difficult emotions

Therapy is supposed to help you feel better, right? So why do some people walk out of sessions feeling more emotional, more exhausted, more weighed down than when they arrived? This is actually incredibly common. In my practice, I see it happen for a few very human reasons: Therapy exposes…

You’re lying in bed when an unexplainable wave of dread hits. Or maybe an irrational fear that something bad is about to happen ambushes you during your morning commute. These scenarios highlight how impending doom is like a party crasher: It doesn’t knock, but barges in, takes up the whole…

You’ve probably wondered why you feel this way or why it’s so hard to shake. Maybe you’ve heard it’s about brain chemistry, or stress, or genetics. But depression doesn’t have a single cause, and that’s important to understand. Depression develops from a mix of factors: your biology, life circumstances, mental…

Starting therapy can feel both exciting and intimidating, especially if it’s your first time connecting with a therapist or counselor. It may bring some peace of mind to know you’ll have an experienced guide ready to lead you through each session. Still, you may be wondering: What should you talk…

Picture this: You’re at the grocery store when someone ahead of you erupts into a screaming rage over a simple checkout delay. Or maybe it’s closer to home: A friend who seems calm one moment, then explodes into violent anger over something seemingly trivial, leaving everyone around them shaken and…

If someone has told you to “feel your feelings,” but you’re sitting there thinking “What does that even mean?” you’re not alone. I get this question from clients all the time. Here’s why it matters: The alternative is bottling everything up, and that never ends well. Your emotions don’t just…

I had a picture-perfect childhood: loving parents, a nice house, a big yard and plenty of toys. My only concerns were going to school and playing with my Barbies, running off to soccer practice and riding my scooter, bugging my brother and watching Dragon Tales. Unfortunately, it never dawned on…

Generally speaking, politics can be a challenging topic to talk about. It often causes disagreements, stress, and tension. During tumultuous times like elections or changes in office, this stress can grow to become political anxiety.  In the discussion of politics, anxiety might be provoked when you read the news, check…

Why is it so hard to express your feelings? If you have ever found yourself unable to put your emotions into words, you’re not alone. Expressing feelings can seem daunting, whether it’s because of fear, discomfort with vulnerability, or not knowing how to articulate complex emotions. Many of us struggle…

Why is there a bipolar 2 and a bipolar 1? There’s no depression 2 or depression 1. There’s no anxiety 3.0. What makes bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic depression) different? The quick answer is that people with bipolar 2 have enough variation in their symptoms from type 1 bipolar…

There is a common misconception that men don’t have feelings—or, at least, not to the same degree as women. In reality, we all experience a wide range of feelings. We feel happy, sad, angry, frustrated, heartbroken, scared, betrayed, and the list goes on. However, men are often less likely to…

Being in a romantic relationship has its ups and downs. But what about dating someone who has a mental health condition like bipolar disorder?  As it so happens, dating someone with bipolar disorder I or II may not be so different from dating anyone else. Although it’s true that people…