Laura Merritt, LCSW

12/26/2025

I hear this all the time: "I've had therapy before but it didn't really help." "I tried meds." "I work out every day", "I tried meditation, journaling, energy work..."
The challenge is that we've been conditioned to expect rapid results. You try one thing, it doesn't work quickly, so that must have been a failure. Move on to the next thing.
But honestly? Trauma didn't happen overnight and it won't get fixed that quickly either.
The next hot trend might promise to be your gateway to cure trauma, but that's an empty promise. Yes, you can get improvement, reduced symptoms. But healing takes time and consistent effort across multiple dimensions.

It builds on itself:
Talk therapy helps you understand yourself and patterns, learn how to be close and intimate, building safety and trust
Somatic work helps your body release what it's holding, adapt
Spiritual practices help you find meaning, connect with a deeper part of yourself, to the sacred
Movement helps regulate your nervous system, build interoception or body awareness
Trauma processing helps you tolerate difficult emotions, sensations and memories, releasing avoidant patterns
None of these alone is THE answer. Together, over time, with patience? That's where transformation happens.
Stop looking for the one thing that will fix you. Start building a practice that addresses all the dimensions of healing: the physical/mental, the energetic/emotional, and the spiritual/consciousness.
It's not sexy. It's not quick. But it works.

12/23/2025

Peru, 2012. My journey of healing religious trauma started with a search for spiritually powerful places. The first was Machu Picchu.
The 5-day hike on the Inca Trail was instrumental in connecting me to my love for culture, history, sacred practices and sacred spaces. I was seeking to learn, not through reading, but through lived experience, by feeling it, by suffering through each ascent, trekking along these magnificent mountains.
Machu Picchu sits on significant Ley Lines, fault lines, and is considered the earth chakra. The Incan's saw the sun, moon, rivers, and land as alive and sacred. This view, called Andean Cosmovision, stresses living in harmony with nature. This resonated deeply with me, living so close to the earth, learning the local traditions and snacking on the local medicinal plants like coca was profound.
What I'd tell that version of me, standing in the mist:
This matters. This journey, this seeking, this opening to new ways of understanding spirit, the sacred, it's all part of your healing. You're not running away. You're growing, shedding, receiving.
And, this is just the beginning, there's more work ahead. The insights you're gathering here, the connection you're feeling, it needs time. It needs to come home with you. Into your body. Into your relationships. Into your everyday life.
Both are important. The seeking and the settling. The expansion and the embodiment.
To anyone healing from religious trauma and exploring new spiritual paths: keep going. The search for something beyond what's familiar is important. Honor it. Walk the trails. Open up.
Have you been deeply touched by a spiritually powerful place?

12/21/2025

After 20 years of working with trauma, I see this pattern constantly: people doing ALL the healing work but still suffering. Still stuck. Life getting smaller, not bigger.
Sometimes our healing practices become another form of avoidance. Not because the practices are bad, but because we use them to skip the hard emotional work.
I wrote about this (link in bio) because I've been there, too. I spent years in spiritual communities using "high vibes" to avoid my anger, my grief, my actual messy life.
Have you been there? And if so, just sit with it. You don't need to fix anything today. 💛

12/03/2025

I love the holiday season, while it’s beautiful it’s also stressful. It asks a lot from our systems… more stimulation, more social energy and there never seems to be enough time. Which means real self care becomes less of a luxury and a real necessity.

I’ve been leaning into things that support my nervous system instead of overwhelming it, and this self care gift box from is exactly that. Clean products, no toxic fragrances, and a nervous system card deck I’m already obsessed with. Everything inside feels intentional and calming, no chemical load.

When it comes to products for self care, our bodies have to process everything we put on on it as well as everything we breathe. Clean, low-tox products give your system a little more support during a season that’s already asking a lot of you.

If you’re craving steadier, quieter, healthier inputs right now, this kind of care really does make a difference.

What are your favorite Holiday Season self-care items?

11/08/2025

03/10/2025

Repressing emotions may feel like control, but real freedom comes from facing what you feel.

We’ve all been there—pushing emotions aside, thinking we’re keeping things “under control.” It’s easier to suppress what feels uncomfortable, what feels heavy. But here’s the truth: true freedom doesn’t come from avoiding emotions; it comes from having the courage to face them head-on.

When we repress, we’re not actually controlling anything. We’re simply building walls around our true selves, keeping us trapped in patterns of avoidance. Freedom comes from vulnerability. It comes from allowing yourself to feel without judgment, to sit with discomfort, and to let emotions flow instead of bottling them up.

By feeling, we allow ourselves to heal. We reclaim our power. When we stop running from our emotions, we can finally make room for peace, clarity, and growth.

So, ask yourself: What emotions am I avoiding? How can I start facing them with compassion and curiosity?

03/03/2025

Growth is in your nature.

I know this for a fact—growth isn't something you need to force. It’s already within you, waiting for the right conditions to thrive.

The question isn’t if you can grow, but what path, perspective, or movement will nourish that direction. Maybe it’s the mindset shift you've been avoiding, letting go of old beliefs that no longer serve you. Or maybe it’s allowing yourself the space to just be, rather than constantly pushing. It could even be in the way you move your body, tapping into the flow that helps you release the tension holding you back.

It’s not about doing more or being more—it's about finding the things that make you feel supported and aligned with who you really are. Growth happens when we stop fighting it and start nurturing it.

So, today—what’s one shift, however small, that you can make to align with your own growth? Maybe it’s simply acknowledging that you deserve to take up space, or letting go of one thing that’s been draining you.

02/25/2025

Healing doesn’t happen by pushing through, ignoring, or avoiding discomfort. It happens by listening—really listening—to what your body is telling you.

When we avoid or push through tough emotions and sensations, we’re only delaying the healing process. The body doesn’t forget. It holds onto what we don’t address. Instead of running from the discomfort, we need to learn to tolerate it.

Tolerating discomfort means allowing ourselves to feel what we feel without judgment. It’s not about “fixing” anything, but about creating space for the body to express what it needs. When we can stay present with the discomfort, the body begins to process, release, and allows you to make a decision in alignment with what matters to you now.

This is where real transformation happens—not by avoiding or pushing through, but by embracing the uncomfortable. Your body is trying to guide you. Tune in, listen, and allow the healing to unfold and feel home in your body again.

02/17/2025

The Five Things Technique: A Simple Hack to Stop Overthinking & Find Calm

Ever get stuck in your head, spiraling with anxious thoughts, or feeling totally disconnected? The Five Things Technique is a powerful grounding practice that can pull you back into the present moment fast. Whether you're overwhelmed, stressed, or zoning out, this exercise helps reset your nervous system and remind your brain: You’re safe. You’re here. You can breathe.

Here’s how to do it:

🔹 Look for 5 Things You Can See – Pick out colors, textures, or details you’d normally overlook. The more specific, the better!

🔹 Listen for 4 Things You Can Hear – Notice background sounds—birds, cars, a fan, even your own breath. This helps anchor you in your surroundings.

🔹 Feel 3 Things You Can Touch – Run your fingers over your clothing, touch a table top or hold onto something solid like a mug or a stone.

🔹 Smell 2 Things Around You – Take a deep breath and notice any scents—coffee, fresh air, or even your laundry detergent. If you can’t smell anything, grab a candle or essential oil.

🔹 Taste 1 Thing – Sip a drink, chew gum, or just notice any lingering taste in your mouth.

Why does this work? Your brain can’t be in panic mode about the future and fully engaged with your senses at the same time. By tuning into what’s real right now, in your immediate environment, you interrupt stress patterns and create a sense of safety in your body.

Save this for later and try it next time you feel anxious, overwhelmed, or dissociated.

02/11/2025

Rebelling with intention is not about creating chaos—it’s about taking the time to slow down and reconnect with what matters most to you.

In a world that moves fast, it’s easy to get caught up in the rush of doing more, being more, and pushing harder. But true rebellion? It’s about refusing to live in a way that doesn’t align with your deepest values and purpose.

When you rebel with intention, you’re not running from something. You’re standing up for yourself, reveling in your aligned purpose—the things that truly matter. It’s about slowing down to listen, reflect, and take action that is deeply connected to who you are and what you stand for.

This kind of rebellion is a revolution of the heart. It’s about honoring your inner truth, making space for what nourishes you, and choosing to create a life that is meaningful and true to your soul.

So, ask yourself: What matters most to you right now? What’s the action you need to take to move towards it, even if it feels like an act of rebellion against the noise and pressure around you? Take that step. Rebel with purpose, and revel in your power.

02/04/2025

Signs You Might Be in Functional Freeze

Functional freeze is a nervous system response where you feel stuck in some areas but you're still able to go through daily life. Unlike fight-or-flight, which gears you up for action, functional freeze keeps you in a state of slowing down, disconnection, and overwhelm with limited capacity.

🔹 Chronic Exhaustion – No matter how much you rest, you still feel drained. When your nervous system is stuck in survival mode, your body burns through energy, making deep rest feel impossible.

🔹 Lack of Motivation – Tasks that once felt easy now seem overwhelming. Even enjoyable activities require effort because your body is conserving energy for survival, not engagement.

🔹 Loss of Interest – You feel detached from hobbies, relationships, or passions. This emotional numbness is a defense mechanism, keeping you from fully engaging when your system senses danger.

🔹 Poor Concentration – Focusing, remembering details, or following through on tasks feels harder than usual. Your brain may be stuck in hyper-vigilance or dissociation, making it difficult to think clearly.

🔹 Losing Time – You often zone out, miss details, or feel disconnected from time. This dissociative response is your nervous system’s way of shielding you from overwhelming stress.

If this sounds familiar, know that functional freeze isn’t permanent—you can learn to regulate your nervous system and reconnect with yourself.
Have you experienced functional freeze?

12/14/2024

Not your average gift guide! 🎁✨ The holidays are the perfect time to think about how we can support the healing journeys of those we care about—and ourselves!

In my view, healing in the modern world is all about blending science-backed products with the ancient practices that have stood the test of time. Therapy is great, but sometimes we need the perfect product to support us along the way.

In my newsletter this week, I’ll be sharing my Top 10 Favorite Gifts to give someone (or yourself!) who could use a little extra support on their healing path. From tools to relieve stress to items that promote better sleep and even supports in your psy!chedelic journey - these gifts are a thoughtful way to nurture mind, body, and soul. 🌿💖

💌 Sign up now to get the full list straight to your inbox this week!