Notes from the couch.

Honest, practical writing from our clinicians on the everyday work of feeling better.

April 2, 2024 · 11 min read

Flexible Parenting Part 3: Tips on How to Be a Flexible Parent

So now what? How do I actually apply all of this knowledge about my child’s stage of development when she’s being stubborn or having a meltdown? In the last installment of this series, I’ll walk you through the steps of how to be flexible i

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March 19, 2024 · 10 min read

Flexible Parenting Part 2: Your Role in All of This

How does knowing about Erikson’s theory help me day to day in parenting my kids? Knowing what challenges your kids are facing makes it so much easier to know what they’re needing from you. For easy reference of Erikson’s stages, see the cha

March 4, 2024 · 10 min read

Flexible Parenting: Part 1

Do you ever find yourself confused by how your child can be so mature and insightful one moment and incapable of handling the smallest difficulty in the next? They may go from describing in detail the history of WWII that they learned in cl

February 29, 2024 · 8 min read

Parenting ADHD: Tapping into Self-Compassion

In a previous post, I explained that the second step to successful ADHD treatment is for parents to tap into their more compassionate side. Today we are going to talk a little bit more about what that looks like. Compassion has this trickle

January 25, 2024 · 6 min read

4 Common Ways We Maintain Our Illusion of Control

4 Common Ways We Maintain Our Illusion of Control Control. We all want it, but there never seems to be as much of it as we’d like. Being human means constantly navigating the dynamic reality that there are a few things within our control an

January 23, 2024 · 7 min read

Attachment for Beginners

Attachment for Beginners Have you ever wondered why you find yourself drawn to the same type of people? Maybe for you it’s been a good thing; you’re the quiet, reserved type whose confidence is enhanced by being around your outgoing and eff

January 19, 2024 · 9 min read

A Letter: To the Parent of a Child with ADHD

A Letter: To the Parent of a Child with ADHD Dear Loving and Possibly Exasperated Parent, Wherever you find yourself on a scale from “zen” to “at the end of your rope”, take a moment to congratulate yourself for two things: 1) for being a p

January 12, 2024 · 6 min read

Good Fences Make Good Neighbors: The What and Why of Boundaries

Good Fences Make Good Neighbors: The What and Why of Boundaries He only says, ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’ Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder If I could put a notion in his head: ‘Why do they make good neighbors? Isn’t it Wher

December 19, 2023 · 6 min read

Defense Mechanisms

Defense Mechanisms Our bodies work really hard to protect us. Our immune system mobilizes itself to protect us from infection. When we trip and fall, our sense of balance and reflexes kick in to minimize the risk of a broken bone. Our nervo

November 17, 2023 · 4 min read

Part 2: Communication Styles Continued

Part 2: Communication Styles Continued If you haven’t already, start with Part 1 of this post to learn about passive, passive-aggressive, and aggressive communication styles. Today we are focusing on the most effective communication style,

November 16, 2023 · 8 min read

Part 1: Communication Styles

Part 1: Communication Styles In previous posts we’ve talked about the importance of learning the language of emotion and deciphering the corresponding unmet need. One perk of being better acquainted with your needs and emotions is that you

September 22, 2023 · 5 min read

Holistic Health: Tracing Emotions Back to Universal Needs

Holistic Health: Tracing Emotions Back to Universal Needs Human beings are complex. We are living organisms with physical bodies capable of maintaining all the automatic functions required to keep us alive like breathing, digestion, and tem

September 22, 2023 · 6 min read

Learning to Speak the Language of Emotions

Learning to Speak the Language of Emotions Raise your hand if you were taught that there are positive and negative emotions. If we were in a sold-out auditorium right now, I bet I’d be looking at a sea of hands. While this is a common (and

September 15, 2023 · 10 min read

Therapist Book Recommendations: Couch Method Staff Picks

Therapist Book Recommendations: Couch Method Staff Picks Words are powerful. When we experience something that we don’t quite have the language for, we can feel lost, confused, frustrated, and alone. But the right words at the right time th

September 15, 2023 · 7 min read

Narcissistic Abuse Part 3

Narcissistic Abuse Part 3 I Finally Know That I’m in a Narcissistic Relationship. Now What? Being in a close relationship with a narcissist can take a toll on your mental health, your physical health, your spiritual health, and can even end

September 15, 2023 · 12 min read

Recognizing Narcissistic Abuse Part 2

Recognizing Narcissistic Abuse Part 2 Like most kids who grow up near lakes, I took swimming lessons at an early age. They teach you enough basic strokes to stay afloat and warn you of the most common dangers to swimmers so that you can hav

August 1, 2023 · 6 min read

Recognizing Narcissistic Abuse

Part 1: 4 Telltale Signs You’re Dealing with a Narcissist Narcissism. That abundantly used term with an elusive meaning. It’s used in conversation to mean a host of things from “selfish” and “self-absorbed” to “controlling” and “manipulativ

July 27, 2023 · 7 min read

Myth vs. Fact

Myth vs. Fact: 6 Myths about Therapy Debunked During the pandemic, like 987,000 other under-stimulated and over-anxious individuals, I picked up the hobby of baking sourdough bread. I read up on how to make your own starter from scratch and

July 26, 2023 · 6 min read

A Beginner’s Guide to Mental Health Services

A Beginner’s Guide to Mental Health Services “What is the difference between going to therapy and going to counseling? And why are there so many different types of therapists to choose from? It’s so confusing!” These are common thoughts for

July 25, 2023 · 7 min read

How to Choose a Therapist

How to Choose a Therapist Finding a therapist, like finding a good date, is hard. You may have been flirting with the idea of going to therapy for a while, but the timing hasn’t been right until now. Maybe your family and friends have been

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