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Back-to-School Stress?: A Therapist’s Guide to Easing the Transition

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, boundaries, coping patterns, culturally affirming therapy, depression, depression therapy, family challenges, family dynamics, relationship challenges, self-care,
Back-to-school season can be exciting, but it can also bring a wave of stress and anxiety for both kids and parents. From shifting routines to worries about friends and teachers, the transition after summer can feel overwhelming. In my own family, I was reminded just how big these feelings can be when my kids received their teacher assignments the night before school started. During summer…
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Take Root Therapy August Newsletter

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, boundaries, coping patterns, depression, depression therapy, family challenges, family dynamics, poor self-esteem, self-care,
We tackle back-to-school anxiety, make art, and rediscover the joy of reading. A Letter From Our Founder Dear friends, Another month has come and gone, and for my family, that means the school year has officially started (even though it’s still August, which makes little sense to me). My family spent some time vacationing on the east coast right before the school year started, and…
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Image of a person sitting on the floor with their hands wrapped around their knees and their head resting on their knees to illustrate what stress and depression can look like

Can Stress Cause Depression? 5 Ways To Prevent Depression

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, boundaries, burnout, coping patterns, culturally affirming therapy, depression, depression therapy, relationship challenges, self-care, self-image, , trauma, trauma therapy
When I think about the early days of the pandemic in Los Angeles, I remember feeling overwhelmed and scared, but I think there was also a feeling of excitement. I may be rewriting history here — and I don’t want to downplay the real fear that I was experiencing (and the magnitude of how many people were dying)– but as the eternal optimist, I assumed…
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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,…
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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…
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Why Do We Escape Reality, and When Does It Become a Problem?: Understanding Escapism and Engaging In Escapism Mindfully

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, burnout, coping patterns, depression, poor self-esteem, relationship challenges, self-care, trauma, work stress
I was a late reader, but once I started, I was a goner. I read nonstop, and family friends lovingly referred to me as a bookworm (or at least, I would like to believe it was lovingly). I read in the car, during social events, and once, on a roller coaster when it was slow to start. And my interest in storytelling doesn’t stop at…
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Why Can’t I Make Up My Mind?: Challenging Decision Paralysis With Desire and Self-Knowledge

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, boundaries, burnout, coping patterns, culturally affirming therapy, depression, depression therapy, gender identity, poor self-esteem, self-care, self-image, trauma, work stress
We make countless decisions every day—some without a second thought, almost instinctually. But then there are those decisions we agonize over, going back and forth until we’re exhausted. Sometimes, that little voice in our head makes us doubt our choices, yet we push forward anyway. While founding and growing Take Root, I’ve had to make countless choices. Some were straightforward, but others were overwhelming, making…
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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…
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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,…
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Is It All In My Head?: Recognizing the Mind-Body Relationship and Destigmatizing Psychosomatic Symptoms

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, coping patterns, culturally affirming therapy, depression, depression therapy, poor self-esteem, self-care, , trauma, trauma therapy
In my immigrant home growing up, there wasn’t a lot of room for challenging emotions. If I was feeling overwhelmed, scared, sad, or (gasp!) angry, I was encouraged to disregard how I was feeling and to just keep going. My parents had many concerns, including financial matters and familial issues. My emotional state was not necessarily where my parents would focus their energy, and emotional…
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