What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 6pm Tuesday 9am - 6pm Wednesday 9am - 6pm Thursday 9am - 6pm Friday 9am - 6pm

https://lorrensiucounseling.com/

Lorren Siu Counseling, 987 University Avenue, Suite 22, Los Gatos, CA (2026)

11/10/2023

Sometimes what some say is the happiest time of the year can be the hardest time of the year for others.

Some people may be feeling eager expectations for the holidays as they look forward to all of the festivities, traditions, and celebrations. They genuinely love this time of year.

But for others, the holidays are the hardest time of the year. They are not something to be celebrated and happily awaited, but something that is dreaded and endured. If they could cancel them altogether they would, and they may find themselves doing whatever they can to just make it past this season.

If you find yourself resonating with the latter, please know you are not alone.

Does this resonate with you? https://buff.ly/3smDuZg

11/03/2023

Whether the holidays have been hard for as long as you can remember, or if things have only taken that turn this year, being in a space where you dread what the world tells you should be celebrated is hard. It is painful to see so many happy people in commercials, shows, and movies spending time doing things they enjoy with people they love. It is hard to go to any store because the Christmas displays are everywhere - there simply is no avoiding them. You are constantly bombarded with decorations, toys, gifts, candies, treats, and anything and everything that can be made festive. And if part of what makes holidays difficult is an unease with your own body, good luck navigating that among the abundance of holiday foods everywhere. Even driving down the street you might see cars with reindeer antlers or a wreath on the front. No matter where you go, the holidays are there. It can be overwhelming.

For months you can’t catch a break from it all. Maybe you do what you can to avoid it, but even a trip to your favorite coffee shop forces you to be confronted with holly, wreaths, ornaments, and likely Christmas music too. At times all of this might have you feeling like you are going crazy.

Why does it bother you so much?

Why can’t you just be happy like everyone else seems to be?

Why do you have to be such a Scrooge this time of year?

Will things ever get better for you?

It is not easy to be faced with the holidays themselves, and when you add this type of thinking things get even harder.

What you are facing around the holidays is real. You are not going crazy. In fact, I want you to hear that it is ok that you do not enjoy the holidays. It is ok, even, that you dislike them, or even hate them. The assumption that everyone loves the holidays simply misses the mark. Yes, there are a lot of people who do love and enjoy holidays, but there are also a lot of people who do not. And that is perfectly normal and perfectly ok.

Does this resonate with you? Read more here: https://buff.ly/3smDuZg

10/27/2023

Just like Highly Sensitive Persons, Highly Sensitive Dogs are sensitive to subtleties. They notice little things that may go unnoticed by others, and since dogs have a stronger sense of smell and hearing and a wider field of vision than humans do, they can take in much more than even a Highly Sensitive Person ever could.

All dogs are able to see, smell, and taste things that we can’t, and for Highly Sensitive Dogs this amount is even higher. Having grown up with many dogs over the years, I can attest that not all dogs notice the same level of detail in their environment.

Owning a Highly Sensitive Dog means I am alerted to anything that changes slightly or seems a bit different or out of place. This includes whenever a delivery person approaches the front door, when a strange-looking piece of trash is left on the sidewalk, and even when someone is walking with a slight limp.

My HSD notices it all, and seeing the way she notices gives me compassion for myself and other HSPs. Taking in so much information can be exhausting. Add on top of that not always knowing what is safe and what is not and a normal day becomes quite scary. No wonder we need to just take it easy sometimes!

Learn more lessons I've learned from my Highly Sensitive Dog here: https://buff.ly/3PMHlqy

10/20/2023

Your body knows how to stress out and feel anxious.

It knows the heart-pounding, chest-thumping, ears ringing, muscle-clenching, shallow breathing, mind-racing hell that is anxiety. For you, maybe that is all too familiar and you spend more time there than you would care to admit.

Life has an uncanny way of throwing everything we don’t want at us all at the same time.

During these times we may find ourselves feeling overwhelmed more than we know what to do with. We need every bit of help we can get to keep us from going over the edge we find ourselves dangling so close to.

Even when life is going alright we all have moments when our bodies need a little help calming down.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to getting there.

Sometimes a deep breath or two might be all you need. Other times you may be able to repeat a positive mantra to remind yourself that things are going to be ok. Moving your body by going for a walk or doing yoga might do wonders in helping your body relax. Or perhaps getting a hug from someone you love or cuddling with your pet. Any and all of these things can do wonders for helping your body slow down and relax when you need a break from stress and anxiety.

Learn a mindfulness and relaxation technique that I teach all of my clients here: https://buff.ly/3KF6UaZ

10/13/2023

The term Highly Sensitive Person was coined by Dr. Eliane Aron who began studying the trait in 1991. Around that time more studies were being done around why some of the population exhibited traits of being shy, inhibited, or neurotic while others did not.

Dr. Aron suspected that the labels that were being used to describe the differences in behavior and personality were not quite accurate. She felt that the traits were not negative or problematic, as the terms that were being used implied.

Through her studies, she confirmed that there is a portion of the population that is different than the majority in the way that it responds to stimulation. As it turns out, 15-20% of the population is Highly Sensitive and it is not a deficiency or problem at all!

A portion of highly sensitive individuals can be observed in other species such as mice, monkeys, and horses. Dr. Aron suggests that having some members who notice subtleties that are often missed is an advantage for the overall survival of a species.

This is part of what being a highly sensitive person is about.

Highly Sensitive People (HSP) take in stimulation differently than the rest of the population. To help clarify the differences between HSPs and non-HSPs, Dr. Elaine Aron coined the acronym DOES. It stands for depth of processing, overstimulation, emotional reactivity/empathy, and sensitive to subtleties.

Learn more about the traits of an HSP here: https://buff.ly/3nJwNy3

10/06/2023

Being Highly Sensitive is not unique to humans.

In fact, it is estimated that over 100 different species show this trait.

Having part of a population that is more aware of subtleties is beneficial for the species as a whole. After all, if no one notices the grass is swaying but there is no breeze in the air, the snake that is hiding out of sight may end up biting someone! If there is a Highly Sensitive individual around they are likely to pick up on danger and alert the others to avoid the hidden snake.

I learned of my own Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) trait a couple of years ago. The knowledge has helped me better understand myself and care for my needs.

During that time I also adopted a puppy that turned out to be highly sensitive as well. Getting to know my Highly Sensitive Dog and understanding how her sensitivity shows up has also helped me better understand my own HSP traits.

Learn a few lessons that I have learned from my Highly Sensitive Dog (HSD) here: https://buff.ly/3PMHlqy

09/29/2023

Environment and surroundings impact Highly Sensitive Personss more than most people. There is nothing wrong with this, that is just part of being a highly sensitive person.

Highly Sensitive Persons notice little things that go completely missed by many others. Their systems are constantly processing more, and processing more deeply.

There will be many instances where HSPs will be overwhelmed by what is around them, and at times may feel uncomfortable when non-HSPs appear to be fine. If there are too many people around, the lights are too bright, the air is too hot or cold, or loud or startling noises, HSPs are going to notice. Even if they do not want these things to affect them, they likely will.

Experiencing a lot of changes, being in new and unfamiliar situations, learning something new, or having their skills or knowledge evaluated are also things that may be more taxing on HSPs than others.

Self-Care is not only about specific activities that a person can do that will help them feel renewed. It is also about showing oneself kindness throughout the day.

When starting to feel uncomfortable in an environment or situation, self-care is looking for ways to better. HSPs can show themselves kindness by finding a seat in the corner of a crowded room so that they do not have to pay attention to all 360 degrees around them. Or kindness could mean putting their earbuds in and listening to their favorite music or podcast when transitioning from one place or activity to the next.

For me, it often means making sure that I am wearing clothes that I feel really comfortable in that also do not make me feel that I stick out like a sore thumb and draw attention to myself as a result. I also love wearing my noise-reduction earplugs whenever I am anywhere that is noisy.

Making an effort to turn a situation or environment from uncomfortable to something that can be more easily tolerated gives HSPs’ over-active systems a small break. These small breaks add up and result in highly sensitive persons crossing the threshold of what they can handle less frequently, resulting in experiencing less overwhelm.

Learn more about my tips for HSPs here: https://buff.ly/42j3CjS

09/22/2023

Your therapist is taking note of your tone, volume, word choice, eye contact, facial expressions, body language, energy level, and even changes in your overall appearance and mood.

They are noting the speed at which you are talking and the pauses, or lack thereof, between words or phrases. All of this is not to judge you as a person, it is to get to know you better and to gain a deeper understanding of your unique experience.

Therapists use this insight to help guide your therapy process.

For example, when asked how you are doing today, you might instinctually answer with “fine.” Your therapist, however, might note the rushed way in which you spoke that word and the pained look on your face and know to give you a bit more time to settle into the session so that you can be comfortable sharing a more authentic answer.

AI therapy chatbots will only have your words to go off of and so much valuable information will be missed. This is also why text therapy is not the same thing as an in-person or online therapy session. Yes, you might get some immediate help in the moment, but what is shared over text will only go so deep, and there is so much more about you that cannot be addressed through text or chat alone.

Read more about Therapy vs AI Chatbot Therapy here: https://buff.ly/40mkypz

09/15/2023

Some people love changing up their day-to-day schedule. They even crave it.

I know, crazy, right?!

Something about the novelty of new experiences fills them with a sense of adventure. When they wake up knowing that the day ahead will be nothing like their typical day-to-day life they feel excited!

But if you struggle with anxiety, are a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), or have experienced trauma, changes in your daily schedule may not be your favorite thing in the world.

In fact, you may dread having to face a day that is not your usual routine.

You might do everything you can to avoid these sorts of changes, turning down trips with friends, putting off visiting family, or maybe even saying no to that job that requires frequent business travel.

Maybe other people have picked up on this. Perhaps you’ve even been made fun of for not being able to “go with the flow” or “take it as it comes.”

Other people in your life just don’t get how big of a deal it is when you have to step out of the comfort zone of your routine.

Read more about why change can be so hard and how to adjust to it here: https://buff.ly/4611RKc

09/08/2023

Your body knows how to stress out and feel anxious. It knows the heart-pounding, chest-thumping, ears ringing, muscle-clenching, shallow breathing, mind-racing hell that is anxiety.

For you, maybe that is all too familiar and you spend more time there than you would care to admit.

Life has an uncanny way of throwing everything we don’t want at us all at the same time. During these times we may find ourselves feeling overwhelmed more than we know what to do with. We need every bit of help we can get to keep us from going over the edge we find ourselves dangling so close to.

Even when life is going alright we all have moments when our bodies need a little help calming down.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to getting there.

Sometimes a deep breath or two might be all you need. Other times you may be able to repeat a positive mantra to remind yourself that things are going to be ok. Moving your body by going for a walk or doing yoga might do wonders in helping your body relax. Or perhaps getting a hug from someone you love or cuddling with your pet. Any and all of these things can do wonders for helping your body slow down and relax when you need a break from stress and anxiety.

When you are experiencing anxiety it can be hard to focus on anything else, and even harder to believe it will ever end. Being prepared with a few techniques you can use to help calm your nervous system can ease your mind. This is just one more thing to add to your arsenal of relaxation techniques.

To learn a simple technique to help calm your nervous system go here: https://buff.ly/3KF6UaZ

09/01/2023

Babies are born reliant on their caregivers for all of their needs. When a need arises, their only form of communication, at first, is through sounds, facial expressions, and body movement. They must rely on their caregivers to correctly interpret their limited communication and give them what they need. Infants, babies, and children need care in the form of food, water, shelter, and clothing, and they also need care in the form of comfort, affection, and play.

When caregivers can meet their baby's needs consistently enough, the infant comes to learn that the caregiver is reliable and that their needs are important and worthy of attention. That experience forms a foundation of deep personal beliefs about how they and the world around them work: I am ok (my needs are not too much), and you are ok (other people can be trusted).

Caregivers do not have to meet every cry and gesture immediately with the perfect solution for this to happen, but there needs to be consistent care for the baby. Children that develop these beliefs are securely attached to their caregivers.

When caregivers are inconsistent, unreliable, or otherwise unsafe in how they respond to the baby's needs, the infant learns a different message about themselves and the world around them. Instead of developing an internal sense of, "I am ok, you are ok," they determine that belief is untrue. They may come to know "I am not ok" (my needs are too much or not worthy of attention), "you are not ok" (you cannot meet my needs), or both.

When a child develops one or both of these beliefs, they form an insecure attachment to the caregiver.

Learn more about attachment trauma and how it presents in adults here: https://buff.ly/3MRbswz

08/25/2023

Grief, in particular, is one emotion many prefer to skip over.

It can be uncomfortable to feel sad and to lose hope. It can also be the case that we feel that our experience does not justify such a response: after all, someone else has had it worse than us. Or so we tell ourselves.

Yet, the grief is there inside, and we are left wondering what to do with it.

One thing we can do is invite ourselves to acknowledge how we are feeling. Taking some time to be honest about all of what we are feeling can be difficult and scary, but it can be so rewarding too.

By going against our normal tendency to ignore feelings like grief, sadness, anger, and fear, we can learn more about what is going on inside of us.

Acknowledging what we are feeling helps us make space for those emotions.

When we make space for them, we are no longer stuffing them deep down inside or ignoring them. The truth is that all of our emotions need our time and attention, not just joy and happiness.

Every one of them has important lessons to share with us.

Our sadness reminds us that what was lost was dear to us, our anger tells us when something is not right, and our fear reminds us to watch out for ourselves and others.

When we are grieving a loss we are faced with many emotions at once. Making space for these emotions helps us remember that it is ok to feel the way we are feeling.

That in itself is so powerful.

Letting your feelings, every single one of them, be ok. It is not always easy work, but it can make such a difference. Y

You don’t have to push it down.

Learn more about how to make space for grief here: https://buff.ly/3HuueGQ

Lorren Siu Counseling

11/10/2023

11/03/2023

10/27/2023

10/20/2023

10/13/2023

10/06/2023

09/29/2023

09/22/2023

09/15/2023

09/08/2023

09/01/2023

08/25/2023

Address

Opening Hours

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Monday	9am - 6pm
Tuesday	9am - 6pm
Wednesday	9am - 6pm
Thursday	9am - 6pm
Friday	9am - 6pm