Paso A Paso Counseling, LLC

10/30/2025

Sweet, poignant and powerful all at once:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLwqbg0ud5u/?igsh=MWtyemlka28zeXJycQ==

10/21/2025

A testament to animal memory and interspecies friendship. Beautiful 😍

Darrick returns to Elephant Nature Park after 14 months working on a conservation project in Cambodia.As he calls out to the elephant herd he once cared for,...

10/16/2025

The more we know...evidence keeps mounting....Cannabis is far from the "natural product" users proclaim it to be:

Large Genetic Study Links Cannabis Use to Psychiatric, Cognitive and Physical Health

New research has found genetic associations between cannabis use and psychiatric, cognitive, and physical health. The findings could inform prevention and treatment strategies for cannabis use disorders.

10/10/2025

*The Pain of Not Being Celebrated*

As a therapist, I often sit with clients who have achieved so much...they are capable, nurturing, and resilient. Yet beneath their accomplishments lies a quiet grief: the pain of never being celebrated.

For those raised by narcissistic or emotionally unavailable parents, recognition often came only when it reflected well on the parent; not when it honored the child’s authentic self. As adults, these individuals may continue striving for validation that never arrives, especially from a parent who remains unable to see beyond their own needs.

Even in moments of success, like raising their own children with care, building a stable life, and healing from trauma, a conversation with that parent can reopen old wounds. The hurt isn’t about the present interaction as much as it is about the lifelong absence of being genuinely seen and delighted in.

Healing begins when we allow ourselves to grieve what was missing without self-blame.

To name that longing :
“I wanted to be celebrated”
is not weakness; it’s truth.

And with time, the work becomes learning to hold that space for ourselves: to affirm, to honor, and to celebrate the person we’ve become, even if our parents never could.

You are worthy of celebration, not for what you do, but for who you are.

09/25/2025

**Sweet today, sour tomorrow**:

🥤➡️🧠 Sugary sodas may fuel depression, especially in women.
New research shows a strong link between soft drink consumption, gut bacteria changes, and higher risk of major depression.

Your gut and brain are talking. What you drink matters.

👉 https://neurosciencenews.com/depression-microbiome-soda-29736/

A new study shows that sugary drinks don’t just affect physical health—they may also raise the risk of depression in women by disrupting the gut microbiome.