Flourish_therapy

23/01/2026

Becoming a well-individuated person includes recognizing you can EXPERIENCE HURT feelings, and that this doesn't necessarily mean someone was HURTFUL.

Another can also FEEL HURT, and that doesn't necessarily mean you were HURTFUL.

It seems ever so slight, but the implications of this are VITAL to understand.

👉 I.e. Sharing feedback with someone about a behavior of theirs might bring up some painful feelings, but this isn't because sharing it is a hurtful thing to do.

👉 I.e. Putting up a boundary for your own well-being might evoke some hard feelings for another, but this isn't because having boundaries are hurtful.

🤍 The thing is, being human is tricky. There's a whole variety of things that can cause you to feel hurt, and this isn't always because someone has done something hurtful/wrong to you.

Your personal history, wounds, family culture, attachment style, insecurities and triggers all impact what FEELS hurtful to you.

Each person is responsible for their own feelings, understanding them, and then communicating clearly when someone has harmed them.

💬 Will the idea of "hurt" VS "hurtful" be helpful in your relationships?

🌿 Lauren + Luke Smallcomb

22/01/2026

We have said to each other COUNTLESS times how much we wish we had awareness of Luke's neurodivergence earlier in our relationship. 🤯

The conflicts we had make SO much more sense in light of our neurotypes.

We could have spent way less time being frustrated and hurt, and more time enjoying each other.

Differences don't have to cause division and pain.

But that's practically inevitable without awareness and understanding.

If you're new to understanding your neurodivergence, or you've known for a while, and would benefit from a supportive community, consider joining Luke's upcoming Neurodivergent Support Group. He uses the lens of IFS (Internal Family Systems) to explore various aspects of neurodivergence as we've found IFS to be a really powerful modality for neurodivergent folks.

DM us with questions or to see the details.

🌿Lauren + Luke Smallcomb

21/01/2026

Quotes from Golden Child.

Thank you so much to all my readers, you have made this project worth it!

If you'd like to get a copy of Golden Child, it is available on Amazon in paperback, ebook and audiobook. 📖🤍✨

🌼Lauren Smallcomb

21/01/2026

Grieving the loss of the possibility of your family changing is one of the hardest things you can do.

The longing for safety and connection goes so deep, carving out caverns in your heart.

But acceptance allows us to honor and tend to our grief, while choosing to plant our feet firmly in reality.

This allows for remarkable personal growth, and the writing of a new story on the other side of such traumatic loss.

🌼Lauren Smallcomb

20/01/2026

You might need more rest.

But sometimes the body expresses what a life cannot.

🌿Lauren + Luke Smallcomb

20/01/2026

Many highly sensitive or neurodivergent people report that healing work sometimes has an opposite effect than they expected.

Instead of having fewer symptoms of our sensitivity....we find ourselves with more.

You might interpret this as a negative, question your healing, and assume you should do more.

When in reality you are learning to be truly embodied in a human frame for the first time in a long time, possibly ever.

Instead of denying your senses and your knowing, you are yielding to them and letting them shape your reality.

Let yourself feel. Bring awareness to it. Honor it as normal and good. And move your breath and body through to a place of integration and acceptance.

If you're neurodivergent and are in need of more support, our upcoming IFS Neurodivergent Support Group might be a great resource for you. Check out the details at the link in our bio to learn more.

🌿Lauren + Luke Smallcomb

19/01/2026

"Most HSP's are allistic neurodivergents. They are sensory sensitive, but they do not have monotropism and they don't communicate in that unique way that Autistic people do. They are people who are not neurotypical, and who have SOME of the traits of Autism, but not all of them."

"HSPs are between two neurotypes, so sometimes they're not fully accepted with either group, neurotypicals or Autistics." Trauma Geek - Janae Elisabeth

Our next neurodivergent support group begins soon, if you need support exploring and supporting your neurotype, check out the link in our bio.

🌿Luke + Lauren Smallcomb

19/01/2026

Not only do estranged adult children have to navigate the enormous grief journey of their traumatic loss of their family, they also have a less robust neurobiological foundation due to the dysfunctional nature of their family system that led them to become estranged in the first place. Instead of a healthy attachment style supporting their healing, they're usually burdened by the challenges of an insecure attachment. In order to survive they must seek out resources, supports and therapies to heal from the dysfunction of their childhood on top of tending to the pain of their traumatic loss.

It is quite the task.

🌼Lauren Smallcomb

18/01/2026

Over the three years that I was writing my memoir I explored countless depths, realizing new insights continuously. It was such a difficult and therapeutic process.

This was a hard realization to stumble upon.

The arrangement that looked so wonderful, actually set me up from the very beginning.

Golden Child is available on Amazon in ebook, paperback and audiobook. 🕊✨️📖

🌼Lauren Smallcomb

18/01/2026

💔

17/01/2026

16/01/2026

The modality of IFS (Internal Family Systems) helps you to reconnect with all parts of you on a really meaningful level.

As that happens, something shifts in how you see others.You stop reacting to the armor and start recognizing why it’s there. The defenses, the distance, the sharp edges — they all soften when you realize they’re guarding something tender.

Clarity of Self opens you up to nuance and wisdom. It helps you recognize fear as protection, resistance as pain, and a guarded heart as something worthy of care.

Any good inner work will flow over into how you engage with others, often bringing more insight, compassion and courage to love well.

If you're neurodivergent (or think you might be) and want to explore how the amazing modality of IFS can support your healing, sign up today. for our next "IFS Neurodivergent Support Group" through the link in our bio.

🌿Lauren + Luke Smallcomb