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Monday 10am - 6pm Tuesday 10am - 6pm Wednesday 10am - 6pm Thursday 10am - 6pm Friday 10am - 6pm

Moving NOLA Forward, LLC

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United States
New Orleans, LA
Moving NOLA Forward, LLC

Moving NOLA Forward provides in-person and telehealth counseling for adults in Louisiana.

08/07/2023

Should I stay or should I go? It can be a hard question for those of us who grew up without knowing what a healthy relationship looks like. Trust, respect, and mutual benefit are foundational aspects of any healthy relationship.
Ask yourself:
Do you trust that the other person is honest and there for you when you need them?
Do they respect and value you with all of your unique experiences and perspectives?
Is there a balance, or mutual benefit, in the give and take of energy in your connection?

If the answer is no then it may be time to let this person go from your life or put as much distance between you as is possible. You deserve healthy connections with others that prioritize respect, reciprocity, and trust.

07/18/2023

When we're stressed it is easy to go to our default behaviors to deal with it (drinking, impulse shopping, losing ourselves down social media rabbit holes, etc.). Often these defaults are not the healthiest long-term coping strategies and they add to our troubles over time. Use this coping card as a way to remind yourself of alternate actions you can take in the moment to decrease the intensity of your distress.

06/27/2023

Want a quick way to regulate and ground yourself when anxiety starts to take over? Use this easy exercise to sync your inhalation and exhalations with the movement of your finger. You can also share this with your favorite kiddo

05/15/2023

Why so much talk about boundaries?! Many of us grew up in situations where we were taught our needs weren't important. We didn't learn how to identify or ask for what we needed. As adults we have to do the important work of learning to effectively advocate for ourselves.

04/11/2023

When we identify our defenses we give ourselves opportunity to create change and address underlying issues. It can be hard to be honest with ourselves about aspects of our lives that no longer serve us. The use of curiosity and self-compassion can help us understand and start to manage our pain in a way that stops causing damage to our lives in the long-term. What defenses are you thinking of giving up?

03/27/2023

Sometimes our lives feel hard and overwhelming - it's difficult to know where to focus our change efforts. When circumstances feel like they are too much for us to tackle it may help to switch your focus to something more manageable. Try working to change your thoughts about yourself in small ways. Practice listing your positive qualities and referring back to your list whenever life feels like A LOT. Will it fix the big issues in your life? No but it may help shift your mindset enough to make those big issues feel slightly less challenging. What do you have to lose by giving it a try?

03/13/2023

The way we talk to ourselves matters! Negative self-talk and negative feelings about ourselves can lead to unhealthy coping styles or people-pleasing. When we change the way we talk to ourselves we can shift our thoughts to ones of greater understanding and compassion for our struggles. If being harsh on yourself was going to be an effective long-term strategy then it would have worked already - why not try being kind to yourself instead?

03/06/2023

Sleep is crucial to our wellbeing. None of us function optimally without it. One of the best ways to ensure quality sleep is to establish a consistent sleep schedule and routine. To be effective we need to use this routine nightly and maintain it over the long run (to the best of our ability, yes sometimes life is going to get in the way, just get back to it as soon as you can). Use this as an opportunity to experiment to see what unique combination of soothing activities are best at helping you fall asleep.
Chamomile tea? Restorative yoga? Progressive muscle relaxation? Reading? Warm bath? Journaling? Snuggling with your pet? What works for you?

02/27/2023

Sometimes we develop ways to cope with stress that aren't healthy - usually these skills are an attempt to avoid stress-inducing triggers rather than skills to tolerate negative emotions until they pass. Often when we rely on these unhealthy skills we end up creating further problems for ourselves. At other times we may push ourselves to do stressful things and then try to soothe ourselves by engaging in behaviors that provide rapid (but ultimately short-term and ineffective) relief. By becoming more aware of our unhealthy coping skills we can start to make different choices when faced with a stressful situation. Use these prompts to start thinking about unhealthy, ineffective, or short-term ways you deal with stress.

02/22/2023

t can feel hard to communicate your feelings in a calm yet assertive manner. Many of us were taught to communicate in a passive-aggressive or simpy aggressive way. Sometimes we expect people to read our minds to know what we are thinking and what we want from them. When we don't communicate clearly we rob others of the opportunity to learn how we feel and change their behavior to give us what we need. (If they choose not to meet our needs after we clearly communicate them then that is a different discussion!) The next time you feel stuck telling someone how you feel or what you need, use this I statement template to help!

02/13/2023

Let's talk cognitive distortions (again)! This one is so tempting. We've all done it. One (or even a couple) of bad experiences and we're ready to forget the grey areas and nuances in order to make a broad generalization about life. Often when we overgeneralize we use that thought as a reason to give up on something. "I always get my heart broken" is a thought that makes it easy for us to give up on finding a partner. If something "always" happens then why should we bother to try again? Shift your language on this and see how it changes your feelings on the subject: "Sometimes when I date I get disappointed or hurt." Yes, sometimes we do get hurt (and it sucks) and we are resilient enough to keep going. Play with changing your language on this and see what happens!

02/06/2023

Often when we talk about boundaries we focus on those who struggle with porous boundaries - being unable to say no, trying to fix others, etc. The opposite of porous boundaries are rigid boundaries with overly strict rules about interacting with others. These boundaries keep us closed off and prevent us from developing healthy relationships built on vulnerability and acceptance. Healthy boundaries are those that are firm yet flexible when a complex situation arises that may need a more nuanced response than a simple yes or no.

01/23/2023

We lead busy lives! There is always someone who needs something from us - work, family, friends, pets, etc. It can be hard to carve out time to think about our well-being but nobody else will prioritize this for you so it is up to you! In order to make changes to move toward greater wellness we must first ask ourselves what we want out of life. Go for a walk, pick up a journal, or just sit with these self-discovery questions. Use your answers to make a roadmap to get from where you currently are to where you want to be.

01/17/2023

Sometimes we struggle with positive things about ourselves. We push positivity away because we’re not in a place to believe we deserve it. Repeating positive phrases aloud can help them become part of our inner voice. Choose a phrase or mantra (or multiples) that resonates with you. Treat yourself to a 10-15 minute walk while you repeat your mantra to yourself! Sure, your dog might look at you like you need help but what fun is life if you can’t be a little wacky with it?

01/09/2023

Whew! I'm struggling with this one today. Sometimes it feels like no matter how hard we try that we end up in the same situation over and over again. It can be hard to feel compassion for yourself when this happens. One thing I know is - if being critical and judgemental of yourself was going to work to make you change then it would have already worked. So today I'm focusing on being curious about the choices that resulted in a such a familiar situation. If I adopt a growth mindset - I certainly recognized the situation for what it was much quicker than I have in the past. So that's going to be my win. Looking back at poor choices you've made repeatedly - what win (even tiny) can you take from those?

01/02/2023

I've said it before - PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION! If you're someone who likes to set goals at the beginning of each new year then this is for you. Setting goals and working toward them can be a great step in your wellness journey. It's easy to set big goals and then feel dejected when we don't accomplish them quickly. When you're pursuing a goal, focus on small steps you can take each day or week toward your goal. On days you feel like giving up, review those small steps and notice you are closer to your goal now than you were before. The key to true change is small steps and consistency over time.

12/12/2022

Sometimes we get lost in the messages from society that we have to be more - get more, earn more, do more. Advertisements promise us if we just get this ONE thing that all of our troubles will be over. If we just earn that job promotion, if we fit into that outfit, if we find the right partner, if we just smooth out those wrinkles, THEN we can be happy.

Anytimes we build our happiness on external achievement we build it on shifting sands. When we do the work on ourselves to grow internal satisfaction with our lives we are creating a strong foundation on which to base our contentment

12/05/2022

So many voices (including our own sometimes) tell us that our bodies aren't enough - some parts aren't small enough while others aren't large enough, aren't firm enough, aren't smooth enough, aren't, aren't aren't..... The pressure to look "perfect" is intense and many of us treat our bodies with harshness and criticism. What would happen if you started to appreciate your body for what it is today instead of trying to force it into something different? Use this template to write a love letter to your body to start countering all of those negative messages sent by society.

11/28/2022

Choosing a person to be in your life long-term is one of the most important decisions you will make. Your choices will impact every aspect of your life - your family, friends, financial stability, mental and physical health, sexual health - all the things! Choose someone who will support you in moving forward and growing in the relationship. Look for green flags, be wary of yellow flags, and run (don't walk) away from red flags.

11/21/2022

The holidays are here! How can you create or maintain effective boundaries with others (*cough cough* family) during the chaos of the holiday season? If you are someone who finds it challenging to figure out what your boundary is in the moment then take a few minutes now to decide what is/isn't ok to say or do in your presence. When we try to figure out a boundary in an uncomfortable situation we're more likely to be influenced by our desire to people please and set a boundary that isn't exactly what we want. You got this!

11/07/2022

Perfectionistic thoughts can keep us from recognizing when we make progress because, to the perfectionist, if it's not perfect then it doesn't count. Instead, how can you adopt a growth mindset and celebrate the little steps that lead to achieving your goals?

10/31/2022

Everyone is talking about boundaries these days! Having a boundary is part of self-respect and it allows you to say yes or no according to what you need. Maintaining successful boundaries involves acknowledging you can't please everyone all of the time... and that's OK. So how do you become more skilled at building boundaries? Start with self-awareness!

10/24/2022

When you're trying to decrease substance misuse or addictive behaviors it can feel like life won't let you catch a break. You may long for the "good ol' days" when you could lose yourself in a substance or pleasurable behavior to escape from life for a few. Learning to deal with life's inevitable ups and downs is a skill that takes time. While you're building that skill, watch out for some of these emotions or thought patterns that could derail your recovery!

10/17/2022

One of the core principles of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is that following dialectical principles will lead to dialectical thought and behavior. Dialectical principles can be summed up as the belief that combining opposites will lead to balance in life. There is no such thing as complete or absolute truth, those things vary depending on how they are looked at. We all experience opposing tensions in our life and we make the most effective choices when we seek to identify and understand the middle ground. How can you practice seeing more of the grey in life?

09/19/2022

How can radical acceptance help you achieve your goals?
At times we all have pain due to trauma, life events, losses. Suffering is part of everyone's life eventually. When we stop resisting reality we stop adding to our pain and become more capable of change.

09/12/2022

If being harsh and critical of ourselves was an effective method of change then why hasn't it made us happy and healthy already? What if we choose to be kind to ourselves instead? Practice loving kindness toward yourself today with a small half-smile!

09/05/2022

Each time we practice an act of self love we make it more likely that we will extend ourselves kindness and understanding in the future. Recognizing and praising these little moments help build our self-care skills.

08/29/2022

Psychological flexibility, a key part of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), means being open and accepting of all your thoughts/feelings while simultaneously doing what you want to do with your life. In ACT the goal isn't to get rid of each and every negative thought or feeling. Instead, the goal is to live a life that is in line with what is important to you, regardless of those thoughts and feelings.

08/22/2022

Well-being doesn't magically happen. It's created by taking a holistic approach to our health and understanding that our minds and bodies are connected. It's hard to have well-being without prioritizing both mental and physical health. Developing skills to care for ourselves reduces emotional vulnerability and enhances our ability to weather life's inevitable ups and downs. What can you do today to work toward greater well-being?

08/08/2022

When looking to grow our self-worth, it is important to think about what plants we want to flourish in our garden. The seeds we plant will support us in our journey to love and prioritize ourselves. What are some other plants you want to cultivate in your garden that aren't listed here?

Address

State Street Drive
New Orleans, LA
70125

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 6pm
Tuesday	10am - 6pm
Wednesday	10am - 6pm
Thursday	10am - 6pm
Friday	10am - 6pm

Telephone

+15042989690

Website

https://movingnolaforward.clientsecure.me/, http://player.vimeo.com/video/721190263

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Videos

When we struggle to love ourselves we may find ourselves in relationships with dynamics that are harmful. If we ignore imbalance and lack of mutual trust or respect we allow the behaviors of others to chip away at our self esteem. Addressing these issues can facilitate positive, life-altering transformations. Do you recognize any of these unhealthy behaviors in your relationships?