Are you the kind of person who apologizes to the furniture when you bump into it? Do you find yourself saying “sorry” every time somebody else feels even slightly uncomfortable? If so, you might be an over-apologizer. Apologizing is a fundamental social skill, crucial...

As therapists, our work is to support our clients in their growth and in their challenges.  One of the biggest challenges that many people contend with is the tendency to try and cope with difficult emotions in ways that actually lead to more difficult emotions....

Most of us don’t get a job just to make friends– but that doesn’t mean you should put up with a toxic coworker. Dealing with a toxic coworker can be one of the most challenging aspects of any job. A toxic coworker can create a hostile work environment, undermine your...

When we look for someone to date, we often use dating apps or social media to understand them. When we are hiring, or looking for a job, there’s lots of criteria we consider. The basis of many of our most significant relationships is choosing the right person– so why...

Does your kid dread the start of the school week? Are they fine on Saturday night, but Sunday night sees them worried and whimpering? If so, they might be dealing with the “Sunday Scaries.” The end of the weekend and the start of a new week of school can be a lot for...

There’s a great line in the Netflix series Bojack Horseman that perfectly explains one of the problems people run into early in a relationship: “When you look at someone through rose colored glasses, all the red flags just look like flags.” We tend to look at new...

In 2022, about 56 million American adults saw a therapist. And that’s great! Seeing a therapist is a sign that you’re taking your mental health seriously and are willing to invest in your own happiness and wellbeing. But not every therapist is a great fit for you. It...

In our daily lives, we are surrounded by mirrors. There are literal mirrors like the one hanging over the closet door, the rear-view mirror in your car, the glass windows you walk past on your way to work, and even the front-facing camera on your smartphone. One use...

What is grounding? Why might someone want to do it? How can it help? Maria Dimachkie, a therapist at Love Heal Grow, answers these questions and gives examples of how you can ground yourself in the present moment.Hi, I'm Maria Dimachkie, therapist for individuals and...

The beginning of any relationship feels magical. It’s so great getting to know your partner, discovering their quirks and the little things that make you both feel special. But this phase doesn’t last forever– and frankly, you probably don’t want it to. The honeymoon...

Online dating has become one of the most common ways to meet people. Nearly 30% of US adults use dating apps, and it’s not just young adults. In fact, adults between 43 and 58 are the most successful at online dating; 72% of their first meetings from dating apps have...

Maria Dimachkie, a therapist at Love Heal Grow, talks about how trauma can impact your nervous system.Hi, I'm Maria Dimachkie, therapist for individuals and couples at Love Heal Grow Counseling. I help​ individuals and couples who have overcome difficult, painful...

Sometimes it feels like we can’t get anything right - relationships, work, hobbies. Our inner critic can become really loud and even cruel. We start criticizing ourselves for every little thing and it can feel overwhelming. We find ourselves saying things like “What’s...

You can’t have a relationship without trust. It doesn’t matter what kind of relationship– romantic, platonic, familial– trust is always going to be the bedrock of intimacy, vulnerability, and close connections. While you might be able to have a cordial, surface-level...

Maria Dimachkie, therapist at Love Heal Grow, goes into detail about what to expect from trauma therapy and answers commonly asked questions.Hi, I'm Maria Dimachkie, therapist for individuals and couples at Love Heal Grow Counseling. I help​ individuals and couples...

The term “intrusive thought” has recently become popular on the internet, offering scores of people validation and insight into these previously unnamed internal experiences. Intrusive thoughts are unwelcome, involuntary thoughts, images, or ideas that can cause...

Navigating This Journey Together After marriage, couples are often asked, “When are you having a baby?!”. Once the decision is made to start a family, extensive resources support parents through pregnancy, delivery, and child-rearing milestones. However, amidst these...

Summer is here, and for many of us, that means it’s vacation time! Whether you’re planning to explore a new city, hike in the mountains, bask in the sun at the beach, or enjoy a fun staycation in your hometown, taking a break can be one of the best times of the year....

Our post-menopause lives can bring lots of changes, some welcome, some unwelcome. Often some of the least welcome changes are those that affect our sexuality.  The changes in our bodies and our hormone levels inevitably affect our sexual experience in some way....

Parenting after a divorce is challenging, and there’s no one right way to do it. First and foremost, you have to put your child’s needs first and then consider your family’s unique situation. Among the various approaches, parallel parenting and co-parenting stand out...

As a therapist who is particularly interested in working with survivors of complex trauma and difficult childhood experiences, I am constantly struck by how often survivors come in carrying deeply embedded, debilitating shame. Often, survivors may have carried this...