Lisa Bollow, LPC-R - Counselor & Founder, The Integrated Life Project

02/21/2026

Spending a quick weekend back home in California. I’m reminded that for all of the years that I had the opportunity to live here, there were times where this view became normal and somewhat unappreciated. Living in the moment, recognizing the beauty, and taking time to breathe it all in.

01/26/2026

When the mind won’t stop talking… the body often can’t be heard.

Frequently, in session, clients describe emotional and physical symptoms like tightness, unease, restlessness. When this happens, I invite them to slow down and notice what they are experiencing in their body. Often, their “mind” quickly pulls them somewhere else. Within seconds, they move from feeling their body to analyzing their behavior, and offering theories rather than sensations.

The challenge in these situations is this: the body is trying to speak but the mind refused to let it finish its sentence. This pattern is far more common than many people realize.

Healing doesn’t start when we understand the story.

Healing begins when the body feels safe enough to come back online.

If you find yourself “living in your head,” please know: it’s not weakness. It’s protection. And with support, you can learn to reconnect—slowly, gently, safely.

https://open.substack.com/pub/integratedlifeproject/p/when-the-mind-wont-stop-talking?r=1ggaya&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

01/26/2026

Interesting point.

When an anxious partner is caught off guard, their body doesn’t just feel disappointed. It feels unsafe. Sudden changes, dropped plans, emotional withdrawal, or big decisions without warning can land as a shock to the attachment system, triggering fear, protest, and a deep sense of being unprotected.

01/26/2026

Love this video from Daniel Pink. He shares a practical reset and breaks down the habits, frameworks, and small decisions that make a big difference over time, so you’re not just setting goals but creating a year you can look back on with pride.

Download my 2026 workbook for free: https://www.danpink.com/workbookIn this video, I share a science-backed system to help you design your best year yet by r...

01/24/2026

The Link Between Sleep and Anxiety

One of the most common themes I see in therapy is this: people come in seeking support for anxiety, overwhelm, intrusive thoughts, or emotional exhaustion… and underneath it all, sleep has quietly become disrupted.

Sleep is not just “rest.” Sleep is one of the brain’s primary emotional regulation systems.

When sleep suffers, the nervous system often shifts into a heightened state of alert:

*Racing thoughts at night
*Hypervigilance and difficulty relaxing
*Increased panic sensations
*Lower stress tolerance the next day
*Mood instability and brain fog

And the cycle continues: anxiety disrupts sleep… and poor sleep intensifies anxiety.

Improving sleep isn’t about forcing the body to shut down. It’s about helping the nervous system feel safe enough to rest.

Trauma-informed sleep support often begins with small, consistent “safety cues”:

*calming evening rituals
*nervous system regulation skills
*reducing nighttime stimulation
*addressing underlying hyperarousal
*evidence-based tools like CBT-I

Sleep is not a performance. It’s a biological signal of safety, healing, and restoration. If you’re feeling stuck in the sleep–anxiety loop, you’re not alone — and there are effective pathways forward.

01/24/2026

The Link Between Sleep and Anxiety

One of the most common themes I see in therapy is this: people come in seeking support for anxiety, overwhelm, intrusive thoughts, or emotional exhaustion… and underneath it all, sleep has quietly become disrupted.

Sleep is not just “rest.” Sleep is one of the brain’s primary emotional regulation systems.

When sleep suffers, the nervous system often shifts into a heightened state of alert:

*Racing thoughts at night
*Hypervigilance and difficulty relaxing
*Increased panic sensations
*Lower stress tolerance the next day
*Mood instability and brain fog

And the cycle continues: anxiety disrupts sleep… and poor sleep intensifies anxiety.

Improving sleep isn’t about forcing the body to shut down. It’s about helping the nervous system feel safe enough to rest.

Trauma-informed sleep support often begins with small, consistent “safety cues”:

*calming evening rituals
*nervous system regulation skills
*reducing nighttime stimulation
*addressing underlying hyperarousal
*evidence-based tools like CBT-I

Sleep is not a performance. It’s a biological signal of safety, healing, and restoration. If you’re feeling stuck in the sleep–anxiety loop, you’re not alone — and there are effective pathways forward.

Why Rest Is One of the Most Powerful Foundations for Healing

01/23/2026

This is such an important aspect of attachment repair. I think it’s helpful to note that repair doesn’t mean that the person who caused the attachment injury has to be a part of the process. Sometimes that’s impossible. Repair takes time and awareness. 

If you keep asking, “Why do we keep coming back to this?” listen to Session 7 of The Secure Love Podcast. Old wounds do not fade through time alone. They fade through repair.

01/23/2026

This is a simple but helpful graphic for understanding emotional tolerance. 

DBTSkills. Mindfulness Module. Skill : Mindfulness & learning more about what mindfulness means.

01/18/2026

Don’t neglect your brain 💕

Brain fog is not a personality trait. 🧠⁠
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It’s a message, and in most cases, it’s fixable.
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Do you struggle with brain fog often?
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01/17/2026

Had a great day up in DC with my husband. Went on a tour at the national Cathedral and then spent some time in Georgetown.

01/12/2026

Know your thyroid...