Life By Design Therapy

  Generational trauma is historical trauma that is passed down through families, or even entire races and ethnic groups. Even if you are not the person who experienced a traumatic event directly, you can experience the effects of generational trauma if your parents, due to their trauma or the trauma of their parents before them, adopted certain behaviors and coping mechanisms that were passed down to you. The good news is that generational trauma is not a cycle that needs to continue. All it takes is one person in a family to decide it is time to address generational trauma. By pinpointing and working on the behaviors associated with generational trauma, you can prevent yourself from passing on these behaviors to your children, interrupting the vicious cycle. https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/trauma-therapy

  Trauma bonding occurs when someone in an abusive relationship develops a deep sense of caring and attachment for their abuser. Because trauma bonds are built on a cycle of abuse, followed by a shower of affection, the victim may not necessarily be aware that the relationship is harming them. They may focus on the moments when their abuser is kind and loving toward them, devaluing the moments when they are cruel or even violent. Trauma bonds are a normal psychological response to abuse, and they are not your fault. There is nothing wrong with you if you love and care for your abuser, as long as you recognize and walk away from the person and their harmful behaviors. The process of leaving a trauma bond does not occur overnight. Therapy can help you devise a plan to stay physically and emotionally safe while ending an abusive relationship. Contact Life by Design Therapy today to learn more about how we can help you recognize and interrupt trauma bonds in your life. https://www.lifebyd

  Our emotions have physical effects -- especially when we try to suppress them. Unexpressed emotions can show up in our bodies as tension, chronic pain, headaches, and illness. Sometimes, we may not even be aware of the emotions we are suppressing until we are already experiencing somatic symptoms. Somatic therapy aims to draw suppressed and unexpressed emotions out of the body by noticing our physical sensations and emotional experiences. Ways to do this include mindfulness and grounding techniques, which bring us back into our bodies in the present moment. To learn more about our somatic, holistic approach to therapy, reach out to Life by Design Therapy today. https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/holistic-somatic-therapists

  Now that the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 lockdown has come and gone, many of us are reflecting on the ways our lives have changed as a result of the pandemic. Some of those changes may be positive, such as spending more time on hobbies while we're at home. However, many of them may be the result of pandemic-related stress that we're still navigating, more than 365 days later. And, with the vaccine becoming more widely available, many of us are facing renewed anxiety around COVID-19. In other words, just because there is hope on the horizon does not mean that pandemic-related stress is going to disappear overnight. We still need to develop healthy ways to cope with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The five essential tips outlined in Life by Design Therapy's latest blog post will help you navigate pandemic-related stress in a proactive way -- click the link in the comments below to check it out! https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/blog/5-tips-for-navigating

  3 COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT PLAY THERAPY FOR CHILDREN by Dr. Nia Play is often called “the language of children.” How many times have you had a feeling and struggled to put it into words? Like adults, children experience a full range of emotions but they don’t yet have the words to express them. They are still developing the skills to be able to recognize and tolerate their emotions, especially the uncomfortable ones.  Maybe you’ve heard of play therapy but aren’t really sure what it is and how your child can benefit from it. Of course you want the best for your child and want to make sure you are paying for a treatment that will support them. In addition to my work with adults, I’ve been doing play therapy with children for several years. Play therapy is a useful treatment approach due to children’s developmental level. Here are three of the most common questions I receive from parents and caregivers: 1. How is playing with my child actually therapy?   Although it looks different from

  Financial stress is, unfortunately, very common. In fact, according to CNBC, 73% of Americans rank finances as their number one source of stress. Stress around money can lead to feelings of inadequacy (around not earning enough or not being "good with money"), anxiety (about where your money will come from or if you will have enough), and other mental health challenges. If you are experiencing financial stress, Life by Design Therapy can help you change your thought patterns and ground yourself in the present moment to reduce anxiety around money. We also offer flexible options around payment to alleviate financial worries about coming to therapy, including out-of-network reimbursement and a sliding fee scale for individuals experiencing financial hardship. https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/

  Boundaries maintain one’s sense of safety and autonomy. As such, experiences of abuse and trauma are boundary violations that often dramatically shift one’s perception of their external and internal boundary systems. These boundary violations frequently reflect an imbalance of power. Crossing the internal boundaries of others is a deeply entrenched practice in our world which takes many forms within relationships and societal systems. Think of the LGBTQ+ panic defense, or discrimination against youth because of their age. In Life by Design Therapy's latest blog post, Ashley Gregory LMFT talks boundaries and how they reflect the imbalanced power dynamics that have become a hallmark of the world we live in -- click the link in the comments below to check it out! https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/blog/pursuit-about-boundaries-and-power/4/2021

  You might have heard talk in the news about "post-COVID stress disorder." This isn't an official diagnosis, but refers to individuals experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, after the COVID-19 pandemic. From hospitalized COVID-19 patients to the frontline workers taking care of them, more and more individuals are developing PTSD during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to an article in the journal World Psychiatry, it's important that these individuals seek treatment early on -- and that therapists are prepared to treat them. Life by Design Therapy continues to accept new patients for virtual sessions during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are experiencing symptoms of PTSD, we invite you to contact us and learn how we can help you heal from your traumatic experiences during the pandemic. https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/trauma-therapy

  Rumination is a thought pattern found in many mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression. It is defined as obsessively thinking about the same problem over and over again, without coming to a solution. Rumination can be harmful because it leads us to expend time and energy worrying about things we cannot control. Instead of solving our problems, rumination invites us to obsess about the many ways life can go wrong -- and may actually make us feel worse instead of better. So, how can you stop rumination? Thought-stopping is one technique used in cognitive-behavioral therapy, or CBT, to interrupt rumination. Life by Design Therapy's trained therapists use a holistic approach that combines CBT with other methods of therapy, such as somatic and Hakomi, to help you regain control of your life and thoughts. Contact us today using the link below to learn more about how rumination may be affecting your life, and what you can do about it! https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/

  The Hakomi method is a type of holistic and somatic therapy that helps people change their "core material." Core material is anything that defines you as an individual: memories, beliefs, patterns, emotions. It often exerts an unconscious influence over our lives, shaping the way we view ourselves and the world. Hakomi method therapists use your present experiences in both your mind and physical body to help you access and change core material. They believe that the body serves as a resource that reflects your core material. To learn more about the Hakomi method and your core material, get in touch with one of Life by Design's holistic and somatic therapists today! https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/

  April 16 is #StressAwarenessDay, and the month of April is Stress Awareness Month. According to the American Institute of Stress, 77% of individuals experience physical symptoms due to stress, and 73% experience psychological symptoms of stress. As of 2017, the top three causes of stress were the future of our nation, money, and work. Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic has since become a leading cause of stress, making Stress Awareness Month especially important for 2021. Stress matters because it can interfere with our personal and professional life. It can lead to conflict with friends and family, and physical symptoms like loss of appetite, headache, and problems sleeping. Therapy is not just for individuals with mental health disorders. It can also help you cope with stress due to life transitions, work, school, or COVID-19. Reach out to Life by Design Therapy to learn more about how we use holistic therapy to help our clients manage their stress proactively. https://www.lifebyd

  Not everyone who experiences anxiety is unable to get out of bed or accomplish their goals. Many individuals experience " high-functioning anxiety ." These folks are often perfectionists who seek to accomplish as much as they can while ignoring their sense of worry and dread. High-functioning anxiety can be tricky to deal with because individuals often feel pressured to appear as if they are confident and capable, despite struggling on the inside. As a result, it can be challenging for these perfectionists to get the help they need. Even to some professionals, these people may seem like they don't need help when they are, in fact, dealing with crippling anxiety. Life by Design Therapy serves all individuals experiencing anxiety, regardless of how "high-functioning" they are. Contact us to learn more about our approach to treating high-functioning anxiety. https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/anxiety-therapy

  Inner child wounds can manifest when we did not receive the love and care we need as children. Depending on the specific way your upbringing affected you, you may experience a different type of inner child wound, such as: ⭐️ Abandonment Wound Feeling "left out" yet seeking emotionally unavailable people ⭐️ Guilt Wound Feeling fundamentally "bad" and being afraid to set boundaries ⭐️ Trust Wound Feeling afraid of being hurt and unable to trust themself ⭐️ Neglect Wound Feeling unworthy yet attracting people who don't appreciate them Whatever the causes and effects of your inner child wound, Life by Design Therapy's holistic therapists are here to help you work through the trauma and move forward as a better version of yourself. Contact us today to learn more about our approach to inner child work. https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/childtherapy

  When we think of self-destructive behavior, we often think of self-injury. However, the ways in which we hurt ourselves are not always this obvious. Self-destructive behavior may also look like: ⭐️ Binge eating or starving oneself ⭐️ Spending too much money ⭐️ Compulsive gambling or gaming ⭐️ Impulsive, risky sexual behavior ⭐️ Abusing alcohol or drugs ⭐️ Choosing abusive romantic partners ⭐️ Avoidance or procrastination ⭐️ Pushing others away or changing yourself to please others While self-destructive behavior does not always cause physical injury, it can still be incredibly harmful and lead to serious long-term consequences. Contact Life by Design Therapy today to get to the root of your self-destructive behavior and develop a plan for curbing it for good. https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/

  Dating someone with narcissistic personality disorder, or NPD, can be challenging. Because NPD can take such a difficult toll on your self-esteem, it's important that you consider if this is the type of relationship you want to be in. There are two main choices you can make: encouraging your narcissistic partner to seek help for their NPD or leaving the relationship altogether. Leaving a narcissist can feel difficult, especially since they are often charming and will shower you with praise to make up for their negative behaviors. Still, for many people, leaving a toxic, narcissistic relationship is the best option. It's important not to stay in a relationship with a narcissist because you feel obligated to "fix" them. However, if you decide to stay in the relationship, you should make it clear to your partner that you will not tolerate their narcissistic behaviors and that they should seek help for their NPD. To learn more about how to tell if you're dating a na

  It's normal to experience a physiological response following a traumatic event -- but if these symptoms persist long after the event is over, you may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Signs and symptoms of PTSD include: ⭐️ Intrusive memories of the event ⭐️ Flashbacks or nightmares about the event ⭐️ Avoiding talking about or thinking about the event ⭐️ Feeling numb, down, or depressed ⭐️ Hyperarousal (being easily startled or reacting impulsively) ⭐️ Self-destructive behavior Life by Design Therapy specializes in using holistic and somatic therapy to help survivors rebuild their lives after trauma. Contact us today to learn more about our unique approach to addressing PTSD. https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/trauma-therapy

  Meet our new team! 💙 We are thrilled to welcome Tiana Brawley , ASW to Life by Design Therapy. Keep an eye out for an introductory post later this week! https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/holistic-somatic-therapists

  Spring is a season of growth: the change in seasons allows for beautiful new flowers to bloom. We can look at changes in our own lives the same way. Change can be difficult, bittersweet, or even painful. Yet change also paves the way for new beauty to come into our lives. Many changes have come into our lives as a result of the pandemic. It's okay to mourn what you could have had before those changes came along. But, it's also time to look at change as offering us new opportunities for growth. Life by Design Therapy's team can help you let go of sadness, find acceptance, and embrace the new opportunities that change brings. Contact us today to learn more about working with our clinicians. https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/

  Our culture is becoming increasingly diverse, making it more important than ever for therapists to understand different identities. Unfortunately, not all therapists are there yet. So, how do you find a therapist who is culturally competent, or sensitive to other identities? Try asking your therapist questions like: 💙 Do you have experience working with people of my race, cultural background, gender, or sexual orientation? 💙 How comfortable are you addressing issues like race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. in sessions? 💙 What work have you personally done to educate yourself on privilege and race? At Life by Design Therapy, we pride ourselves on hiring culturally-competent therapists from different walks of life. Learn more about our approach to issues like race and gender at  lifebydesigntherapy.com . https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/holistic-somatic-therapists

  We're excited to announce the arrival of our e-book , The Mind-Body Toolkit! This e-book will give you skills and resources to ground yourself in the present moment and feel more connected to your physical body and sense of self. In it, you'll receive: 💙 An introductory letter from our founder, Melody Wright, LMFT 💙 Research-backed psychoeducation about the mind-body connection 💙 A questionnaire to assess your connection to your physical body 💙 50 ways to ground yourself in the present moment 💙 A list of items that can be purchased on Amazon for your mental, emotional, and physical health You can now get this e-book for FREE when you sign up for our email newsletter. Visit  lifebydesigntherapy.com  to get started!

  A warm welcome to our newest team member, Tiana Brawley, ASW! 💙 Tiana works holistically , blending Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Theory, Narrative Therapy, and Attachment. She specializes in working with BIPOC individuals, LGBTQ+ and nonbinary individuals and communities. In therapy, she brings her openness, warmth and authenticity and enjoys supporting clients who are struggling with major life transitions and looking to heal from systemic and environmental factors. To book a consultation with Tiana, visit  lifebydesigntherapy.com .

  What is panic disorder -- and how is it different from "normal" anxiety? The main symptom of panic disorder is panic attacks and the pervasive fear of having another panic attack. People with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) experience panic attacks, too, but they also experience other symptoms, such as physical tension, frequent illness, or moving or speaking faster than usual. While someone with GAD often worries about a wide variety of everyday situations, people with panic disorder are most concerned with when and where they are going to have a panic attack next. This can lead to agoraphobia, the fear of public spaces. Whether you believe you are suffering from panic disorder, GAD, or something else entirely, Life by Design Therapy can help you take control of panic attacks and anxiety. Contact us today to learn more about our holistic and somatic approach to therapy. https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/anxiety-therapy