Noelle Villanueva

09/24/2025

09/11/2025

I’ve been sitting with the events of yesterday and struggling to reconcile what I’ve seen. No matter how I look at it, I cannot understand how people can celebrate the loss of another human being simply because they disagreed with him. Where is our humanity?

What makes it worse is the finger pointing, the constant dividing of people into left and right, us and them. That only deepens the fracture in our country. I would hope that we could all agree on one simple truth: no matter your skin color, your religion, your sexual orientation, or your political beliefs, above all, we are human. We have one life, and it is precious.

Celebrating anyone’s death, regardless of how much you disliked them or opposed their views, is one of the most dehumanizing acts we can commit. That loss leaves behind grieving families, broken communities, and deeper wounds for us all.

One thing Charlie Kirk did consistently was open dialogue with those he disagreed with. That is the essence of democracy: the freedom to debate, challenge, and still recognize each other’s dignity. I hope his death is not in vain, that we can learn from this, find our humanity, and open dialogue with each other, which is what he stood for.

I don’t know exactly where we go from here, but I do know something has to change. My hope is that this moment becomes a turning point, one where we look inward rather than cast blame, one where we choose empathy over hatred, humanity over division. Let his legacy remind us that our nation grows stronger when we debate without dehumanizing, and when we seek common ground over contempt.

09/11/2025

Children (and adults) need to learn that differences aren’t reasons to hate or vilify others. Instead, they are invitations to listen with curiosity and engage in respectful debate. Most people, when they argue, believe they are standing on the “right side.” That doesn’t make them evil. It simply means they see the world through their own lens. When we teach children this, we raise a generation that values understanding over judgment.

09/09/2025

Too often, we hand over the power of our self-worth to people who never truly knew us. Many base their self-esteem on how others view them; but those views are often limited, distorted, or rooted in their own projections. No one knows you as deeply as you know yourself. Don’t let anyone else define your value. Protect it. Honor it. Own it.

08/30/2025

Some couples pride themselves on “never fighting.” But often, that doesn’t mean harmony—it means silence. When we avoid speaking up to “keep the peace,” what we’re really doing is pushing down feelings. Over time, unspoken frustrations can turn into distance, resentment, and disconnection.

Healthy relationships aren’t defined by the absence of conflict, but by how partners come back together after conflict. Repair-owning our part, listening, validating, and re-building connection is what keeps relationships strong.

Don’t be afraid of the fights. Be afraid of the silence that follows when there’s no repair.

08/21/2025

One of the most powerful lessons I’ve witnessed in this work is how often people keep one foot in the old life while trying to step into the new. The attachment to what’s familiar, even if it no longer serves them can feel safer than change. But staying anchored in the past prevents true growth. Real transformation happens when we fully release what’s behind us and commit to the life we want to build.

07/02/2025

Let’s cut through the noise.
These 12 truths from therapy can change your life—if you let them.
Not fluff. Not clichés. Just hard-earned wisdom.
Which one hits home for you right now?

05/30/2025

Maturity often comes with a quiet kind of grief.
When you’ve grown up enmeshed, healthy boundaries can feel like abandonment.
But that emptiness isn’t disconnection—it’s the beginning of emotional clarity.
You’re not losing love. You’re learning to love without losing yourself.

03/25/2025

Many of us will do almost anything but feel our pain. We withdraw, get angry, stay busy, distract ourselves—anything to avoid going inward. But the truth is, the only way to heal is to feel.

As Rumi said, “The cure for the pain is in the pain.”

Going through it can be scary, messy, and incredibly hard—but it’s also the path to freedom. Numbing it might bring short-term relief, but true healing lives in the heart of the emotion we’re trying to avoid.

Be gentle with yourself. And brave.

03/21/2025

Great therapists never stop learning—because growth is essential, not just for our clients, but for ourselves. The best therapists are the ones who continue to do the inner work, deepening their understanding so they can show up fully for others.

This week, I’m in Washington, DC, attending a psychotherapy symposium with fellow therapists and my dear friend, diving into new insights, listening to powerful lectures, and connecting with others in the field. Every opportunity to learn is an opportunity to become a better resource for my clients—because they deserve the best.