Welcome to the Resting Tree blog, where we delve into the intricacies of mental health, healing, and personal growth. As a private practice specializing in trauma-informed, compassion-focused, and humanistic approaches, we are dedicated to providing insightful and empowering content to support your journey towards holistic well-being.
Our blog is a safe space for exploring the complexities of the human experience, offering valuable resources, and fostering a sense of community. Join us as we navigate the path to healing and self-discovery, one blog post at a time.
How to Deal with Guilt When You Need to Slow Down
That familiar pang of guilt when we take a break or slow down is a significant life skill to manage. Today's society celebrates non-stop hustle, making people feel guilty about anything that doesn't boost productivity. This guilt becomes a heavy burden, pushing us harder while our bodies and minds scream for rest. Slowing down is not just acceptable, but vital. This blog will help you understand break-related guilt and the impact of constant motion. You'll find practical strategies to welcome rest without feeling guilty and build a healthier relationship with downtime.
What Is Toxic Positivity? The Dark Side of Positive Thinking
In this article, we'll explore toxic positivity, its impact on mental health, relationships, and communication, and how to cultivate a more balanced emotional approach. Understanding this phenomenon helps us embrace authentic support and emotional honesty for healthier connections with ourselves and others.
The Impact of Insecure Attachment Style on Your Relationships
We all want deep, meaningful connections in our relationships, but sometimes our past experiences can affect how we interact with others. When we have an insecure attachment style, it can make it difficult to trust and fear being abandoned. By understanding attachment theory and its effects, we can work towards creating more stable and fulfilling romantic relationships.
Overcoming Overstimulation: Strategies for Sensory Balance
Feeling overwhelmed? You're not alone. Our world today is full of constant noise and distractions. These never-ending inputs can wear us down, leading to stress and emotional struggles. It's important to recognize when it's all too much and take steps to find balance. Let's talk about overstimulation - from our always-on devices to how it affects our minds. We'll look at simple ways to cut down on distractions and make space for calm. By doing this, we can build a healthier connection with our surroundings and find more peace in our daily lives.
Summer Social Anxiety: Tips for a Relaxed Season
As summer unfolds, bringing longer days and more social gatherings, many of us face challenges amplified by the season's bright sunlight. Summer social anxiety magnifies self-consciousness, worry, and discomfort in social settings, exacerbating feelings of loneliness and FOMO (fear of missing out). Recognizing the impact of summer on our mental well-being is the first step toward navigating these months with grace. Hot weather can contribute to anxiety, so understanding why and how this happens is essential.
Navigating the Bicultural Experience: Balancing Heritage with New Norms
Finding harmony between cultural backgrounds and current norms is a challenge in today's globalized society. This journey is personal and relevant, touching on mental health, self-awareness, and personal identity. In this article, we'll explore bicultural life, starting with understanding bicultural identity. We'll discuss strategies for balancing traditional values with new norms, emphasizing mental health and self-awareness. Through this journey, we aim to appreciate the nuances of bicultural experiences and support those walking this path.
Living Your Own Pace: Overcoming the Pressure of Falling Behind in Life
In today's fast-paced world, many of us struggle with feelings of inadequacy as they compare themselves to others. This article underscores the importance of setting personal goals, dedicating effort to self-improvement, and resisting societal pressures related to success. By recognizing our emotions, engaging in mindfulness, cultivating gratitude, and skillfully navigating challenges, we can move towards our aspirations and savor life's experiences at a pace that aligns with our individual needs and values.
Creating a Nurturing Mental Space at Home
Creating a nurturing mental space at home is essential for fostering overall well-being and mental health. The aim of this article is to guide you in cultivating your own mental headspace at home, supporting mindfulness and well-being. We'll explore steps for simplifying and decluttering, introducing nature, using sensory elements for comfort, and personalizing your surroundings to create a mental safe space.
New Year, True You: Setting Intentions for Authentic Living
With the arrival of a new year, many of us feel a renewed sense of motivation and a desire to make positive changes in our lives. We set goals, make resolutions, and set out on a journey of self-improvement. But what if, instead of focusing on external achievements, we shifted our focus inward? What if, instead of striving for perfection, we focused on living authentically and nurturing our mental well-being?
In this article, we explore the idea of embracing a new year, true you. We delve into the power of setting intentions and how they can guide us towards leading a more authentic and fulfilling life. By setting intentions, we establish a clear direction for our thoughts and actions, allowing us to align our choices with our true values and desires.
Coping with Loneliness During the Holiday Season: Finding Comfort and Connection
The holiday season is often portrayed as a time of joy, togetherness, and celebration. However, for many people, it can be a time of increased loneliness and isolation. It's important to remember that feeling lonely during the holidays is common and does not mean there is something wrong with you. In fact, it is an opportunity to practice self-care, seek connection, and find comfort in various ways.
Why is it Hard to Love Myself? The Impact of Trauma on Self-Love
The impact of trauma on self-love is complex and multifaceted. It alters our self-worth, self-esteem, and self-confidence, often leading to fear and shame. However, understanding this relationship between trauma and self-love is the first step towards healing and reclaiming our self-worth.
Navigating Trauma: Steps for Self-Care in the Face of Guilt
In this article, we delve into the challenges of navigating trauma and the additional burden of guilt. We understand that these weights can feel overwhelming, and we want to provide guidance on the importance of self-care as a lifeline for survival. While this article may not serve as definitive therapy, it serves as an initial step towards comprehending and restoring emotional balance, offering support and insights to help you navigate the path towards self-care and release feelings of guilt.
The Search for Self-Identity: Understanding Who You Are
Have you ever found yourself questioning who you truly are? Feeling uncertain about your identity is a common experience that many people go through at some point in their lives. It can be a confusing and unsettling journey, but understanding the factors that shape our sense of self and developing strategies to strengthen our identity can lead to a more fulfilling and authentic life.
Understanding Self-Compassion: What it is and What it is not
Many people struggle to understand the true meaning of self-compassion. Some individuals mistakenly believe that self-compassion involves shirking responsibility or being self-centered and indulgent. However, this is far from the truth. Explore the true definition of self-compassion and its significance in managing trauma and suffering caused by past experiences.
Codependency Crisis: Recognizing the Signs and Finding Healing in Family Relationships
In this blog post, we dive deep into helping you recognise the signs of codependency and offer practical ways to find healing. We will walk you through real-life scenarios and help you recognise if codependency is at play in your own family. We will also share powerful strategies and therapeutic approaches that can lead to positive change. Join us on this journey of self-discovery and transformation as we navigate the path towards healthier, more fulfilling family connections.
Of Love & Scars (1) : Understanding the Chaos of Toxic Family Dynamics
Many individuals face toxic family dynamics and childhood trauma, which can cause emotional, psychological, and physical scars. Toxic family dynamics consist of unhealthy behaviors like manipulation, control, emotional abuse, and neglect, leading to a negative impact on family members' well-being. These environments are marked by an absence of support, affection, and empathy, resulting in isolation, invalidation, and emotional exhaustion. Addressing these issues is vital for promoting healing, growth, and a more fulfilling life.
Of Love & Scars (2) : Healing from the Chaos of Toxic Family Dynamics
Toxic family dynamics, which can include emotional and physical abuse, neglect, manipulation, and constant criticism, often cause deep pain and confusion, impacting mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Healing from childhood trauma and toxic family dynamics is a non-linear, complex, and personal journey, requiring courage, patience, and self-compassion as we confront our past and work towards wholeness.
Let’s get this over with: Impatience and what it’s trying to teach us
Impatience is a complex emotion that can hold valuable lessons for us, if we’re willing to listen. While it can be frustrating and overwhelming, it can also be seen as a sign that something deeper is going on.
When Grief Becomes Complicated
The walk of grief is a well-known human experience. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, job, sense of identity or health, loss stirs up pain within that can leave us feeling hopeless and empty. When do we know when grief has become complicated or has extended past the initial deep pain from grieving? Complicated grief carries some of the same symptoms as ‘typical’ grief, making it raise the question as to when we know we have crossed the line from typical grieving to complicated grieving.
Is this too Good to be True? What to do when Fear steals your Joy
Joy can be a complex emotion. On the one hand, it can elicit great pleasure and make your heart swell with warmth. But for many people, joy can also bring up feelings of fear—fear that joy will be taken away. Are you afraid to feel joy because of how you’re doubtful and scared that it may be gone? Learn about what Foreboding Joy is and how you can let go of it.