Audrianna J. Gurr, LPC

Audrianna J. Gurr, LPC Audrianna is in her 20th year as a therapist and 17th year of private practice as a licensed, professional counselor.

She has conducted over 15,000 therapy sessions.

April is ending. And before we rush into May, let's pause.What did this month ask of you?Maybe it asked you to:Set a bou...
04/27/2026

April is ending. And before we rush into May, let's pause.

What did this month ask of you?
Maybe it asked you to:

Set a boundary you've been avoiding
Rest when everything in you wanted to push
Name a feeling you've been ignoring
Show up even when you didn't feel ready
Let go of something that wasn't serving you anymore

Not every month is about growth. Some months are just about getting through. And that's enough.
So before we close out April: What did this month ask of you? And how did you respond?
Drop it below. Let's reflect together. 🌱

If you've been walking into rooms and forgetting why, losing words mid-sentence, or struggling to focus on tasks you use...
04/24/2026

If you've been walking into rooms and forgetting why, losing words mid-sentence, or struggling to focus on tasks you used to do effortlessly, you're not losing your mind, you're likely experiencing perimenopausal brain fog.

And it's not just annoying. It's neurological.

Here's the science: Estrogen plays a key role in brain function, particularly in areas related to memory, attention, and executive function (the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus). When estrogen fluctuates during perimenopause, these cognitive processes become less efficient.

Research from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) found that 60% of perimenopausal women report difficulties with memory and concentration.
This isn't permanent cognitive decline. For most women, cognitive function stabilizes post-menopause. But during the transition, your brain is recalibrating.

Swipe through to understand what's happening in your brain, and evidence-based strategies that actually help.

Have you experienced this? Let me know. 💙

Not all progress is visible.Sometimes the biggest growth happens in moments no one else witnesses:The boundary you set i...
04/22/2026

Not all progress is visible.

Sometimes the biggest growth happens in moments no one else witnesses:

The boundary you set in your head before you even spoke it out loud
The spiral you caught before it took over your whole day
The urge you didn't act on
The call you made even though every part of you wanted to cancel

We celebrate the big milestones, but the small, private victories? Those matter just as much.
So I want to know: What's something you're proud of that no one else sees?
Drop it below. Let's celebrate the invisible work. 💛

04/20/2026

Here's what's actually happening when anxiety hits: your nervous system activates before your thinking brain has a chance to intervene. Breathing shifts. Chest tightens. Stomach drops.

Your emotional brain starts scanning for threat and the part of you that reasons, reflects, and self-soothes goes partially offline.

This is why logic doesn't land in those moments. You're not being irrational. You're being human.

Anxiety isn't a thinking problem. It's a body problem and it asks for a body-based response.
That doesn't mean you're helpless. It means you start with the body: breath, sensation, presence.

You're not broken. Your nervous system is doing exactly what it was designed to do.

"

If you're a therapist, counselor, or helping professional, how prepared do you feel when a client walks in describing mo...
04/17/2026

If you're a therapist, counselor, or helping professional, how prepared do you feel when a client walks in describing mood swings, brain fog, sudden anxiety, or a complete loss of herself… and it turns out perimenopause is at the center of it?
Most of us weren't trained for this. And our clients are paying the price.
I'm presenting a 3-hour, skills-based, in-person training at Lewis & Clark Graduate School on July 10th and I want you there.

Understanding, Exploring, and Supporting Perimenopause and Menopause Experiences in The Therapy Room

Here's what you'll walk away with:
— A framework for identifying emotional patterns specific to perimenopause
— The ""Three Tiers"" tool for reducing anxiety-driven over-control in clients
— Assertiveness + boundary-setting skills using a Personal Bill of Rights lens
— Culturally responsive, equity-informed interventions you can use immediately in session

📅 July 10, 2026 · 9am–12pm
📍 Lewis & Clark Graduate School, Portland, OR
💳 $79 · 3 CEUs included
🎓 20% discount for GSEC alumni, adjuncts & supervisors · $40 student rate
Link in bio to register. Spots are limited.

💬 What's the biggest gap you've felt in your training around perimenopause? Drop it below.

04/15/2026

We've been conditioned to believe that if something isn't working, we just need to try harder.

But sometimes the problem isn't effort. It's depletion.

Your body has a limit. And when you cross it, pushing harder doesn't create progress, it creates breakdown.

Here are 3 signs your body is asking for rest, not more discipline. Pay attention.

Which sign is speaking to you right now? 💙

If you're in your 40s and suddenly experiencing heart palpitations, racing thoughts, or a constant sense of dread, and y...
04/14/2026

If you're in your 40s and suddenly experiencing heart palpitations, racing thoughts, or a constant sense of dread, and you've never dealt with anxiety before, it might not be "just stress." It could be perimenopause.

Here's what's happening:

Estrogen modulates your brain's production of serotonin and GABA, two neurotransmitters that regulate mood and calm your nervous system. When estrogen levels fluctuate or drop during perimenopause, these systems destabilize.

Research shows that up to 23% of women experience new-onset anxiety during perimenopause, even without a prior history of anxiety disorders (Harvard Medical School, 2021).

Add in sleep disruption (which raises cortisol) and unpredictable hormone swings, and your nervous system is constantly in a state of hyperarousal, feeling like something's wrong even when nothing is.

This isn't "all in your head" It's neurochemistry. And it's treatable.

If this resonates, talk to your doctor about hormone evaluation, nervous system support, and whether therapy or medication might help. You're not losing your mind. Your brain chemistry is shifting.

Have you experienced this? You're

Not knowing is one of the hardest things to sit with. 🤍Anxiety pulls you into the future, what might happen, what could ...
04/10/2026

Not knowing is one of the hardest things to sit with. 🤍

Anxiety pulls you into the future, what might happen, what could go wrong, what you can’t control yet.

But while your mind is trying to figure it out,
your body is the one carrying it.

This isn’t a flaw. It’s your nervous system responding to uncertainty.

You may not have the answers yet but you can come back to this moment.

A breath. A sensation. A pause.

I shared a simple grounding practice in this week’s newsletter.
Read it through the link in my bio. 🤍

Not all unhealthy relationship patterns are obvious. Some are subtle, wrapped in "caring" language or masked as concern....
04/08/2026

Not all unhealthy relationship patterns are obvious. Some are subtle, wrapped in "caring" language or masked as concern.

Here's the thing: red flags aren't always dramatic. Sometimes they're small moments that make you question your reality, second-guess yourself, or feel like you're "too sensitive."

Learning to recognize these patterns early helps you protect your energy and make informed choices about who gets access to you.

Swipe through these scenarios and see if you can spot the red flag in each one. The answers are at the end.

How many did you catch? Let me know in the comments. 💛

"I'm fine" has become the default response when someone asks how you're doing.But here's the thing: sometimes "I'm fine"...
04/07/2026

"I'm fine" has become the default response when someone asks how you're doing.

But here's the thing: sometimes "I'm fine" means you're genuinely okay. And sometimes it means "I don't have the energy to explain" or "I don't think you actually want to know."

Research shows that suppressing emotions, especially repeatedly, increases physiological stress. When you say "I'm fine" but your body knows you're not, the disconnect between what you're feeling and what you're expressing creates internal strain.

You don't owe everyone the truth. But you do owe yourself honesty.

Here's how to tell the difference:

"I'm fine" (avoidance):
Your chest tightens when someone asks
You say it automatically, without checking in with yourself
You avoid the question because answering truthfully feels too vulnerable
You feel worse after saying it

"I'm actually fine" (truth):
You've checked in with yourself and you genuinely are okay
You feel neutral or calm, not defensive
If they asked more, you'd have an honest answer
You feel settled after saying it

You're allowed to not share everything with everyone. But don't lie to yourself in the process.

When someone asks how you are today, pause for a second. Check in. Then decide what's true and who gets to hear it.

How are you? Really. 💙

"Therapy isn't magic. But it does change the way you see yourself, your patterns, and what's possible.Maybe therapy taug...
04/04/2026

"Therapy isn't magic. But it does change the way you see yourself, your patterns, and what's possible.

Maybe therapy taught you:

That your feelings aren't "too much"
How to set a boundary without guilt
That healing isn't linear
How to recognize when you're in survival mode
That you deserve care, not just when you're "productive"

I want to hear from you: What's one thing therapy has taught you?
It doesn't have to be profound. Sometimes the smallest shifts are the most powerful.
Drop it below. Someone here needs to hear it. 💙
"

Your thoughts aren't always facts. But when you're stuck in a cognitive distortion, it's hard to see the difference.Cogn...
04/02/2026

Your thoughts aren't always facts. But when you're stuck in a cognitive distortion, it's hard to see the difference.

Cognitive distortions are thinking patterns that reinforce negative beliefs and keep you stuck. They're automatic, persuasive, and often feel completely true, even when they're not.

The good news? Once you can name them, you can start to challenge them.

Research shows that identifying cognitive distortions is a core component of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), one of the most evidence-based treatments for anxiety and depression. When you catch these patterns, you give yourself the chance to choose a different thought.

Swipe through for 5 common cognitive distortions you might not realize you're using, and what they actually sound like in your head.

Which one feels most familiar? Drop a number below. 💙



💡Research & Sources
Aaron T. Beck — Cognitive Therapy and Emotional Disorders (1976)
Judith Beck — Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond
Burns, D. (1980). Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy
Clark & Beck (2010) — Cognitive Therapy of Anxiety Disorders
Garnefski et al. (2001) — Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire
Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy

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Portland, OR
97216

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+15034754005

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