Larneka Lavalais, LPC PLLC

11/17/2025

🕯️ Grieving During the Holidays

Theme: Honor, Don’t Hide Your Grief

💔 “Grief doesn’t take a holiday.”
While others may be celebrating, you might be missing someone you love — and that ache doesn’t disappear just because it’s the season of joy. It’s okay to feel both sadness and gratitude, to cry and still smile at memories.

✨ Ways to Honor Loved Ones This Season:

Light a candle in their memory during a meal or quiet moment.

Share stories or photos that bring comfort and connection.

Create a memory box — fill it with notes, keepsakes, or letters that remind you of them.

Carry on a tradition they loved, or create a new one in their honor.

💡 Activity: Create a new ritual this year — one that keeps their presence close. Maybe it’s writing a letter, visiting a favorite spot, or making their favorite dish.

🎥 Video Idea: Record yourself sharing a short, heartfelt message about how grief and joy can coexist. Remind your audience that healing isn’t about forgetting — it’s about remembering with love and giving yourself permission to feel.

💬 Gentle Reminder:
Grief is love with nowhere to go. Be kind to yourself this season — your feelings are valid, and you are not alone.

✨ Therapy that gets you. Healing that grows you.

11/15/2025

💜 How Single Moms Can Handle Holiday Overwhelm Without Burning Out

The holidays can be beautiful — but for single moms, they can also bring pressure to “do it all.” Between finances, family expectations, and trying to make everything magical for your kids, it’s easy to lose sight of your own peace.

Here are 5 ways to protect your energy and make the season gentler:

1️⃣ Simplify Traditions
You don’t have to do every activity or attend every event. Choose what truly brings you and your kids joy — and let go of the rest.

2️⃣ Set Realistic Expectations
Your kids want you, not perfection. Focus on connection, not comparison.

3️⃣ Ask for (and Accept) Help
Trade childcare, share meals, or ask a friend to help wrap gifts — you don’t have to carry it all alone.

4️⃣ Schedule Quiet Time
Block off “no-plan” days for rest. A cup of tea, a nap, or a short walk can recharge your spirit more than another errand ever could.

5️⃣ Release Guilt
You’re doing your best — and that’s more than enough. The holidays don’t have to be picture-perfect to be meaningful.

✨ Remember: The most important gift you can give your family is a version of you that’s calm, present, and emotionally available.

—
Larneka Lavalais, LPC-S, NCC
Therapy that gets you. Healing that grows you.

11/15/2025

🧔🏽 It’s Movember!

This month, we pause to shine a powerful light on the emotional and physical health of men — our fathers, partners, sons, friends, coworkers, and community members.

Too many men suffer in silence.
Too many feel they must “be strong” instead of asking for help.
Too many never receive the screenings or support that could save their lives.

Movember is more than mustaches — it’s about breaking stigma and creating safe spaces for men to open up, heal, and get the care they deserve.

💙 This month we’re raising awareness for:
• Men’s Mental Health
• Su***de Prevention
• Prostate Cancer
• Testicular Cancer

💬 Why it matters:

Men face unique pressures to stay silent, “tough it out,” and carry burdens alone.
But healing starts when men know it’s okay to talk, to feel, and to get support — without judgment.

👥 How you can help:

✔️ Check on the men you love
✔️ Encourage emotional honesty
✔️ Remind them screenings save lives
✔️ Share this post to spread awareness
✔️ Let them know they don’t have to struggle alone

This Movember, let’s stand together for the men in our lives — their mental, emotional, and physical well-being matter.

✨ Therapy that gets you. Healing that grows you.

👉 Share this to support men everywhere.

***dePrevention

11/15/2025

11/14/2025

🌿 Protect Your Peace During the Holidays

The holidays can be complicated — especially when gatherings feel unsafe or unwelcoming.
Here’s how to protect your peace and stay grounded this season:

✨ 1. Set Emotional Boundaries
You don’t owe anyone full access to your energy. Decide what’s off-limits and use phrases like, “I’d rather not discuss that.”

✨ 2. Have an Exit Strategy
Your safety matters more than appearances. Drive yourself, plan how long you’ll stay, and reach out to supportive friends afterward.

✨ 3. Find a Grounding Anchor
Take breaks when you need to. Step outside, breathe deeply, or text someone you trust. Repeat: “I am safe, and I can leave if I need to.”

✨ 4. Create Safe Celebrations
Spend time with people who affirm and respect you. Building new, peaceful traditions is an act of healing.

✨ 5. Protect Your Energy — Before & After
Center yourself with music, prayer, or meditation before attending. Afterwards, journal, rest, or do something joyful to restore balance.

✨ 6. Remember: You Deserve Peace
Choosing peace — even if that means saying “no” — is self-respect, not selfishness.

💚 Therapy that gets you. Healing that grows you.

11/13/2025

🌍 Happy World Kindness Day
By Larneka Lavalais, LPC-S, NCC
Therapy that gets you. Healing that grows you.
Today is a reminder that kindness is more than a moment — it’s a movement.
It’s a practice. A choice. A skill that strengthens emotional wellness for ourselves and for the people around us.
Kindness lowers stress, builds connection, and reminds us that we are part of something bigger than our struggles. When we lead with compassion, we create safer spaces for healing — in our homes, schools, workplaces, and communities.
Here are a few gentle invitations today:
💜 Be Kind to Yourself
Give yourself permission to rest, to breathe, to not be perfect.
Self-kindness rewires the nervous system and makes emotional resilience possible.
💜 Be Kind to Others
Offer a genuine compliment. Hold space for someone’s feelings.
Small acts can interrupt someone’s silent battle and remind them they matter.
💜 Be Kind to Your Community
Support local organizations, check on a neighbor, or simply show up with empathy.
Collective kindness strengthens community wellness — and that’s where healing starts.
Kindness doesn’t have to be grand to be meaningful.
Sometimes the quietest gestures carry the loudest impact.
✨ Today, let’s choose kindness as a path to healing — for ourselves, our families, and our communities.

11/13/2025

🫶 Giving Back This Thanksgiving: Larneka Lavalais, LPC PLLC Supports LGBTQ+ Youth 🕊️
By Larneka Lavalais, LPC-S, NCC
Therapy that gets you. Healing that grows you.

This Thanksgiving season, Larneka Lavalais, LPC PLLC is proud to give back by supporting the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Annual Holiday Food & Supply Drive, benefiting Tony’s Place — a vital organization serving LGBTQ+ unhoused youth. 💜

At our practice, giving back is part of healing. Supporting mental and emotional wellness means standing with our community — especially our youth who need compassion, connection, and care the most.

💜 About the Day of Giving

📅 Thursday, November 20, 2025

☀️ Morning Drop-Off:
📍 Cadillac Bar, 1802 Shepherd Dr., Houston, TX
🕗 8:00–9:30 AM

🌙 Evening Drop-Off:
📍 Eureka Heights Brew Co., 941 W 18th St., Houston, TX
🕓 4:00–8:00 PM

Enjoy the Chamber Rainbow Holiday Market, Drag Bingo, and $1 off beer with your donation — a celebration of giving, community, and pride! 🌈

💡 Why It Matters

LGBTQ+ youth make up 40% of the unhoused youth population, yet represent less than 10% of the general youth population.
This heartbreaking disparity is driven by family rejection and lack of affirming resources.

Your donations support Tony’s Place, which provides food, shelter referrals, and emotional care for youth who deserve dignity and safety.

🛍️ How You Can Help

Donate any of the following:

🥫 Non-perishable food

🧴 Toiletries & hygiene items

🧦 Winter essentials (socks, gloves, blankets)

👕 New underwear & T-shirts (all sizes)

Can’t attend in person?
💲 Donate directly or 🛒 Shop Tony’s Place Amazon Wish List here:
👉 https://chamberholidayfooddrive.lgbt/

🌿 Turning Gratitude into Action

Healing extends beyond the therapy room — it’s in how we care for others.
Let’s come together this Thanksgiving to give, uplift, and build community.

💜 When we give, we heal together.

’sPlace

11/12/2025

💪 5 Resilience Practices That Actually Work

Life will always bring challenges—but resilience helps you bounce back stronger, not bitter.

✨ 1. Practice Self-Compassion
Treat yourself with the same kindness you’d give a friend. You’re human—progress, not perfection.

🧠 2. Reframe Negative Thoughts
Shift from “Why is this happening to me?” to “What can this teach me?”

💬 3. Build Connection
Surround yourself with supportive people who uplift and ground you.

🕊️ 4. Ground in Gratitude
Even small moments of gratitude can lower stress and improve perspective.

🌱 5. Maintain Healthy Routines
Eat well, rest, move your body, and keep consistent self-care rituals—even when life feels chaotic.

Remember: resilience isn’t about never falling—it’s about learning how to rise again.

11/11/2025

Veterans Day — Honoring Service & Healing

Today we honor the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of our veterans.
But beyond the medals and memories, many carry invisible wounds — anxiety, depression, PTSD, and the quiet battles that linger long after service ends.

💭 If you’re struggling, you’re not alone.
Healing takes strength — and reaching out for support is one of the bravest things you can do.

🧠 Coping tips for veterans:

Connect with trusted peers or support groups

Ground yourself through mindfulness or prayer

Allow space for emotion — honor your story

Seek professional help when needed — therapy is a safe space to process, not a sign of weakness

Let’s honor our veterans by standing with them — in gratitude and in compassion.

✨ Therapy that gets you. Healing that grows you.

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