Guiding Light Counseling, LLC

04/27/2026

04/27/2026

One thing we talk a lot about in my workshops is how many of us have been conditioned to do anything we can to "feel better" when we're struggling.
To "see the bright side" or "stay busy" or "cheer up."
We make others uncomfortable when we're sad or angry,
so we should keep our chin up.

And as a result, we immediately try to get as far away from painful feelings as possible, and many of us feel deeply ashamed or overwhelmed when we're in them or see them in others.

So we try to jump past it or out of it ASAP.
You can hear how this idea is often mis-used when folks don't truly understand what nervous system regulation is —
A regulated nervous system isn't one that feels calm and happy all the time,
it's a nervous system that has the capacity to be safely present with the full spectrum of emotion, and can safely find it's way back after moments (or periods) of activation — which are normal and happen every day.

To be able to move beyond a painful moment in our lives, we have to be present with whatever we really feel about that painful moment or period —
and sometimes those feelings don't immediately make logical sense.
And sometimes they feel threatening or vulnerable.

But our work is to develop a relationship with the full spectrum of emotion.
To learn to meet each feeling and part of ourselves with presence and attunement.
Because when we allow those feelings to be seen and felt, they can begin to move.
And we will naturally start shifting into the next moment.

If you're working on improving your emotional attunement and meeting yourself with greater compassion, my book "The Wisdom of Feeling: Finding Clarity, Courage, and Connection Through Emotional Intelligence" is now available for pre-order (it'll make it's way to you June 16th)

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/767885/the-wisdom-of-feeling-by-genny-rumancik/

04/16/2026

Yes!!!

Are you ready to feel better? Lighter? Clearer?

Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) can help calm down your nervous system so you are able to function more effectively!

Every organ in your body — your heart, your lungs, your digestive system, your immune system, your endocrine glands — operates under the continuous supervision of your nervous system. It is not a passive communication network. It is the master regulatory system of the entire body, and its state at any given moment determines the state of virtually everything else.

The autonomic nervous system operates in two primary modes: sympathetic activation, commonly known as fight-or-flight, and parasympathetic activation, commonly known as rest-and-digest. In sympathetic dominance, the body prioritizes immediate survival: heart rate increases, blood flow is redirected to muscles, digestion slows, immune surveillance decreases, and reproductive and repair functions are deprioritized. In parasympathetic dominance, the body prioritizes restoration: digestion is optimized, immune function is enhanced, tissue repair occurs, and hormonal balance is maintained.

The challenge of modern life is that the nervous system was designed for acute, short-lived threats — not the chronic, low-grade, unrelenting stressors of contemporary existence. When the nervous system is chronically dysregulated, it is not just uncomfortable. Digestion breaks down. Hormones become imbalanced. The immune system either overactivates or underperforms. Sleep deteriorates. Inflammation becomes systemic.

Healing the nervous system — through breathwork, movement, sleep, safety, and connection — is not a wellness trend. It is the foundation upon which all other health interventions rest.

04/16/2026

I love doing Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) on grief. I can see the weight leave the client's body in real time and they are able to give themselves the support they were needing during the loss.

(100% of ART sessions on grief have been about feeling alone while losing their loved one.)

Grief is one of the most profound experiences a human being can go through — and one of the most physically demanding. The body does not distinguish between emotional pain and physical threat. Both activate the same stress response systems, and both leave measurable biological traces.

In the weeks and months following significant loss, research consistently shows elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines, disrupted cortisol rhythms, suppressed natural killer cell activity, and impaired immune function. Bereaved individuals have higher rates of infection, slower wound healing, and significantly elevated cardiovascular risk — a phenomenon sometimes called broken heart syndrome, or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, in which acute emotional stress causes the heart muscle to weaken suddenly and dramatically.

Sleep becomes fragmented. Appetite regulation breaks down. The prefrontal cortex — responsible for rational thought and emotional regulation — becomes less active, while the amygdala, the brain's threat-detection center, becomes hyperactivated. The world feels more dangerous because, neurologically, it is being processed that way.

Grief is not weakness. It is the body doing the hardest kind of work it knows how to do. It requires rest, nourishment, connection, and time — not suppression.

04/13/2026

Your brain isn't broken. It is protecting you.

04/13/2026

Wow! I just finished this book and learned so much about fawning and how to stop focusing so much on what others are doing or thinking and start living for ourselves.

Are you familiar with fawning? It is something a lot of us learned in order to stay safe as a child.

Examples:
"If I just keep my room cleaned and get good grades, my caregiver won't get upset with me."

"If I just say yes, even though I want to say no, people will include me and I won't be alone."

As with the other strategies we learned as children, this one often stays with us as we grow up.

Below are some of the most common ways in which a fawn response manifests in adult life.

As you go through them, you may pause at each one and ask yourself: When did I learn this was helpful or protective?

* Constantly worrying what people think of you, if they like you, if they are mad at you

* Overextending yourself, not setting boundaries (and then feeling resentful)

* Avoiding conflict at all costs

* Constantly fearing getting trouble or being seen as “bad”

* Constantly fearing that you are bad and you are just fooling everyone

* Constantly seeking external approval or validation

* Silencing your needs for the comfort and happiness of everyone else

* Feeling hypervigilant of people’s emotions and moods

* Overexplaining yourself as an attempt to feel heard or understood

* Feeling like everything is your fault, and then overapologizing

* Being indecisive because you don’t want to disappoint anyone or because you genuinely don’t know what you like or prefer

* Not trusting yourself to make decisions

* Have trouble identifying your needs and speaking up about them

* Never feeling good enough; feeling unworthy of your accomplishments

* Constantly feeling like you’re “performing” and trying to impress others and prove yourself to them

* Feeling like you’re a chameleon in relationships

04/13/2026

A client had two Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) sessions.

We met after their second ART session and they were blown away by how differently they felt.

"Where was this years ago when I really needed it?" They asked.

They no longer felt weighed down by past or present events. Normally what would have triggered them, was no longer triggering them.

Are you ready to feel lighter and more content with life? Click the link to schedule an appointment:

Counseling offering in person and Telehealth appointments. Paperwork can be filled out online. Online payments are accepted. Schedule an appointment today. Contact ME at (605) 413-6835.

04/10/2026

Great suggestions!

Be assertive, let them know you want them to listen without offering feedback.

04/09/2026

Yes!!!!

04/09/2026

Absolutely. You don't need to say "fine" or good."

Beauty of Perspectives