Amy Knize MA, LCPC

09/21/2025

09/21/2025

💕 Have you reached out to an older family member recently?

Watching your parents grow old is like reading a book you don’t want to finish.

09/16/2025

09/05/2025

September is Su***de Prevention Month. This year’s theme is "Start the Conversation. Be the Difference."

One conversation can truly save a life. Let’s spread hope and remind each other that help is always available. Learn more at nami.org/suicideprevention

***dePreventionMonth

09/05/2025

When we over-identify with emotions, we suffer more. But mindfulness and self-compassion help us relate to our feelings without becoming them—holding them with care.

Next time a strong emotion comes up, pause and say: “This is a moment of suffering. May I be kind to myself. And then rest in the kindness.” Notice the shift.

06/29/2025

Whenever you notice you are in pain, remember you have three steps you can take:

1️⃣ Mindfulness: Hold your thoughts and emotions in mindful awareness. Observe them without judgment. 🧘‍♀️

2️⃣ Shared Humanity: Remind yourself that encountering pain is part of the shared human experience. We are all in this together. 🌍

3️⃣ Kindness: Offer yourself the kindness and care you deserve.💖

Why not walk through the doorway today? Let’s practice self-compassion together. 💫

06/28/2025

Boundaries are not a problem 🤍👏

06/28/2025

What if we could recognize our faults and look to see what is beyond them?

What if we could see, with great tenderness, the painful unmet needs that have shaped our behaviors?

For many of us, this process is the work of a lifetime, one that requires the active support of loved ones, therapists, spiritual teachers, or healers.

Yet it begins the moment that we are willing to look at ourselves through the eyes of compassion.

05/18/2025

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a reminder to take a moment for ourselves when stress strikes. Our natural threat response can often lead to fight (self-criticism), flight (isolation), and freeze (rumination). But self-compassion offers a powerful antidote, helping us downregulate these responses and cultivate peace within.

By practicing kindness, mindfulness, and connecting with our shared humanity, we activate our care system (the tend and befriend response), reducing stress and fostering resilience.

Research shows that this shift into self-compassion can lower cortisol levels and increase heart rate variability, making us less defensive and more balanced.

This month, let’s prioritize mental well-being and show ourselves the kindness we need. Take a pause, place your hand on your heart, and remind yourself that you are worthy of care and compassion.

03/23/2025