Healing from shame can be a long process. It involves learning to be vulnerable to show our emotional needs (to ourselves, our therapist, and eventually our relationships) and risking vulnerability in hopes of getting the good care that was missing in childhood. #shame

Recovering from chronic shame requires many experiences, over an extended period, of expressing needs and receiving, in response, a sense of being held, being cared for, being loved, and being seen. #chronicshame #shame

Rupture is inevitable. Unrealistic expectations for #relationships may lead us to believe that ruptures mean there’s a problem in our relationship - but ruptures are a normal part of relationships in which two people are fully present to one another as whole individuals.

The relational patterns in our family of origin play a huge role in the development of our adult attachment style. Our #attachment style tends to play the primary role in whether we tend to respond to being disappointed, hurt, or violated with a response of protest or despair.

Boundaries are important. It is important that there be a distinction between helping hold emotional experiences and becoming overwhelmed by them, as the person holding. A boundary helps both people involved know where their emotions and experiences end and the others’ begins.

Ultimately, the feeling and experience of #containment comes through attuned care. This means that in our relationships – whether in childhood, adolescence, or adulthood – where the other person is attuned, our attentive, responsive, and empathic, we will experience containment.

Repair often starts with a simple – but really hard to say – statement like “I’m sorry, can we talk?” Especially if you’re in the beginning stages of learning how to approach repair in relationships, an “I’m sorry” can be the hardest part of engaging #repair. #relationships

A study conducted by researchers at #Cambridge in 2021 and published in the journal People & Nature, found that #kids who spent more time #outdoors during the #pandemic experienced fewer emotional and behavioral problems, both during the pandemic and in the immediate aftermath.

Research shows that for children whose time spent #outdoors decreased during the #pandemic, one-third of these children ages 3 to 7 years old experienced an increase in anxiety, sadness, or “acting out.” #mentalhealth #childhood (Friedman, Imrie, Fink, Gedikoglu & Hughes, 2022)

Social support is an important aspect of overall health and well-being. Having a strong #support system can help you better manage #stress and navigate difficult times.

Thoughts on #Therapy: In therapy, you can be vulnerable without worrying about burdening someone else with your problems.

Social #support can come in many forms, including #emotional support, practical support, and informational support. #mentalhealth #support

I created a Social Support Building Worksheet that can help you identify the people in your life who provide different types of support and how you can connect with them. Check it out here: lindsaybraman.com/social-support…

Thoughts on #Therapy: Therapy is (or should be) a space where you can say the hard stuff without fear of judgment.

Thoughts on #Therapy: In therapy, you have someone who is there to listen to you, support you, and help you navigate your #emotions and experiences.

#Therapy is a collaborative process. You as a client have agency in the therapeutic relationship. You get to decide what you want to share, how you want to share it, and what you want to get out of therapy.

Therapy is a process. There may be times when you feel frustrated or stuck, or when you don’t feel like you’re making progress. Healing takes time. #therapy #healing #mentalhealth

This sketchnote was created as I listened to episode #109 of The Place We Find Ourselves, a podcast created by Adam Young. You can listen to the podcast on Spotify or visit AY Counseling's website, and read more about this sketchnote on my website! #anxiety

Sometimes, conversations on ✨self-care✨ can feel sort of abstract and hard to act on. In this doodle revived from my pandemic sketchbook, I've illustrated six concrete ways that researchers report can boost mood. (Bonus: most of these are free!) #mentalhealth #selfcare

Imagination stands in contrast to fantasy. Imagination takes courage and creativity, and involves offering parts of our true self to the outer world with vulnerability and authenticity.