Martha Evans Morris, LCSW

12/07/2025

If you're local - make yourself a warm cup'a something and join me Wednesday eve at the Ridgefield Library. I promise it will NOT be depressing. I know weird right? But it won't. See you Wednesday 👍

This Wednesday (December 10). Please join us if you or someone you know is, in any way, mourning the loss of a loved one. You are not alone.

Please register---we want to have enough chairs :)

12/01/2025

Grief is a universal human experience. It comes in a variety of packages - death, divorce, empty-nest, lost expectaions... We are all connected in grief. Loss is at once the most devastating and the most profound thing we will go through. Let's talk about how we can live with loss. Grief is an ending, but it is not the end. If you're around - come to Ridgefield Library next Wednesday evening and we'll have a soulful and hopeful conversation about this thing we all share.

When you are grieving the loss of a loved one, every day is hard but the holidays bring a special ache. It can be very painful to watch those around you happily create new memories when the heart of the holidays for you has been torn away.

Martha Morris, LCSW, will talk about “Living with Loss” and how to navigate this time. Join us. Please register.

11/05/2025

Grief is a universal human experience - and the most personal and often isolating experience at the same time. The holiday season can make this all feel more heavy. Join me on December 10 at the Ridgefield Library for a conversation about how we can go through great loss and still continue to live!

Save the date. Please share. The holidays can be very difficult when you are missing a loved one.

05/25/2023

Lonely? Feeling isolated? The US Surgeon General says you're not alone. In my recent blog post I made myself come up with actionable things we can do to combat feelings of separateness in our lives right now. Of course I hope it helps you, but I also wrote this one for me. 😉

As a therapist, I see clients who struggle with a variety of life stressors — many exacerbated by feelings of social isolation, lack of meaningful connection or loneliness. In my own life, I have recently entered the sta...

03/24/2023

Remember when the teacher used to make you write a "What I learned on vacation" essay? Well here's mine!

So what is it about our vacation time that makes it so special? Dumb question maybe - but the average vacation in the US is only 4 days. And research tells us most families take one or two vacations a year, that means on...

03/23/2023

Just as we should be intentional about how we fuel our bodies - We need to be intentional about how we fuel our feelings!

Thanks to The Greater Good Science Center for this list of uplifting films.

It’s time for the Greater Goodies, honoring movies from the past year that exemplify human strengths and virtues.

02/21/2023

LIFEWORK

As soon as I get to the pearly gates and meet my Maker (or their spokesperson or my spirit guides, or my dog Barney) my first question will be “Why on Earth (literally) is life set up this way?? It ain’t easy down there! I mean - thanks for the good stuff, but why all the bad stuff??”

We would like for life to always be good and predictable. But for all of the brilliant inventors, smart thinkers and spiritual gurus that have come and gone before us - who have also disliked suffering btw - none have been able to remove suffering from the human experience. Great strides have definitely been made (antibiotics, central HVAC, plumbing, nose-hair clippers) but removing suffering from the human equation has not yet been achieved.

So, if this is the way it is set up - what do we do with this?

If I’m honest - it does seem that the tough times often lead to the deepest and most lasting growth. Sure maybe not immediately - but with time and effort - there is almost always growth. Life offers up challenge after challenge as though it’s an obstacle course. With help, support, love and compassion - we get through - and we are likely stronger for the next obstacle.

What if it’s not good and bad - but simply lifework…

It’s all around us in the natural world - trees die and fall and rot and from that gross rotting stuff comes amazing new growth. When muscles are fatigued the muscle fiber rips. Muscle growth only happens if they tear. Then our body miraculously repairs the old and grows new muscle. As soon as your skin is cut - it immediately starts working to stop bleeding and repair and heal. Repair and growth is always part of the equation in nature - even if sometimes the result is a scar.

Trauma, breakdown, repair and growth. Over and over - all around us. It can pull us together in miraculous ways. Maybe this is the way this life is and we can accept it. Not because we like it - but because it ain’t changing - and fighting it only adds layers of suffering - and no one needs that for goodness sake!

This is the work of this amazing life. This is lifework. We are all doing it - we’re not alone. It’s not easy. But it is lifework.

02/21/2023

Hi all - it's been a while since I've been on this page - but I'm back! I'm expanding my practice to a full time gig and will have an office in Ridgefield. My practice officially will be called Lifework Psychotherapy, LLC. I wrote a blogpost for the occasion and have attempted to link it - we will see! If you are looking for a therapist, I work with people from 13-113 years old. I specialize in anxiety, depression, work/school stress, terminal illness and grief.

https://marthaevansmorris.com/blog/f/lifework

04/18/2021

Self compassion is the place to start if you want to improve your...hmm...well just about anything actually! We’ve been taught that we need to be hard on ourselves if we want to achieve anything. It’s the opposite actually - and there’s research that says so.

This is a Zoom webinar so you can benefit no matter where are. Go to ridgefieldlibrary.org to register! Thanks to the Goldstone Fund, Compassionate Ridgefield and Ridgefield Library for making this happen! 🙏❤️

If you struggle with anxiety, depression or stress (these days, who doesn't?), be sure to join us for this important webinar. Self-compassion is the practice of being kind to "oneself" and is well-proven to be a key to resilience and good psychological and mental health.

With thanks to the Liz and Steve Goldstone Foundation for funding this exciting talk.

Register at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org.

03/15/2020

This looks like a good routine for me ANY day - but if you have kiddos at home, putting structure around the day will help everyone in the house!

We came across this creative sample schedule from Jessica McHale Photography that may help your family get through the next few weeks.

For more tips on adding structure and skill-building to home life during these uncertain times, check out this morning’s blog: https://nesca-newton.com/making-the-most-of-covid-19-school-closures/

03/15/2020

For those worried about symptoms of COVID-19 or if you have questions about exposure and appropriate behavior, Danbury Hospital has community hot line dedicated just for this purpose. 888.667.9262 - Hours are 8-6 everyday.
Be smart, be kind, be well.

10/01/2019

This is truly what we want for our kiddos!!
Be at the next Project Resilience talk at the Ridgefield Library Monday, Oct. 7. 💪🏻👍

Next Monday! Do not miss this event, especially if you struggle to help your kids bounce back from disappointment! Dr. Volpitta is a great speaker!

Please register at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org