Blindspots are everywhere and we all got ‘em! These cognitive distortions, which are irrational thoughts that shape our perceptions and emotions, often lurk below our conscious awareness and can wreak havoc on our self-worth and on our relationships. Good news is that we can grow our awareness of them, when we are engaging in them, and back out of them with proactive self-care and communication. Asking trusted partners, friends, family members, and colleagues to bring them to our attention can also be instrumental in helping us turn on the light and understand ourselves on a deeper and healthier level. Here’s to leveling up!

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For some, anger can be a debilitating or frightening experience that leads to conflict avoidance, anxiety, and sadness. For others, anger can be liberating and inspire change. We will all experience conflict many times in our lives, so we all need to learn how to recognize the signs of anger and develop healthy strategies for working with the emotion and communicating effectively through it. In the Process Communication Model world, Harmonizer Types inherently dislike feeling and expressing anger, which can often lead to Phase challenges and distress patterns that manifest in a cover up emotion of sadness and possible passivity or passive aggressiveness that can damage self-esteem and connection. Join us in learning how to deepen one’s understanding of anger, the impact on one’s nervous system, and how to effectively communicate through it to strengthen one’s empowerment and relationships.

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Who doesn’t like sandwiches? Figuring out where we begin and end in context with others can be a confusing at times. We certainly do not want to be a victim of codependency and base our self-worth solely off of others approval. We also do not want to be bulls in a china shop and assume everyone will accommodate us...how obnoxious! Learning to set healthy boundaries without walking on eggshells, facing our fears and walking the coals, and understanding how discomfort can serve as a motivator for change are all key. Stay tuned so that you can enhance your ability to develop strong, yet flexible boundaries, by utilizing what we call The Sandwich Approach.

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Kids…you gotta love ‘em because you can’t punch' em! Just kidding…kids are the best and having the privilege of raising them is one of life’s greatest adventures! In today’s episode, we will explore the brain structure and normal development stages that kids go through, with a special emphasis on teenagers and young adults. Transitioning from parenting to coaching is the name of the game! The goal involves helping kids gain independence, confidence, and the emotional capacity to feel firmly rooted in their family and subsequently having the confidence to fly towards their autonomous goals and dreams as a young adult.

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Welcome to our nerd fest…Behind the Therapy Door! This episode is all about attachment theory, the 4 types of attachment and signs that indicate which one is most prominent within yourself, and how various personality types demonstrate attachment distress patterns. Attachment and the wiring of neural circuitry begins in utero and continues throughout the life span. Knowing how we are attached and ways to heal from more dysfunctional types of attachment can be empowering and relationally healing.

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In today’s episode of Behind the Therapy Door, we take a deep dive into the definition of trauma, both big and small, how trauma impacts the nervous system, and a variety of coping strategies for soothing the nervous system into a more regulated state. We name drop some pioneers in the field of trauma treatment and explore various treatment modalities including EMDR, Brainspotting, and Somatic Experiencing. Healing from trauma is an ever evolving process and we are here for it!

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Hey friends, welcome back to Behind the Therapy Door hosted by Sarah Thome and Matthew Gallagher. Today we will visit the process of starting therapy, finding a good therapist, and learning to tip toe into the depths of vulnerability. Learning how our defensive behaviors have served as emotional protection can assist us in better self-acceptance, the courage to change unhealthy behaviors, and willingness to stop sabotaging ourselves and our relationships. Though the healing process can be arduous, it is also liberating in gaining valuable insights.

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Thanks for tuning in this week to Behind the Therapy Door hosted by Sarah Thome and Matthew Gallagher. In today’s episode, we will be discussing the communication power behind the concept of Both/And. This therapeutic concept helps us take perspective, be more open to compromise, be less defensive, and continue efforts towards differentiation and emotional regulation. Learning how to honor our own thoughts, opinions, and feelings while balancing that of others we might be in conflict with, disagree with, etc. empowers us to in a +/+ life position as often as possible, per Process Communication Model.

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