Rise & Thrive Counseling, PLLC, 8801 Fast Park Drive Ste 211, Raleigh, NC (2026)

02/16/2026

"If you’ve ever wondered why body image feels so heavy, persistent, or resistant to “just thinking differently,” you’re not imagining it. Body image struggles don’t develop in isolation or because someone didn’t try hard enough to be confident. They are shaped over time, reinforced daily, and influenced by countless messages about what bodies should look like, do, or represent.

These messages come from everywhere: culture, family systems, healthcare, media, and social institutions. They tell us which bodies are praised, which are monitored, and which are treated as problems to be fixed. Over time, confidence becomes conditional: something we feel only when we believe we’re meeting the standard of the moment. When bodies inevitably change, confidence often changes alongside it, leaving people feeling confused about why self-esteem feels so fragile.

Before we talk about healing, self-love, or confidence-building, it’s essential to zoom out. Understanding the broader context of body image isn’t about avoiding responsibility or staying stuck; it’s about releasing shame. When we name cultural norms, societal expectations, oppressive systems, and mental health comorbidities, we stop treating body dissatisfaction as a personal failure and start seeing it as a reasonable response to repeated messaging and lived experience.

So, what do you need to know about the background behind body image and self-confidence in modern America? Read on for more info from the holistic healers at Rise and Thrive Counseling - and stay tuned for part two later this month!"

To read more, find the full post here: https://www.riseandthrivecounseling.com/post/part-one-body-image-self-confidence-it-was-never-just-personal.

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01/30/2026

"Welcome to part two of our trauma-informed New Year series! In Part 1 of this series, we explored why January can feel especially activating after trauma and why those reactions are not personal failures, but nervous system responses. Rather than pushing for clarity or motivation, trauma-informed care invites us to begin the year by restoring a sense of safety in the body.

Part 2 focuses on what that support can look like in practice. These gentle, physical approaches are not about “calming down” or forcing relaxation. They are about offering the nervous system consistent, non-threatening signals of safety, so change, when it comes, feels possible rather than overwhelming.

So, what are three gentle practices you can do to support a trauma-informed January reset? Read on for more info from the holistic healers at Rise and Thrive Counseling!"

To read the rest, find it here: https://www.riseandthrivecounseling.com/post/january-as-a-nervous-system-reset-gentle-practices-that-support-safety-before-change-part-2

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01/15/2026

"January arrives loudly. New calendars, new expectations, new pressure to feel hopeful, motivated, and ready to “start fresh.” For many people, this season doesn’t feel energizing; instead, it feels heavy, dysregulating, or overwhelming. And if you’ve experienced trauma, that reaction makes sense.

Rather than treating January as a productivity reset, trauma-informed care invites us to see it as a nervous system reset. A slower, more compassionate entry into the year; one that prioritizes safety, regulation, and self-trust before any form of change.

So, how can you have a trauma-informed start to 2026? Read on for more info from the holistic healers at Rise and Thrive Counseling - and stay tuned for part two later this month!"

To read the rest, find more here: https://www.riseandthrivecounseling.com/post/january-as-a-nervous-system-reset-trauma-informed-ways-to-begin-again-part-1

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12/15/2025

"As the year comes to a close, many people feel pulled toward resolutions, productivity checklists, or self-critique disguised as reflection. But for those of us seeking steadiness, healing, and genuine alignment, there’s a gentler doorway into year-end processing: coming home to your values. Values reflection isn’t about what you achieved; instead, it’s about what mattered, what felt true, and where you noticed yourself moving toward or away from the life you want to build.

When we shift the lens from “Did I do enough?” to “Did I live in a way that honored who I am?” something softens. Reflection becomes less about measurement and more about meaning. This is the heart of mental health in a holistic lens: recognizing that your year wasn’t defined by productivity, but by the moments when you acted in alignment with what feels most important to you in all areas of your life.

So, how can you do a values reflection to end 2025? Read on for more info from the holistic healers at Rise and Thrive Counseling!"

To read on, find the rest of our blog post here: https://www.riseandthrivecounseling.com/post/a-values-check-in-ending-the-year-with-clarity-instead-of-pressure

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11/14/2025

"Every year on November 13th, people around the world celebrate World Kindness Day. World Kindness Day was first launched in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement to encourage empathy, generosity, and connection across communities. It’s a day that reminds us how small acts (like smiles, notes of gratitude, simple moments of care) can ripple outward in powerful ways. We’re invited to see that kindness isn’t only a feeling; it’s a choice, a practice, and a shared language that softens the edges of being human.

But in the midst of giving, it’s easy to forget that we ourselves also deserve that same gentle treatment! The kindness we extend to others can lose its meaning if we don’t offer it to ourselves, too. Self-kindness isn’t indulgence or conceit - it’s how we refill the well from which we keep giving. On this World Kindness Day, let’s shift the lens inward and explore what it means to treat yourself with the same compassion, grace, and understanding you so freely offer others.

So, what are some self-love activities you can do to show yourself kindness on World Kindness Day? Read on for more info from the holistic healers at Rise and Thrive Counseling!"

To read on, find it here: https://www.riseandthrivecounseling.com/post/world-kindness-day-turning-compassion-inward

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10/15/2025

"Grounding and regulation are all about helping your nervous system feel safe, supported, and present in the moment. They’re not about forcing calm or stopping thoughts; they’re tangible skills that help you notice your body, reconnect with your senses, and respond to stress in ways that feel manageable.

When you think of grounding exercises, you may imagine the most common and popular ones: deep breathing in a quiet room, long meditations, or trying to “calm down” on command. However, regulation doesn’t always come from stillness or silence. For a lot of people, especially those with trauma histories, busy minds, or neurodivergent brains and nervous systems, grounding works best when it’s practical, sensory, and body-based, giving a concrete way to shift your state when life feels overwhelming.

There is hardly a better time to incorporate the season into our grounding exercise than fall! Autumn offers textures, temperatures, and sensory cues that can support nervous system regulation without forcing anything. Instead of relying on abstract mindfulness, fall-inspired somatic practices give people something to hold, feel, smell, or move with, making grounding more accessible.

So, what are some ways we can incorporate Autumn into our grounding exercises this season? Read on for more info from the holistic healers at Rise and Thrive Counseling!"

To read more, find the whole blog post here: https://www.riseandthrivecounseling.com/post/grounding-in-the-body-fall-inspired-somatic-mindfulness-practices

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09/16/2025

"September often feels like a time of shifting: the air begins to cool, days shorten, and changes in nature remind us that another season is turning. It’s a time that invites reflection. September, and Autumn as a whole, is a chance to slow down, notice what has been growing in our lives, and consider what we want to carry forward. Just as a harvest is not about planting but about gathering, September can be about collecting our lessons, honoring our efforts, and acknowledging the ways we’ve evolved since the year began.

Keeping in the spirit of the wheel of the year turning and “harvesting” our wins, we’ll be talking about reflection using prompts and using our dear friend the Wellness Wheel to do so!

If you’ve been a long-time reader of our blogs (hi, and thanks!), you may remember our series on the Wellness Wheel way back in 2022. As a reminder, the Wellness Wheel is a common way to assess our holistic health. It incorporates 8 different aspects of health, which are:

Emotional: how well do we know our emotions? What coping skills do we use?

🍂Environmental: what are our surroundings like?
💰Financial: what is our financial situation like?
🧠Intellectual: what have we done to stimulate our minds recently?
💼Occupational: what is our vocation, job, or career like?
💪Physical: how do we connect with our bodies?
💬Social: what is our social life like - our friends, family, and community?
🧘‍♀️Spiritual: what are our spiritual beliefs and practices?

So, how can you use the Wellness Wheel to reflect on your holistic harvest this September? Read on for journal prompts from the holistic healers at Rise and Thrive Counseling!"

To read on, find it here: https://www.riseandthrivecounseling.com/post/harvesting-what-you-ve-learned-this-year-a-wellness-wheel-reflection

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08/15/2025

When August arrives, children, teens, young adults, and parents often are thinking about the same thing: the start of school! The slow stretch of summer begins to fold into the structure of the school year, and with that shift can come anticipation, dread, excitement, or all three at once. For young adults returning to campus or restarting online, heading back to college can bring up a mix of feelings that deserve space, compassion, and planning.

The transition doesn’t have to be abrupt. In fact, giving yourself time to emotionally and practically prepare can make all the difference in how supported and steady you feel once the semester begins. This isn’t about doing everything perfectly; rather, it’s about creating anchors for yourself as routines restart and responsibilities increase.

So, what are some tips for young adults heading back to college for the fall semester? Read on for more info from the holistic healers at Rise and Thrive Counseling!

To read on, find it here: https://www.riseandthrivecounseling.com/post/easing-into-the-college-groove-a-gentle-august-transition

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07/15/2025

"Summer is often framed as the season of bodies: think bathing suits, beaches, and social media asking if your “summer body” is ready yet. This pressure isn't just annoying; it's harmful, especially for those in marginalized bodies. And yet, body image struggles are so normalized that it can be hard to imagine another way to relate to our bodies.

Enter: body neutrality. Body neutrality offers a path towards compassion for our bodies without the requirement to adore all of our parts. It invites us to care for our bodies without having to feel constant admiration for how they look. It’s a perspective grounded in function, dignity, and enough-ness, not appearance.

This approach aligns beautifully with the Health at Every Size (HAES) framework, a social justice movement rooted in the belief that health is multifaceted and not dependent on body weight. HAES encourages intuitive eating, joyful movement, and respectful healthcare. It challenges the evidence-light assumption that weight loss improves health outcomes and instead centers equitable, compassionate care for all bodies.

So, what do you need to know about body neutrality this summer? Read on for more info from the holistic healers at Rise and Thrive Counseling!"

To read on, find it here: https://www.riseandthrivecounseling.com/post/body-image-bathing-suits-and-body-neutrality.

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06/16/2025

"In the therapy room, we talk a lot about identity. Who we are, where we come from, what has shaped us, and what stories we’ve had to carry to survive. These conversations aren’t just clinical - they’re personal, layered, and intimate. And for many people, the challenge isn’t simply naming one part of themselves, but learning how to hold all of who they are with compassion.

That’s where intersectionality comes in. Coined by professor and civil rights theorist Kimberlé Crenshaw, the term describes how systems of oppression (like racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia) interact and overlap. For example, a Black q***r woman may face discrimination that’s not just racist or sexist, but uniquely shaped by both. Intersectionality helps us understand how these layered experiences impact a person’s mental health, safety, and access to care.

We’re talking about this now because June brings two powerful reminders of identity and liberation: Pride Month and Juneteenth. Both celebrate freedom, community, and resistance, but they’re often held in separate conversations. For those who are Black and q***r, or who hold other intersecting identities, that separation can feel like a split within the self. This post is an invitation to hold the full complexity of who people are and to explore what that means for healing.

So, what do you need to know about intersectionality in the mental health realm? Read on for more info from the holistic healers at Rise and Thrive Counseling!"

To read on, find it here: https://www.riseandthrivecounseling.com/post/what-intersectionality-actually-means-in-mental-health

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05/30/2025

"May brings blooming flowers, longer days - and both Maternal Mental Health Month and Mental Health Awareness Month! Maternal Mental Health Month isn’t just about awareness - it’s about truth-telling, validation, and support for those who are quietly struggling while doing one of the most life-altering things a person can do: become a mother.

While we celebrate new life, we also need space to acknowledge what’s hard. Up to 1 in 5 mothers experience a maternal mental health disorder, making it the most common complication of childbirth. And yet, many suffer in silence, wondering if what they’re feeling is just part of the process - or something more. This month is a call to change that narrative.

So, what do you need to know about maternal mental health this May? Read on for more info from the holistic healers at Rise and Thrive Counseling!"

To read more, find it here: https://www.riseandthrivecounseling.com/post/when-motherhood-feels-heavier-than-expected-honoring-maternal-mental-health-month

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05/15/2025

May is Mental Health Awareness Month — a time to raise awareness, advocate for access, and remind ourselves that mental health is essential health. But this year, many of us aren’t just navigating our own stress. We’re holding a kind of collective exhaustion. The state of America — and the world — feels fragile. The attacks on human rights, the gutting of systems meant to protect us, the normalization of burnout ... it’s no wonder so many are running on empty.

We can often feel like we are alone, and all we can do is look out for ourselves. As if individual resilience is the cure for systemic harm. As clinicians, advocates, and humans, we know better. We know that healing is relational — that a regulated nervous system thrives in co-regulation. And that in times like these, community care is more than a luxury — it’s a lifeline.

This is where community care comes in. Community care means relying on our fellow humans to meet our needs, rather than institutions, especially when those institutions are actively harming us. This is a common practice in Q***r and BIPOC communities - two populations generally harmed by institutions at large.

So, how can you lean into community care this May? Read on for tips from the holistic healers at Rise and Thrive Counseling!

To read more, find it here: https://www.riseandthrivecounseling.com/post/community-care-is-mental-health-care

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Rise & Thrive Counseling, PLLC

02/16/2026

01/30/2026

01/15/2026

12/15/2025

11/14/2025

10/15/2025

09/16/2025

08/15/2025

07/15/2025

06/16/2025

05/30/2025

05/15/2025

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