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Jack Pine Wellness, Memphis, MI (2025)

12/04/2025

Mindfulness offers a steadying anchor in a world that often asks us to move faster than our nervous systems can reasonably manage. It invites us to slow down, attend to the present moment, and meet our internal experience with curiosity rather than judgment.

In therapy, I often describe mindfulness as a way of strengthening the “observer self”—the part of you that can notice thoughts, sensations, and emotions without getting swept away by them. This practice can support emotional regulation, reduce stress reactivity, and create more space between a trigger and your response.

Mindfulness does not require long meditation sessions or perfect stillness. It can be as simple as pausing to feel your feet on the floor before entering a challenging conversation, noticing the rise and fall of your breath during a stressful moment, or observing a thought without assuming it is fact. Small moments of awareness, repeated consistently, can reshape how your nervous system responds to daily stressors.

If you’re curious about incorporating mindfulness into your routine, start gently. Choose one practice you can return to each day. The goal isn’t to “empty your mind,” but to develop a compassionate awareness of your inner landscape—one that supports clarity, grounding, and emotional resilience.

12/01/2025

❄️As we move into the holiday season, here are somethings to consider:

As parents, our instinct is to share the moments that make us proud, joyful, or deeply connected to our children. Yet many families are beginning to pause and reflect on the long-term impact of “sharenting”—the practice of posting photos, stories, or personal information about children online.☃️

Recently, a national campaign in Ireland has highlighted the importance of protecting children’s digital footprints. The movement encourages caregivers to consider how early online exposure may shape a child’s future sense of privacy, identity, and safety. Although the campaign is based overseas, its message resonates universally.❄️

From a clinical standpoint, children benefit when adults act as thoughtful gatekeepers of their personal information. Before posting, it can be helpful to ask ourselves:

🌲Does my child have a say in this?

🌲Could this post impact their safety or well-being?

🌲Would they feel comfortable with this being online when they are older?

🌲Is there a safer way to share this moment (privately, or without identifying details)?

Sharenting is rarely done with harmful intent; it often comes from love, pride, and connection. But developing mindful habits around what we share helps safeguard our children’s autonomy and digital boundaries.

⭐️As caregivers, we model how to navigate an online world that continues to evolve. Thoughtful posting is one way we can support our children’s long-term sense of safety, dignity, and agency.⭐️

If you’re exploring ways to create healthier digital habits for your family, I’m always here to help support that process.

11/27/2025

🍂As we approach Thanksgiving, many of us notice a mix of emotions—warmth, stress, anticipation, fatigue, or even grief. The holiday season can bring connection, but it can also stir up old patterns, expectations, or memories that feel heavy. If this week feels complicated, you’re not alone.🍂

One gentle way to support your well-being is to slow down and engage in a brief gratitude exercise that centers regulation rather than perfection:

Gratitude Grounding Exercise

1. Pause and breathe. Take one slow, steady inhale and exhale to orient yourself.

2. Name one thing your body is thankful for. This might be your breath, your ability to move, or the way your body has carried you through a difficult season.

3. Name one person (or animal) who brings you warmth. This can be someone past or present, or even someone you haven’t met in person but who offers you a sense of support.

4. Name one part of your life that feels stable. Even small anchors count—your morning routine, your favorite mug, your quiet space, or a moment of predictability in your day.

5. Place a hand on your heart or lap and acknowledge that you deserve care, too.

Practices like this aren’t about ignoring pain or forcing positivity. They’re about helping your nervous system access balance so you can move through the holiday with a bit more steadiness.

Wishing you a grounded, compassionate, and meaningful Thanksgiving—whatever that looks like for you this year. 🧡

11/25/2025

The holidays can be meaningful, but they can also stir up complex emotions. Many people notice an increase in sadness, irritability, or loneliness this time of year—even when everything “looks fine” from the outside. This emotional dip, often called the holiday blues, is a common response to disrupted routines, family stressors, financial strain, grief, or the pressure to feel cheerful.

If you’re noticing these shifts, it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. It means you’re human.

A few grounding reminders as we move through the season:

🌲Your emotional experience is valid, even if it differs from those around you.
🌲Protect your boundaries. You’re allowed to limit events, step away from conflict, or create new traditions that feel more supportive.
🌲Maintain your routines when possible, especially sleep, nutrition, movement, and any practices that help regulate your nervous system.
🌲Allow for moments of rest and quiet. Over-scheduling often increases emotional overwhelm.
🌲Reach out if you’re hurting. A brief connection with someone supportive—friend, family member, or therapist—can reduce the weight of what you’re carrying.

If you’re struggling this season, you’re not alone, and there is nothing “wrong” with you for feeling this way. Support is available, and you deserve to move through the holidays with compassion for yourself.

11/14/2025

💪Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month is a reminder that many men carry significant emotional strain behind the scenes—often quietly, often alone. Cultural messages about being “strong,” “tough,” or “unaffected” can create barriers to acknowledging stress, sadness, overwhelm, or the impact of past trauma. These expectations can leave men feeling isolated, misunderstood, or unsure of how to ask for support.💪

Seeking help is not a sign of weakness; it reflects insight, courage, and a commitment to one’s well-being and relationships. Emotional health is just as important as physical health, and addressing concerns early can reduce the impact of depression, anxiety, trauma, irritability, chronic stress, and the pressures of everyday life.🩵

If you are a man struggling silently, know that your feelings are valid and worthy of care. Reaching out—to a therapist, a trusted friend, or a supportive partner—can create meaningful change. And if you care about a man in your life, check in with openness and without judgment. A simple conversation can be the first step toward healing.

Let’s work toward a culture where men feel safe to speak, safe to feel, and safe to seek support. Your mental health matters.

11/11/2025

Today, we pause to honor the courage, resilience, and sacrifice of our veterans. Serving in the military often leaves lasting impacts—some visible, others carried quietly within.

For many veterans, the transition to civilian life can bring challenges such as adjusting to a new sense of identity, managing trauma responses, or rebuilding connection and trust. These experiences deserve compassion, understanding, and space for healing.

If you are a veteran, please know that your story matters and your service is deeply appreciated. Healing is possible, and support is available. Whether through therapy, community, or peer connection—no one should have to carry the weight alone.

To all who have served: thank you. 💙

11/06/2025

🕊️ November is Homelessness Awareness Month 🕊️

As a therapist, I often meet individuals whose stories remind me how thin the line can be between stability and crisis. Homelessness is not just about lacking a physical space to live — it often reflects the cumulative impact of trauma, systemic barriers, untreated mental health challenges, and the absence of consistent support.

Mental health and housing are deeply interconnected. When a person doesn’t have a safe, predictable place to sleep, it becomes incredibly difficult to regulate emotions, heal from trauma, or focus on long-term goals. Compassion and access to care can make an extraordinary difference.

This month, let’s hold space for those who are struggling — with empathy, not judgment. Small acts of kindness, awareness, and advocacy can help create safety and belonging for those who have been unseen or unheard. 💙

If you or someone you know is without stable housing, you can call 211 to be connected to local shelters, housing resources, and crisis support.

11/04/2025

🍂As we move into November, many people begin to feel the shift — shorter days, colder weather, the approach of the holidays, and an overall slowing down. For some, this season brings comfort and reflection; for others, it can stir up loneliness, grief, or emotional exhaustion.🍂

November is a good reminder to check in with yourself and your mental health.

🍁Are you feeling more tired or disconnected lately?

🍁Are you finding it harder to stay motivated or present?

🍁Are old patterns or emotional triggers resurfacing as the year winds down?

These experiences are common, and they’re worth paying attention to. This month, make space for intentional rest, grounding routines, and reaching out for connection — whether that’s through therapy, community, or small daily practices that bring you back to yourself.

Mental health awareness isn’t just about identifying symptoms; it’s about honoring your emotional landscape and responding with compassion. 💛

Let November be a month of gentle awareness — noticing what you need, allowing what you feel, and remembering that your mental health deserves care, too.🍂

10/29/2025

For anyone in need of food resources in the Thumb of MI!

If you don't see something listed or want to list something for another part of the state share a link in the comments!

https://app.smore.com/n/yzxd18

10/27/2025

🌼 Parenthood changes everything — including how easily we can meet our own basic needs.

Before kids, you could sleep when you were tired, eat when you were hungry, shower when you needed to, and rest when your body said “enough.” After kids, even the simplest acts of self-care—using the bathroom alone, eating a full meal, or finishing a thought—can start to feel like luxuries instead of essentials.

When your basic needs go unmet for too long, your nervous system stays on high alert. You may notice more irritability, anxiety, or emotional numbness. It’s not a sign of failure — it’s a biological response to chronic stress and unmet needs. Your body and mind are trying to survive in a season that demands constant giving.

Meeting your needs doesn’t have to look like a “perfect” self-care routine. It might look like:

Eating a full meal instead of finishing your child’s leftovers.

Taking three deep breaths before responding to the next “Mom/Dad!”

Letting the dishes wait while you sit for five quiet minutes.

Asking for help, even when it feels uncomfortable.

You are a human being first — your needs matter, too. Getting your needs met isn’t selfish; it’s what allows you to show up as the steady, grounded version of yourself that your children rely on.

If you’re feeling depleted, that’s not weakness — it’s information. It’s your body saying, “I need care, too.”

💛 Be gentle with yourself. This season is demanding, but you deserve nourishment, rest, and compassion just as much as the little ones you care for.

10/20/2025

🖤 October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month 🖤

As a therapist, I want to hold space for anyone who has ever been caught in the painful cycle of abuse — whether it was emotional, physical, sexual, or psychological. Abuse doesn’t always look like bruises or screaming. Sometimes, it looks like bread crumbing — when someone gives you just enough affection, attention, or hope to keep you from leaving, but never enough to truly meet your needs.

You start to question your reality.
You wonder if you’re “too sensitive.”
You cling to the good moments, even though they’re crumbs compared to the pain.

Leaving an abusive relationship is not easy. It’s not as simple as “just walk away.” It’s a process that involves grief, confusion, fear, and often, rebuilding your entire sense of self. You may still love the person who hurt you — and that does not make you weak. It makes you human.

Healing begins when you start to believe that you deserve consistency, safety, and genuine care — not crumbs, not manipulation, not fear.

If you’re in a situation that feels unsafe or uncertain, you don’t have to face it alone.
💜 National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
💜 Text: “START” to 88788
💜 Chat online: thehotline.org

You are not “too much.” You are not “crazy.”
You are worthy of peace, safety, and love that doesn’t hurt.

Jack Pine Wellness

12/04/2025

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