trauma

Take Root Therapy April Newsletter

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

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…
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Take Root Therapy March Newsletter

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

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

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

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……
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Why Can’t I Make Up My Mind?: Challenging Decision Paralysis With Desire and Self-Knowledge

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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Is It All In My Head?: Recognizing the Mind-Body Relationship and Destigmatizing Psychosomatic Symptoms

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

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

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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