A Zen Space, PLLC

11/05/2025

🌿 9 Signs Your Child May Benefit From Therapy 🌿

Children’s mental health develops rapidly in the first few years of life, and identifying challenges early can make a lasting difference.

During Early Childhood Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re highlighting the importance of early support and compassionate care for every child. 💚

Children experience stress and loss just like adults do — but they often show it differently. If you notice any of these signs, it may be time to reach out for support:

💙 Social withdrawal or isolation
💙 Angry outbursts or acting out
💙 Loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed
💙 Drastic mood swings
💙 Family separation or divorce
💙 Appetite changes
💙 Irregular sleep
💙 The death of a loved one or pet
💙 Trouble focusing or attention deficits

At A Zen Space, we specialize in helping children and families navigate life’s challenges with compassion, play, and connection. Therapy provides a safe space to express feelings, learn coping skills, and heal through understanding — not judgment.

✨ Healing starts with one conversation.
📱 Text 740-357-8667 to schedule a session or learn more.
🌱 A Zen Space – Where calm begins and growth unfolds.

11/05/2025

💛 Let’s Talk About Shame 💛

Shame is one of the most painful human emotions — and one of the hardest to talk about.
It often shows up quietly, hiding behind guilt, perfectionism, withdrawal, or anger.

✨ Common triggers for shame include:
• Being rejected or criticized
• Comparing yourself to others
• Making a mistake or not meeting expectations
• Having your integrity or appearance questioned
• Feeling exposed, judged, or betrayed

Shame tells us: “I am bad.”
But the truth is: you are human.

Healing from shame begins when we shift from self-condemnation to self-compassion — understanding that our worth isn’t defined by our mistakes, but by how we choose to grow through them. 🌿

Therapy provides a safe space to unlearn shame and build radical self-acceptance.

📍 A Zen Space — A place to grow wild and whole
📱 Text 740-357-8667 for therapy or information
💙 Need immediate support? Call or text 988 — you are not alone

11/04/2025

🌿 Emotional Intelligence: The Quiet Strength of Healing 🌿

Emotional intelligence isn’t about being “perfectly calm” all the time — it’s about becoming aware of your emotions and learning to respond with intention instead of reaction.

💫 At A Zen Space, we believe self-awareness, empathy, and emotional regulation are the heart of healthy relationships — with others and with ourselves.

Here are a few reminders from today’s practice:
✨ Listen to understand, not to reply.
✨ Notice your tone, mood, and body language — they communicate more than words.
✨ Take a pause before reacting; peace often hides in that tiny breath.
✨ Feedback, gratitude, and flexibility are emotional muscles — the more you use them, the stronger you become.

If you’re working on your emotional intelligence, you’re already healing.
You’re building the foundation for deeper connection, self-respect, and calm.

🪷 Let’s keep growing together.
Text 740-357-8667 to learn how therapy can help you strengthen your emotional wellness and relationships.

11/04/2025

11/03/2025

🌀 Understanding the Addiction Cycle 🌀

Addiction isn’t a lack of willpower — it’s a complex cycle of emotional pain, craving, and temporary relief that often leads to guilt and shame.
At A Zen Space, we believe awareness is the first step toward healing. 💙

Here’s what the cycle often looks like:
1️⃣ Emotional Trigger — Stress, trauma, loneliness, or loss activate the urge to cope.
2️⃣ Craving — The brain signals for comfort or escape; cravings typically peak and pass within 5–7 minutes.
3️⃣ Ritual — Returning to familiar people, places, or routines tied to past use.
4️⃣ Using — Temporary relief, followed by regret or shame.
5️⃣ Guilt — The emotional pain that often restarts the cycle.

✨ Healing begins by breaking just one link in this loop.
• Reach out instead of isolating.
• Replace old rituals with new, healthy coping skills.
• Remind yourself: cravings will pass.

Recovery is possible. You don’t have to fight the cycle alone. 🌱

📍 A Zen Space — A place to grow wild and whole
📱 Text 740-357-8667 for therapy or recovery support
💙 In crisis? Call or text 988 for the Su***de & Crisis Lifeline

11/02/2025

🌤 Two Feelings Can Be True at the Same Time 🌤

Healing isn’t black and white — it’s layered, messy, and deeply human.
You can be grateful and still struggle.
You can love someone and still need distance.
You can smile and still feel sad inside.

✨ You can…
• Sleep a lot and still feel exhausted.
• Break up with someone and still miss them.
• Have lots of friends and still feel lonely.
• Work on yourself and still have hard days.

Your emotions don’t have to cancel each other out — they can coexist.
Give yourself permission to hold both truth and tenderness. 💛

📍 A Zen Space — A place to grow wild and whole
📱 Text 740-357-8667 for appointments or therapy info
💙 Need immediate help? Call or text 988 — you are not alone.

11/01/2025

💭 When Our Needs Aren’t Met… We React — Often Without Realizing It

When emotional needs go unmet, our nervous system responds automatically — not out of choice, but out of protection.

🌧 Despair Response (Avoidant Attachment):
When connection feels unsafe or unavailable, we shut down.
We might isolate, give up, or numb out — not because we don’t care, but because caring has felt too painful.

🔥 Protest Response (Anxious Attachment):
When connection feels inconsistent, we fight for closeness.
We might overexplain, seek reassurance, or feel panic when ignored — not because we’re “too much,” but because we learned love can disappear.

Neither response is wrong — both are survival strategies formed in childhood. Healing means learning that:
💙 It’s safe to express needs.
💙 We can self-soothe without disconnecting.
💙 Love doesn’t have to be earned or chased.

Therapy helps you understand your pattern and find balance between self-protection and connection. 🌿

📍 A Zen Space — A place to grow wild and whole
📱 Text 740-357-8667 to schedule or learn more
🩵 Crisis support: Call or text 988 — you are not alone.

10/31/2025

🌿 A Zen Space Post

Sometimes, the hardest part isn’t starting therapy — it’s coming back. Maybe you’ve taken time off, life got heavy, or you just needed space. Whatever the reason, please know: there is no shame in returning.

📉 📈 Healing isn’t a straight line. It bends, pauses, circles back — and that’s okay. Every time you choose to show up for yourself, you are honoring your growth. 💚

📅 Whether it’s been weeks, months, or years — your therapist’s door (and heart) is still open. You don’t have to have the perfect words. Just come as you are.

✨ At A Zen Space, shame doesn’t live here — healing does.

💚 Text 740-357-8667 for appointment information or to reconnect with your therapist.

10/29/2025

10/29/2025

🌿 Our Triggers Are Messengers, Not Enemies 🌿

Triggers are not signs of weakness — they are clues pointing us toward unhealed parts of ourselves.
Every emotional reaction we have tells a story about what still needs compassion, understanding, and safety.

✨ If you often get triggered by…
– Criticism or rejection
– Feeling unimportant
– Loud voices or conflict
– Being told what to do
– Worrying that someone is upset with you

💭 You may be healing from…
– Abandonment or emotional neglect
– Controlling or unpredictable caregivers
– Feeling unheard, unseen, or dismissed
– Environments where love had to be earned

🪴 The Trigger Tree is a beautiful reflection tool for growth:
1️⃣ Identify what triggered you.
2️⃣ Notice what emotions or fears arise.
3️⃣ Explore the root cause — where have you felt this before?
4️⃣ Acknowledge what’s out of your control.
5️⃣ Choose one small way to soothe yourself now.

You are not broken — you are healing from experiences that taught your nervous system to protect you. 🌱

📍 A Zen Space — A place to grow wild and whole
📱 Text 740-357-8667 for therapy or information
💙 If you’re in crisis, call or text 988 for the Su***de & Crisis Lifeline