In a nutshell, attachment theory is all about how our childhood experiences with parents/caregivers impact our relationships later in life. It looks at what we learned to do, and how we learned to survive, in response to our unmet emotional needs as kids. 

When people feel understood, accepted and loved first, their capacity for listening expands infinitely. When you’re in your place of power, the other person can be in their place of power, and your interactions become more fulfilling—for everyone involved.

I have two pieces of good news: 1. Your emotions are temporary. 2. You have the power to shift your emotional state. Learning to shift your emotional state can be life-changing. It’s also one of the most important practices to master on the road to becoming your best self.

As kids, we don’t have the capacity to meet our own emotional needs or think in abstract terms. So how do we go about letting go of these old beliefs and rebuilding our sense of self worth? 

As a therapist, I’m really glad our culture is coming around to the idea that we could all use some mental health support from time to time. If you’re thinking about starting therapy, here are 6 tips to help you make the most of it.

This “new year, new me” mentality can be a great motivator to make some big changes in our lives. The problem is we often set ourselves up for failure. Here are 6 of my tried-and-true strategies for making new year’s resolutions that actually stick—and bringing more joy to your life in the process.

The more time I took for my practice, the easier it was for me to be the person I wanted to be in the world: loving, productive, present.

Have you ever felt rejected? Of course you have. We all have, and it’s not fun. So what can we do to make rejection sting less?

In this post, we’ll look at how to end a friendship when it’s taking a toll on your mental health. What do you do when a friendship is draining you—or when the relationship becomes harmful?

Breakups hurt. Whether they involve romantic partners or friends, there’s no way around the pain when a relationship ends. That said, breaking up with a friend is different than breaking up with a romantic partner. Once you’ve decided the friendship isn’t working, it can be tempting to get it over with and call it quits straight away. But that’s not actually the best way to go about it.

I realized friendships aren’t always forever. People change. Priorities shift. Over time, some friendships just run their course. Sometimes it happens gradually, without a conscious decision or a big conflict to end things. Some people just naturally drift apart, and it’s completely fine for both sides.

The more I practiced self-love, the more I could see what a difference it made in how I felt and how other people responded to me. In fact, the practice was/is so powerful that I continue to use it today.

When people see how I eat now, it’s hard for them to believe I used to be addicted to cheeseburgers and drink six Diet Cokes a day.

I didn’t get here by changing my diet all at once. What I wildly underestimated was the impact exercise would have on my mental health.

Here are some tips for how to support someone who really needs help right now—and hold on to yourself in the process.

It can be really hard to find a therapist who’s the right fit (trust me, I’ve been there!), but let me assure you: making the decision to reach out for help is a tremendous achievement in itself. If you’ve come this far, you’re already halfway there.

As someone who used to feel anxious and awkward in just about every social situation, here’s what I did to get myself out of isolation and start making new connections with people!

I’ve spent years cultivating the “perfect” coping skills. Creating a strong emotional support system. Building a career that makes me feel purposeful and smart. Putting together a balanced exercise routine of yoga, cardio, and weights. Developing exceptionally healthy eating habits. And then I had a baby.

A “fake it till you make it” attitude won’t get you real gratitude – but self-love will.

The holidays. For some, it’s a season to be jolly. For many of us, it’s the most stressful time of the year. A time when emotions and expectations reach a fever pitch, when the potential for emotional conflict hits its peak. Why do the holidays tend to be so stressful? And what can we do to move through this time of year with more calm and compassion – both for ourselves and the people around us?