Novus Mindful Life Institute Counseling and Recovery Center

11/27/2025

✨ 5-Day Thanksgiving Peaceful Co-Existence Series ✨
For individuals and couples navigating relationship distress, betrayal, or infidelity—who still want a grounded, meaningful, and family / child-centered holiday.

🧡 Day 5 — Thanksgiving Day: Create a Peaceful, Present Moment. Today is not about the past—it’s about the next 12 hours.

Research Base: Mindfulness-based stress reduction + positive psychology.

You’ve made it to Thanksgiving. No matter what you’re navigating, you deserve a day that feels grounded and meaningful. Today is about presence—not perfection.

Action Steps:
1. Choose your “energy anchor” for the day.
Examples: calm, gratitude, steadiness, kindness.
Return to this word whenever anxiety rises.

2. Engage in mindful micro-moments.
Notice the smell of food, the sound of laughter, a child’s smile.
These small anchors calm the nervous system and bring you back to the present.

3. End the day with a simple repair ritual.
This is not about fixing betrayal—it’s about emotional safety.
Examples:
A brief check-in: “Thank you for supporting a peaceful day.”
A gratitude statement.
A calm moment of acknowledgment for teamwork.

Call to Action: If you’re entering or leaving today with difficult emotions, know that support is available. A skilled therapist can help you process betrayal, rebuild trust, or find clarity about the next steps in your healing. Reach out anytime for guidance and grounding. (562) 431-5100. If a call feels like too much, you can send us a simple text message and speak with a real human who can answer any questions you have.

11/26/2025

✨ 5-Day Thanksgiving Peaceful Co-Existence Series ✨
For individuals and couples navigating relationship distress, betrayal, or infidelity—who still want a grounded, meaningful, and family / child-centered holiday.

🧡 Day 4 — Wednesday: Practice Healthy Emotional Boundaries
Boundaries create safety and reduce holiday conflict.

Boundaries are not walls; they are agreements that protect everyone’s emotional safety. When betrayal is present, boundaries are essential to avoid re-injury or unnecessary conflict.

Action Steps:
1. Decide what topics are off-limits. Thanksgiving is not the day to process betrayal or attempt reconciliation. Protect the day by setting clear emotional boundaries. You can say, "Today we will focus on honoring our family traditions. We can save conversations about (topic) until tomorrow or Monday."

2. Use “I need” statements.
Examples:
“I need calm conversations today.”
“I need us to avoid difficult topics until next week.”
“I need 15-minute breaks if emotions rise.”

3. Prepare a script for boundary enforcement. Write it down and keep it in your pocket if needed.
“I want today to stay peaceful. Let’s table this conversation and return to it later with support.”
A prepared script prevents panic or freeze responses.

Know that boundaries are a healthy and important tool because they protect your well-being, foster healthy relationships, and promote a sense of self-respect and autonomy. They create a sense of safety by setting clear expectations for how you will be treated, help you avoid burnout by preventing over-commitment, and enable you to say "no" without guilt to things that don't align with your needs and values. That is definitely something to be thankful for!

11/26/2025

Novus founder Duane Osterlind, LMFT, CSAT has released a New Episode on his podcast The Addicted Mind Podcast!

The power of connection is the key to healing. 🔑 In our new episode, host Duane Osterlind sits down with Liz Friedman, CEO & Co-founder of GPS Group Peer Support, to talk about the vital role of peer support in today's mental health crisis. Liz shares her powerful personal journey and how it led her to create a structured, trauma-informed group model that is changing lives.

Listen now to learn why group therapeutic care is critical for the future of mental health access!


https://theaddictedmind.com/episode-361-the-healing-revolution-creating-safe-and-transformative-group-environments-with-liz-friedman/

Episode 361: The Healing Revolution: Creating Safe and Transformative Group Environments with Liz Friedman by Duane Osterlind | Nov 24, 2025 | Addiction Recovery Groups, Addiction Treatment, Therapy In this episode, host Duane Osterlind speaks with Liz Friedman, CEO and Co-founder of GPS Group Peer....

11/25/2025

✨ 5-Day Thanksgiving Peaceful Co-Existence Series ✨
For individuals and couples navigating relationship distress, betrayal, or infidelity—who still want a grounded, meaningful, and family / child-centered holiday.

🧡 Day 3 — Tuesday: Protect Shared Traditions (and Adjust Expectations)
Theme: You can preserve meaning even when the relationship is hurting.

Research Base: Family Systems Theory + emotion-focused coping.

Traditions help kids feel safe and grounded—even when parents are struggling. Today’s goal is finding a balance between honoring traditions and creating realistic expectations. Balancing your exceptions, for a holiday that is good enough instead of an idealized version of perfect, can help you manage self-care, anxiety and prevent exhaustion.

Action Steps:
1. Choose 1–2 traditions to keep. Don’t force a “perfect holiday.” Pick meaningful, doable rituals—baking together, watching a movie, or expressing gratitude at the table.

2. Communicate the plan to kids in a calm, united way.
A simple, neutral message reduces their anxiety: “We’re focusing on gratitude and being together. We want you to enjoy the holiday.”

3. Let go of perfection.
You’re not recreating a holiday from before the betrayal. You’re crafting a stable, compassionate one for this year. That’s enough.

Call to Action:
If navigating shared traditions feels heavy or emotionally layered, a therapist can help you create a plan that honors both your healing and your family’s stability. Call Novus now.. If you feel you could use the help, we can get you scheduled for a video session on Wednesday to help you prepare yourself emotionally. (562) 431-5100.

11/24/2025

✨ 5-Day Thanksgiving Peaceful Co-Existence Series ✨
For individuals and couples navigating relationship distress, betrayal, or infidelity—who still want a grounded, meaningful, and family-centered holiday.

🧡 Day 2 — Monday: Plan a Specific Role for each person. Delegate chores, purchases and meal or activity contributions amongst your family. Getting everyone to pitch in creates an environment of cooperation and support. Then stick to the plan. When things go a little haywire, maintain a civil and respectful tone. Do so by regulating your nervous system.

Theme: You cannot co-exist peacefully if you are dysregulated.

Research Base: Trauma-informed grounding strategies + CBT emotion regulation tools.

When trust has been broken, your body often reacts before your mind. Today, we focus on managing physical and emotional reactivity so you can stay in control during holiday interactions.

1. Practice the 90-second rule.
When triggered, allow the emotional wave to pass before speaking. Emotions can peak and fall within 90 seconds if not fueled by continued escalating interactions.

2. Use “micro-regulation rituals.”
These are 30–60 second practices you can do anywhere: slow exhale breathing, grounding with your senses, or silently labeling emotions (“I’m feeling anger,” “I’m feeling sadness”). Try shaking out your hands and feet to release anxious energy when needed.

3. Create a personal exit strategy.
This is not avoidance—it’s emotional safety. Agree to step away for a brief reset (walk outside, bathroom break, time-out) when tension rises. Plan your exit strategy and statement in advance, such as "I'm going to excuse myself for a moment" or "I'm going to take a break for a few minutes."

Call to Action:
If you’re struggling with emotional triggers from betrayal or hurt, therapy can help you build resilience and reduce reactivity. You don’t have to navigate this alone. Call or text (562) 431-5100 to schedule an appointment with a supportive therapist.

11/23/2025

✨ 5-Day Thanksgiving Peaceful Co-Existence Series ✨

For individuals and couples navigating relationship distress, betrayal, or infidelity—who still want a grounded, meaningful, and child-centered holiday.

🧡 Day 1 — Sunday: Set the Ground Rules for Peaceful Co-Existence - Structure reduces stress. Clarity reduces conflict.

When a relationship feels fragile—especially after betrayal—the uncertainty can make holidays overwhelming. Today’s focus is on creating clear expectations so your nervous system can relax and you can move through the week with greater emotional safety.

Action Steps:
1. Define a simple Thanksgiving plan.
Decide together: What time commitments are happening? Who is driving? Who handles kids’ routines? Plan as specifically as possible. Clarity lowers conflict. - Remember to build in extra time for traffic, minor mishaps and unexpected challenges. Advocate for your success, with ease of location and a realistic and manageable workload. Ask for the support you need to reduce stress in advance.

2. Set communication agreements.
Use “brief + kind + necessary” communication this week. Agree to pause escalations and revisit stressful topics after the holiday. Text messages and e-mails can be used to confirm logistical details such as date, time and location. Write down any strong emotional feelings and save those for a telephone conversation or face to face talk on Friday. Important emotional conversations benefit the most from being able to see each others facial expressions. Emotional conversations attempted over text message have a higher chance to escalating with conflict.

3. Identify shared family and child-centered goals.
Example: “Our goal is a peaceful day for the kids,” or “We are prioritizing stability and tradition.” Then focus each action towards that goal for the next few days.
Shared values create shared teamwork—even temporarily.

Option - Get Profesional Support:
If creating healthy boundaries or agreements feels overwhelming, an experienced therapist can help you build structure that protects both your peace and your family's well-being. There is time to meet with a therapist to help you plan out your week. Here at Novus, we can get scheduled for an in-office or video session with a supportive counselor on Monday or Tuesday this week, before Thanksgiving. Reach out with a call or a text message to schedule a supportive session at 562-431-5100.

11/20/2025

Shame to Resilience! Next 10-Week Workshop starts Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025! Sign Up Now!

https://workshop.shametoresilience.com

You betrayed her trust. You’re carrying guilt, confusion — and you’re not sure how to fix it.

This 10-week workshop gives you the tools to take responsibility, rebuild integrity, and reconnect from a place of truth.

Break the cycle of shame, secrecy, and self-sabotage
Understand how betrayal impacts your partner's trauma
Learn how to rebuild trust - and repair what matters most with A FRAMEWORK FOR HEALING THAT ACTUALLY WORKS.
Most men try to fix things with quick apologies or surface-level solutions — but that’s not what creates real trust.

The Shame to Resilience workshop gives you a proven step-by-step process to:

Understand the impact of your actions — without getting stuck in shame.
Learn what your partner actually needs from you right now
Rebuild trust by showing up consistently with clarity, honesty, and integrity.

WHY HEALING SHAME IS THE MISSING LINK...
Most men in this workshop have already tried to fix things.
They’ve read the books. They’ve made the apologies.
But nothing really changes — because they’re still carrying shame.
And shame shuts down empathy.
If you can’t stay present when your partner is triggered…
If you beat yourself up or shut down instead of engaging...
It’s not because you’re broken.
It’s because you haven’t been taught how to sit with shame and lead with empathy.

WHAT YOU GET INSIDE THE SHAME TO RESILIENCE PROGRAM...

LIVE GROUP SESSIONS
Join a weekly call led by an expert therapist who guides men through shame, betrayal, and the path to repair — no fluff, no judgment.

PRIVATE CURRICULUM
Access exclusive content designed specifically for men who’ve broken trust and want to rebuild it with honesty, clarity, and emotional maturity.

STEP-BY-STEP REPAIR PLAN
Follow a proven roadmap to rebuild trust, take full responsibility, and start showing up as the man your partner (and you) can be proud of.

Sign up Today! Head into 2026 transformed and able to live a peaceful, confident and shame free existence!

10-week workshop designed specifically for men who are ready to break free from shame, rebuild trust, and reclaim their integrity.

11/14/2025

When things get messy and you end up in drug court... check out episode 359 of The Addicted Mind Podcast https://theaddictedmind.com/episode-359-exploring-drug-courts-and-their-impact-an-interview-with-dr-john-gallagher-on-the-criminal-justice-system/

11/11/2025

Help, hope, information, healing and resources to care for yourself are just one phone call or text message away. We will listen without judgement and get you pointed in the right direction toward resources that are the right fit for you! Feel that tug in your heart and take a step to get care for you! We can schedule a call or video session from the privacy of your own home. (562) 431-5100 Residents of California, Texas, Virginia, Oregon and Florida!

Struggling With S*xual Addiction? Find Clarity, Support, and a Path Forward With Personalized Therapy Designed to Rebuild Trust, Restore Balance, and Guide Lasting Change. Take the First Real Step Toward Healing. Call Now!

11/05/2025

A message from Novus Founder, Duane: "To my cherished clients, followers and podcast listeners, have you ever felt that shame was a barrier to connection in your life?

If you have ever experienced shame, I want to personally invite you to my upcoming presentation at the SA Lifeline Conference 2025.

My presentation is titled 'From Shame to Resilience: A Journey to Relational Healing'

In this session, we will explore how shame can block intimacy and trust after betrayal and infidelity.

We'll look at the common ways we react to shame—like withdrawal or avoidance—and discover practical strategies to build resilience and show up authentically for those we love.

I've got a lot of my experience, training and information ready to share with you and I know it will be worth your time. I truly hope to see you there."

P.S. Use my code for a discount! DOsterlind10off

Register Here: https://whova.com/.../registration/JE32BvD9ggkzdg4q9T2z/...

A message from Duane: "To my cherished clients, followers and podcast listeners, have you ever felt that shame was a barrier to connection in your life?

If you have ever experienced shame, I want to personally invite you to my upcoming presentation at the SA Lifeline Conference 2025.

My presentation is titled 'From Shame to Resilience: A Journey to Relational Healing'

In this session, we will explore how shame can block intimacy and trust after betrayal and infidelity.

We'll look at the common ways we react to shame—like withdrawal or avoidance—and discover practical strategies to build resilience and show up authentically for those we love.

I've got a lot of my experience, training and information ready to share with you and I know it will be worth your time. I truly hope to see you there."

P.S. Use my code for a discount! DOsterlind10off

Register Here: https://whova.com/portal/registration/JE32BvD9ggkzdg4q9T2z/?mc_cid=e860d47706&mc_eid=31f063787a

11/02/2025

Now accepting new clients! Duane Osterlind, LMFT, CSAT, and the team at Novus Counseling have recently opened additional appointment days and times to provide care for those of us struggling during these challenging and emotional times. Call our office or send us a text message at 562-431-5100. We can help you schedule an in-office or video session in as soon as 48 hours.

At Novus, we are dedicated to providing the highest standards of care for individuals, families, and relationships facing life's challenges. Our team of expe...

10/31/2025

Halloween Group Therapy... Happy Halloween! 🎃(Original artist unknown to this poster.)