Alex Camire, LCSW

02/02/2023

Some days are easier,

Some days are more difficult,

Some days will be a mix of both.

But try, do try to make a habit, even if it’s only for a moment, of showing yourself some love.

Love yourself, value yourself, appreciate yourself…

The things you’ve gone through, experienced, the difficult journey, the times you made mistakes, everything!

External validation sure feels nice when it comes, but it has to come from within you too.

Because - and yes, I’m quoting RuPaul here, but - “if you don’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else!?”

Also, look at the sleepy ginger!

01/31/2023

Therapists have therapists…

And I started seeing a new one recently because sometimes clinical supervision isn’t enough.

I’ve been exploring internal family systems (IFS) and yesterday I started exploring my own parts, and I had a brief conversation with my inner critic, but not just at any point- but my inner critic from 2012 when I was a much different person than who I am today.

It was a harsh feeling, but one that reminded me of transformation.

Sometimes it’s easier to hold a specific image of yourself on a pedestal. It’s easier to value the parts of yourself that you like or believe in over the parts that have let you down.

But every part of you has value, every part has worth.

Your critical parts, your naive parts, your cringe (I can’t believe I used to think or act that way) parts, you’re fearful parts, and even the parts that you don’t know how to label yet.

Transformation and growth isn’t about distancing ourselves from who we used to be when we didn’t know any better. Or at least it shouldn’t be.
It’s about being able to look back on ourselves with compassion and trust our whole selves as we continue to move through the world around us.

01/03/2023

A lot has changed about my life…
To a point where I get overwhelmed when I think too much about everything all at once.

At the time the first picture was taken, I had just separated from my ex wife, and from a relationship that was simultaneously one of the worst experiences of my life, but also one that taught me a lot about myself.
I had a year left in grad school, navigating single life, and unsure what the future held for me. But I knew one of my next priorities after tending to my emotional well-being was to focus on improving my physical well-being.

I took the second picture just yesterday.
And besides being over a hundred pounds apart- I have my masters, I’m a home owner, and I live with an immensely supportive partner who I love and trust so much.

All this is to say- you don’t transform overnight. You don’t change what you want out of life over night. It doesn’t happen with a half assed New Years resolution. And it doesn’t happen when it’s motivated by external factors.

You get to decide:
What, when, how.
Be consistent with yourself,
And gracious with yourself when you’re creating that consistency.

If you can do that, you will get to where you need to be in due season.
These pictures are three and a half years apart.

Weight loss, career goals, relationship changes.

Whatever you’re wanting to work on or improve- it won’t happen overnight, but with consistency and commitment- it will happen.

Trust the process.

12/15/2022

If you are struggling, you are not alone. Please call 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK To 741741. They’ve got your back.

12/08/2022

Just the view from my office window this morning.

It was quite beautiful outside heading into work today.

It’s been a long time since I’ve had to develop new routines for myself, but beautiful skies somehow make the journey easier.

12/06/2022

POV: you are a telehealth therapist doing a phone session at home… but you also have a needy boy who requires cuddle time.

This is what we call work/life balance!

12/02/2022

I’ve been wanting to share this.
It came in the mail while I was on a trip to Ohio last weekend.
And it’s beautiful!

Life changes happen so fast sometimes- it’s easy to get lost or at least to feel lost.

This piece was titled, “I need to find myself first,” and it was done by who I have admired for a while.

I never wanted a career when I think about it. What I really wanted to be when I was younger was a pastor myself. I didn’t want a career, I wanted a calling!

I can chuckle about it now, but it was something I took very seriously as a young Christian who grew up in an overzealous, cult-like church.

I started a journey ten years ago to become a therapist with the intention that this would be a good “supplemental career” that would aid my ability to minister to the world one day. Lol

But over the course of my academic journey one too many things happened:
My parents divorced, and my family got torn apart a bit.
My own marriage was rife with toxicity and neglect and eventually led to my own divorce.
Not to mention my beliefs about faith, religion, sexuality, politics, how to help others - everything was changing!

By the time I finished school I wasn’t sure I wanted to be a Christian anymore let alone a pastor. And by that time I’d already left the church as a failed institution behind.

So I know exactly what it’s like to feel lost after everything you believe in- your entire epistemology gets turned upside down.

And I’ve felt lost a lot since finishing grad school in 2020 during the onset of a global pandemic.

But I’m finding myself!
Every day I find more of myself!

And recently I left a job I had for almost 13 years after feeling like I’d been stuck for too long.

And today I am the therapist I sought out to be! And I’m proud that I was able to get here.

The journey isn’t over. But I know that if I get lost, it’s myself I need to find first.

Thank you for your work, I value it so much. ❤️ I plan on hanging your painting in my therapy office for all future clients to see once I frame it!

11/24/2022

Today’s a weird day.

I’m grateful. Full of gratitude in fact.

But, gratitude and grief are never mutually exclusive.

And grief doesn’t take holiday breaks.

It’s okay to grieve today if that’s where you’re at.

10/20/2022

Some pics of quotes that were displayed at the exhibit last night that I loved:

09/21/2022

This is a great list of things to do or try:

"This might sound weird, but it actually works for me."

09/08/2022

It’s September so,

Let’s talk Su***de and self-care.

Did you know self care strengthens our mental health and resilience?
Things like eating well, exercising, having good sleep habits and appropriately managing stress - all of these habits can help mitigate mental health issues that could lead to a suicidal crisis.

However!

If an individual is actively thinking about or wanting to end their life - do not, I repeat, do not suggest they exercise or eat better as a viable solution, because it’s not, and it can be incredibly harmful.

How/why?

Because those same self care habits will help mitigate risk for a heart attack too.

But guess what, if an individual is experiencing heart failure we’re now addressing a crisis. And you wouldn’t recommend exercise to someone who is in need of a stint or bypass.

This is the same for poor mental health and su***de.

Yes, self-care helps.

But when someone reaches a crisis point the last thing they need is for some naive soul to suggest they get outside more or exercise and they’ll feel better.

That won’t work and it can cause more harm.

Additionally, when someone is in crisis- that’s not an opportunity for you to try to invite them to church either.

That sh*t’s just manipulative and it can cause more harm.