Life by Design Therapy

09/12/2025

If you’ve ever felt numb, checked out, or like you’re just going through the motions, this post is for you.

Disconnection from your body can happen for so many reasons…stress, overwhelm, trauma, or just the weight of trying to hold it all together.

And when it happens, it’s not your fault. It’s your nervous system doing what it’s learned to do to keep you safe.

But you don’t have to stay disconnected.

🌿 These 3 simple tools are designed to gently bring you back to yourself, no pressure, no perfection, just presence.

Somatic healing isn’t about forcing anything.
It’s about learning how to feel safe again.

✨ Slide through for a few starting places when you feel far away from your body, and want to return.

https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/

09/11/2025

Therapist Tip - Body-Based Tools for Body Image

Have you ever looked in the mirror and felt shame? Or maybe you’ve found yourself hiding behind baggy clothes? If so, this post is for you…

Struggling with body image isn’t just about how you see your body, it’s about how your body feels to live in.

And when your body has held pain, trauma, or criticism for a long time, reconnecting with it can feel overwhelming.

That’s where somatic therapy can support you.
It’s not about forcing body love or positive thinking.
It’s about creating safety from the inside out.

Here are a few body-based tools that can support your healing:

🌿 Gentle Reconnection
Start small. Place a hand on your heart. Feel your feet on the ground. You don’t have to love your body, just begin noticing it without judgment.

🌿 Boundary Setting
Sometimes healing means giving yourself a break from the mirror. Or muting that account. Or saying no to conversations that leave you feeling smaller.

🌿 Pendulation
Go back and forth between something that feels hard and something that feels supportive. Feel your body contract, then notice where it softens. This helps build nervous system flexibility.

🌿 Embodied Movement
Move in ways that feel good, not performative. Sway, stretch, dance, shake. Let your body lead, not the inner critic.

🌿 Orienting
Look around the room. Let your eyes settle on something calming. This tells your body it’s safe, and safety is the foundation for healing body image.

✨ You don’t have to feel beautiful to begin healing.
You just need to feel safe again.
And from that place, a new relationship with your body can begin to grow.

If you live in California and are ready to find safety again, book a call with us 💚

https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/therapy-phone-consultation

09/10/2025

Today is ***dePreventionDay, which means it's time to have a real conversation about the warning signs of su***de.

Su***de is preventable, but the warning signs are not always obvious. This month offers us all the opportunity to better educate ourselves on how to recognize suicidal ideation.

Someone who is thinking about su***de might:

⚠️ Talk about wanting to die or having no reason to live. This can also include vague statements like "I just want it all to end."

⚠️ Feeling hopeless, desperate, trapped, or like a burden. Someone might say things like "They will be better off without me" or "Nothing is ever going to change."

⚠️ Withdraw from others. People contemplating su***de often isolate themselves or lose interest in activities they once enjoyed.

⚠️ Give away their prized possessions or get their affairs in order. This can include revising a will at the last minute or giving you something they love because they "won't need it anymore."

Don't assume that someone who is thinking about su***de won't do it. If you notice these signs, act now. Start the conversation.

💛 You do not have to do this alone, and support is available.

If you or someone you know is in crisis:
📞 Call or text 988 to connect with the Su***de & Crisis Lifeline (available 24/7)
📱 Text "HOME" to 741-741 to connect with the Crisis Text Line

https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/

09/08/2025

Root of Body Image

Most body image advice focuses on mindset, but your thoughts aren’t the whole story.

Did you know that body image isn’t just about how you see yourself but rather about how safe you feel being yourself. In your body, in your skin, and in the world.

If your nervous system doesn’t feel safe, no amount of mirror work or mantras can override that.
You don’t need more confidence and you don’t need to fix your body.

💚 You need to feel at home in it.

This is where Somatic and Holistic Therapy can be supportive.
It helps you rebuild safety, gently, from the inside out.

📍At Life By Design Therapy™, we help you do just that. With nervous system-informed therapy that honors your whole self.

💻 Ready to reconnect with your body in a way that actually feels good?
Click the link in bio to get started.

https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/

09/03/2025

How Do I Know if I Have Depression?

I didn’t feel sad… I just felt off. Numb. Disconnected.
If you’ve ever said something like this, I get it… and, honestly, it might be more than just a rough patch.

Depression doesn’t always look the way we expect.

Sometimes it’s not tears or breakdowns, it’s the quiet heaviness that sneaks into your days.

The brain fog. The exhaustion. The feeling that you’re just… not you.

💡 Depression can show up as:
✔️ Feeling flat, numb, or stuck
✔️ Losing interest in things you used to enjoy
✔️ Exhaustion that doesn’t go away with rest
✔️ Disconnection from your body or emotions

If this sounds familiar, know that there’s nothing wrong with you and support is available.

Somatic and holistic therapy can help you reconnect with your body and begin to feel like yourself again.

At Life By Design Therapy we have a team who specializes in creating safety for nervous system regulation, trauma healing, and body-based tools.

🌿 You don’t have to “hit rock bottom” to take the first step.

Book a call with us today to get started.

https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/

09/02/2025

When you're low, routines can feel like pressure.
And if you're navigating depression, even basic structure might feel out of reach.

But I want you to know that you're not lazy and you're not failing. Your body is in a survival state, and it makes sense that the usual productivity advice just doesn’t land right now.

✨ This is where rhythms come in.
Rhythms are gentler than routines.
They don’t demand, they invite.
They’re not about performance, they’re about presence.

Here’s the difference:
🧠 Routines say: “Stick to this plan or you’ve messed up.”
🫀 Rhythms say: “Let’s try this one small thing… again and again, in your own time.”

💡 Why rhythms work:
Your nervous system thrives on predictable, body-based signals of safety.

Simple things like drinking water before coffee, opening a window, or lighting a candle at the same time each night…

They tell your body: “You’re safe now. You can settle.”

🌿 Here are a few more gentle rhythm ideas to try:
✨ Opening a window in the morning
✨ Drinking water before coffee
✨ Playing the same calming song while brushing your teeth
✨ Lighting a candle at night
✨ Doing one small stretch before getting into bed

Not all of these will feel right, and that’s okay. The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is consistency with kindness.

Healing doesn’t start with motivation.
It starts with safety.
And often, that safety comes from doing one small thing, again and again, until your body begins to trust that it’s okay to stay.

🌀 Rhythm regulates. Your nervous system responds to patterns, not pressure.

📌 Save this post for the hard days.

https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/

09/01/2025

As a somatic psychotherapist, I offer my humanness, my empathy, and a commitment to helping you heal and thrive in today's world. I am dedicated to helping you on your journey towards a life of purpose, a life filled with meaningful connections and inner peace.

https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/melody-wright-mft

08/29/2025

You tug at your clothes, cross your arms, shift your posture. You find anything to distract others from the parts of yourself you can’t stop criticizing. And it doesn’t just happen in the mirror. It follows you into photos, into conversations, even into the way you carry yourself through a crowded room. Even when others don’t notice, your mind zooms in on the details like your hips, which you think are too wide, arms that don’t look toned enough, or skin that never seems smooth enough. This isn’t just about confidence, it isn’t vanity…

Read More

Struggling with body image? Discover how somatic therapy and nervous system healing can help you feel safe, connected, and at home in your body again with gentle, body-based tools you can start using today.

08/28/2025

3 Body-Based Tips for Depression

When you’re weighed down by depression, even daily life can feel like too much.

Because your nervous system is in survival mode, structure can feel like pressure. Motivation disappears. Everything feels far away.

When your nervous system is in survival mode, structure can feel like pressure. Motivation disappears. Everything feels far away.

That’s why body-based tools are so powerful. They help you connect, gently, from the inside out.

🌿 Notice what’s there:
Tune in to your body without judgment. Start by naming simple sensations like tightness in your chest or heaviness in your limbs.

🌿 Create rhythms, not routines:
Rhythms are forgiving. They bring gentle structure without the pressure. Think: opening a window in the morning or lighting a candle at night.

🌿 Gentle movement:
Wiggle your toes. Sway in your chair. Stretch with soft music playing. No mirrors. No goals. Just reminding your body that it’s still here.

✨ These aren’t meant to fix you.
They’re here to help you feel a little more with yourself, one moment at a time.

https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/blog/nbspholistic-tips-for-healing-your-depression-7t7cg

08/27/2025

Body Based Tips for Managing Depression

When you're living with depression, even the smallest tasks can feel heavy.

Your body might feel disconnected, numb, or like it’s just going through the motions. That’s not failure, it’s your nervous system doing its best to cope.

💛 These gentle, body-based tips can help you begin reconnecting with yourself, one small moment at a time:
✔️ Notice what’s there – Tune into your chest, jaw, or stomach. Name what you feel.
✔️ Connect through sensation – Touch something grounding: a blanket, a warm mug, a pet.
✔️ Take moments to rest – Rest without guilt. You don’t have to earn it.
✔️ Create rhythms, not routines – Light a candle. Open a window. Let life move in small, doable ways.
✔️ Include gentle movement – Sway, stretch, or wiggle your toes.
✔️ Seek support – This step can be difficult for some, but I want you to know that you don’t have go through this alone.

This isn’t about “fixing.” It’s about helping your body feel safe again.

Working with a Somatic therapist can support you by working with your mind and body to create balance again. If you would like to know more about Somatic Therapy and how it works, click the link in our bio to book a call.

https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/depression-therapy