Thrive Forward Therapy

10/13/2025

Today, we’re more “connected” than ever, but many people still feel deeply alone.
Social connection is a cornerstone of emotional and mental well-being, but the kind that heals and sustains us happens face-to-face.

In-person interactions allow us to experience empathy through tone, body language, and presence, things that can’t be fully captured through a screen. These moments activate the part of our nervous system responsible for calm and safety, which is why genuine, in-person connection can literally help regulate our mood and reduce anxiety.

💙 Here are a few ways to nurture real connection:

- Schedule a coffee date or walk with a friend instead of texting.
- Join a group or community activity where you can interact and engage.
- Be fully present, set aside your phone and truly listen.
- Make eye contact. Simple gestures like this strengthen trust and belonging.

Online communication has its place, but it’s the human moments (the shared laughs, the comforting silences, the physical presence) that remind us we’re not alone.

Take time this week to connect in person with someone you care about. Your brain and heart will thank you.

10/10/2025

Today, we pause to honor World Mental Health Day - a day to recognize every person who has faced their own battles, those who continue to show up in the midst of them, and those who bravely share their stories so others feel less alone.

Mental health is not a single moment of self-care; it’s an ongoing practice of awareness, rest, and reconnection.
Here are a few ways to protect your mental well-being today (and every day):
✨ Step away with intention. Give yourself permission to take a break - step outside, stretch, or simply breathe deeply for a few minutes.
✨ Set small boundaries. Whether it’s turning off notifications for an hour or saying “no” when you need rest, boundaries protect your energy.
✨ Reconnect with something grounding. Listen to music, take a walk, journal, or reach out to a trusted friend. Small moments of connection regulate the nervous system and remind us we’re not alone.
✨ Seek support when you need it. Talking to a therapist or counselor can help bring clarity, perspective, and relief. You don’t have to navigate things on your own.

Let today be a reminder: your mental health matters every day, and taking care of yourself isn’t selfish, it’s essential.

10/09/2025

| Free Virtual Event |

How do we keep our kids safe online? This is one of the most important questions parents are asking themselves today. Nearly 70% of parents say parenting is now more difficult than it was 20 years ago, with children’s use of technology and social media as the top two reasons (Source: HHS.gov).

In today’s digital world, raising and guiding youth comes with new challenges- constant access to screens, exposure to online pressures, and navigating safety in an ever-changing landscape.

Join us for a virtual expert panel discussion: “Protecting Youth in the Digital Age,” where experts in digital safety, medical, and families come together to provide tools and insight for parents and educators.

🎙️ Expert Panel Includes:
- Homeland Security Special Agent Dennis Fetting
- Melanie Hempe, RN, BSN, founder of ScreenStrong
- Jennifer Wilmoth, LMFT, founder of Thrive Forward Therapy

This free event offers expert tips and actionable strategies to help you protect and equip the young people in your life.

🖥️ Virtual Event: October 21st 12-1:30 PM ET
Reserve your spot today! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/protect-youth-in-the-digital-age-virtual-expert-panel-tickets-1708891724149?aff=oddtdtcreator

10/07/2025

The media we consume shapes how we think, feel, and even how we see ourselves - and it often happens without us realizing it.

Here are a few ways different forms of media can subtly influence our mindset and emotions:

📱 Endless short videos - Constantly switching from one short clip to the next trains the brain to crave instant stimulation, making it harder to focus on tasks that require patience or sustained attention.

📸 Social media comparisons - Scrolling through curated highlight reels can distort our perception of reality, leading to lower self-esteem and increased feelings of inadequacy.

🎮 Aggressive video games - Exposure to high levels of aggression can heighten irritability, stress responses, and even fear in certain situations.

Awareness is the first step toward balance. Try creating intentional pauses in your day: take a walk, journal, or connect face-to-face.
These moments of stillness help reset your mind and bring clarity back to your thoughts.

10/03/2025

Our minds are constantly creating patterns of thought, automatic ways of interpreting situations, ourselves, and others. These patterns shape how we feel and how we act. When the patterns are healthy, they guide us toward growth, balance, and healthier relationships. But when they’re negative or rigid, they can fuel stress, anxiety, or self-doubt without us even realizing it.

Here’s the psychology behind it:
🔹Thought patterns are essentially “mental habits.” Just like physical habits, they become stronger the more we practice them.
🔹The brain is wired for efficiency. This means once a thought pattern is formed, it becomes automatic - sometimes so automatic that we don’t stop to question whether it’s accurate or helpful.
🔹Luckily, because of the brain’s ability to adapt and change, we can challenge unhelpful patterns and build healthier ones.

A rigid thought pattern might say: “If I don’t succeed perfectly, I’ve failed.”
A healthier reframed thought: “Progress matters more than perfection.”

It’s not about “thinking happy thoughts,” but about creating flexibility, balance, and resilience in how we interpret life.

This month, we’ll be exploring thought patterns more deeply, helping you notice them in everyday life and offering tools to shift them in healthier directions.

09/27/2025

A resilience mindset means approaching challenges with perspective, flexibility, and hope. When setbacks happen (and they will), the way we think about them can either keep us stuck or help us grow.

Resilience grows when we:
✨ See obstacles as opportunities to learn
✨ Focus on what we can control
✨ Stay open to new solutions
✨ Lean on support systems
✨ Practice gratitude, even in small ways

By choosing a mindset of resilience, we don’t eliminate hardship, we equip ourselves to move through it with strength, clarity, and hope for what’s ahead.

09/26/2025

Emotional regulation is a core skill for mental and relational health. It involves recognizing, managing, and expressing emotions in ways that support balance and well-being. From early development through adulthood, the ability to regulate emotions plays a critical role in resilience, decision-making, and healthy connections with others.

Here are a few tools that can help:
✨ Name the emotion - Labeling what you’re feeling (“I’m frustrated,” “I feel disappointed”) decreases its intensity and increases awareness.
✨ Pause before reacting - Taking a breath or a short walk can create space to respond rather than react.
✨ Practice grounding techniques - Simple practices like deep breathing, mindfulness, or focusing on your senses bring calm to overwhelming emotions.
✨ Build healthy outlets - Journaling, exercise, talking with a friend, or creative expression release emotions constructively.
✨ Seek connection and support - No one has to regulate emotions alone; safe relationships and professional support can make the process easier.

Emotional regulation doesn’t mean ignoring or suppressing feelings, it means learning how to work with them, rather than letting them take control. 🌿

09/25/2025

The most powerful ways to build deeper intimacy in your relationship is through intentional conversation. Taking your partner on a date is important, but what you talk about together is what creates lasting closeness.

In his latest blog, How Men Can Create Deeper Intimacy With 5 Date Questions, Austin Shugart, PhD, shares practical and thoughtful ways to guide conversation toward more connection. "Feeling connected and close can create deeper intimacy in all parts of a relationship."

Read the full blog to explore 5 meaningful questions that can open the door to stronger bonds and deeper intimacy.

Men, taking your significant other on a date is an important action to help build continued connection and closeness. Feeling connected and close can create deeper intimacy in all parts of a relationship. An additional way to facilitate that process is intentional, thoughtful, and authentic conversa...

09/19/2025

09/18/2025

When the world constantly demands our attention, it’s easy to forget that rest is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. Recharging allows our mind and body to reset, making us more present, focused, and emotionally balanced.

Here are a few simple ways to recharge:
✨ Step away from screens and enjoy quiet moments of stillness
✨ Get outside for fresh air and sunlight
✨ Prioritize quality sleep - it’s your body’s natural reset button
✨ Engage in activities that bring genuine joy (reading, music, art, movement)
✨ Say “no” to overcommitment and give yourself permission to rest

Remember, you’re preparing to move forward with clarity and strength.

09/16/2025

Life is full of challenges, both big and small, and how we respond often shapes our ability to keep moving forward. Resiliency is strengthened in the choices we make each day. Here are a few ways to nurture it in your own life:

🔹 Practice reframing setbacks
Instead of thinking, “I failed at this project,” try, “This didn’t go how I hoped, but now I know what to change next time.” Reframing builds perspective and reduces self-blame.

🔹 Lean into small routines
Something as simple as a morning walk, journaling, or cooking dinner with your family creates a sense of stability. These daily anchors remind us that even during chaos, we have control over certain parts of life.

🔹 Reach out for support early
Resilient people don’t “go it alone.” Whether it’s texting a friend after a tough day or scheduling a therapy session, seeking connection reminds us we’re not carrying challenges by ourselves.

🔹 Celebrate micro-wins
Got through a tough meeting? Managed to exercise when you didn’t feel like it? These small victories matter. They build confidence for when the bigger challenges show up.

Resiliency grows through intentional, everyday choices. It’s not about perfection, it’s about progress. 🌿