You might have heard the story of the blind men and an elephant: the blind men who had never known or seen an elephant begin to describe it by touching it. However, each blind man happens to touch a different part of the elephant and end up with drastically different descriptions of the animal. The […]

Have you ever failed to be the person, parent, or friend that you want to be? Of course you have. We all have. What do you do when that happens? I’ve long had a tendency to be pretty hard on myself when I don’t meet my own expectations, and I used to think I was […]

Preparing to welcome a new baby into your home can be an exciting and happy experience, but it can be a difficult time of adjustment for older siblings. Older siblings may need additional consideration, support and attention to assist them to cope with this dramatic change in their lives. WHY MIGHT IT BE DIFFICULT FOR […]

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are the leading birth complication in the United States. (PSI, 2014) Etiologies of perinatal distress are complex and can be traced back to limited social support, loss of social ties, previous histories of mental illness, birth trauma, developmental trauma, and socioeconomic status. However, maternal distress is also often a direct […]

Take a moment to think about all the parts that make up who you are. Stay here for a bit. And breathe. What comes up for you? What images, stories, memories, words come to your mind? When I think about who I am, I realize that I connect most with the parts of me that […]

How do individuals, couples, and families navigate life after experiencing loss or adversity? This question has perhaps never been more relevant than in our current time, as we collectively navigate many complex and traumatic losses wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Loss is a powerful experience that shakes the foundation of life and our understanding of […]

Did you know that compared to white women; members of racial and ethnic minorities are less likely to receive preventative health services? Often receive lower quality of care? Have worse health outcomes for certain conditions? African-American Women As high rates of maternal mortality in the U.S. have alarmed researchers, one statistic has been especially concerning. […]

Sex is difficult to talk about. Especially when we’re running on empty, trying to keep up with life’s demands, our sex life may hit the backburner. You might not be feeling like yourself or you miss your partner but feel uncertain about how to pursue them. These feelings of uncertainty, unfamiliarity, or even nothingness toward […]

“How many children do you have?” “Is she your first?” “When is she getting a brother or sister?” These every day, well-meaning questions, directed towards me and my 2.5-year-old daughter running about, are anything but simple. For anyone who has experienced the loss of a child, like I have, these seemingly innocuous questions are difficult […]

What do you notice when you tune into the voice in your head? How do you tend to talk to yourself? Unfortunately, many of us can be our worst enemies instead of our own best friends. The practice of mindful self-compassion offers us a way out of this negative cycle. Self-compassionate practice teaches us a […]