get clear about your intentions Determine your needs Practice mindfulness In this article, I will be discussing potential roadblocks that might contribute to lack of…
Navigating the Transition to Parenthood as a Team and How The Bringing Baby Home Workshop Can Help
The transition to parenthood is one that comes with profound shifts in identity, roles, and relationships. These shifts inevitably impact parents as individuals and as partners. Renowned psychotherapist and relationship expert, Esther Perel, states that “having a baby is a psychological revelation that changes our relation to almost everything and everyone” (Perel, 2006). These words…
Honoring Your Limits: Setting Value-Aligned Boundaries with Family During the Holidays
The holiday season is a time of mixed emotions for many people. While some of us revel in the joy and togetherness of our beloved customs, reconnecting with loved ones, and savoring delicious meals, we may also feel nostalgia, grief, or struggle to navigate complicated family dynamics and expectations. In such situations, it’s essential to…
Tending to Your Emotional Bonfire
Difficult and intense emotions can certainly feel like a bonfire raging in our mind and body. Painful emotions like anger, shame, or fear can seem like they will consume us or be impossible to control. It can be difficult to know what to do when these emotions come up, and they can make us feel…
