Like most of you, I am totally over working from home. Doing teletherapy in my attic while my kids ran around downstairs like maniacs has not been my idea of a good time. Needless to say, I have been waiting with bated breath for my new office building at 24 Lees Avenue in Collingswood to open. While the owners had hoped to open in June, the pandemic had other plans. But it was worth the wait! I moved in in early October and have been absolutely loving the new space! The Wellness Collective is a beautiful, modern space with over 10 health practitioners under one roof. Please read about it in this great feature from NJ Pen.

Even though most of my sessions remain telehealth, I have found that being in a new space has helped to invigorate my mood and creativity at work. I realize it's a total luxury to have an alternative space right now, and I'm so grateful. My commute is a 5 minute drive so it's still very close to home...but yet it's far enough to make me want to put on pants that actually have zippers and buttons for the first time since March!

f you've ever seen Stranger Things on Netflix, you've heard of the term the "upside-down world." At first glance, it looks so much like the everyday world that the protagonists live in. Look closer though and you'll start to see elements of the paranormal and supernatural. Typical suburban landscapes take on terrifying and surreal dimensions, which make you question everything you know. It is a different kind of horror than the no-holds barred gimmicky images we're used to seeing in movies and tv. And it is far more disturbing.

I experienced the contemporary version of the upside-down world yesterday, while making my biweekly run to the grocery store. Driving down the highway, I first noticed the empty parking lots of big box stores that are typically full around noon on a weekday. As I neared the store, I saw people in masks rushing around, maneuvering their shopping carts with a wide berth so as to avoid making contact with anybody. I sanitized my hands, put on a mask and wiped down my cart with disinfectant. I hurriedly walked into the upside-down world of the grocery store.

During the trip and afterwards, I noticed my heart was racing. I felt fatigued, having to be so vigilant of my surroundings so as not to infringe on other people's space. This mundane task, one I had done hundreds of times in my life, had become something that felt dangerous, and my body responded as if I had been walking a tightrope. Once I got home, I then worked to keep my young children from tearing through the groceries so that I could wipe everything down. I felt angry, exhausted and shocked at the toll that this task took.

The rest of the day, I made sure to do things that helped my body return to a normal state of rest. I connected with clients, talked with friends and family, and practiced mindfulness. I tried not to read too much news and watched an episode of a new, light-hearted show. I was practicing what I preached to clients all day. I had the urge to criticize myself for having such a strong reaction. After all, the grocery store workers have to deal with this all the time and their safety is way more compromised than mine was. But instead of going towards guilt, I reminded myself that in this new upside-down world, all feelings are valid and self-compassion is the only way to survive. I breathed. I let go. And I felt prepared to do it all again the next day. 

Registration is open for Mother's Day - It's Complicated on April 25, 2020. Join us for a day of healing that will include conversation, meditation, yoga, art and more in a beautiful, natural setting. Engage in some real self-care when you show up, do the hard things, and feel lighter and more connected as a result. Any questions, please email me!
​https://mothersdayitscomplicated.app.rsvpify.com/ 

I received the most amazing email right after Thanksgiving and I had to share it below. I was so touched that a person who I had not spoken to in over 5 years went out of their way to thank me for the lasting impact that therapy had on them. Seriously, I had not heard from this person in FIVE YEARS and they took the time to just show gratitude. It made me feel amazing and proud. It made me think of some of the people who helped me at times in my life when I felt out of control or hopeless. And it makes me wonder...when is the last time you thanked someone, just because?

Edited to protect privacy 
Hi Kelly,  
I don't know if you remember me, but I was a patient of yours a few years back. One of my supervisors referred me to EAP, and that's how I met you and began going to weekly sessions. I tried talking to someone before, but I didn't really connect with them. I remember feeling uncomfortable about going to see you at first, because I thought going to therapy would mean I was weak. I needed some convincing about how getting counseling would help me. But over time with our weekly sessions, you taught me to develop some coping mechanisms to deal with stress. I wanted to thank you for giving me the support I needed all those years back.

I also wanted to thank you for introducing me to meditation. The first time you led me through a body scan, it produced an enormous feeling of calm within me for those few minutes, which made me realize how anxious I became in trying to meet the demands of [my job]. When I felt much better and left [that job], I stopped practicing. I recently took it up again and am trying to do it more regularly several times a week. I can't tell you how useful it has been in helping me deal with the stresses of work and life in general. There are so many apps and guided meditations available now and I'm always interested in how I can practice more mindfulness. I listen to a podcast about meditation called 10% Happier. When I'm feeling particularly agitated at work because of the actions of one of my colleagues, I take a few minutes during my lunch break to sit in a quiet corner and listen to a guided meditation. I even try to get a 5-10 minute session in if I happen to get to work early.
 
I finally realized how powerful the mind is, and how much influence your thoughts have on your mood and general outlook on life. I've learned that there are things you don't have control over, but you can always choose to practice gratitude or adopt a different mindset. It's not always easy to do so, but it can make a huge difference. If it weren't for you, I never would have considered giving meditation a try. Now, it's become such a huge component of my well-being that I don't know  how I could deal with the stresses of life without it. 

Thank you again for all of your help. Wishing you and your loved ones a happy holiday. 

I am so thankful to the folks behind Crisis Text Line, a free service that has amazing resources for people in crisis. They define crisis in a broad sense that moves beyond the typical definition. Here's what they have to say:  "You’re in crisis. That doesn’t just mean suicide: it’s any painful emotion for which you need support." They have trained volunteers who typically respond to a text within 5 minutes or less. They also have a kick-ass website with tons of great info and coping skills. 

I tested it out today and had a lovely conversation with River, a volunteer who responded to my inquiry in about 2 minutes. Clients often reach out to me via text when they are in distress - the problem is that there are many times I am unable to respond immediately because I do not have access to my phone. When I do respond, they usually tell me the feeling has passed. I wish I could be there to help them through it myself, but it gives me soooo much comfort knowing that I can share this resource with clients ahead of time, before the moment of crisis hits. 

Check out the website for more info: https://www.crisistextline.org/

​​I started hating Mother's Day when I was 14 years old. It wasn't simply an act of adolescent rebellion - it was the age that my mother died of cancer. 

From that point on, Mother's Day often arrived in a storm of tears, nausea, dread and jealousy. I wanted to be the one making cards and buying gifts. I wanted to serve burnt waffles with too-cold butter to my mom in bed. I wanted all the warm feelings and melodramatic sweeping music that was portrayed on the Mother's Day specials on my favorite sitcoms.  

Every year, the dread would start in March, grow throughout April, and then capsize in May. By actual Mother's Day, I was depleted from all the anticipatory anxiety I had been building up and just felt depressed. I hate to say it, but it stayed this way for many years.

At one point, I decided that enough was enough. I would reclaim Mother's Day by making it a celebration of my father, since he had to be both father and mother on a daily basis. SeveraI years later, I expanded it to include my aunts and grandmother. Once I became a mother, I realized that I wanted to find a way to make peace with my grief so that I could enjoy the day with my own family.

So, it's been a work in progress. I do not love Mother's Day by any means, but I no longer dread it. In fact, I often forget about it until someone mentions it to me.  I now use it as a way to pause and honor my mother as well as honor all of the other amazing women in my life. I use it as an excuse to kiss my sweet girls' faces  and take in their scent during a tight hug. And this year, I'm doing something new. I am offering other women in my community a chance to start their own healing process and reclaim the day. I expect it to include a lot of tears, a lot of laughs and who knows - maybe I'll even bring in some burnt waffles. 

​Happy Mother's Day, y'all.