Author name: Shaelene

“Should have.” “Why can’t this be THIS way ?” “I’m just going to avoid doing this.” “If I just keep moving and doing I will feel better.” Any of these sound familiar? Since quarantine started, I have heard the above phrases (and many others) in my head that have made it hard to be effective. […]

Why is it that we are always the harshest and most unforgiving to ourselves?  Anyone else feel that way?  As a self – proclaimed type A person and perfectionist, non – judgmental is an extremely hard skill for me to practice. My running motto is often – “do better, try hard, do more” AND YET

Let me first start off by saying writing this blog post is taking a loooooooot of opposite to emotion action. Vulnerability is tough for me.  My action urge tends to be to keep all the feels in. Present like everything is okay even if I feel otherwise.  Can anyone relate? If you can, you may

I saw this image show up on the feed of another therapist friend. (Shout out to Brian at @Welcome_connections in Collingswood!) I liked the image of course, because I could resonate with the need of a reframe. When everyone asks how I’m doing amidst the coronavirus quarantine, I usually respond “doing okay”. I mean, I

Changes are hard. Everyone says it. We all know it. But until we are in a position ourselves of being in transition or making a huge life change, we really don’t know what it’s going to be like for us. Planning a wedding and getting married is stressful. I have some friends that LOVED the

5…4…3…2…1… Happy New Year!!!! People begin to give hugs, kiss each other, cheers their beverages, bang pots and pans, and some spend the rest of the night dancing away. AND THEN….the question arises…‘So what is your New Year’s Resolution?’   Oh, I am going to eat SUPER HEALTHY. Who me? I am so going to

“Don’t turn away. Keep your gaze on the bandaged place. That’s where the light enters you.” ― Tara Brach, Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha When I first started learning DBT, I arrived at the skill of radical acceptance and observed a gut reaction: my brain and body said “OH HELL NO!”. “Accepting

“It is not joy that makes us grateful. It is gratitude that makes us joyful.” –David Steindl-Rast In the spirit of Thanksgiving…gratitude. I often feel gratitude for the simple things in my daily life. A cup of hot coffee in the morning, a sweet encounter with a stranger, arriving home to see Joe after a

Hey out there! It’s me again! I know, it’s been some time (again) right? Whenever I share on this blog my intention is to share with purpose. Not to share just because I enjoy talking (or writing) about myself. So here I am writing this out in the notes section of my phone because I

I am currently riding the rollercoaster emotions of with my youngest child going to college out of state. Can anybody relate? September is a busy month for most with the official shift from Summer to Fall. Whether it’s having a new baby, starting up the school year, changing schools, moving, or the dreaded Monday blues,