Center for Growth and Connection

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United States
Pasadena, CA
Center for Growth and Connection

Helping individuals and couples in CA, VA, and DC who need someone to show them a different way forward.

Michelle Market, LPC, has more than 15 years in the counseling field. She specializes in treating eating disorders and trauma recovery. Michelle is a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist and is certified in EMDR. To contact Michelle Market, you can email her at mmarketlpc@gmail.com or call 703-597-7869. Michelle Cantrell, M.Ed., is a Resident in Counseling working towards licensure in the state of Virginia. Michelle's areas of speciality are eating disorders, trauma, low self-esteem, and unhealthy relationship patterns. To contact Michelle, you can email her at mdc@michellecantrell.com or call 571-969-4393.

10/13/2025

Many of us learned that needing others makes us weak. So we became self-sufficient, capable – and alone. But in love, independence without connection turns into distance.

You can be strong and supported.

You can lean on each other without losing yourself.

At the Center for Growth & Connection, we help couples move from self-protection to emotional safety – rebuilding trust, closeness, and real partnership.

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Looking for support? Feel free to reach out!

📞Phone: (626) 702 - 3485
💌Email: admin@centerforgrowthandconnection.com

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10/10/2025

What Is PISD?

PISD is not yet an official diagnosis like PTSD, but it shares a lot of similarities. It’s a response to betrayal trauma: when someone you deeply trust violates that trust in an intimate way, your brain and body react as if you’ve been through a life-altering event because, well, you have.

Common Symptoms:

• Intrusive thoughts you can’t shut off
• Emotional numbness or detachment
• Anxiety, hyper-vigilance
• Mood swings & depression
• Physical symptoms like sleepless nights or body tension

You might find yourself…

• Questioning your worth.
• Reliving the betrayal.
• Feeling lost, confused, broken.
• Wondering if healing is even possible.

Ways to Start Healing:

• Let yourself grieve what’s lost
• Stop chasing external closure
• Challenge self-blame & harsh thoughts
• Set clear boundaries
• Find supportive outlets (journaling / therapy / safe people)
• Reconnect with who you are, outside the hurt

Therapy can help. We offer therapy for individuals & couples – trauma-informed, compassionate, and practical. Step by step, you can move forward and heal.

Reach out here:

📞Phone: (626) 702 - 3485
💌Email: admin@centerforgrowthandconnection.com

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10/06/2025

A few years ago, someone shared with me a video by YouTuber Monica Hernandez that introduced to me the idea of the “chill girl” – aka a girl / woman who “has no needs” (suppresses them) and “is down for whatever” (swallows her own preferences & concerns).

When you’re drawn to emotionally avoidant people, asking for anything may be labeled “needy” or “too much”. The chill girl persona is a way of coping with this – chill girls don’t ask for anything at all, at their own expense of course.

Being the “chill girl” might feel safe – even admirable. But it comes at a cost.

True intimacy doesn’t come from being easy. It comes from being real, from being seen. From trusting that your needs are not “too much.”

Have you ever caught yourself being the “chill” one in relationships? What did it cost you?

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If you’re looking for support – feel free to reach out:
📞Phone: (626) 702 - 3485
💌Email: admin@centerforgrowthandconnection.com

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10/03/2025

Travel removes daily distractions.
What’s left? You + your partner.

On a trip, you’ll face stress, spontaneity, and compromise. Pay attention…

Do they get irritated at delays?
Do they dismiss your preferences?
Or…do they make you feel like you’re a team in the adventure?

Travel can reveal who someone really is, and how they show up when life isn’t easy. The way someone treats you on vacation can show you how they’ll treat you in the rest of life.

How do you and your partner handle traveling together?

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If you’re looking for support, feel free to reach out:
📞Phone: (626) 702 - 3485
💌Email: admin@centerforgrowthandconnection.com

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09/30/2025

We often think “growth = becoming more”. But growth is also about unbecoming: shedding behaviors, beliefs, or patterns we adopted for survival that don’t serve us anymore.

We weren’t born to be perfectionists, people pleasers, or constantly critical. We learned these to cope. But at some point, they stop protecting us, and start holding us back.

Here’s what’s possible when you start the unbecoming process:
• Excellence without perfectionism
• Kindness with boundaries
• Self-care that’s consistent, not occasional
• Letting go of what drains you, so you can return to who you really are

What’s something you want to let go of so you can be more authentically you?

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If you’re looking for support – feel free to reach out!
📞Phone: (626) 702 - 3485
💌Email: admin@centerforgrowthandconnection.com

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09/26/2025

Authentic vulnerability = sharing feelings to connect, heal, understand.

Performative vulnerability = sharing for attention, control, or praise.

Signs of performative vulnerability:
• Need for validation (likes, compliments)
• Surface-level sharing with no real depth
• Oversharing in unsafe or public spaces
• Using vulnerability to manipulate or guilt others
• Drama without any effort toward growth or change
• Little room for others to share; it’s mostly about one person’s “story”

Performative vulnerability can lead to trust issues, emotional exhaustion, and a lack of connection.

How one can shift toward real vulnerability:
• Reflecting on intentions; asking, “Am I sharing to be seen or to connect?”
• Starting small with trusted people.
• Making space for others to be vulnerable too.

What’s a sign that helps you distinguish between real vulnerability vs. performative?

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Looking for support? Feel free to reach out!
📞Phone: (626) 702 - 3485
💌Email: admin@centerforgrowthandconnection.com

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09/22/2025

Sometimes emotional distance shows up quietly, in the small, everyday things that go missing:

the little touches,
the deep talks,
the feeling of being heard.

If you’ve noticed your conversations have grown more shallow,

if you find yourself feeling lonely even when your partner is nearby –

it might mean your relationship needs a reset.

It’s not too late to close the gap. Awareness + honesty + intention = a path back to real connection again.

Which sign spoke to you the most? I’d love to hear.

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If you’re looking for support, feel free to reach out!

📞Phone: (626) 702 - 3485
💌Email: admin@centerforgrowthandconnection.com

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09/19/2025

Ambivalence = mixed feelings.
“I love my partner… but something feels off.”

Why it happens:
• Fear of commitment or fear of being alone
• Old relationship wounds
• Stress (work, family, money)

Other causes:
• Clashing values or goals
• Constant conflict
• Emotional needs not being met

Signs you might be ambivalent:
• Hot and cold with your partner
• Daydream about leaving without a clear reason
• Avoid talks about the future

Ambivalence doesn’t always mean you should break up. It just means it’s time to pause and get curious about why you’re feeling this way.

Try…
• Reflecting on your fears + needs
• Talking honestly with your partner
• Seeking support (friend, journal, therapist)

Ambivalence is not apathy. It’s a sign you still care. It’s also a sign that it’s time to look deeper: at your needs, fears, and the health of the relationship.

Have you ever felt torn in a relationship?
What helped you find clarity?

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If you’re looking for support – feel free to reach out!
📞Phone: (626) 702 - 3485
💌Email: admin@centerforgrowthandconnection.com

—

09/15/2025

If they’re always “too busy” — they’re making a choice.

It’s hard to face. But, sometimes, “busy” is just another way of saying “you’re not my priority right now.”

If you’ve been waiting for someone to finally have the time for you, take a step back. Notice where you’re putting your energy.

You deserve to be with someone who chooses you — even in their busiest seasons.

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Looking for support? Feel free to reach out!
📞Phone: (626) 702 - 3485
💌Email: admin@centerforgrowthandconnection.com

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09/12/2025

Maybe you’ve heard your partner say:
“It’s just a hard time right now.”
“When _______ ends, we’ll reconnect.”

But – if someone isn’t showing up now, there’s no guarantee they will later.

Love requires:
• Mutual effort
• Consistency
• Presence

You deserve a relationship that feels good today… not “someday.”

If you’ve been through this before – what helped you stop waiting for “the right time”?

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Looking for support? Feel free to reach out!
📞Phone: (626) 702 - 3485
💌Email: admin@centerforgrowthandconnection.com

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09/08/2025

Yes, heartbreak hurts.
Yes, your grief is real.
But…

You don’t have to hold on to this story of being abandoned forever.

When someone walks away, it doesn’t erase your worth –

It creates space for your healing,
your growth,
and a return to self.

—

Looking for support? Feel free to reach out!
📞Phone: (626) 702 - 3485
💌Email: admin@centerforgrowthandconnection.com

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Address

301 E. Colorado Boulevard , Suite 860
Pasadena, CA
91101

Website

https://www.centerforgrowthandconnection.com/

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About Michelle

Michelle Cantrell is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Virginia. Michelle's areas of speciality are eating disorders, trauma, and unhealthy relationship patterns. In addition to her experience in treating eating disorders, Michelle is trained in Post-Induction Therapy for the treatment of developmental and relational trauma, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). When working with couples, Michelle utilizes an Emotionally Focused Couples (EFT) approach. To contact Michelle, you can email her at mdc@michellecantrell.com or call 571-969-4393.

Disclaimer: This page is intended to be for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for mental health services. If you wish to contact Michelle, please do so by emailing or calling. Messages posted through Facebook are not confidential and may not be responded to in a timely manner.