Hope Wood LMFT, Counselor & Coach

03/29/2026

Source

03/29/2026

Source
・・・
“💡 If you’ve ever experienced grief, you know that it makes your body hurt more. But why???

👉🏼Here’s what grief does to our pain system:

🧠 increases activity in the parts of the brain that make pain, like the anterior singular cortex & anterior insula
🧠 activates our physiological stress response via the HPA axis, boosting stress hormones & increasing inflammation
🧠 increases pain sensitivity.

🌟 But just as negative emotions can amplify pain, taking care of them can actually REDUCE PAIN. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

Taking care of grief can include
* social support & community (👋👋)
* Self-care
* Expressive writing
* Extra attention to sleep & nutrition
* Rest
* Therapy
* Engaging in grief rituals”

💫

03/11/2026

03/07/2026

Source .kellyvincent
・・・
“Micro anchors are one of the things that are going to help us navigate what is currently going on in this country (in my opinion). We are bombarded with what feels like a new horror daily, and our nervous systems respond by moving into a stress response, not because we are weak, but because we are human. It is constant. Relentless. Overwhelming. And down right scary.

It is hard to know what to lean into or how to ever feel fully safe.

An anchor can be anything that stabilizes, supports, grounds, nourishes, contains, or simply helps you get through the moment. You can lean on anchors that ignite your senses, physical anchors that remind you you’re here, or anything that allows you to feel even a hint of safety: even if it’s just for a moment. Because that is the reality for most of us right now. Our safety, our rights and our hope is being challenged.

But here is the thing with anchors...

They don’t fix what’s happening.
They don’t take the pain away completely.
But they can offer your body a small exhale in the middle of it all.

And sometimes, that is good enough.

Tell me, what are your anchors?

PLEASE SEE DISCLAIMER IN HIGHLIGHTS”

03/06/2026

Source
・・・
“When we need people the most can also be when it’s the hardest to know how to communicate that.

It’s hard to know what we need. It’s hard for people to know how to help, or what to do.

Much of my work with clients at times is supporting the communication from this very different place, where you have different needs and different sensitivities and different relationship dynamics.

Save this to come back to whenever you need it. I hope something here feels helpful 💛

With you in all the complexity,
Rio”

copingwithloss

03/06/2026

Source
・・・
“A huge part of processing and reflecting through a reclamation journey requires us to build language to differentiate and authentically express ourselves in our own words on our own terms 🕯️”

spiritualabuse

03/02/2026

02/22/2026

**🎯🔥🎯🔥**

02/16/2026

It’s so much harder to say, “This sucks, and there’s nothing I can do. But I’m here, and I love you,” rather than offer those standard words of comfort. It’s so much harder. And so much more useful, loving, and kind.

You can’t heal someone’s pain by trying to take it away from them. Acknowledgement of pain is a relief. How much softer this all becomes when we are allowed to tell the truth.⁣

02/16/2026

Irritation can act like a shield. If you feel embarrassed, hurt, rejected, or powerless, that can feel vulnerable. Those feelings carry more risk, especially if you learned early that vulnerability led to criticism, dismissal, or being ignored.

So the nervous system chooses a feeling that creates distance and protection. Irritation does that well. It gives you energy. It gives you an edge. It keeps you from needing anything. It helps you stay in control.

That’s why irritation often shows up in moments like:
• when you feel misunderstood but don’t want to explain again
• when you feel unappreciated but don’t want to sound needy
• when you feel anxious but don’t want to admit you’re scared
• when you feel controlled and your body wants to push back

Irritation becomes the “front desk” emotion. It greets the world while the deeper feelings stay in the back.

The moment you identify the deeper feeling, you gain options. Irritation tends to push you toward snapping, withdrawing, controlling, or criticizing. But when you name what’s underneath, you can respond with more accuracy.

For example:
• If the truth is overwhelm, you need a break or fewer demands, not an argument.
• If the truth is hurt, you may need repair, not distance.
• If the truth is powerlessness, you may need choice, not control.
• If the truth is loneliness, you may need support, not self-judgment.

A simple practice: when you notice irritation, ask, “If irritation is the cover, what’s the real headline?” Then choose one sub-feeling and name it gently: “I’m actually feeling disappointed,” or “I’m feeling anxious.”

Save this to come back to when you are feeling irritated or share with someone who can use this.

Follow for more

02/15/2026

02/05/2026

“You don’t want to criticize your way to healing. You don’t want to judge and shame your parts and expect them to work with you. Befriend them. Be compassionate towards them. Acknowledge their function. They’ve been in service of you for a long time even if they’re in the way now. If you want healing, replace criticism with compassion and see what shifts the place”. (Source)