Kathy Barr Counseling and Consulting

02/11/2024

A good practice …

11/15/2022

Always wise suggestions for parents

06/14/2022

I often recommend Michele Borba‘s books to parents and this is no exception. Teaching empathy and compassion is critical.

Studies show that teens are 40% less empathetic today than they were thirty years ago – a trend that hurts both kids and society as a whole. In fact, self-focused behavior can hurt academic performance, lead to increases in bullying behavior, and reduce kids’ resilience when things go wrong. Thi...

06/06/2022

I had the good fortune to study with this author when she was just emerging with her research on self compassion. This continues to be a cornerstone in my therapeutic approach. 
“participants with higher scores on the SCS (self-compassion scale) felt more empowered: They felt stronger and more competent, asserted themselves more, felt more comfortable expressing anger, were more aware of cultural discrimination and committed to social activism. These findings are echoed in other research showing that self-compassionate women are more likely to confront others when needed and are less afraid of conflict.”

Researcher and Fierce Self-Compassion author Kristin Neff offers a practice to help women find empowerment.

11/19/2021

Kids are humans with feelings, and kids have lots of thoughts. Adults were once children and likely know how it feels to be disregarded and unheard. You don't have to agree with a child's feelings and thoughts to listen.

Stop teaching kids to minimize, dismiss, and deny their feelings. It won’t be helpful for them when they become adults.

When you make a mistake in responding to a kid sharing their feelings and thoughts, apologize. You won't always get it right–– try to do better.

10/12/2021

"Yet embracing the warrior spirit is not a matter of denying gentleness or compassion -- all human beings embody all traits to some degree, and seemingly contradictory aspects can coexist peacefully within us. We can exhibit strength without sacrificing tenderness precisely because both are elements of the self and both have a role to play in the complexity of existence."

The human soul is dynamic, adapting readily to the changing conditions we encounter as time marches unerringly forward. Though we may use a single set of characteristics to define ourselves, we slip easily into contradictory roles when circumstances necessitate doing so. When we feel called to explo...

09/14/2021

Simple, helpful reminder.

It can take great courage to really sit with our feelings, allowing ourselves to surrender to their powerful energies. All too often we set our feelings aside, thinking we will deal with them later. If we don't deal with them, we end up storing them in our minds and bodies and this is when anxiety a...

04/09/2021

This is such a great opportunity. I've had the good fortune to study with a couple of these people in person and a number of the others virtually. "Each day of this free online event, happening April 26–May 5, you'll be invited to engage with a teaching session, a guided meditation, and a practical challenge presented by Tara Brach." In addition to Tara Brach, the teachers include Kristin Neff, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Elizabeth Gilbert, Van Jones, Dacher Keltner, Sandra Oh, Maria Shriver, Daniel Siegel, and Krista Tippett. What a line-up! I encourage you to look into signing up for this.

— Sounds True Presents — A 10-Day Journey to Awaken Our Hearts and Bring Healing to Our World April 26 to May 5, 2021 Register Now “The medicine our world needs is widening circles of compassion. We need to love ourselves—and each other—into healing.” Tara Brach Are you ready to make a c...

12/18/2020

This is an excellent article and is in line with many of my client conversations over the past month.

The holidays are extra stressful this year. Psychologist and author Andrea Bonior offers some tips, whether you're feeling stressed, angry, lonely or guilty.

11/21/2020

Healthy boundaries...

Your boundaries can reflect your needs at this time. ⁣
⁣
What are some boundaries you’re implementing right now? ⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

11/08/2020

This is a great weeklong resilience building program from the Heart Mind Institute. They have generously priced it at $15. It includes lots of helpful information as well as INTERVIEWS & RESILIENCE PRACTICES FROM FROM:
- Richie Davidson
- Rick Hanson
- Dan Siegel
- David Treleaven
- Ron Siegel
- JoAnna Hardy
- Tara Brach

CHANGE YOUR LIFE & SUPERCHARGE YOUR RESILIENCE IN JUST 7 DAYS!

10/30/2020

Don't lose hope; the world is full of kind, compassionate people just like you. Make sure your vote this year aligns with your values so the compassionate majority can be visible, inspiring more acts of kindness and overcoming any fear or desperation that divides us. 🙏🏽💕