How Trauma Affects Your Heart Chakra (And How to Receive Love, Empathy, and Connection)
Your Heart Chakra is your core of love, connection, and compassion. When it's balanced, you experience deep empathy, open-heartedness, and the ability to give and receive love freely.
But when this energy center is disrupted, the impact on your daily life is significant. Feelings of isolation, difficulty with boundaries, and an inability to forgive can become common. These are strong indicators that your heart chakra is out of alignment.
Your Complete Guide on How to Use Out-of-Network Benefits for EMDR
I get it. Finding a therapist who's truly the right fit can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. You hop on Psychology Today or Google, and suddenly there are hundreds of profiles in your area. Maybe a friend raves about their therapist, but you're still left wondering: Do I even need therapy? How often will I have to go to feel better? Does my insurance actually cover this?
These are all incredibly common questions, and honestly, I've been there myself, sitting in the client's chair. Insurance lingo can be tricky to untangle, which is exactly why I put together this guide for you. My goal is to support you in your search for your dream therapist.
Why I use Reiki with EMDR as a Licensed Therapist
If you’re reading this, chances are you value a holistic and intentional approach to healing. We share similar values here. Traditional talk therapy often doesn’t go deep enough. The number one reason I use Reiki with EMDR as a licensed therapist is that trauma affects your mind, body, and spirit - so why shouldn’t your recovery focus on that too? We get to use Reiki to enhance EMDR and help you heal from the inside out.
Conversations with Healers, Helpers, & Guides: Jeymarie Guerra, A Neuroaffirming Registered Play Therapist, Early Childhood Specialist & Qualified Supervisor
Today, we are talking with Jeymarie Guerra, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who is passionate about neuro-affirming and trauma-informed care. She is a wealth of knowledge in the SOFLO community and beyond.
How Trauma Affects Your Sacral Chakra (And How to Reclaim Your Creativity, Joy, and Pleasure)
You know those days when you feel totally in your element? Like ideas are just flowing, you're laughing easily, maybe dancing in your kitchen, or just genuinely feeling good in your skin? That's your Sacral Chakra energy doing its happy dance. But then there are the other days, right? The ones where creativity feels totally blocked, emotions are stuck or overwhelming, intimacy feels distant, or joy feels... well, far away. If you've ever felt numb, stifled, or disconnected from your own inner rhythm, chances are your sacral chakra might need a little love.
From High Hopes to Deep Disappointment: The Anxious Attachment Loop
You know the feeling. You're chatting with a new friend, or a family member, and there's a moment – a shared laugh, a heartfelt comment, a feeling of genuine connection.
And just like that, your mind races ahead. This is it! This feels good. This connection is real.
You're filled with this wonderful, warm sense of hope and joy. You start to picture more moments like this. It feels amazing, doesn't it?
But then, something shifts. Maybe they seem a little busy, or a plan gets canceled, or you just get a quiet moment that feels... off.
And suddenly, that lovely, hopeful feeling twists into a familiar knot in your stomach. That joy drains right out, replaced by a heavy disappointment. Your brain, in what feels like a blink, jumps to:
"Did I say something wrong?"
"Are they pulling away?"
"Am I too much?"
"Why does this always happen to me?"
"Maybe I'm not that important to them after all."
"See? I knew it wouldn't last."
How Anxious Attachment Affects Your Relationship With Yourself
Anxious attachment doesn’t just show up in your relationships—it shapes the way you treat yourself. If you struggle with overthinking, self-doubt, and seeking external validation, your relationship with yourself may not feel like a safe place. Here’s how anxious attachment leads to self-abandonment—and how to start healing.
How Trauma Affects Your Root Chakra (And How to Reclaim Your Sense of Safety)
Trauma can leave you feeling ungrounded, anxious, and disconnected from your body. Your root chakra—the energy center for safety and stability—can be deeply affected by past wounds. Learn how trauma therapy, somatic healing, EMDR, and grounding practices can help you reclaim your sense of security.
Why Saying No to Family Feels Impossible for People-Pleasers
Do you feel a pang of guilt whenever you consider saying no to a family member? Maybe it’s agreeing to take on yet another responsibility, even when you’re already stretched thin. Or going along with a family plan, even when it clashes with your needs or desires.
For people-pleasers, saying no to family doesn’t just feel hard—it can feel impossible.
The Fear of Disappointing Others: Why It Happens and How to Heal
Do you find yourself overthinking everything you’ve said or done, wondering if you’ve upset someone? Maybe you apologize constantly, even when you’ve done nothing wrong, or avoid conflict at all costs—even if it means ignoring your own needs. If this sounds like you, you’re not alone.
Are You Always the One Holding It Together?
Do you ever feel like it’s your job to keep everything and everyone together? Like you’re responsible for everyone else’s emotions and well-being?
You say “yes” to everyone like it’s your mantra. People praise you for being so helpful, but inside, you cringe. You’re exhausted from carrying the weight of everyone’s needs, yet you don’t know how to put it down.
Therapist Thoughts: Your Therapist Gets It About People-Pleasing
Let’s be real: People-pleasing isn’t just a habit; it’s a full-time job that never pays well. And here’s the plot twist— I get it because I’ve been there, too (yep, me!). The need to make everyone happy runs deep, and breaking free from it isn’t easy. But the journey is worth it.
Therapist Thoughts: “Everything about therapy is going to make you feel uncomfortable in the beginning.”
This is a normal part of the process because you’re sharing deeply personal experiences with a stranger. That can feel weird AF and vulnerable...
Why Positive Affirmations Alone Don’t Work
Maybe you’ve tried reciting “I am good enough,” or “I am abundant,” but neither of these felt or sounded true. Your body and nervous system need to be on the same page for them to work.
4 Things I Do When I Feel The Urge to Say “Yes” (As A Therapist & Recovering People-Pleaser)
Things I’ve had to be honest with myself about: It’s okay to want to say “yes” to others AND it’s important to understand where the “yes” is coming from. We often hear about setting boundaries and IMO, boundaries are not meant to keep people out. They are a bridge...