Creative Counseling

The holiday season comes with sparkly lights, full calendars, and—for many people—a quiet sense of dread underneath all that glitter. Between family expectations, financial pressures, complicated relationships, and the emotional weight of “trying to keep everyone happy,” this time of year can feel less like a celebration and more like an obstacle course. But here’s the truth: you are allowed to protect your peace.And the way you do that is through boundaries. Not aggressive w

If you’ve ever thought that parenting would magically get easier once your kids became adults… surprise! It doesn’t. The job description simply changes, often in ways that catch us off guard. This past week with my own adult kids reminded me of just how complicated, emotional, and downright exhausting this stage can be — even when you love them with everything you’ve got. Parenting adult children isn’t about permission slips or bedtime routines anymore. It’s about giving advi

As we head into the end of the fall semester, I’ll be honest: I’m excited. Not just because due dates and discussion boards are wrapping up, but because this time of year offers something we don’t always give ourselves permission to take—a deep breath. If you’re a student, a parent, a professional (or all three at once), you’ve probably been running on “go” for months. Fall can feel like a marathon of responsibilities: classes, work, family, schedules, unexpected crises, and

Have you ever noticed that a part of you feels confident and capable while another part feels scared or unsure? Or that one part wants to forgive, but another part can’t let go? Those contradictions inside us aren’t flaws—they’re parts of who we are. And in Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy, those parts have a voice, a story, and a purpose. IFS, developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz, is based on a simple yet profound idea: we are not one single, fixed identity. Instead, we ar

It happens slowly—first the sun dips below the horizon a little earlier, then the mornings greet us with that unmistakable chill. Before long, we’re reaching for heavier coats and turning on lights before dinnertime. The world feels quieter. The hum of summer fades, replaced by the rustle of wind, the rhythm of rain, and the whisper that it’s time to slow down. For some, this season feels like a breath—permission to rest, reflect, and recharge. But for many, the shorter days