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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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How Can I Make New Friends As An Adult?: How Adults Can Make New Friends and Strengthen Existing Relationships

anxiety therapy, burnout, communication challenges, culturally affirming therapy, depression, relationship challenges,
I joined a coworking space pre-pandemic, hoping that getting out of the house (and away from my TV and a host of other distractions) would make it easier for me to write our blog articles and work on the business tasks I am always putting off. I also hoped to make new friends, as I could tell that my social circles had been shrinking. I…
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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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How Do We Stop Having the Same Fight Over and Over?: Making Sense of Conflict in Relationships and Finding Resolution

anxiety therapy, communication challenges, coping patterns, culturally affirming therapy, depression, depression therapy, poor self-esteem, relationship challenges, self-care, , trauma, trauma therapy
I will be celebrating my 10th wedding anniversary with my partner this year. This feels monumental to me, as I often struggled to see myself in a marriage in the traditional sense of the word. Yes, I wanted to be married and have children. And also, sometimes, I didn’t. I imagined so many different lives for myself. I had so many relationships work and then…
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Why Am I Being Singled Out?: Understanding Bullying and Its Impact on Mental Health

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, coping patterns, culturally affirming therapy, depression, depression therapy, poor self-esteem, relationship challenges, self-care, self-image, , trauma, trauma therapy, work stress
Bullying can take many forms, and these days, it seems to be even more ubiquitous. I am fortunate that I haven’t experienced too many instances of peer bullying myself. As a child, I was mainly able to blend in, and as a teen, I chose to lean into and really embrace being different. I was usually kind to others; they were generally kind to me.…
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Why Do I Feel So Alone?: Understanding the Loneliness Epidemic and Cultivating Connection as the Antidote

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, coping patterns, culturally affirming therapy, depression, depression therapy, relationship challenges, self-care, self-image, , trauma, trauma therapy
I was recently on a retreat for work and decided to go early to have some time for myself. As a parent and partner, I later realized this was the longest time I’d been alone in years. I didn’t have anything planned, and it was raining and, at times, totally delightful. I read a whole book, walked in the rain, stopping whenever and wherever my…
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How Can I Say Goodbye?: Grieving the Loss of a Pet or Companion Animal

anxiety counseling, anxiety therapy, coping patterns, culturally affirming therapy, depression, depression therapy, grief counseling, self-care, self-image, , trauma, trauma therapy
The first half of this lengthy article is an ode to my dog Maddie (short for Madeline). It’s the story of her life and death, and my grief. The second half will hopefully help you conceptualize pet loss and offer suggestions to help with grief if that’s what you need. But it felt important to write the first part first. If you’re looking for research…
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