Few people can admit their shame. To be fair, most aren’t even aware that they have it, but that’s because people don’t talk about shame. Even now I’m still warned away from talking about it so overtly. Still, if I could go back in time, I would choose to dedicate my career to healing Toxic Shame again and again. In some ways it even seems like shame chose me…

The Celtic festival of Imbolc marks a time when the days are increasing in length and we’re invited to prepare for the season of rebirth. Imbolc is associated with the return of light and hopeful times, but what if being hopeful during the winters of our lives feels unsafe? Increasing tolerance for light requires us to embrace cautious optimism, a state of being which is liminal and will help us shift from hypervigilance or burn-out to lighter energies like hopefulness.

One of the most common issues my clients present with is profound shame about their freeze response. Some may have frozen during traumatic experiences, others may be living with prolonged symptoms of being frozen (what we call functional freeze). The first step in overcoming this debilitating shame is to learn what a freeze response actually is and is not and what happens when it goes hand-in-hand with shame.

We’re often invited to do nothing but rest around the time of the Winter Solstice but rest is an elusive experience for many of us who live in chronic states of stress and for whom the feeling of safety is still an aspiration. Instead, I invite us to redefine the concept of rest to suit our own needs. Perhaps it feels more appropriate to simply recover and restore our resources. Read for more about why observing the festival of Yule matters and how we might consider restoring ourselves at this time.

Toxic shame does not like to be exposed which is why it can be so hard to recognize, even among professionals. However, there are some telltale indicators that toxic shame is present and that it’s not an emotion but rather has become internalized. In this article you’ll find a list of what I believe to be the ten strongest indicators that Shamework is required, especially if we’ve been in therapy or have been doing healing work for a long time without experiencing the results we’re hoping for.

Samhain is one of the cross-quarter festivals on the Wheel of Year, the ancient way of observing seasonal cycles. It’s widely believed that on this day the veil between the earthly and spirit realms is at its thinnest which is why it’s the perfect time to consider how engaging with our spirituality can support our sense of wellness; in particular, the power of ritual. Regardless of how we define ‘spiritual practice,’ at this time we look to our ancestors, our beloved dead, and nourishing rituals for assistance as we move deeper into our healing journeys.

Content-free therapy is conducted in such a way which does not require clients to disclose the details of their story in order to process it or to desensitize emotional or sensory triggers associated with a particular experience. Not everyone is able to share their whole story for a myriad of reasons including shame, confidentiality, and fear among others. This shouldn’t be an obstacle as long as we work with modalities that can facilitate change without narrative.

At the Autumn Equinox we transition from a Life cycle to a collective Death cycle which is all about releasing. At this gorgeous festival, we're invited to consider what can no longer go with us on our journey. Just as the day and night are equal, we give thanks for our bounties and detach from them in equal measure. Letting go of what no longer serves us is the greatest act of self-love we can take.

While all EFT is tapping, not all tapping is EFT. Considering how many wellness influencers are trying to get us to practice ‘tapping’ for our wellbeing and considering how unsung EFT still is, it’s easy to assume that EFT and tapping are the same thing but there are subtle differences. Read on for what they are and why it matters.

Despite needing solitude, humans are still tribally-inclined machines. We need a community on which we can rely for support. Humans are social creatures, but we’re also spiritual creatures with emotional needs. Our spirits need true connection. We need sisterhood. Brotherhood. Community. We need a Soul Tribe to feel truly fulfilled.