Pride and Grace Counseling

Pride and Grace Counseling Our website is currently under construction. If you are interested in counseling services, please email us!

No, I'm not saying that horrible things are not happening to marginalized communities. They are.And in spite of them, fi...
04/10/2026

No, I'm not saying that horrible things are not happening to marginalized communities. They are.

And in spite of them, find joy. Even the small glimmers of:
-having a conversation with a safe friend and being seen
-enjoying a warm cup of your favorite beverage
-watching an affirming and hilarious video from a comedian that is a person of color

Wellness is not just in the therapy office. It is being intentional and seeking out joy in parts of your life. You deserve it.

No, I'm not saying that horrible things are not happening to marginalized communities. They are.And in spite of them, fi...
04/10/2026

No, I'm not saying that horrible things are not happening to marginalized communities. They are.

And in spite of them, find joy. Even the small glimmers of:
-having a conversation with a safe friend and being seen
-enjoying a warm cup of your favorite beverage
-watching an affirming and hilarious video from a comedian that is a person of color

Wellness is not just in the therapy office. It is being intentional and seeking out joy in parts of your life. You deserve it.

Sometimes straight up avoidance of self and the world feels better than real life. This may look like:-Watching TV for 1...
04/06/2026

Sometimes straight up avoidance of self and the world feels better than real life. This may look like:

-Watching TV for 10 hours until you're exhausted.
-Packing your schedule with events without any time for yourself.
-Constantly redirecting your attention when you get a tiny bit of feeling.

I'm not here to say stop. If you don't have an interest in stopping, me saying it's not in your best interest isn't honestly going to do anything.

There is a function to what's happening and that's valuable to recognize.
There is a choice to turn away. The grief you're experiencing. The overwhelm about the world.

At the very least, it's okay to acknowledge that things feel heavy. You're coping with it. And right now, this is what it looks like.

Sometimes straight up avoidance of self and the world feels better than real life. This may look like:-Watching TV for 1...
04/06/2026

Sometimes straight up avoidance of self and the world feels better than real life. This may look like:

-Watching TV for 10 hours until you're completely exhausted.
-Packing your schedule with events without any time for yourself.
-Constantly redirecting your attention when you get a tiny bit of feeling.

I'm not here to say stop. If you don't have an interest in stopping, me saying it's not in your best interest isn't honestly going to do anything.

There is a function to what's happening and that's valuable to recognize. There is a choice to turn away. The grief you're experiencing. The overwhelm about the world.

At the very least, it's okay to acknowledge that things feel heavy. You're coping with it. And right now, this is what it looks like.

Easter Sunday is around the corner and for those who have experienced religious trauma, this may not be a time of rejoic...
04/04/2026

Easter Sunday is around the corner and for those who have experienced religious trauma, this may not be a time of rejoicing or celebration.

This time could bring up.....hypervigilance due to forced contact with religious family members...unwanted memories of serving a church presumed to be safe...unsettled physical feelings because there isn't a placeholder for church on Easter this year.

I am not vilifying the church, a faith tradition, or a community. But I am writing this to highlight experiences of those in between faith traditions, those who have experienced religious trauma, and those who have left but are still grieving.

Easter is not celebrated or for everyone. And if that is you, be sure to make space for you today and this weekend. You don't need to fit into a faith tradition you no longer fit in with.

Practicing feedback in therapy is part of the work. Because therapy isn’t a one‑way street. It’s a relationship with com...
03/27/2026

Practicing feedback in therapy is part of the work. Because therapy isn’t a one‑way street. It’s a relationship with communication, negotiation, and a real connection.

Sometimes that means saying, “Hey, that didn’t sit right with me,” or asking for something to feel different next time. That kind of honesty isn’t disrespectful or disruptive. It’s actually a sign of safety and trust.

I genuinely love it when clients share feedback. It helps us repair, adjust, and build the kind of confidence and language they can carry into the rest of their lives.

Your voice matters in the room. Your experience matters. And you’re allowed to name what you need.

There are moments when it can feel deeply painful to realize your faith tradition is what it is. That recognition alone ...
03/26/2026

There are moments when it can feel deeply painful to realize your faith tradition is what it is. That recognition alone can bring up grief, fear, anger, confusion, or a sense of disorientation.

Christian Nationalism is present in United States politics. And it may feel scary to see your own faith tradition, if it is or was Christianity, connected to violence, racism, or bigotry in communities.

This post is simply to acknowledge that reaction.

It makes sense if your body tightens. It makes sense if you feel heartbroken or unsettled. It makes sense if you’re trying to reconcile what you were taught with what you’re seeing.

There’s nothing wrong with your response. It’s human to feel something when the tradition that shaped you is also part of harm. ❤️

Cognitive approaches were the foundation of my graduate training — the idea that changing your thoughts would change you...
03/23/2026

Cognitive approaches were the foundation of my graduate training — the idea that changing your thoughts would change your emotions and behaviors. And while those tools can be incredibly helpful, they don’t work for everyone.

Some people can’t access their thoughts or memories. Some feel disconnected from their inner world. Some feel like they’re forcing themselves to “think differently” without anything actually shifting.

That’s because trauma and stress don’t live only in the mind... they live in the body.

Somatic training allows me to support clients in a deeper, more integrated way. It helps people release what their bodies have been holding, reconnect with themselves, and build safety from the inside out. 💚

Pausing can feel uncomfortable when your body has spent years in survival mode. If slowing down feels wrong or unfamilia...
03/20/2026

Pausing can feel uncomfortable when your body has spent years in survival mode. If slowing down feels wrong or unfamiliar, there’s nothing “broken” about you. The thing is, your nervous system learned to protect you by staying alert.

With practice, your body can learn a different kind of safety. You can build the capacity to pause, notice what you’re feeling, and respond in ways that support you instead of overwhelming you. ❤️

For many people who grew up in oppressive or high‑control environments, pride wasn’t something they were encouraged to f...
03/18/2026

For many people who grew up in oppressive or high‑control environments, pride wasn’t something they were encouraged to feel. You may have learned to stay small, avoid attention, anticipate what others wanted, or simply do whatever it took to survive. In those systems, enjoying yourself or feeling proud of who you are was often labeled as selfish, corrupt, or dangerous.

But pride isn’t selfishness. It’s reclamation. It’s the slow, steady work of remembering that you’re allowed to take up space. You’re allowed to feel joy. You’re allowed to love who you are becoming.

Everyone deserves care, love, safety, and the chance to thrive. And sometimes that begins with the simple act of letting yourself enjoy your own life, even if it feels unfamiliar at first.

Once you’ve started questioning the beliefs you were raised with, there’s often a quiet moment where you realize: “I don...
03/16/2026

Once you’ve started questioning the beliefs you were raised with, there’s often a quiet moment where you realize: “I don’t know what comes next.” That in‑between space can feel disorienting, like you’re standing between who you were told to be and who you’re becoming.

The Journey Forwards is designed for that exact moment. This workshop offers a supportive space to explore what rebuilding can look like when you’re no longer operating from fear, pressure, or inherited expectations.

Deconstructing Christianity: Part 2 — The Journey Forwards Saturday, March 21 • 10:30 am PT

So many bisexual people grow up hearing myths that make them question their own identity. These myths create real stress...
03/13/2026

So many bisexual people grow up hearing myths that make them question their own identity. These myths create real stress, confusion, and erasure. 🧡

Just so you know...your identity doesn’t need proof. Your relationships don’t define your queerness. You deserve to be believed and supported as you are.

Address

PO BOX 6963
San Mateo, CA
94403

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 7pm
Tuesday 10am - 7pm
Thursday 10am - 7pm
Friday 10am - 7pm

Telephone

+16507013978

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