Learning – Going On 40

Counseling 911

During my internship, I sat with a woman whose anger in the session was visceral; body trembling, mouth spitting, and laser-cutting eyes. I didn’t like her, as she blamed everyone else for her problems. This time it was her kid’s fault that she’d pressed the gas pedal too hard, leading to her ultimately getting a speeding ticket. I’dContinue reading “Counseling 911”

I Did It My Way

With an hour and a half left to go on the drive to the ocean Ibeyi’s newly released album is playing over the speaker. The sister duo played at The Neptune in 2017 and was the first concert Dave and I ever attended together. It wasn’t just the power of their voices or the rareContinue reading “I Did It My Way”

Dance Magic

I’m still in disbelief over the progress between the mother and daughter I saw yesterday in session. I was so relieved and touched by their openness and vulnerability that I cried. Because just last week, they wouldn’t even look at each other. And after seeing their painful pattern of attacking and shutting down, I wasn’tContinue reading “Dance Magic”

Ghosting: A Rant

I’m gonna go out on a not-so-long limb and say that ghosting (for those who don’t know, it’s the act of cutting off all communication and ignoring a person) is harmful. The clients I work with talk about doing it and are having it happen to them, which makes me wonder, is this the norm?Continue reading “Ghosting: A Rant”

Hold Me Close

Do you ever learn something about yourself, something not so positive, and don’t quite know how to feel about it? Since I desire to work with couples, I am taking a seminar during my downtime on emotionally-focused therapy. Initially, I felt jazzed about the content, learning ways to reframe problems between couples and how toContinue reading “Hold Me Close”

I Am The Walrus

Do you know about the unreliable narrator? IT MESSED WITH MY MIND when I first learned about it; in my eyes, it was outright wrong for a writer to be intentionally deceitful. I naively expected writers to be the most honest reporters ever. So when I started a book myself I expected to remember, verbatim,Continue reading “I Am The Walrus”

When In Moab

I hate being manipulated. Scratch that. I hate it when someone tries to manipulate me. I’m decent at sniffing it out; I get an uncomfy feeling in my belly and like a bloodhound that’s treed a fox, there’s an arooing signal that goes off in me. Sometimes I get stuck questioning myself about it. Like,Continue reading “When In Moab”

No Water, People

I mistakenly thought the National Park Ranger’s tin container had marijuana in it, along with the necessary paraphernalia to smoke this afternoon. However, inside was a dried string bean, an ear of corn, a shard of Obsidian, and various other rocks native to the Sedona valley – instead of the wacky tobacky. I’d later learnContinue reading “No Water, People”