Seeds of Change; Therapeutic Guidance

09/08/2025

Mindfulness to help with sleep

In this week’s guided meditation, mindfulness educator Diana Winston walks us through a body scan meditation that’s perfect for those evenings when you need extra support winding down.

07/24/2025

Behavioral Activation (BA) is a strategy used to help improve mood by changing behavior—especially helpful for those experiencing depression, anxiety, or low motivation.

When you're struggling emotionally, it's common to stop doing the things you used to enjoy or find meaningful. This can lead to a cycle: the more you withdraw or avoid, the worse you feel. Behavioral activation breaks that cycle by encouraging you to do before you feel like it—to take small, intentional actions that align with your values and bring a sense of accomplishment, pleasure, or connection.

Here’s how it works:

Identify what matters to you – your values, interests, and meaningful roles (like being a good friend, parent, or artist).

Schedule small, manageable activities – especially ones you’ve stopped doing, like going for a walk, calling a friend, or completing a task.

Track your mood and energy – notice how your feelings change before and after these activities.

Stick with it, even if it’s hard – motivation often follows action, not the other way around.

The goal isn’t to fake being happy—it’s to gently reintroduce life-giving habits that reconnect you with purpose and joy. Over time, these positive experiences can help lift mood, build confidence, and restore a sense of control.

07/17/2025

In a world that often feels overwhelming—where the headlines are heavy, the to-do lists are long, and the future feels uncertain—it can be easy to miss the quiet, beautiful things happening all around us. But when we take time to focus on the small good things, something powerful happens: our perspective begins to shift, and life starts to feel a little more manageable, a little more meaningful.

07/10/2025

https://988lifeline.org/
In moments of darkness, when pain feels unbearable and hope seems out of reach, the su***de hotline is more than just a phone number—it’s a lifeline. It's a reminder that you're not alone, that someone is there, right now, to listen, without judgment and without pressure.

Trained counselors are available 24/7 to support people who are overwhelmed, hurting, or just needing someone to talk to. They understand crisis. They don’t expect you to have it all figured out—they just want to help you find your way through.

Whether you're battling depression, anxiety, grief, trauma, or thoughts of su***de, the hotline is a safe place. It’s confidential, free, and available to everyone—because your life matters. You matter.

If you're in the U.S., you can call or text 988—the Su***de & Crisis Lifeline—anytime, day or night.

Reaching out takes courage. But you don’t have to carry the pain alone. Help is here. Hope is real. Healing is possible.

At the 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline, we understand that life’s challenges can sometimes be difficult. Whether you’re facing mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns…

07/03/2025

Life isn’t a straight road. It’s full of detours, setbacks, and uphill climbs. But each challenge is shaping you, strengthening you, and building something within you that comfort never could. Resilience isn’t born from ease—it’s born from persistence in the face of difficulty.

06/29/2025

Making time for relaxation isn’t laziness; it’s a form of care. It strengthens focus, reduces stress, improves sleep, and supports emotional health. When you allow yourself to rest, you’re not only restoring energy, you’re creating space to reconnect with yourself.

06/27/2025

Notice and let it go.

06/26/2025

Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment with openness and without judgment. Instead of avoiding or suppressing fear, mindfulness teaches us to turn toward it—gently, curiously, and with compassion.

Loch Kelly guides a short meditation to welcome any difficult emotions that may arise during this challenging time.

06/18/2025

Healing trauma is not about forgetting—it’s about reclaiming your life. It’s the slow, brave process of turning wounds into wisdom, pain into power, and survival into wholeness. You are not broken. You are healing. And that is a form of strength the world deeply needs.

A psychotherapist shares what successful recovery from childhood trauma does and does not include.

06/12/2025

Negative thinking is a pattern of thoughts that focuses on fear, failure, and self-criticism. It can distort our perception of ourselves, others, and the world around us. While everyone experiences negative thoughts from time to time, letting them, allowing them to take over can affect our mood, confidence, and choices. The good news is that negative thinking isn’t a life sentence—it can be challenged, reshaped, and replaced.

06/09/2025

Self-compassion is the practice of treating yourself with the same understanding, kindness, and support that you would offer to a close friend during a time of struggle. It’s not about ignoring your flaws or pretending everything is fine—it’s about acknowledging your pain and imperfections with gentleness instead of judgment.

06/06/2025

Science shows that happiness is influenced by many factors—genetics, circumstances, and most importantly, mindset. Gratitude, kindness, resilience, and mindfulness have all been shown to increase long-term happiness. While we cannot always control what happens to us, we can often control how we interpret and respond to it.

Ultimately, happiness is not a destination but a practice. It is built, moment by moment, through how we choose to live, love, and think. It grows not from having everything, but from appreciating what we have and making the most of it.