Tess Rafferty, Marriage and Family Therapist

12/16/2021

Feeling so grateful for my therapist today. Not only do healers need healing, caretakers need caretaking, and therapists need therapy - we DESERVE all of it!

How are you taking care of yourself today?


 
 
 
 
 
 


12/16/2021

Human beings need other human beings to thrive. Wanting support does not equal neediness. Accepting support does not equal weakness. Needing support does not mean there’s something wrong with you!

12/16/2021

Wanting and needing to rely on other human beings does not mean there is something wrong with you. It is part of what MAKES us human to thrive in relationships and community!

Codependency is complex, but what it is NOT is two individuals striving to do their best to support themselves, while also trusting that they can depend on their partner for support too.

If you’re uncomfortable depending on someone else, that’s worth examining - what would it be like to trust that someone who matters to you will show up for you when you need them?

As always, this is a wonderful conversation to have with someone who feels safe for you, including a mental health professional!

12/15/2021

Never underestimate the power of active listening.

12/15/2021

AND you may have grown up in a home where it wasn’t safe to be vulnerable. Maybe being vulnerable made you feel scared in an unpredictable environment, or someone told you directly that expressing emotions made you weak.

We are the way we are for so many different reasons. Even when the adults in our lives had the best of intentions, we weren’t always provided with what felt like a safe place to be 100% ourselves. So, we developed mechanisms to protect ourselves, that might not be working for us anymore. As adults, we get to choose relationships where we don’t NEED them anymore.

Like so much on our healing journeys, it is easier said than done. Reminding our inner child that it is actually very strong and brave to be vulnerable is one way we can support ourselves as we continue on this path.

02/23/2021

Men get depressed, suffer anxiety, and battle suicidal thoughts and urges, yet are far less likely than women to seek therapy. While women are more likely to consult with a therapist, men often downplay their bouts of mental anguish, and often go to extreme lengths to avoid tending to their psycholo...

11/16/2020

07/22/2020

Looking forward to this!

We would love to see you there !

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/113394620362?aff=efbneb