Stacey Aldridge, LCSW

11/07/2024

Blog post for anyone who feels like they may need it!

What to do if you feel like giving up on life after the election. There are a lot of things that are unknown. Many people are afraid, and for good reason.

11/06/2024

If you are struggling today, please don’t give up. The world needs you.

10/24/2024

I know that we like alliteration, and it's much more concise, but "people pleaser" is such a weird way to say: "traumatized into fearing non-compliance."

04/24/2024

🎉 Ready to celebrate Cinco de Mayo without alcohol? Join us at 611 Commerce Pkwy for Sober de Mayo! Enjoy music, games, delicious food, inspiring words, and great company in a safe, supportive environment. Please register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sober-de-mayo-tickets-885600935237

06/21/2023

Twitter has become an increasingly intolerant and dangerous place for my clients, people I love, and me. Given the recent decision to consider the word “cisgender” a “slur” I have deactivated my accounts there. Twitter continues to allow people to use the “r word;” not punish those that make outright racist tweets; not to mention allowing harassment of LGBTQ+ people and others the owner is not aligned with. I no longer want to be associated with a platform that is so overtly counter to my personal values as well as the values of my practice and profession.

Elon Musk has declared both ‘cis’ and ‘cisgender’ are slurs on the platform, warning those who use them face account suspensions.

04/04/2023

03/09/2023

busting some emotional myths 💜

*Emotions are there for a reason and feeling them is not a weakness. It does not mean I'm 'out of control' and they are NOT stupid.*

03/07/2023

(Part 2) ➡️ If you’re a target, this is important for you. We all have different types of humor. Just as it’s okay to love banter, it’s also okay not to. You’re not too sensitive. You’re you.

So when “jokes” don’t feel like jokes, and you say something, know that folks with healthy boundaries will respect that.

It’s okay to speak up when you’re not having fun.

➡️ If your a jokester, this is important for you. It’s fun to laugh and joke around, but not when it harms relationships and hurts people, even if you didn’t mean to.

So when someone says they feel hurt by your humor, apologize and stop. That’s how we show emotional safety - by caring.

There’s a place for fun banter, and that’s when everyone finds it fun.

➡️ If you are someone who uses humor to be passive-aggressive, belittling and contemptuous, this is important for you.

Know that it’s not funny…and it’s poison to relationships.

Sandwiching contempt between a “joke” doesn’t make it any less harmful to the target or the connection.

There are better ways to bring up and solve problems.

Boundaries show us how.

Continuation of my “belittling is a red flag” post from 3/4/2023. More to come.

❤️
Molly
Cartooning the Boundaries

Wanna work with me? Visit my website to learn more. Link in my bio/about. ✨

03/03/2023

Do you know these five common trauma responses that you might not realize are trauma responses?
- Extreme self sufficiency, never asking anyone else for help, refusing to rely on other people.
- The body really does keep the score! Unexplained body aches, headaches, stomach problems, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and other physical ailments have been linked to trauma.
- Feeling detached from what’s going on around you and even yourself. My clients often describe “feeling floaty.” Maybe feeling like you’re watching yourself do things, or feeling like a character in a movie, feeling like you’re not real or things around you aren’t real are all ways of describing dissociation.
- Depression, feeling helpless or hopeless, changes in sleep or appetite, isolating socially, loss of interest in things you used to enjoy, difficulty getting out of bed and/or doing basic personal care (aka “activities of daily living.”)
- Needing to be in control and managing the discomfort that comes with the unknown by planning everything.
Which of these feel a little too close to home for you? 🫣 I know some of these hurt my feelings a little bit!