The New Year can be a time of feeling refreshed – of experiencing excitement and purpose in leaving old habits in the dust, creating new goals, and perhaps even pursuing challenging adventures! Maybe 2013 was full of disappointment and heartache. As a result, you are nothing but utterly ready to shed those bad experiences andContinue reading “Less is More in 2014 [ Five Resolutions for Your Emotional Health ]”
Author Archives: Lydia Minear, M.A., Counselor
The Good News of Being “Messy”
“People are just as wonderful as sunsets if you let them be. When I look at a sunset, I don’t find myself saying, ‘Soften the orange a bit on the right hand corner.’ I don’t try to control a sunset. I watch with awe as it unfolds.” ~ Carl Rogers (Psychotherapist) Break-throughs, as most therapistContinue reading “The Good News of Being “Messy””
Recognizing Yourself as a Friend
I love this quote (left) by Elizabeth Gilbert, an award-winning fiction and non-fiction writer. I believe it to be an often-dismissed yet critically important reminder. A few months ago I wrote a blog post about accepting and loving oneself, entitled: Being Kind To Yourself [ Shaking Off Comparison]. In it, I discussed the common struggle of negative self-talkContinue reading “Recognizing Yourself as a Friend”
The Power of Vulnerability
In this post, I simply wanted to share a fantastic and eye-opening Ted Talk video, by Researcher and LMSW Brene Brown. She presents findings from years of research on the power of vulnerability, the necessity of authenticity, and the importance of living wholeheartedly. I hope it challenges and inspires you as well. Enjoy! __________________________________________________________________________________________ Learn more aboutContinue reading “The Power of Vulnerability”
When You Change…
“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” ~ E. E. Cummings I recently went to the beach with my family. We returned to an island we hadn’t visited in many years. Being back there – a place of my childhood summers – granted me that lovely nostalgic feeling of returningContinue reading “When You Change…”
Embracing the Elephant in the Room [ My Heart for Psychotherapy ]
You simply cannot ignore an elephant in a room, especially not in a small room. Well, you can for a time. Maybe you take special precautions to sit in the corner of the room, furthest from its large flopping ears and gray trunk. Perhaps you cover your ears when it lets out a shrill trumpetContinue reading “Embracing the Elephant in the Room [ My Heart for Psychotherapy ]”
Counseling Q and A
So, in the beginning of last week I shared a post [ Questions ], in which I prompted readers to ask any and all questions regarding counseling [i.e. the process, purpose, risks, rewards, etc. ]. While I may not have received many questions, the two that I got were fantastic. Question #1: What makes counseling anyContinue reading “Counseling Q and A”
Questions
Hi friends! I would love to provide a Blog Post where I address any and all questions people may have concerning Counseling [ the purpose, process, risks, rewards, etc. involved ]. Please feel free to email me at lminear@eastwestpsych.com or comment in the Contact Me page with any questions! I will be responding via theContinue reading “Questions”
Being Kind to Yourself [ Shaking off Comparison ]
Be Kind to Yourself. Sometimes the simplest of words ring the truest. I was told this by a therapist once, and well, it stuck. Self-Talk: a person’s internal dialogue, which can be positive and motivational or negative and demotivating. In other, less technical and fancy words, self-talk includes all the mess we tell ourselves. This includes theContinue reading “Being Kind to Yourself [ Shaking off Comparison ]”
Throwing Paperclips: Relationship Conflict & Communication
Imagine that you and I are sitting in a room together – I on one side of the room and you on the other. Unexpectedly, I pull out a jar of paperclips and begin throwing them at you, one right after another…How would you respond? You have a few options: (a) run out of the roomContinue reading “Throwing Paperclips: Relationship Conflict & Communication”
Lydia Minear LPC 