Blossom Team, Author at Blossom Counseling

Feeling Like You Don’t Belong? It Might Be Attachment Trauma in Disguise

There’s a particular kind of ache that comes from feeling like you’re on the outside looking in. Maybe you’ve never quite felt like part of the group—even when surrounded by friends. Maybe you walk into a room and immediately wonder if everyone secretly wishes you weren’t there. Maybe you grew up in a family where […]

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Attachment, Relationships, Trauma

How to Help Teens Navigate Depression Without Pushing Them Away

Teenagers are known for mood swings, late-night existential crises, and growing pains—so how do you know when it’s just a tough week versus something deeper like depression? And if your teen is struggling with depression, how do you support them without overwhelming them or making things worse? Here’s the hard part: depression in teens doesn’t

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Coping Skills, Depression, How To, Parenting, Teens

Supporting vs. Enabling: How to Tell the Difference (And Why It Matters)

It’s one of the trickiest dynamics in relationships—knowing when you’re being supportive, and when you might actually be enabling. The two can look nearly identical on the surface. You care about someone. You want to help. You’re trying to be there for them. But somewhere along the line, your good intentions might be keeping them

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Boundaries, Family, Friends, How To, Relationships

Breaking the Cycle of Self-Criticism: Why You’re So Hard on Yourself (And How to Shift It)

It usually starts quietly. Maybe you make a mistake, miss a deadline, say something awkward in a conversation—and before you even realize it, that inner voice kicks in with a familiar sting: “Why did you do that? You should have known better. What’s wrong with you?” That’s self-criticism. For some, it’s an occasional mental jab.

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Acceptance, Challenges, Compassion, How To, Personal Development

How to Make Peace With Your Body (Even on the Hard Days)

Let’s be real—making peace with your body in today’s world can feel like trying to meditate in the middle of a rock concert. The noise is everywhere: social media, diet culture, unsolicited comments from relatives, even the well-meaning “compliments” that are really just coded critiques. It’s no wonder so many people walk around feeling disconnected

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Acceptance, Compassion, How To

What Your Therapist Is Really Paying Attention to in Session (It’s More Than You Think)

Therapy might feel like a casual conversation at times, but behind that warm nod and gentle “Tell me more,” your therapist is doing a lot of tracking. It’s easy to assume therapy is mostly about venting or getting advice. But a skilled therapist is tuning into much more than just your words. Think of them

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Therapists, Therapy

Suppressing vs. Processing Emotions: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters

Ever told yourself to “just get over it” or pushed down a feeling because it felt too inconvenient, uncomfortable, or intense? If so, you’re not alone—and you’re definitely not broken. We all have emotional habits that help us cope with life. But over time, those habits can shape how we relate to ourselves and others.

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Emotions

How to Be More Patient: Real-Life Steps to Strengthen Your Patience Muscle

Patience sounds like one of those things you either have or you don’t—like curly hair or a green thumb. But in reality, patience is a skill. A learnable, developable, often painfully slow-to-develop skill (yes, the irony is noted). And in a world of instant gratification, fast Wi-Fi, and two-day shipping, patience isn’t exactly something our

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Personal Development

How Creativity Boosts Brain Health and Emotional Wellbeing

When we think about taking care of our mental health, we often go straight to the usual suspects: therapy, mindfulness, exercise, maybe some journaling or deep breathing. But creativity? That one doesn’t always make the list—though it absolutely should. Creativity isn’t just for artists or “right-brained” people. It’s for anyone with a brain (so, all

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Emotions, Mental Health, Wellness

What to Remember When You’re Stressed About Reaching Your Goals

The pressure to achieve can sneak up on you. One minute you’re feeling motivated and ready to tackle your to-do list; the next, you’re spiraling because you haven’t made enough progress, or someone on Instagram seems lightyears ahead of you. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or behind in life, you’re not alone—and you’re definitely not

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Goals, Growth Mindset, Personal Development, Stress

8 Subtle Signs You’re Healing from Anxiety (Even If It Doesn’t Feel Like It Yet)

Healing from anxiety doesn’t always come with a neon sign or a dramatic “aha” moment. Sometimes, it’s quiet. It can look like noticing your own thoughts instead of being ruled by them. It might feel like breathing just a little easier in situations that used to send your heart racing. Anxiety can be persistent and

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Anxiety, Healing, Mental Health, Personal Development

Gentle Reminders Every Therapist Needs (Yes, Even the Seasoned Ones)

Therapists hold space for others all day long. We listen deeply, regulate our nervous systems while co-regulating others’, and offer empathy, insight, and presence—sometimes back to back for eight hours straight. We are trained to support our clients through pain, resistance, growth, and breakthroughs. But even with all the knowledge and skill in the world,

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Professional/Work, Therapists

What Are “Spoons”? Understanding the Spoon Theory in Mental Health

If you’ve ever heard someone say, “I’m out of spoons today,” and wondered what on earth they meant, you’re not alone. It’s not about forgetting to do the dishes—it’s a shorthand that’s taken root in disability and mental health communities to describe something many of us struggle to explain: limited energy. The Spoon Theory, coined

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Acceptance, Anxiety, Boundaries, Challenges, College/Students, Compassion, Coping Skills, Couples, Family, Friends, Mental Health, Relationships, Stress

5 Practical Ways to Help Kids Cope with Anxiety (That Actually Work)

Anxiety isn’t just an “adult thing.” Kids feel it too—sometimes just as intensely, but without the language or life experience to explain what’s going on. Whether it shows up as a stomachache before school, a meltdown over a seemingly small change, or a refusal to try something new, anxiety in kids can be sneaky and

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Anxiety, Children, Coping Skills, Parenting

6 Texts Narcissists Send to Keep You Hooked (And Why They Work)

It usually starts with a message that feels sweet—or at least confusing enough to make you pause. You’re thinking about pulling away from the relationship, maybe setting boundaries or finally walking away, when ding—your phone lights up with a text that throws you right back into the loop. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

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Attachment, Relationships