Stephanie Bagato, LMFT

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United States
Indianapolis, IN
Stephanie Bagato, LMFT

I help people create meaningful relationships with themselves and others.

07/11/2025

So much of these looked like growth and strength, but they were really protection and avoidance.

Learning now that being evolved doesn’t mean being untouched.
It means being willing to feel.

Save if you’ve lived this too 💛
Share some of yours if you have any 💜

07/08/2025

If no one ever taught you how to soothe yourself when you were overwhelmed, it makes sense that it feels hard now. Self-regulation isn’t something we’re just born knowing how to do—it’s something we learn, usually through a caregiver who helps us co-regulate first. If that didn’t happen for you, there’s nothing wrong with you. It just means you’re having to learn now what you didn’t get then.

And this isn’t about blaming our caregivers—it’s about recognizing what we didn’t receive, so we can begin offering it to ourselves now.

Learning to self-soothe and regulate helps with feeling more grounded and connected to yourself and to others. You can become the safe place for yourself that you never had. That’s healing.

06/19/2025

I’ve had friendships that were devastating.
Ones that ended abruptly, painfully, or slowly faded away.
We all know those wounds.

But there’s also this beautiful part —
the friendships that last.
The ones that move through hard seasons,
that survive tough conversations,
that grow because of the challenges, not in spite of them.

The friendships where you come out the other side more connected, more honest, and more like sisters than friends.

Where healing happens in laughter,
where joy lives right alongside vulnerability,
and where you feel fully seen.

If you’re going through something hard with friends,
or feel like giving up — I get it.
I’ve been there too.

But sometimes, what’s on the other side of that discomfort
is a bond deeper than you imagined.

It’s not always easy — but real friendship is worth fighting for,
worth healing for, and worth growing into.

Tag your people. Tell them you’re grateful.
Or send this to someone you’re working it out with. 💛

06/16/2025

For years, I didn’t trust myself.
People-pleasing and fawning felt safer than listening to my own inner voice.
Over time, I didn’t just lose touch with my intuition—I couldn’t even hear it anymore.

But intuition is a muscle.
And the more I chose to listen—quietly, patiently—the stronger it got.

Now, when I feel unsure or ungrounded, I remind myself:
There is an answer inside of me.
I might not have full clarity yet… and that’s okay.
Because I trust myself enough to wait.
To listen.
To know I’ll recognize the next step when it comes.

Your intuition hasn’t left you.
It may just be waiting for you to feel safe enough to come home to it. 🤍

06/09/2025

I used to compare my relationship to everyone else’s all. the. time.

And every time I did, I missed what was actually good—what I loved—about my own relationship.

I didn’t have healthy relationship role models growing up, so I had no idea what a thriving relationship even looked like. I thought comparison was how you figured that out.

What I’ve learned is: comparison is often a coping mechanism. It’s our way of asking,
“Am I okay?”

But the real shift happens when we stop using other people as the measuring stick—and start using ourselves as the guide.

Now, even when comparison shows up (especially in the places I carry shame or insecurity), I use it differently. I pause. I ask:
✨ What is this showing me about what I want? About what I value?

Comparison doesn’t have to disconnect you.
It can be a doorway to deeper connection—with yourself, your desires, and your path.

And if this is hard for you too? You’re not alone.
You’re human. And you can transform comparison—just like I am.

06/06/2025

If your first instinct is to get defensive or shut down when someone gives you feedback — you’re likely feeling shame.

Not because the other person was shaming you, but because something old and tender got touched.

That’s what shame does: it protects us from the fear that we’re unworthy, unlovable, or not enough. And it can hijack even the safest conversations.

The work isn’t to never feel defensive.
The work is to notice when shame shows up…
And choose curiosity instead of self-judgment.

You’re allowed to pause.
You’re allowed to ask for a moment.
You’re allowed to heal.

🧠 Save this if you need the reminder.

Address

9247 N. Meridian Street, Suite 275
Indianapolis, IN
46260

Website

https://www.bagatocounseling.com/

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