Call: (323) 388-5578
Text: (323) 388-5578
Book Consultation
Mental Health Therapy
Supportive and Effective Psychotherapy
Ready To Get Started?
Book Consultation
Call: (323) 388-5578Text: (323) 388-5578

family dynamics

Take Root Therapy April Newsletter

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, boundaries, communication challenges, coping patterns, culturally affirming therapy, family challenges, family dynamics, poor self-esteem, relationship challenges, , trauma, trauma therapy
We understand what it means to be emotionally unavailable, paint the park, and learn about ecological grief. A Letter From Our Founder   This past week, I felt like I was finally coming up for air. There’s no need to rehash how challenging 2025 has been—between the fires, the devastating chaos of the new administration, and the demands of caring for my children and aging…
Read More

What Does It Really Mean to Be Emotionally Available?: How to Go From Emotionally Unavailable to Building Real Connection for Healthier Relationships

boundaries, communication challenges, coping patterns, depression therapy, family challenges, family dynamics, poor self-esteem, relationship challenges, , trauma, trauma therapy
There are many moments in my life where I have acted in a way that later left me embarrassed or, even worse, ashamed. One exchange I have thought about many times since was a conversation between myself and a dear friend during my senior year in high school. My friend was a year older and was already in college, and he called me one night…
Read More

Take Root Therapy March Newsletter

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, coping patterns, depression, depression therapy, family dynamics, poor self-esteem, relationship challenges, self-care, self-image, , trauma, trauma therapy
We get curious about our inner critic, fly kites, and learn to build new friendships. A Letter From Our Founder   Hi there, Spring is finally here, and it’s feeling… wonky. We had a few warm days, but today, when I stepped outside, I was shocked by the cold. It’s disorienting—almost like an external reflection of how I’ve been feeling internally. The world keeps spinning,…
Read More

Why Am I So Hard On Myself? Understanding Self-Criticism and Learning to Quiet Your Inner Critic

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, coping patterns, depression, depression therapy, family dynamics, poor self-esteem, relationship challenges, self-care, self-image, , trauma, trauma therapy
My schedule has been jam-packed recently: my kids are playing multiple sports in addition to their other after-school activities, and all of it spills into our weekends. We go from one game or birthday party to another, squeezing in meals, caring for our dog, and then tending to a never-ending to-do list. This week, their school has early dismissals all week, and my partner has…
Read More

How Should I Talk to My Kids About Sex? The Importance of Discussing Sex, Consent, Body Safety, and Pleasure

anatomy education, body autonomy, body safety, contraception education, culturally affirming therapy, empower kids, family dynamics, healthy relationships, inclusive sex ed, Normalize Sex Ed, open conversations, parenting tips, positive parenting, prevent abuse, sex education, sex positive, sexual empowerment, sexual health, sexuality, STI Awareness, talk about sex, trauma
What I remember about having “the talk” with my parents is foggy at best. I think I was five or 6-years-old and asked my mother where babies come from. We were in the elevator on my way to visit my grandmother. My mother shared something about how a woman has a seed inside her, and a man waters it, and that’s how babies are made……
Read More

How Does Social Media Affect Mental Health? Understanding the Impact and Finding Balance

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, boundaries, coping patterns, culturally affirming therapy, depression, depression therapy, family dynamics, gender identity, poor self-esteem, self-care, self-image,
I grew up with AOL and chatrooms. I’m no stranger to technology, and before we had cell phones, I used AIM to talk to friends after school. And while I’m not opposed to technology, I’m also not an early adapter. I have yet to enter the world of tracking my sleep or physical health, and I don’t use AirPods or a smartwatch. I use social…
Read More

Am I Queer?: Understanding and Embracing Our Queer Awakenings Whenever and However They Occur

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, coping patterns, culturally affirming therapy, depression, depression therapy, family dynamics, poor self-esteem, self-care, self-image, sexuality,
Note to reader: While a queer awakening can refer to the process of becoming aware of one’s sexual identity and/or gender identity, for this article we are primarily focusing on sexual identity.  It took me time to accept my sexuality and even more time to come out to my family. When I was 12, my older brother agreed to take me to my first concert,…
Read More

What’s Happening to Me?: Pregnancy, Mental Health and Postpartum Challenges

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, becoming parents, coping patterns, culturally affirming therapy, depression, depression therapy, family dynamics, poor self-esteem, self-care, self-image, , trauma, trauma therapy
Content Warning: This article includes references to suicidal ideation, intrusive thoughts, and other mental health challenges. Please note that while most of the research refers to birthing mothers as it relates to peripartum and postpartum mental health challenges, nonbirthing parents can also experience many of the same difficulties.  I desperately wanted to be a mother ever since I was a child. I had a baby…
Read More

Will I Ever Trust Again?: Understanding the Cost of Betrayal and Conceptualizing Recovery from Betrayal Trauma

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, communication challenges, coping patterns, culturally affirming therapy, depression, depression therapy, family dynamics, poor self-esteem, relationship challenges, self-care, self-image, , trauma, trauma therapy, work stress
Romantic partners have betrayed my confidence, I have felt deeply hurt and wronged by the actions of trusted colleagues, and I have friends that I am no longer in contact with due to feeling betrayed. Not a single incident is easy to recall or write about, but I can still feel the sting and remember the nights spent ruminating. I would stay up trying to…
Read More

Why Do I Feel Like a Fraud?: Defining and Challenging Imposter Syndrome

anxiety counseling, coping patterns, culturally affirming therapy, depression, depression therapy, family dynamics, poor self-esteem, self-image,
I saw my first private practice client over ten years ago. I had earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from a university I had wanted to attend since I was 12; I had completed my Master’s Degree and then worked as a therapist for 3,000 hours under a supervisor before taking and passing not one but two licensing exams, and I had participated in tons…
Read More