Resilence

Defintion: the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.  Humans can endure a lot.The passage of time coupled with mental and physical strength make us all resilient during stressful times.Holding this challenge is hard at times, making some want to surrender, become hopeless and immobilized.Others, can tolerate the uncertainty with greater fortitude.  Let us all be … Read more

Avoidance

Avoidance is the hope that with time and unconsciousness the painful unresolved feelings or issue will go away. But, we know, it never does and all too often, avoiding what needs to be addressed makes the problem worse.  Avoidance is fueled by projection and the imagined repercussions of dealing with what’s in front on one at … Read more

THE PAUSE BUTTON

To sit with…the anxious moments of life…with uncertainty and not knowing is hard.  We think if we know what’s going to happen…which is I’m possible; or in some control what is going to happen…our lives will be easier. So, we spend time keeping ourselves busy with whatever so we don’t have to feel some of … Read more

Our Bodies

My primary care physician said, “If we don’t take care of our bodies, where will we live?”  Learning how to honor our bodies by taking proper care of nutrition, exercise and rest needs is big aspect of healing in psychotherapy. Sometimesour bodies house so much past trauma, it is difficult to access and the pain of … Read more

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is often not easy to do with self or others.  There are often deep wounds of betrayal and hurt that keep one stuck and in a victim role.  If one was raised with critical judgmental parents, for example, with strictness and lots of rules, forgiveness of self and others may seem like a foreign … Read more

Healing Trauma

The myriad effects of trauma can effect one’s life in many ways.  The most common aspect named as helplessness.  This is a feeling we will do almost anything to get away from; whether it is avoiding others. blaming others, medicating ourselves with busyness or substance, immobolization, chronic indecision or other unhealthy behaviors.  Some peoplewill fight … Read more

Stillness

Imagine the beauty, quiet and stillness after a snow storm.  Everything stops; mother nature says ‘listen.’  And what are we listening for?  We are listening for the inner quiet beyond all thoughts, below the busyness of our minds and the constant chatter within.  Stillness, both revered and feared is something to work towards because it … Read more

Acceptance

As the new year begins, many clients are eager to make changes to relieve their suffering and bring more joy in their lives.  There is an eagerness and sometimes an impatience for things to go faster. One client sadly shamed herself for not being able to do this work on her own and felt weak. … Read more

Ricki L. Geiger LCSW, CGP