Andelige Trauma Counseling & Consulting

02/02/2026

I've been reflecting lately on something I see often in my practice: the invisible weight that gets passed down through families. Unhealed wounds, unspoken pain, patterns of anxiety or shame that nobody talks about but everyone feels.

It's not about blame. Parents do the best they can with what they learned, and often that's rooted in their own survival. But healing becomes possible when we pause and ask ourselves: what am I carrying that isn't actually mine? What beliefs or fears did I inherit rather than choose?

This awareness is powerful. It's the moment you realize you can break a cycle instead of continuing it.

If you're a parent, a future parent, or someone navigating family patterns, this matters. Your healing work isn't selfish. It ripples forward in ways you might not see for years.

What patterns are you becoming more conscious of in your own life? 🤍

02/02/2026

Self-doubt has a way of disguising itself as wisdom, doesn't it? We tell ourselves we're being realistic or humble when really, we're just believing the stories we absorbed long ago about not being enough.

I've worked with so many brilliant, capable people who second-guess every decision, minimize their strengths, and wait for permission they'll never receive. And here's what I've noticed: self-doubt isn't usually about lacking ability. It's about lacking trust in yourself.

Trust is built slowly, through small acts of honoring what you know to be true about yourself. It's built when you notice your own wisdom, when you follow through on your own instincts even when they're unpopular, when you speak your truth even if your voice shakes.

It's built when you stop waiting for someone else to validate what you already sense about your own worth.

The work isn't about becoming someone different. It's about finally believing in the person you already are.

What's one thing you know about yourself that you've been doubting? What would it look like to trust that knowing, just a little bit more? 🍃

02/02/2026

There's something profoundly healing about putting pen to paper when your mind feels like static.

I've noticed that so many of the people I work with carry their pain silently, turning it over and over in their heads until it becomes distorted and heavy. The thoughts loop. The anxiety spirals. And they're left feeling more confused than when they started.

But when they write it down? Something shifts.

There's a kind of magic in externalizing what's been living inside you. Suddenly, your thoughts aren't just abstract weight anymore. They're visible. Real. And somehow, a little less powerful.

Journaling isn't about having perfect words or creating something beautiful. It's about creating space for what's been trapped. It's about getting curious with yourself instead of critical. It's about witnessing your own experience without judgment.

If you've been carrying something heavy lately, consider what might happen if you let it out onto the page. No filters. No editing. Just you and your truth.

You might be surprised at what clarity emerges. 🤍

Have you found journaling helpful in your own healing journey? I'd love to hear about it.

02/01/2026

Healing from trauma doesn't follow a straight line, and I think we need to talk about that more openly.

So many people come to me expecting recovery to look like steady progress, week after week. But what I've witnessed in my practice is something different. There are seasons of healing. Periods where you feel like you're finally finding solid ground, followed by moments where something unexpected triggers you back into that familiar pain. And that's not a step backward. That's actually part of the process.

I think we've been sold this idea that once you've done the work, you're done. But trauma recovery is more like learning to live with what happened. Some days that feels manageable. Other days it feels heavy again. Both are normal. Both are part of your story.

The real shift happens when you stop judging yourself for the difficult seasons and start recognizing them as part of your journey. When you can hold compassion for yourself even when healing feels slower than you'd hoped.

If you're in a tough season right now, I want you to know that doesn't erase the progress you've already made. Your resilience is still there, even on the days it's hard to see.

What has surprised you most about your own healing journey? 🌿

02/01/2026

So many of my clients come to me completely exhausted, caught between the demands of work and the needs of their families. They're checking emails during dinner, skipping their own rest, and wondering why they feel so hollow inside.

Here's what I've noticed: burnout isn't just about being busy. It's about losing yourself in the process of trying to do it all.

The truth is, setting boundaries isn't selfish. Saying no to extra work so you can show up for your family, or taking time for yourself to recharge, isn't something to feel guilty about. It's the foundation of sustainable well-being.

Some gentle practices that help my clients find their way back to balance:

Clear work boundaries - letting people know when you're off the clock and actually honoring that

Prioritizing ruthlessly - not everything deserves your energy, and recognizing that is powerful

Building in real rest - unplugging from screens, moving your body, sleeping deeply

Leaning on your people - asking for help isn't weakness, it's wisdom

Celebrating the small shifts - leaving work on time matters, a family dinner without phones matters, a quiet morning matters

Balance isn't about perfection. It's about what feels sustainable and honoring for you right now.

What's one boundary you've been wanting to set but haven't yet? Sometimes naming it is the first step. 🍃

Struggling with work-life balance? Learn five proven strategies to balance life, set boundaries, avoid burnout, and manage responsibilities without the stress.

02/01/2026

When trauma touches a child's life, parents often wonder: What comes next? How do I help them heal?

The truth is, there's no quick fix for the wounds that trauma leaves behind. Recovery takes time, patience, and a willingness to walk alongside your child through the messy, nonlinear process of healing.

If you're supporting a child through trauma, these practices can create the safety they need right now:

Keep routines in place. Predictability is deeply grounding when everything feels chaotic.

Validate their feelings without trying to fix them. Whatever they're experiencing is normal for them, and it deserves to be honored.

Create space for expression beyond words. Drawing, journaling, play, and creativity can help children process what's hard to say out loud.

Show up consistently. Your presence matters more than perfect words.

Watch for signs that professional support would help. If after a few months your child still seems overwhelmed, a trauma-informed therapist can be a true gift.

Healing isn't linear, and neither is parenting through it. Be gentle with yourself and your child as you both navigate this journey together. 🤍

Have you walked alongside a child through trauma? What helped most? I'd love to hear your wisdom in the comments.

How can I make sure that my children will recover from the emotional impact of disaster and trauma? I'm especially concerned about the long-term effects. Over the past month our community has been devastated by a terrible flood. The impact to my family has included the loss of our home, interruption...

01/29/2026

There's something tender about watching someone create something with their own hands, especially during the holidays. A Christmas Gifts coloring page might seem simple, but it holds something deeper than just keeping kids entertained.

When we color together, we're not just filling in shapes. We're creating space for presence. We're showing up for each other in a world that constantly pulls us in a hundred directions.

The tradition of gift-giving itself is ancient, rooted in connection and care. But sometimes the most meaningful gifts aren't wrapped in boxes. They're the quiet moments we carve out. The creativity we nurture. The time we invest in the people we love.

This holiday season, whether you're coloring with little ones, creating something by hand, or simply being present with someone you care about, remember this: it's not really about the gift itself. It's about the thought, the intentionality, and the love behind it.

What's one simple, meaningful activity you've shared with someone you love recently? I'd love to hear about it. 🌼

Print Christmas Gifts Coloring Page for coloring. Free to print Christmas Gifts Coloring Page. Print it out now!

01/29/2026

There's something we don't talk about enough in healing spaces: how the stress a mother carries before her child is even born can ripple through their entire development.

I've been reflecting on this lately, especially when working with clients who struggle with executive functioning, emotional regulation, or behavioral challenges. So often, we look at what happened *after* birth, but the prenatal period? That's a profoundly vulnerable time for both mother and baby.

When a woman is navigating intimate partner violence, major loss, financial strain, or trauma during pregnancy, her body and nervous system are sending signals to her developing baby. It's not about blame. It's about understanding the interconnectedness of our experiences.

Here's what gives me hope, though. High quality parenting, presence, and emotional attunement after birth can genuinely buffer these early stressors. A mother's capacity to show up with compassion, consistency, and safety creates real protection for her child's developing brain and nervous system.

If you're a parent who experienced hardship during pregnancy, or if you're a child who did, this doesn't define your story. Healing is always possible. And if you're supporting women through pregnancy or early motherhood, remember that your presence and validation matter more than you know.

What's one way you've experienced or witnessed the protective power of genuine emotional presence? I'd love to hear your reflections. 💚

01/29/2026

I've been thinking a lot lately about the invisible weight so many of us carry. The exhaustion that comes from doing everything alone, stretching ourselves thin across work, childcare, finances, emotional labor. It's not weakness. It's actually a sign of how resourceful and resilient you are.

But here's what I want to gently challenge: just because you CAN do it all doesn't mean you SHOULD have to.

So many people I work with come to therapy carrying this belief that asking for help or seeking support means they've failed somehow. That they should just work harder, hustle more, figure it out on their own. And I see how that belief exhausts them. How it keeps them trapped in cycles of anxiety and burnout.

What if taking care of yourself isn't selfish? What if reaching out for support, whether that's therapy, asking a friend for help, or even just admitting you're struggling, is actually an act of wisdom?

You don't have to keep carrying everything alone. Your exhaustion is valid. Your need for support is valid. And you deserve to feel lighter.

What's one thing you've been hesitant to ask for help with? Sometimes naming it is the first step toward healing. 🌱

01/28/2026

When someone uses faith as a weapon, it cuts deeper than most people realize. 💔

Spiritual abuse is insidious because it doesn't just harm us emotionally or physically. It severs our connection to something we once trusted to bring us safety, hope, and peace. It tells us that God himself is weaponized against us.

I've worked with so many clients who carry the weight of this particular betrayal. They describe the disorientation of having their faith used to justify control, manipulation, and shame. And then they describe the added pain of not being believed when they speak about it, because "the church would never."

But the church does. And it's happening right now.

What moves me most is seeing survivors reclaim their relationship with spirituality on their own terms. Not the terms dictated by their abusers, but terms that feel safe, authentic, and true to who they are. That takes remarkable courage.

If you're healing from spiritual abuse, I want you to know this: your pain is real. Your experience is valid. And you deserve support that honors both your emotional healing and your spiritual autonomy.

You're not alone in this. 🤝

Have you ever felt like you’re walking in the dark? Like you’re invisible to everyone else who seems to be getting along just fine? Have you ever felt this way in a church?  I’m going to be honest with you right up front: I have long struggled to find peace, comfort, and hope in church. M...

01/28/2026

There's this quiet belief a lot of people carry... that seeking therapy means something has gone terribly wrong. That you're somehow broken or defective if you need support. 💭

I want to gently challenge that.

In my work with clients, I've noticed that the people who come to therapy aren't the broken ones. They're often the most self-aware. They're the ones brave enough to say, "I want to understand myself better. I want to heal. I want things to feel different."

Therapy isn't about crisis management, though it absolutely helps with that too. It's about getting curious with a trained guide who can help you see your patterns, your strengths, and the places where you might be stuck. Maybe you're wrestling with anxiety that won't quit. Maybe you're noticing you say yes to everything, even when you're exhausted. Maybe you're carrying wounds from your past that still shape how you move through the world.

None of that makes you broken. It makes you human.

The work we do in therapy is about reclaiming your agency, understanding your story, and building a life that actually feels like yours. It's about becoming more of who you are, not less.

If you've been hesitant about therapy because of what it might mean about you... I hope you'll reconsider. Healing is an act of courage and self-respect. 🌱

What's held you back from seeking support, if anything? I'd love to hear your thoughts. 💗

01/28/2026

Sometimes the most healing thing we can do is name what we're actually experiencing. Not minimize it. Not rush past it. Just name it.

I was reading about why people seek therapy, and what stood out to me wasn't the long list of diagnoses or symptoms. It was this simple truth: people reach out when they finally recognize that what they're carrying is real, it's valid, and it deserves support.

Anxiety that won't quiet down. Depression that colors everything gray. Stress that's become chronic. Trauma that keeps showing up uninvited. These aren't character flaws or signs of weakness. They're signals that your mind and spirit are asking for help.

And here's what I want you to know: asking for that help is one of the most courageous things you can do.

Whether you're struggling with one thing or several things layered together (because they often are), there are evidence-based approaches that can genuinely help. Not band-aids. Real tools that help you understand what's happening and move through it with intention.

If you've been wondering whether therapy might be for you, or if you're on the fence about reaching out, this might be your sign. Your story matters. Your healing matters.

What's one thing you've been carrying that deserves some gentle attention and professional care?

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