Dr. Jenn Hardy

Dr. Jenn Hardy Hi! I'm a psychologist in private practice in Maryville, TN. I like to post my thoughts about life,

I like to post my thoughts about life, therapy, and everything else.

You will not be everyone’s style. That’s ok. None of us are.I’ve come to find that it’s better for me to be myself rathe...
09/08/2025

You will not be everyone’s style. That’s ok. None of us are.

I’ve come to find that it’s better for me to be myself rather than some watered down version of me that I think will be more palatable for the masses.

I also get that we are often in situations where that watered down version of us is the most self-protective and adaptive way we can respond to the environment we find ourselves in. It makes those spaces and people who embrace our authentic selves all the more important.

Caption [you will not be for everyone. Everyone will not be for you. And, that’s ok.]
Slide 2 [Saturday essay: Permission to be inconvenient…in the spirit of taking care of yourself. Know that I will always include an audio version with my essays.]

Learn from my mistakes. Caption [Resist the temptation to go all-in on creative projects. Protect time for self-care and...
09/06/2025

Learn from my mistakes.

Caption [Resist the temptation to go all-in on creative projects. Protect time for self-care and relationships to avoid burning out.]

And it still counts, even if you don’t post about it.Change happens bit by bit, in the small choices we make each day. T...
09/06/2025

And it still counts, even if you don’t post about it.

Change happens bit by bit, in the small choices we make each day. They may not mean that much all by themselves but still add up to something very meaningful.

•It’s ok if you don’t feel like posting about them.
•It’s ok if you still feel like celebrating them.

caption [if your growth isn’t “Instagram-able,” then you are probably doing it right.]

I know that I definitely don’t have all the answers. How about you?Too often, we assume we are the only one who feels un...
09/04/2025

I know that I definitely don’t have all the answers. How about you?

Too often, we assume we are the only one who feels uncertain about who they are, what we want, and how to get where we want to be.

When we make that assumption, it’s tempting to keep our confusion a secret....to pretend we have the answers.

When we do, we unintentionally stay stuck. And we feel alone in that stuck-ness.

Here’s to honoring that none of us has life all figured out. And that our not-knowing isn’t a measure of our worth and value in this world.

Caption [most of us are figuring out life as we go along. It’s ok if you are, too.]

For those of us who need this reminder.And for those of us who know that taking a break isn’t a character flaw...but who...
09/03/2025

For those of us who need this reminder.

And for those of us who know that taking a break isn’t a character flaw...but who catch themselves acting like it is.

Caption [downtime doesn’t mean you are lazy.]

Some people like the attention and energy of being chased which is kind of a red flag, right?Some people simply aren’t p...
08/29/2025

Some people like the attention and energy of being chased which is kind of a red flag, right?

Some people simply aren’t pulled toward as close of a relationship as you are. It doesn’t necessarily suggest that there is something wrong with you. They may just be maxed out on relationships right now. It’s ok to shift your energy toward other people.

Some people are oblivious to what is going on. It can help to gently name your feelings and see what their response is like.

Giving up the ‘cat and mouse’ game saves you a lot of uncertainty, anxiety, time, and energy.

Caption [Affordable self-care: stop chasing people.]

Slide 2 [Saturday essay: Catching ourselves frozen in time…and how to thaw out. Know that I will always include an audio version with my essays.]

Our brains like certainty. They like answers. And so, our brains race to fill in gaps to stories. In the race, a lot of ...
08/27/2025

Our brains like certainty. They like answers. And so, our brains race to fill in gaps to stories. In the race, a lot of mistakes are made.

The more we can pull ourselves back from that race, the better we are able to keep listening and to come to terms with what we do and do not know.

Caption [It’s better to accept uncertainty when you don’t know something than make assumptions about what someone thinks and/or feels.]

Slide 2 [Saturday essay: Catching ourselves frozen in time…and how to thaw out. Know that I will always include an audio version with my essays.]

My friends know I mute any chat with more than 2 people in it. I get back to the chat but am a little slower than others...
08/26/2025

My friends know I mute any chat with more than 2 people in it. I get back to the chat but am a little slower than others at responding.

Why? Like a lot of us, I definitely don’t need any more reminders to check my phone.

And it isn’t just the checking that can be problematic in terms of building up anxiety ...it’s also downright distracting. It breaks our focus more than we are aware of. It’s hard to stay mindful when you phone keeps interrupting your focus.

My friends know the mute isn’t a reflection on them. I adore my friends. Instead it’s a reflection of me trying my best to set healthy limits with my phone.

Anyone else a muter?

Caption [Affordable Self-care: mute your group chats.]
Slide 2 [Saturday essay: Catching ourselves frozen in time…and how to thaw out. Know that I will always include an audio version with my essays.]

It sucks. And, it’s OK to stop chasing their approval and understanding.Slide 1 [There will be people who are never goin...
08/23/2025

It sucks. And, it’s OK to stop chasing their approval and understanding.

Slide 1 [There will be people who are never going to change their mind about you no matter what evidence they encounter.]
Slide 2 [It’s ok to stop trying to change their mind.]
Slide 3 [Next Saturday essay: Catching ourselves frozen in time…and how to thaw out. Know that I will always include an audio version with my essays.]

IYKYKCaption [When thrown into the push and pull of complicated family conflict, it’s best to let your values lead your ...
08/23/2025

IYKYK

Caption [When thrown into the push and pull of complicated family conflict, it’s best to let your values lead your way.]

We inherit stories about grief, collecting more as we walk through life. Some will help us move through our feelings, an...
08/22/2025

We inherit stories about grief, collecting more as we walk through life. Some will help us move through our feelings, and others will keep us stuck.

Maybe we were taught that loss will break us. Or, perhaps we learned that we should avoid thinking and talking about death as much as possible. Just even realizing that the stories are there can help us to break free of them.

What stories did your family teach about grief and loss?

Caption [Grief, as hard as it is, is survivable. You get to write new family stories about grief. ]

Here’s two things I’ve done this week, one big and one small.1. Started slowly getting back to exercise after weeks of i...
08/18/2025

Here’s two things I’ve done this week, one big and one small.

1. Started slowly getting back to exercise after weeks of illness. The work here is not about exercising again. It’s about meeting my body where it is at, taking things gently and slowly.
2. Actually sat down and created a list of the fun things that we would like to do this fall because I’ll never remember in the moment otherwise.

How about you?

Caption [self-care doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. In the comments, share something you did recently to take care of yourself.]

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Knoxville, TN

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Tuesday 8am - 2pm
Wednesday 8am - 2pm
Thursday 8am - 2pm
Friday 8am - 2pm

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