Happy New Year!

Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas!

Baby is a bit eager to make his appearance, so I have had to start maternity leave effective today! I am scheduled for a c-section on Tuesday December 23rd and plan to return to the office part time in February and then full time in April. I will check messages intermittently, but response times will be longer than typical as I take time to recover and for my family to adjust to our newest member. Thank you for your understanding and all the well wishes I have received!

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you find time to rest and reflect on what you are grateful for today!

See you on Monday!

In honor of World Mental Health Day, I thought I would share a picture of my new Brainspotting stones I bought in July! 💎💎💎 Brainspotting is a service I offer in my practice to help clients work through trauma and life stressors. Earlier this year I completed the Level 1 and 2 Brainspotting workshops and hope to continue over this next year in growing my understanding and expertise! To learn more about Brainspotting: https://brainspotting.com/about-brainspotting/what-is-brainspotting/

It may be 80 degrees and sunny outside, but I am ready for fall weather at my office! 🍂 Piece of advice: Be mindful and give yourself grace if the fall season is hard for you. It's always been my favorite, but in the last several years it has also been a reminder of loss that tends to sink in as the temperature drops. I do my best to be aware of this and communicate with those around me how I am feeling and take more breaks and time for myself as needed. Even if you aren't consciously aware of the association, oftentimes your body is. Take time to tune in and figure out what you need this fall. #dignityandworthwellness #iowatherapist #healingjourney #traumatherapist #lifetransitions #mentalhealth #trauma #healing

Bump ahead! Now that all of my clients are aware, I want to be transparent with any individuals seeking out services or providers I collaborate with. My family and I are expecting another baby boy in early January, and I plan to take time off to rest, recover and bond. My plans are not fully solidified, but the goal is to take all of January off after baby arrives and then work very limited hours in February and March until I return full time in April. As the time approaches, I will discuss with individual clients what this means for them and scheduling. This also means I am going to be hesitant to take on new clients for the time being as my waitlist is already a couple of months out and I don't think it's fair to take on someone and then be unavailable soon after due to medical leave. Most people have been appreciative about this transparency and for those who are not in any acute crisis and would prefer to wait, I'd be happy to add to my waitlist. Otherwise, I plan to encourage potential clients to keep searching as there are many great therapists who will have an opening before I return in April. Thank you for your understanding and support!

Happy First Day! First day of college... First day of school... First day of your kids back to school... I'm thinking of you and right there with you. Take it easy on yourself today ❤️

New office hours begin on Monday August 18th, 2025. I will now be in office Monday through Friday from 8am to 2pm to accommodate changes to my family's schedule. Thank you for your patience and understanding!

I hope you enjoy an extended weekend with those you cherish doing something that brings you joy!

📣Announcing New Office Hours for the School Year 📣 Starting August 18th, 2025, I will be in office Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 2:00pm. I'm making this change to accommodate my family's changing schedule and needs this fall. If your appointment is impacted by this change, I will talk to you in upcoming sessions about alternative scheduling. Thank you for your understanding!

Sometimes you can get caught off guard by an overwhelming swell of emotionality and fatigue, when everything had been going so well. What gives? 😫 I've had several clients over the last month come to me confused. They are balancing their lives, being mindful of their bodies, allowing rest and play in good amounts. They are growing increasingly mindful of their internal experience. They were feeling good. Until they weren't. Strong emotions and an unsettled feeling bubbled up inside of them, leaving them to feel as though they are backtracking as they begin think about things they haven't thought of in a long time. Sometimes there is a trigger, conscious or otherwise, but I believe these have been situations where they have done some incredibly hard work, the body and mind are feeling safe, and the body is doing what it is naturally meant to do. Healing itself. I've explained to my clients that, I believe, they have done the work to regulate their nervous system in the present and through that, they have created capacity and space to go back and heal parts of them that are still hurting and unhealed. The body is beautifully intuitive and wants to heal and it has realized it is finally safe to do so. The physical body doesn't wait for a certain time or your permission to heal. Why would we assume the mind is any different? Often people are relieved to hear this and the more they sit with the understanding, the more it resonates with them. They were worried things were backsliding and about to fall apart again without any obvious reason. The truth is that they are propelling forward from all the work they have done to listen to and care for their bodies and minds. So let this be an encouragement for you if you experience this in your healing journey. We often say healing is not linear, and this is just another prime example of that. Also, things will get easier. Keep working on yourself. 🩷 #lifetransitions #traumatherapist #teletherapy #selfcare #talktherapy #emotionalregulationskills #MentalHealthMatters #healingjourney #iowatherapist #dignityandworthwellness

ICYMI - I'm out of office while I attend another brainspotting training this Wednesday through Friday. See everyone next week!

Looking at all my plant girlies (and guys) 👀🌿 Make sure you are getting proper sunlight, water, nutrition and rooting yourself in a healthy environment! Happy Mental Health Awareness Month! #dignityandworthwellness #therapy #MentalHealthMatters #MHAM2025 #SupportMatters #selfcare

What are you reading on World Book Day? I'm currently enjoying reading (and listening to) No Bad Parts to learn more about parts work and the Internal Family Systems Model! Not big on reading? Maybe try an audio book! I love utilizing them for long car trips. #dignityandworthwellness #iowatherapist #trauma #healingjourney #emotionalhealth #lifetransitions #traumatherapist #WorldBookDay #worldbookday2025