Holding House Counseling

02/11/2026

Our beautiful space for our beautiful people ✨
Office 2 coming soon!

01/04/2026

Feeling the weight of chronic stress, uncertainty, or emotional fatigue?
You’re not imagining it—and you’re not meant to carry it alone.

In my latest article, I explore why so many people feel emotionally stretched right now, how prolonged uncertainty impacts the nervous system, and why research consistently shows that connection is one of our strongest protective factors. Rather than framing distress as a personal failure, this piece offers a realistic, compassionate lens—and practical pathways toward resilience through collective care.

👉 Read the full article on the blog (link in the comments) or

👉 Subscribe to the free Substack to have research-informed reflections on nervous-system health, trauma, and collective healing delivered directly to your inbox.

Holdinghousecounseling.substack.com

If this resonates and you’re looking for lived support—not just insight, you’re invited to inquire about the Chronic Stress and Trauma Resourcing Group at Holding House. This group offers:

trauma-informed resourcing without rehashing the past

somatic and attachment-based tools for regulation

co-regulation, shared language, and relief from isolation

a consistent, low-pressure space to practice care in community

📩 Email lauren@holdinghousecounseling.com to ask questions or explore whether the group is a good fit.

Healing doesn’t happen in isolation.
It happens in ecosystems.

12/31/2025

Chronic Stress & Trauma Resourcing Group 🤍

This virtual, open group offers nervous-system support, grounding tools, and connection—without pressure to share more than you want.

🗓 Begins Tuesday, February 17th | 6–7:30 PM
💻 Virtual | Open group (members can join any time after Feb 17th)
💵 $17 per group to keep care accessible

To join or ask questions, email lauren@holdinghousecounseling.com.

You don’t have to hold chronic stress alone—support can be gentle, practical, and within reach.

12/30/2025

New Year. New Nervous System.
Not by forcing change—but by teaching your body a new way to feel safe.

Most of us are trying to reach our goals while living in fight, flight, or freeze. When the nervous system is stuck in survival mode, motivation turns into exhaustion, habits feel out of control, and even things we want begin to feel hard or unreachable. No amount of willpower can override a nervous system that doesn’t feel safe.

Over three weeks, we don’t “fix habits.” We work at the root: the nervous system.
Through guided somatic practices, you’ll learn how stress lives in your body, how to recognize when you’re in fight, flight, or freeze, and how to gently return “home” to safety.

From there, we build capacity—learning to pause, savor, and expand moments of calm, creativity, and joy. You’ll explore how your environment, attention, and daily patterns shape regulation—so change becomes embodied, not effortful.

This is nervous system regulation through lived experience, not overwhelm or trauma re-exposure.

✨ Trauma-informed
✨ Somatic & experiential
✨ Designed for real life

Hosted by Holding House Counseling × The Lucky Gut Collective
📍 Mid-February

12/29/2025

If you’ve been thinking about starting therapy, this may be your sign. 🌿 We’re in-network with Anthem, Husky, Aetna, United Healthcare, and Cigna—making care more accessible and supportive from the very first step.

Because we believe a strong therapeutic realtionship is the foundation of change, reach out to Lauren Gouveia, LCSW to set up a free 30 minute virtual or in person consultation at lauren@holdinghousecounseling.com or by phone call/text 860-387-7349.

12/29/2025

✨Share this post with your accountability buddy in the new year✨

Five books I recommend carrying into the new year for deep reflection on selfhood, embodiment, and our connection to one another—through the lens of an existential, humanistic, trauma-informed therapist who listens closely to the body:

• The Wakeful Body (Willa Blythe Baker): A gentle exploration of how trauma and awakening live in the body, inviting us to meet sensation as a doorway to presence and repair.

• When Nietzsche Wept (Irvin Yalom): A fictional but profound encounter between philosophy and psychotherapy that explores suffering, freedom, and the healing power of relationship.

• Being Mortal (Atul Gawande): A compassionate reflection on mortality that asks us to redefine care, dignity, and meaning at the end—and throughout—life.

• The Undiscovered Self (Carl Jung): A timeless inquiry into individuation, urging us to reclaim inner authority and psychological wholeness in a fragmented world.

• Waking the Tiger (Peter Levine): A foundational somatic work revealing how the body holds trauma—and how attuned awareness can restore our innate capacity for resilience.

For those drawn to reflection that is embodied, relational, and deeply human—these are companions for the year ahead.

❤️

12/28/2025

⭐️Upcoming Events with Holding House Counseling⭐️

Many of our habits, stress responses, and struggles aren’t about willpower — they’re about how our nervous system learned to survive.

This February, I’m offering two trauma-informed group experiences focused on education, resourcing, and nervous system regulation:

🧠 New Year, New Nervous System
📍 In-person at The Lucky Gut
• February 6th: Informational Webinar & Q+A
• Workshop Dates: February 13, 20, & 27

This is a somatic, educational workshop (not trauma processing) where participants learn to identify their nervous system states, build awareness of stress patterns, and practice moving toward safety and regulation.

💻 Virtual Trauma & Chronic Stress Resourcing Support Group
🗓 Tuesday evenings beginning February 17th

This group provides ongoing nervous system support, grounding practices, and community connection for those navigating chronic stress.

These offerings are designed to be gentle, accessible, and empowering — meeting you where you are.

✨ Registration details coming soon.

12/24/2025

This holiday season, we wish you peace, warmth, and moments of joy.
Remember, the holidays can bring both happiness and stress—take time to breathe, rest, and care for yourself.
If you need support, we’re here for you.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Holding House Counseling!🎄🕎🌟

12/16/2025

Actualizing our size in the world can be done through moments of awe and self-transcendence ✨

By Arthur C. Brooks