Holding Space for Psychological Wellness, 6650 N Northwest Highway Suite 1W, Chicago, IL 60630, Chicago, IL (2025)

12/04/2025

Setting a boundary is one of the kindest things you can do for yourself this December.

The holidays are a marathon of commitments, expectations, and difficult questions. Your time and energy are finite, and “no” is a complete sentence.

We created this quick guide with 5 ready-to-use scripts for the most common holiday triggers: from over-committing your schedule to gracefully shutting down an intrusive question.

Swipe through, find your favorite script, and use it this week! (Seriously, try it.)

Which script are you saving for your holiday toolkit? Let us know! Tap the flag icon to SAVE this post—you’ll be glad you have it when the pressure starts to rise.

⚠️ Reminder: This content is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for therapy.

11/27/2025

Thanksgiving Eve Check-in: The Unseen Stress

If you’re hosting, traveling, or just anticipating a high-pressure family event tomorrow, we see the invisible emotional labor you’re doing right now.

Thanksgiving is often less about gratitude and more about performing, managing expectations, and navigating difficult dynamics. It is exhausting.

Our gentle reminder for you today:
* Your pace is the right pace. You do not have to rush.
* You are allowed to say NO. You can protect your energy by limiting commitments or conversation topics.
* Your inner peace is more important than keeping everyone else happy.

Take a deep breath. Be kind to the person you are bringing into that room tomorrow: you.

We are holding space for everyone feeling the weight today. ❤️

💬 Drop a heart below if you needed this reminder today. ✨ Follow us for more tools to navigate the holidays with emotional resilience.

⚠️ Reminder: This content is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for therapy.

11/26/2025

We want to start this final video with a heartfelt THANK YOU for not stopping. Your journey is seen, and your resilience is inspiring.

Dr. Anna Georgatos-Melanis, Psy.D. wraps up our series with two non-negotiable tips for survival:

* Tip 4. Find Your Support System: You do not have to carry this heavy load in silence. Whether it’s friends, family, community, or professional support, you deserve a space to be seen and helped.

* Tip 5. Take Care of Your Body: When you are exhausted, your physical health is the first to go. Focus on the basics: sleep, proper food, and mindful movement. Your body needs fuel and rest to handle the emotional demands of caregiving.

The full Caregivers Self-Care Series is now complete! We hope this series provided a necessary moment of pause before the holiday week. And check out Dr. Anna Georgatos’ full blog post in our bio.

➡️ Share this Reel with a caregiver who needs this final encouragement. ✨ Follow us for more essential insights on self-compassion.

⚠️ Reminder: This content is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for therapy.

11/22/2025

Welcome back to our Caregivers Self-Care Series (Tips 2 and 3) with Dr. Anna Melanis Georgatos, PsyD!

In today’s video, Dr. Georgatos covers two additional things caregivers often feel guilty about, but are essential for survival:
1. Setting Boundaries: Saying “I can’t do that right now” is not difficult; it’s protecting yourself from burnout. You are allowed to set limits.
2. Taking Time for Yourself: Even if it’s just five minutes to sip your coffee or finish a chapter. These small moments matter—they remind us that we are still a person, not just a caretaker.

As Dr. Georgatos says, taking care of yourself isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Tap the flag icon to SAVE this Reel for a reminder before the busy Thanksgiving week!

✨ Follow us to catch the next set of tips next week! (Dr. Georgatos’s full blog is linked in our bio.)

⚠️ Reminder: This content is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for therapy.

11/20/2025

This month is National Family Caregivers Month, and this deeply personal message is for the one who carries the heavy load in silence.

As Dr. Anna Melanis Georgatos, PsyD, one of our licensed psychologists at Holding Space, shares in this video, whether you’re taking care of children, parents, or other family members, you cannot run on fumes. It’s preservation, not failure, to set boundaries and ask for help.

Dr. Georgatos reminds us: you can’t pour from an empty cup. For deeper insight, her full blog post on this topic is linked in our bio.

This is the start of a short series dedicated entirely to you. Stay tuned this week for more actionable tips for taking care of yourself while still caring for others.

💬 If this message resonated, please tag a friend who needs to hear it, or simply drop a heart below. ✨ Follow us now for the full Caregivers Self-Care series!

⚠️ Reminder: This content is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for therapy.

11/15/2025

Yesterday was World Kindness Day, but how do we extend that kindness inward?

When we run on empty, our ability to show up for others diminishes. Self-kindness isn’t selfish; it’s the required fuel.

Swipe through for 5 Acts of Kindness you can start practicing for yourself this weekend.

Which act are you committing to today? Tell us in the comments! 👇

💡 TIP: Tap the flag icon to SAVE this post for your weekend self-care plan!

✨ Follow for the tools you need to fill your own cup.

⚠️ Reminder: This content is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for therapy.

11/13/2025

This is an incredibly special share today! Our Founder and Executive Director, Dr. Patricia Villarreal, was recently a guest on the Intentional Divorce Insights podcast.

Dr. Patricia Villarreal sat down with host Leah Hadley to dive into the emotional complexities of major life transitions, specifically healing after divorce.

If you are navigating the end of a relationship, this episode is your gentle guide, exploring topics such as:
- The Foundation of Safety. Why emotional safety is non-negotiable for healing and how to create it for your nervous system.
- Grief and Transition. Recognizing the non-linear nature of grief in the loss of relationships and future dreams.
- Avoidance vs. Healing. Using the vivid “emotional clutter under the rug” metaphor to show why avoidance limits our capacity to thrive.
- Reclaiming Personal Power. Practical ways to remember and reconnect with your inner strength.

Dr. Patricia Villarreal’s insights are essential for anyone seeking authentic growth, whether you’re experiencing divorce or any major life change.

Listen now! The link to the full podcast episode is in our bio.

✨ Follow and host for more supportive resources.

⚠️ Reminder: This content is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for therapy.

11/11/2025

It’s Movember. While we’re raising awareness for men’s physical health, let’s also remember the silent battle many men face when it comes to mental health.

To the fathers, brothers, friends, and colleagues who carry so much: Your load is seen. Your struggle is valid.

We want you to know that true strength is found in vulnerability. It’s found in setting down the heavy shield for a moment and saying, “I need support.”

If this message is for someone you know, share it with them today. Let them know they are not alone.

❤️ Save this to remind yourself later. ✨ Follow for a supportive space focused on mental wellness.

⚠️ Reminder: This content is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for therapy.

11/08/2025

It’s the end of the week, and we often rush past the small victories on the way to the big goals. But in the mental wellness journey, progress often looks like a series of tiny steps.

Stopping to acknowledge these small wins is a powerful act of self-compassion and validation. It rewires your brain to focus on what you did accomplish, not what you didn’t.

What is one small win you are celebrating this week? It could be making your bed, drinking enough water, saying “no” to an extra commitment, or finally sending that tough email.

Share your win below! We want to celebrate with you. 👇

✨ Follow for more support and tools to celebrate your progress.

⚠️ Reminder: This content is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for therapy.

11/06/2025

Our first post on this topic blew up because we all agree: “How are you?” often leads to a quick, meaningless “Fine.” We deserve deeper, more honest connection than that.

Swipe through for 4 more high-impact questions that cut through the small talk and help you get real answers. These are especially useful as we head into the busy holiday season.

Which of these questions are you going to try first? Tell us below! 👇

💡 TIP: Save this post and keep the questions handy!

✨ Follow for simple, actionable insights on mental wellness and healthy communication.

⚠️ Reminder: This content is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for therapy.

11/04/2025

Is it just a busy season, or something more? 🤔

We often use “I’m just busy” to cover up deeper feelings of exhaustion and detachment. This quick check-in can help you differentiate between being overwhelmed and experiencing burnout.

If you found yourself pointing right more often, please know you’re not alone, and there’s support available.

Taking care of your mental well-being is always priority #1.

❤️ If this resonated, hit save. ✨ Follow for daily insights into mental wellness and finding balance.

⚠️ Reminder: This content is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for therapy.

Holding Space for Psychological Wellness

12/04/2025

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11/20/2025

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