"On paper,” Love Island may not seem like it has a lot to do with therapy or mental health. But week after week,  the show offers a surprisingly raw look into how we love, protect ourselves, and try to feel chosen. From a therapist's perspective, there's a lot to unpack under the drama.

Grief is a universal experience, yet it's one we often avoid talking about. When it arrives, it can feel overwhelming, disorienting, and deeply painful. Understanding what grief is and how it shows up can offer a sense of steadiness in the midst of the storm. With greater awareness and self-compassion, it’s possible to move through grief in a way that honors both your pain and your resilience.

We are born with an innate need for attachment and connection. As babies, we crave closeness, so we turn to our caregivers to hold us and support us. As adults,  our need for connection is still very much present and takes place through the relationships we develop. But why do we need connection and how do we cultivate relationships that feel meaningful to us?

Change is a natural part of life, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Whether it's a shift in career, relationships, routines, or personal identity, change can bring up a mix of emotions, from fear and uncertainty to excitement and possibility. This blog explores the fears we experience around change and offers strategies to move forward.

Therapy can be very helpful and impactful. Yet, many people are hesitant to take the first step and reach out for support because they’re unsure of what therapy actually involves. This blog will walk through some common questions and help clarify what you can expect from the therapeutic process.

Trauma can be defined as our response and feelings to a difficult event. Trauma is deeply personal, and each individual's experience of it is unique. Sometimes, when we experience trauma, we suppress it. We often resort to this as a defense mechanism or a way to protect ourselves in the moment.

The therapeutic relationship can be a really special one. It’s one of the only relationships where one person is the complete priority. Due to the nature of the therapeutic relationship, ending therapy can bring up many emotions. This blog explores the process of ending therapy, including what it may bring up, how you can reflect on your journey, and what it might look like to move forward with compassion.

We all carry internalized messages about what therapy is supposed to look like. Sometimes those ideas are shaped by stigma, culture, or what we've seen on TV. But therapy often looks very different from what we imagine. Let’s break down some common myths and bring a little more clarity to what therapy is really about.

Around 90% of women in America have struggled with their body image - a statistic that speaks to how deeply rooted this issue is. Understanding why so many of us feel this way is the first step toward healing. Our relationship with ourselves is the only one guaranteed to last a lifetime, which is why it’s so important to treat ourselves with more self-compassion, care, and respect.

We all have days when we just feel “off”. Sometimes, it may feel like you are sad for no reason. When this happens, it can feel scary, isolating, and even overwhelming. This blog explores why off days happen and how to navigate them with self-compassion and grace.

Most of us like being right. We like to be "right” in the way we think, the way we live our lives, and the way we communicate with others. It can feel good to believe that the way we do things is the correct way. But, having this mentality of needing to be right can also prevent us from learning, growing, and fostering healthy relationships with mutual understanding.

Social media’s effect on mental health isn’t black and white—it can be both supportive and harmful, depending on how we interact with it. In some ways, social media offers us a sense of community and allows us to stay connected. Yet, social media can also increase comparison culture and have negative impacts on our perceptions of ourselves.

It often feels necessary to spend time planning for the future or dwelling on the past. Our minds constantly race—thinking about what's next, analyzing what's already happened, and rarely settling into the present. Practicing mindfulness offers a way to pause, slow down, and truly experience life as it's happening. 

Families exist as a system. Family members often take on different roles to allow the system to function. These roles can shape how we see ourselves, interact with others, and respond to challenges. While they may have once served a purpose, these roles can also hold us back from growing into our most authentic selves. 

Finding out that your ex is seeing someone else can stir up a lot of emotions.  It’s so important to process these emotions with self-compassion!  Here are some ways to focus on your healing, reframe your thoughts, and prioritize yourself during this transition.

A good book can offer us a tremendous amount of comfort. They can help us make sense of our emotions, relationships, and difficulties. Here are five books that can provide a new perspective and change the way you view your own experiences.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a widely used, evidence-based form of psychotherapy that focuses on the innate connection between our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. CBT can benefit individuals who want to change unhelpful thought patterns, reduce stress levels, build confidence, and increase self-esteem.

When we experience stress or danger, our bodies instinctively react to protect us, often in ways we once deemed necessary for survival. If we’ve experienced trauma, these responses—known as trauma responses—can shape how we deal with future challenges in life. Understanding trauma responses allows us to be more curious about who we are, and why we are the way we are.

When someone you love is going through a hard time, it can also stir up many emotions for you. You may be feeling sad, scared, or even hopeless. You may want to offer support but are unsure about the most meaningful ways to do so. Here are some ways you can support a loved one, while also looking after yourself. 

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) is a form of psychotherapy, based on CBT and mindfulness principles. For young adults, DBT can be beneficial in increasing emotional regulation. With DBT, you may start to feel more balanced in your daily life, even when experiencing different challenges, or hardships.