The post Vervewell is therapy dog RICH appeared first on Vervewell.
]]>I often find myself wondering about the actual benefits of a therapy dog. Does my dog really HELP my clients? Or do I just really love bringing my dog to work with me?
So, I did some further research. And every article pointed to the former question with an astounding YES. And, well, in my opinion, an astounding YES can also be the reply to the latter with no research required. Here’s what I found (and already knew, if I’m being honest)…
Therapy dogs help lift your mood while decreasing symptoms of depression and anxiety. Socialization improves, while anger lessens significantly. Self esteem has even been noted to improve with the presence of a therapy dog.
For the most part, therapists, clinicians and researchers report that the presence of the animal prompts the body to release serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin. These are hormones that generate relaxation and stress reducing responses. The release of these hormones can lower symptoms of depression and sadness, and ultimately support strong mental wellness.
Yes, PLEASE!
The BEST news is that Vervewell has a therapy dog. Her name is GumBeaux (yes, I’m from Louisiana). I rescued her from a breeder when she was 11 months old, after learning she had received no love, nurturance or training in her first year of life. I packed her up and got her OUT of there! She is now a licensed therapy dog who receives a lot of daily (hourly) TLC from me, the kids in the schools where she is invited to frequent, and my therapy clients in my office at Vervewell. I am a lucky one keeping her company as often as I do. She lifts MY mood, my serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin, hands down. I also get the thrill of watching GumBeaux light UP when she is loved and nurtured by the humans who surround her in just one day “at the office”.
GumBeaux and I are currently welcoming new clients in my Vervewell office. Our hours are after 5pm on weekdays, and Saturday mornings. She and I would love to meet you and assist with a great start to the New Year.
Please contact me: [email protected]
or call/text at 817-694-5939
I offer a free 15-minute consultation, and can get you scheduled promptly.
I can’t wait to hear from you,
Casye LeRay
LPC Associate under the supervision of Beth Clardy Lewis, LPC-S
Here are some more fun facts I picked up in my therapy dog research:
- Therapy dogs were used as early as WWII (they would visit recovering soldiers)
- The first formal therapy dog program was established in 1976 by Nurse Elaine Smith
- The simple act of “petting”, hugging, or patting a dog can help lower risk of stroke, seizure and heart attacks. This also helps soothe patients and lower their stress and anxiety.
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]]>The post I am going to have a SPECTACULAR new year appeared first on Vervewell.
]]>I am going to have a SPECTACULAR new year…
which may not always be happy. I will likely experience some sadness, some darkness, because I’m a human living an experience. And I am here to tell you, it ain’t always happy, but it is and will continually be, spectacular.
You see, it’s about reaction. I can opt to react to my darker days as spectacular opportunity. I know I know, that sounds a bit annoying. The person who continually finds the bright side of things can really tap on my nerves some days. But, the person who continually allows the darkness to be their guide, can also be a bit, well, macabre, if I may be so dramatic.
I am guilty of being an optimist. I was born this way, and thankfully so, because I really do NOT like feeling low. One may ask: who does? But as a therapist who has the honor of working with a variety of humans living their experiences, I have sat in the room with some who stay low because low feels familiar. And most of us like familiarity.
Which brings me to my point: when the darkness shows up, which it will (remember: your human experience contains ALL the feelings), allow it to be your reminder, your opportunity, to become aware that feeling low is “simply” a reaction to your thoughts, your perspective.
Here is an example: you’re stuck in traffic (which is an observation, a perspective, or thought about your environment), you’ve had a very exhausting day and you just want to be HOME, in your pajamas with the curtains drawn because no one really understands you. Yet, the damn traffic is at a stand still. You can REACT to this observation, these thoughts, as a very bad thing, a total pain in the ass, a frustration at the very least. OR, you can rethink, and remember this email. and how darkness is a reminder to swap your reaction. What if this stand still traffic were experienced, FELT as opportunity to be still, to listen to some calming music (my go to is either Erik Satie, Chopin or Wilco…I like variety), to build your patience.
Once you make this exercise a regular thing, the practice of healthy reactions to thoughts will become what is familiar. And remember, we humans LIKE familiarity.
For me, the goal isn’t to be always HAPPY, because that doesn’t feel realistic or accurate. I strive for spectacular because spectacular can exist in the absence of happy. It truly is up to you to mastermind your thoughts, your perspective, your reactions.
I wish for you a perspective building new year full of spectacle, personal growth, reaction shifting.
I wish for you a spectacular new year.
In health and wellness,
Beth Clardy Lewis, LPC-S
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]]>The post What are you thinking? Get your head on straight! appeared first on Vervewell.
]]>You’re doing Dry January, only to drink again in February. You’re finally doing that diet, only to derail by Valentine’s Day. If only you had a super power to sustain discipline, or build a better level of follow through…or what if you simply got your head on straight?
Allow January to be the month that leads the remaining eleven months and beyond…gain the skills in Beth’s 21-day strategies (she calls them riches) to align your mind with superpowers, gain a healthy sense of self, activate one really gorgeous swagger…and to finally get your head on straight.
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]]>The post How EMDR Complements Traditional Talk Therapy: A Synergistic Approach to Healing appeared first on Vervewell.
]]>Blake Overstreet (LPC Assoc under the supervision of Beth C Lewis, LPC-S) spells out the intrigue and efficacy of EMDR therapy. Blake is certified in EMDR and is welcoming new clients for such. Even if you already have a Vervewell therapist, schedule a few EMDR sessions with Blake. Vervewell therapists works collectively when helpful, and as highlighted in his articles, talk therapy and EMDR work in tandem beautifully.
For decades, talk therapy has been the cornerstone of emotional healing. Psychodynamic and other traditional approaches offer invaluable insights into how our past shapes our present. They help us explore patterns, understand our motivations, and develop healthier ways of relating to ourselves and others.
But what happens when talk therapy alone isn’t enough to fully resolve deeper emotional wounds? This is where Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) can step in as a powerful complement, offering a way to access and heal the unconscious layers of trauma that words often cannot reach.
Let’s explore how combining EMDR with talk therapy can create a holistic and transformative approach to mental health.
The Strengths of Traditional Talk Therapy
Psychodynamic therapy focuses on uncovering the unconscious patterns and unresolved conflicts that influence our current behaviors and relationships. By understanding these forces, clients gain insight and can begin to make more conscious choices. Talk therapy offers:
- Self-Awareness: Clients develop a deeper understanding of their emotional triggers and patterns.
- Emotional Expression: Talking through experiences provides a safe outlet for feelings.
- Relational Growth: Exploring attachment dynamics fosters healthier connections with others.
However, some experiences, particularly trauma, are not fully accessible through verbal exploration. This is because trauma resides not only in our conscious thoughts but also in our body and emotional memory.
Where Talk Therapy May Hit a Roadblock
Trauma often bypasses the brain’s verbal and logical processing centers, instead becoming “stuck” in the limbic system—the part of the brain responsible for emotions and survival instincts. These memories can feel inaccessible to talk therapy alone, manifesting instead as:
- Unexplained emotional overwhelm.
- Intrusive thoughts or flashbacks.
- Physical symptoms like tension or fatigue.
While talk therapy can help contextualize these feelings, it may not fully resolve the root cause of the distress. This is where EMDR shines, providing a bridge between conscious understanding and deeper, somatic healing.
How EMDR Complements Talk Therapy
EMDR and talk therapy aren’t competing approaches—they are beautifully complementary. While talk therapy focuses on conscious exploration, EMDR addresses the unprocessed memories and emotional imprints stored in the brain’s nonverbal centers. Together, they create a more comprehensive path to healing.
- Unblocking the Stuck Points
In talk therapy, clients may recognize patterns and understand their origins but still feel unable to shift certain emotions or behaviors. EMDR works to “unstick” these emotional blocks by reprocessing the underlying traumatic memories. Once reprocessed, these memories lose their power, allowing the insights gained in talk therapy to take root more effectively. - Strengthening Self-Reflection
EMDR enhances the work of talk therapy by providing emotional relief, making it easier for clients to engage in deeper self-reflection. For example, a client who reprocesses a traumatic memory through EMDR may find it easier to explore their relationships or personal goals in talk therapy without being overwhelmed by anxiety or fear. - Addressing Trauma Beyond Words
Some experiences, especially those from early childhood, exist outside verbal memory. EMDR taps into these pre-verbal or nonverbal memories, helping clients resolve distress that may not be accessible through conversation alone. - Fostering Emotional Regulation
EMDR helps clients achieve a calmer baseline by reducing hyperarousal and emotional reactivity. This emotional regulation enhances their ability to engage with the slower, reflective nature of talk therapy, creating a more balanced therapeutic experience.
The Benefits of a Combined Approach
When EMDR and talk therapy are integrated, clients often report a deeper and more sustained healing experience. The benefits include:
- Faster Progress: By addressing trauma directly through EMDR, clients may move through emotional barriers more quickly, allowing for more meaningful work in talk therapy.
- Whole-Person Healing: The combined approach addresses both the cognitive and emotional aspects of distress, creating a more complete sense of resolution.
- Empowered Growth: With traumatic memories resolved, clients are better able to implement the insights and strategies they’ve developed in talk therapy.
An Example of Integration
Imagine a client working in psychodynamic therapy to explore why they struggle with trust in relationships. They uncover a history of childhood emotional neglect but feel stuck when trying to change their responses in present-day interactions.
In this scenario, EMDR can be used to reprocess painful childhood memories, reducing the emotional charge and allowing the client to internalize a new belief: “I am worthy of love and connection.” With this new emotional foundation, they can return to talk therapy with greater clarity and confidence, ready to deepen their relational work.
Final Thoughts
Healing is rarely a one-size-fits-all journey. By combining the strengths of traditional talk therapy with the transformative power of EMDR, clients can access a fuller range of healing. EMDR addresses the raw, unprocessed pain stored in the brain, while talk therapy helps integrate these shifts into a broader understanding of oneself and one’s relationships.
If you’re navigating trauma, emotional pain, or persistent life patterns, consider how these two approaches can work together. With the right support, you can achieve both emotional relief and the lasting growth that comes from self-awareness and meaningful insight. Your healing journey can be as dynamic as you are—and these tools together can guide the way.
At Vervewell, our team of exceptionally skilled therapists offers various styles of and approaches to talk therapy: Psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution Focused Therapy, and EMDR. EMDR requires extra certification, which Blake holds. Please feel free to ADD sessions with Blake to explore EMDR, while you KEEP your sessions with your Vervewell therapist. We work collaboratively when this approach is requested by our clients, or encouraged by our team.
As always, in health and wellness.
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]]>The post The Neuroscience of EMDR: How Your Brain Heals Through Eye Movement, Desensitization, and Reprocessing appeared first on Vervewell.
]]>Blake Overstreet (LPC Assoc under the supervision of Beth C Lewis, LPC-S) spells out the intrigue and efficacy of EMDR therapy. Blake is certified in EMDR and is welcoming new clients for such. Even if you already have a Vervewell therapist, schedule a few EMDR sessions with Blake. Vervewell therapists works collectively when helpful, and as highlighted in his articles, talk therapy and EMDR work in tandem beautifully.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a revolutionary therapy backed by robust neuroscience. It’s not magic; it’s science in action. For those considering EMDR, understanding how it works on a neurological level can provide confidence in its effectiveness. This post unpacks the science behind EMDR, illuminating how it uses the brain’s natural processes to resolve trauma and enhance well-being.
Trauma and the Brain: A Quick Overview
When we experience a traumatic event, our brain processes the experience differently than everyday memories. Normally, memories are integrated into a cohesive narrative, stored in the brain’s neocortex, where we can recall them without distress. However, during trauma, the brain’s survival mode—governed by the amygdala, the emotional processing center—takes over.
In this heightened state of fight, flight, or freeze, the hippocampus, which organizes and categorizes memory, is disrupted. This can leave the traumatic memory unprocessed, and stored in its raw, fragmented form in the brain’s limbic system.
These “stuck” memories remain emotionally charged and can be triggered by sights, sounds, smells, or other cues, causing intense emotional and physical reactions. This is why traumatic memories can feel like they’re happening in the present, even years later.
How EMDR Works with Your Brain
EMDR helps the brain reprocess these unintegrated memories, reducing their emotional intensity and moving them into normal, adaptive memory storage. Here’s how:
- Bilateral Stimulation and the Brain’s Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) System
The cornerstone of EMDR is bilateral stimulation, which typically involves guided eye movements but can also include tapping or auditory cues. This stimulation is believed to activate the brain’s natural AIP system, which processes and integrates memories.Bilateral stimulation mimics the neurological activity that occurs during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, a phase where the brain naturally processes daily experiences. In this state, the brain links fragmented memories with existing knowledge, neutralizing their emotional charge.
In EMDR, bilateral stimulation facilitates similar neural activity, allowing the brain to “unstick” traumatic memories and reprocess them in a healthier way.
- Memory Reconsolidation and Synaptic Change
When a traumatic memory is activated during an EMDR session, it becomes “unstable” and open to change—a process called memory reconsolidation. Bilateral stimulation interrupts the original emotional response tied to the memory, replacing it with a more adaptive, rational perspective.On a cellular level, EMDR promotes changes in the brain’s neural networks. As the brain reprocesses the memory, new synaptic connections form, integrating the once-distressing memory into a broader, less threatening context.
- Shifting from the Limbic System to the Prefrontal Cortex
Trauma often locks the brain into a limbic system response—overactivation of the amygdala paired with underactivation of the prefrontal cortex, the rational decision-making center.EMDR helps calm the amygdala while engaging the prefrontal cortex, allowing clients to reframe traumatic events logically and calmly. This shift helps reduce hyperarousal and hypervigilance, hallmark symptoms of PTSD and anxiety disorders.
The Role of Neuroplasticity in Healing
EMDR taps into the brain’s neuroplasticity, its ability to rewire itself in response to new experiences. By repeatedly pairing distressing memories with bilateral stimulation and positive cognitive reframing, the brain forms new neural pathways. Over time, this rewiring diminishes the intensity of emotional triggers, making once-traumatic memories feel like a distant story rather than an ongoing threat.
EMDR and Emotional Regulation
Trauma often dysregulates the nervous system, leaving individuals stuck in states of hyperarousal (anxiety, panic) or hypoarousal (numbness, disconnection). EMDR helps balance the nervous system by:
- Reducing overactivation in the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight).
- Activating the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), promoting relaxation and calm.
The Evidence for EMDR’s Effectiveness
Neuroimaging studies have shown that EMDR reduces activity in the amygdala and increases connectivity between the limbic system and the prefrontal cortex. Clients often report feeling more in control of their emotions and thoughts after treatment, a result supported by measurable brain changes.
How EMDR Benefits Your Well-Being
By reprocessing trauma at its root, EMDR does more than just relieve symptoms—it promotes a deeper sense of emotional resilience and clarity. The benefits include:
- Freedom from Triggers: Distressing memories lose their power to hijack your emotions.
- Improved Self-Perception: Negative beliefs tied to trauma are replaced with empowering ones.
- Reduced Stress: The nervous system becomes more balanced, reducing chronic tension.
- Enhanced Relationships: With trauma resolved, you can engage more fully and authentically with others.
Final Thoughts
EMDR is a remarkable tool that harnesses the brain’s innate capacity for healing. By understanding the neuroscience behind it, you can feel confident that this therapy is not just effective—it’s deeply rooted in how your brain is designed to process and adapt.
If you’re ready to rewire your brain and rediscover peace, consider exploring EMDR with a qualified therapist. Healing is possible, and science is on your side.
Stay tuned for post three of this three-post series where Blake connects EMDR with talk therapy, a synergistic approach to personal healing and growth.
At Vervewell, our team of exceptionally skilled therapists offers various styles of and approaches to talk therapy: Psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution Focused Therapy, and EMDR. EMDR requires extra certification, which Blake holds. Please feel free to ADD sessions with Blake to explore EMDR, while you KEEP your sessions with your Vervewell therapist. We work collaboratively when this approach is requested by our clients, or encouraged by our team.
The post The Neuroscience of EMDR: How Your Brain Heals Through Eye Movement, Desensitization, and Reprocessing appeared first on Vervewell.
]]>The post Unlocking Healing with EMDR: How It Works and Why It Benefits Your Well-Being appeared first on Vervewell.
]]>Blake Overstreet (LPC Assoc under the supervision of Beth C Lewis, LPC-S) spells out the intrigue and efficacy of EMDR therapy. Blake is certified in EMDR and is welcoming new clients for such. Even if you already have a Vervewell therapist, schedule a few EMDR sessions with Blake. Vervewell therapists works collectively when helpful, and as highlighted in his articles, talk therapy and EMDR work in tandem beautifully.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a groundbreaking therapy approach that has transformed the mental health field. As a therapist, I often encounter curiosity about EMDR—specifically, how it works and how it can profoundly enhance mental well-being. So, let’s dive into the essential components of EMDR and its life-changing benefits.
What is EMDR?
EMDR is a structured therapy designed to help individuals process and resolve distressing memories and trauma. Developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s, it has since gained widespread recognition for treating conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, phobias, and even performance-related issues. EMDR targets the brain’s natural healing mechanisms, allowing clients to reprocess traumatic memories in a healthier way.
How Does EMDR Work?
EMDR is rooted in the idea that unprocessed traumatic memories can cause emotional and psychological disturbances. These memories are often stored in the brain in a “frozen” state, triggering intense reactions when similar situations arise. EMDR helps “unlock” and reprocess these memories, reducing their emotional charge and fostering resolution.
The process typically involves eight phases, each tailored to prepare and guide the client toward healing:
- History-Taking and Planning
The therapist works with the client to identify distressing memories and develop a treatment plan. This step builds a foundation of trust and establishes the areas of focus. - Preparation
Clients learn coping skills, such as grounding techniques, to manage emotional distress during and between sessions. This ensures a sense of safety throughout the process. - Assessment
The specific memory and its associated emotions, sensations, and negative beliefs are identified. - Desensitization
During this phase, the client focuses on the traumatic memory while following a bilateral stimulation technique—typically guided eye movements. This helps “unstick” the memory, allowing the brain to reprocess it. - Installation
Positive beliefs about oneself, such as “I am safe now,” are reinforced, replacing negative thought patterns linked to the memory. - Body Scan
Clients check for any lingering physical tension or distress, ensuring the trauma is fully processed. - Closure
The session concludes with grounding techniques, ensuring the client feels stable and empowered. - Reevaluation
Future sessions revisit the progress, refining treatment as needed.
Why EMDR Enhances Well-Being
The benefits of EMDR extend far beyond trauma resolution. By reprocessing distressing memories, clients often experience:
- Reduced Anxiety: EMDR helps regulate overactive stress responses, promoting calmness and clarity.
- Improved Self-Esteem: Replacing negative beliefs with empowering ones fosters a healthier self-image.
- Enhanced Emotional Regulation: Clients gain tools to manage overwhelming feelings more effectively.
- Deeper Connections: Letting go of past pain opens the door to more meaningful relationships.
One of EMDR’s most remarkable aspects is its efficiency. Many clients report significant progress after just a few sessions, making it a time-effective solution for those seeking relief from deeply rooted issues.
Final Thoughts
EMDR is more than a therapeutic technique; it’s a pathway to reclaiming your peace and potential. Whether you’re navigating the aftermath of trauma or looking to overcome persistent anxiety, EMDR offers a structured, evidence-based approach to healing. By unlocking the brain’s innate ability to heal, it paves the way for a brighter, more balanced future.
If you’re ready to transform your well-being, consider exploring EMDR with a trained therapist. Your healing journey is just one step away.
Stay tuned for the second article of three in which Blake explores the neuroscience of EMDR.
At Vervewell, our team of exceptionally skilled therapists offers various styles of and approaches to talk therapy: Psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution Focused Therapy, and EMDR. EMDR requires extra certification, which Blake holds. Please feel free to ADD sessions with Blake to explore EMDR, while you KEEP your sessions with your Vervewell therapist. We work collaboratively when this approach is requested by our clients, or encouraged by our team.
As always, in health and wellness.
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]]>The post Thoughtfully and Thankfully appeared first on Vervewell.
]]>It’s Thanksgiving week.
Typically, not always, but usually, families gather for this holiday. Some have an entire week away from their office, their professional world, some only a day or two. Either way, the assignment is typically gratitude, the assumption is thankfulness. Yet for many, visiting family, extra expenses, time away from routine, offer stressful feelings and triggered reactions, making gratitude and thankfulness feel like a pipe dream, allowing anxiety and defensiveness to hold premium real estate in our thoughts and behaviors.
Our feelings are derived from our thoughts, and the way we think about things is a habit, a default setting, often a format deeply embedded from our childhood. The good news about this is, believe it or not, we have the choice to choose our thoughts, at every turn, therefore, directing how we feel at any given moment. That’s so cool, amazing really, but the choosing of our thoughts is a hard habit to break. It takes practice, for sure, as we are breaking a deeply embedded habit of HOW we think about certain things, which in turn generates feelings that can either make us or break us. I expand upon this in my Rethink Method, which travels us through the steps that take us from triggers to outcome: something happens, we think about it, which passes us to a feeling, which determines our next step, which gives us our results, or life experience. But for the sake of this email, I’ll give you a simple hack that truncates this idea.
Come up with a word. A word that tells your brain to generate thoughts of depth and love, and to do it pronto, do it now. A word that, when whispered to ourselves, rushes OUT the negative thinking and anxious feelings, and quickly floods our mind with all things that hold light and love.
You may use my word if you don’t have your own. I came up with mine years ago as I was walking on the Trinity Trail in Fort Worth, Texas.
ENGULF.
That’s right, I rattle it off again and again. Engulf, engulf, engulf.
ENGULF is an acronym that stands for: Energy, Nature, God, Universe, Love and Faith.
I know, I know, each of these is such a giant concept, but for me, gathering these words in a row, piling up these concepts, offers direction to my own mind. Instead of any habitually placed swirling thoughts that may pull down my feelings, I fill my mind with these beautiful, intentional words. The occupancy of these ideas in my mind evicts anxiety from my body rather promptly, taking me from trigger to outcome in a lifted, concise and prompt way. The more I practice this hack, the more quickly my feelings improve.
The Vervewell therapists are a busy team this week. Please do not hesitate to get on our calendar as we will be seeing clients a few days this holiday week, while we take a couple of days to be with our families and loved ones.
We are so glad you are here.
In wellness,
Beth and the Vervewell Team
(Heather, Jason, Blake and Casye…and GumBeaux the always precious therapy dog)
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]]>The post You Are Who You Attract appeared first on Vervewell.
]]>Some days are easier than others, better than others, some days are more melancholy than the day before. Yet each day I generate gratitude for my ability to breathe, to move without pain, to check my blood sugar levels and be ok with the results (my family plays around with diabetes, so I stay informed with my own body). Each day I am grateful for bravery. I am careful not to confuse bravery with fearlessness, as I feel fear often. Bravery is the tenacity that shows up, regardless of fear.
I found a jogging/walking route near Brown University here in Providence and I find myself building my jog back up to a decent pace over the three mile path. I am enamored with the beauty of this city: the fall colors, the crisp leaves all over the brick streets, the beautiful and grand homes providing a gorgeous backdrop to the bright red and orange leaves that remain on some of the beautiful trees. Admittedly, I am awestruck.
While I stay in daily contact with my Vervewell staff in Fort Worth (my team is so communicative and connected with me and with each other, which warms my heart at every turn), I spend many hours a week finding my way in this new city, my new home. I live in a neighborhood referred to as Providence’s Little Italy. I hear people speaking Italian often and the interactions among those I watch is different than how it is in Texas. There is a sense of privacy around each person, a protectedness, if you will. There are less smiles and less eye contact. I was in Texas for 42 years; a length of time that allowed me to accept Texas’ niceties and hospitalities as the standards for passing exchanges. I am adapting to the different.
My biggest task most days, however, is to shed my loneliness. While I was alone in Texas, I knew people. I don’t know anyone here. I live alone (though my two cats DO fill my home with personality), I work alone, I see clients most days, but through a laptop screen and camera. I go to dinner alone, I venture out for a happy hour…alone. This isn’t a sad story, really, it isn’t. I like being alone most of the time, but some of the time, it’s, well, lonely.
Since landing here in Rhode Island, I can feel myself opening up, shedding my loneliness, as I say. I have done some big growing out here on this nomadically northeastern adventure, and in my last handful of years, as well. My self discovery has been keen, big, strong. My bravery has strengthened. And as the writer of the statement I say to my clients regularly: we are who we attract, I am finally interested in attracting others who have also grown a version of themselves of whom they are proud. I am proud of this version of me. I am confident I will attract new friends who share a level of transparency that looks somewhat like mine. I hope so.
I love my work with my couples, marriages, families. I watch husbands and wives, spouses, rally for their relationships. I watch them use my ideas for healthier communication, for connectedness. I watch them grow versions of themselves that offer more love, more transparency, more vulnerability through some of their more challenging chapters. I watch them grow closer even if they had to fall apart first.
Once I wrap up this page, I will head to my jogging trail, where I will build my physical pace up to a relatively healthy and strong cadence. And I will walk through my day today, and the days ahead with a sense of openness, availability, curiosity, transparency, vulnerability, bravery. And I will build my emotional pace to one that is relatively healthy and strong. I am who I attract.
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]]>The post Lifting Your Life appeared first on Vervewell.
]]>Thank you for trusting your Vervewell therapist(s) to be in your corner, your family’s corner, in the corner of your important relationships. We are honored to be of service in your world, no matter where you are, no matter what you may be experiencing.
In addition to your regular sessions at Vervewell (or virtually), please take a look at Beth’s new website that offers her brand of therapeutic coaching in 21-day virtual courses. Her riches, as she calls them, are sure to lift your life, in your space, at your pace. What a GIFT to your mental health, your on-going well being, and your heightened level of self-care.
http://LongLiveLively.org Riches for wellness
And, as always, do not hesitate to schedule with your Vervewell therapist. Contact them directly, or hop on our calendar by clicking here:
http://Vervewell.org. Therapy for Everyone
In health and wellness, I am so glad you are here…
Beth and the Vervewell Team
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]]>The post From Carbon to Diamonds appeared first on Vervewell.
]]>How do you handle your stressors when they show up?
Here is an idea that I’ve used with clients that yields results: less anxiety, positive and productive thoughts, peaceful and happy and beautiful results.
Stress happens for everyone. Even further, and as a matter of fact, diamonds are created from intense stress on carbon atoms. This tidbit of information has stuck with me since it was introduced to me in a high school science class. The carbon atoms experience the stress and use it to form something beautiful. A diamond can’t exist without intense stress taking place first.
So I do my best to experience my stress as something I can handle, even further, I typically try to use the anxious energy to create something beautiful. Step one in doing this is to let go of the resistance for the stress. When I find myself resisting the stress, saying things like “I just need this anxiety to go away” or “once I am past this intensely stressful time, it will all be better”, I find no relief. That is because those thoughts keep me in a stressful place that is full of resistance to the stress, which creates an energy within me that actually wards OFF peace or productivity and attracts more, you guessed it, stress.
When stress rears its ugly head, I’ve decided to look for its potential, instead. Stress is a feeling that tells me that I am in a position to create something beautiful, if I simply decide to experience it that way, like the carbon atom.
To help let go of the resistance to stress so that I can experience its power, I say things to myself like “I accept this stress” or “I am perfectly safe and peaceful as I experience this stress” or even better, “I am so grateful to have the opportunity to experience stress well, and to use it for something good”. Thoughts like these will create an inner energy that matches the energy of productivity or positivity, which leaves you open to attract productivity and positivity, therefore experiencing relief and peace.
You are the driver of your thoughts. Generate resistant-proof thoughts that connect you to your best potential, and that offer you opportunity to create diamonds from carbon atoms.
You’ve got this, dear ones.Schedule with a Vervewell therapist today, we are all welcoming new clients, either in office (Fort Worth, TX) or virtually.
I see clients virtually only.
In health and wellness,
Beth Clardy Lewis, LPC-S
Founder and therapist/coach at Vervewell: therapy for everyone
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