Lifespring Counselling

04/18/2023

My website is down for rebranding and maintenance. If you are looking to contact me you can reach me at lifespringcounselling@gmail.com to book a consult or ask any questions.

11/13/2022

Harriet Lerner

09/01/2022

07/25/2022

06/02/2022

Bessel Vander Kolk! Trauma specialist and author of The Body Keeps the Score. Such liberating psychoeducation to understand what is happening between mind and body.

03/31/2022

shared this on LinkedIn today from and I love this as an everyday reminder to keep close. It is particularly special as we close our women’s history month 🗣💥💪🏾

To all the women and girls out there... never dim your light. The world needs YOU to shine bright. 🌟
👊🏽

Tag a woman in your life who inspires you and pass it on... 

03/17/2022

From K.J. Ramsey

02/05/2022

The balance of fierce and tender self-compassion, created by the amazing Johnine Byrne from See Your Words 🙏🏽

The image visually tells the story of the need to balance tender acceptance with fierce action in order to alleviate our suffering. When we do this, we have the sense of wholeness that spurs inner healing and outer change. 🦋

01/21/2022

It’s easy to get stuck in “fix it” mode when experiencing pain or other chronic symptoms. ⁣
⁣
However, when you respond to your pain with the mentality there is something to fix, it send a message of danger to the brain. It says “there is a problem!” ⁣
⁣
Instead, try paying attention to the intent with which you do the work to heal. The goal is not to fix, but rather, to help your brain feel safe. ⁣
⁣
Writing exercises, meditation, visualizations, gentle movement, deep breathing, self compassion, and joy are all great ways to calm a brain stuck in pain.⁣
⁣
If you need for guidance and support, our app and programs are designed to do just that. 💜⁣
⁣
⁣
⁣
⁣
⁣
⁣

12/15/2021

Start small.

12/14/2021

When it comes to your nervous system, a "happy feelings only" policy is NOT the best option. Yes, positive feelings are GREAT for your mind and body. Embrace them and do what you can to amplify them when they come around! But challenging emotions have value as well. They can alert you to what is going on in your mind and body. They can help show you where you need better boundaries. If they are pushed down, they will not simply disappear, they will simply become unconscious emotions that keep the body in a low-level funk of tension and an unexplainable sense of feeling "off."

All of your emotions are valid and purposeful. Expressing a full range of emotions is human, natural, and necessary.

10/06/2021

👏✨👏

09/28/2021

If today get difficult, remember the smell of coffee, the way sunlight bounces off of a window, the sound of your favorite person's laugh, the feeling when a song you love comes on, the color of the sky at dusk, and that we are here to take care of each other.

Nanea Hoffman

🦋

09/25/2021

Perfectionism can put the body into a state of perpetual anxiety, which can actually create pain signals, causing you to hurt even when there’s no physical tissue damage. ⁣
⁣
The antidote to this: Be okay with NOT being perfect. Learning to have compassion for yourself can go a long way. Remember, you don’t have to heal “perfectly” or on a schedule. Embrace healing IMPERFECTLY and use flare-ups as opportunities to try nee techniques that will calm your nervous system, turning those pain signals off again.⁣
⁣
⁣

09/17/2021

Healing is re-awakening the best parts of you that were hidden when the trauma happened. How do you re-awaken and discover yourself after trauma?

1. Therapy
2. Doing more of what you love and what brings you joy
3. Joyful movement of any kind
4. Focusing on being fully present in the present
5. Disconnecting from technology
6. Practicing self-regulation through techniques like the Neurocycle, breath work, meditation

I’ll be doing a podcast on this specific topic of how to re-discover yourself after trauma. Be sure to subscribe to my podcast so you never miss an episode! Just look for Cleaning up the Mental Mess wherever you listen to podcasts or visit: https://anchor.fm/cleaningupthementalmess

09/07/2021

Not everyone is meant to be in our lives to the end, so when someone brings pain, suffering, and disrespect to your life let them go, if you choose, you may wish them well from afar.

If it’s not possible to let them go completely, make sure you limit your energy and time spent in their presence.
Remember you are worthy of respect. You matter. ❤️

(Some people will only love you as long as you fit in their box. Don't be afraid to disappoint.-unknown)

08/30/2021

Love this!

"Trauma treatment is not about telling stories about the past. Trauma treatment is about helping people to be here now, to tolerate what they feel right in the present." - Bessel van der Kolk

To learn more about how Bessel van der Kolk, MD, approaches trauma treatment, click here: https://www.nicabm.com/faculty/bessel-van-der-kolk/?del=8.30.21FBPost

08/21/2021

I love curable and the exercises they provide to heal from chronic pain but also other symptoms like insomnia, anxiety and depression which are all neuroplastic symptoms.

Prioritizing yourself so you can do the work to heal is OKAY.

Often times, chronic pain and people-pleasing tendencies go hand-in-hand. Putting others and their needs or feelings first out of fear of not being liked or accepted is usually a learned behavior from childhood. While it's wonderful to care about others, when it's at the expense of caring for yourself and your own needs, it can create a lot of tension in the body.

Remember, the work you put in to heal is worth it. YOU are worth it, and your needs matter. 💜

08/17/2021

Being a parent is full of so much love and joy, and it also can have a big impact on the nervous system because of how much time, energy, and effort it requires. While it might be difficult to recognize this (hello, mom/dad guilt!) it's important to take a look at how it can coincide with the development of new or worsened pain and symptoms. This is a NORMAL human response to a tremendous amount of stress. Parenting can be incredibly rewarding, but we must acknowledge that it can also be very stressful.

If you are a parent, you know that time for yourself can be a big hurdle in doing the work to heal. Because of this, here are some tailored suggestions on how you can still fit in the time to prioritize your healing:

- Take small steps. Even just 5-10 minutes of focusing on your breath and noticing pleasant sensations in your body will start to rewire your brain and soothe your nervous system. The key is to be consistent with it. You can even do this while your child is playing nearby or engaged in an activity.

- Once your little ones are in bed, commit to spending 15-20 minutes in the Curable app. The writing exercises at this time might be especially useful, as you can reflect with less chance of interruption.

- Ask for help and support. If taking time for yourself and your healing is feeling impossible because of parenting, look for opportunities to ask for some more support from friends and family.

- Finally, be sure to forgive yourself for any parent guilt you may have because of your pain or symptoms. If you haven't been able to be as present or engaged in your child's life because of not feeling well, practice self compassion. When you notice negative self-talk, try to stop and talk to yourself the way you would to your own child. This will better support your healing.

08/10/2021

✨✨✨ Shine. ✨✨✨

07/28/2021

Such a good quote to remember!