We learned of The Loveland Foundation Therapy Fund whose mission is to provide access to mental health care for communities of color with an emphasis on black women and girls. It’s an amazing foundation! Read more about it here!

What do they say…”Don’t should all over yourself”? Shoulds take up a lot of space in our minds. Learn to pay attention to what they are in the service of. Moving you forward in your values or pleasing others and then decide whether you really “should”.

Thoughts are just thoughts. They are not necessarily fact. And they can lead us forward or keep us stuck. Becoming an observer of our thoughts and then choosing what we do with them is a valuable skill.

I did this video a year or so ago when we were still coming off the tail end of covid and where there continued to be alot of upheaval, pain and confusion in our world. I thought it still appropriate today and wanted to post here as a blog because the strategy of Notice, Name, Neutralize from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (Russ Harris) is a strategy that I turn to often when going through any tough feeeling.

Hope it’s helpful! Nickie

Thanks, Shout Out Houston for this interview!

Such a fun opportunity to be able to talk through our hopes and goals for WHCP, how we got started and what we value!

https://shoutouthtx.com/meet-nickie-haine-lcsw-s-and-amy-acosta-phd-therapist-owners-whcp/

Developing a self-compassion practice goes a long way for our self care.

One of the first things I hear from new clients when I mention the idea of developing a mindfulness practice is  “I can’t do it!  Every time I try to be mindful, I can’t get the thoughts out of my head!”,  “I get frustrated and I become more anxious!”  or “I don’t have time for mindfulness, who has time for that?”.  Explore three common mindfulness myths.

The opposite of control is acceptance. An observer’s stance? You are not your anxiety.

We absolutely love to control. And our big, developed brains allow us to exert an amazing degree of control over our environment. This has been very helpful in protecting us throughout time and it’s not surprising that one of our first instincts when confronted with an unwelcome experience is to somehow try to control that experience. Our “control instinct” often works quite well. If you spill a glass of water, you exert control by wiping it up. Every day, all day long, we are exercising control and tend to feel pretty good doing it.