the blog
Mental health resources & reflections
Therapist-written reflections on people-pleasing, religious trauma, anxiety, attachment, relationships & learning to trust yourself again. Written by me, Emilee, a licensed therapist offering online therapy for women in Alaska, Arizona, Texas, Utah & Washington.
HOW MUCH DOES THERAPY COST IN TEXAS?
What does therapy actually cost in Texas? An honest look at private-pay rates, superbills, insurance reimbursement & low-cost options.
HOW DO I STOP PEOPLE-PLEASING MY FAMILY AT THE HOLIDAYS?
You've done so much work all year, and then you walk into your family's house and you're refilling drinks and laughing at comments that sting. Here's why the holidays bring the old roles back, and how to stay with yourself this season.
IS LONG-TERM THERAPY WORTH IT?
Why meet with a therapist every week—and what do you even talk about when nothing happened? Here’s why I tend to work longer-term, how relational therapy works, and what we’re actually doing with all that time.
RESOURCES TO REACH FOR WHEN LIFE STARTS FEELING TOO ORDINARY
When life starts feeling a little too ordinary, it's usually not that there's nothing good there, it's that we've stopped noticing. Here are seven of my favorite resources for play, creativity, gratitude and savoring the small stuff.
HOW MUCH DOES THERAPY COST IN ALASKA?
What does therapy actually cost in Alaska? An honest look at private-pay rates, superbills, Alaska Medicaid & why online therapy can make care easier to reach.
RESOURCES I REACH FOR WHEN EVERYTHING FEELS LIKE TOO MUCH
When I'm overwhelmed, a deep breath isn't always enough. Here are eight resources I reach for when everything feels like too much, from a sleep mask that blocks out the world to a guided exercise for racing thoughts.
ADHD RESOURCES I USE AS A THERAPIST (& RECOMMEND TO CLIENTS)
As a therapist with ADHD, I'm always reaching for resources that help my brain focus, reset and settle. Here are the ones I used in a single week, from a dopamine menu to my favorite earplugs, that I also recommend to clients.
HOW MUCH DOES THERAPY COST IN WASHINGTON?
What does therapy actually cost in Washington? An honest look at private-pay rates, superbills, Apple Health & low-cost options from Seattle to Spokane.
HOW MUCH DOES THERAPY COST IN UTAH?
What does therapy actually cost in Utah? An honest look at private-pay rates, superbills, Utah Medicaid & low-cost options around the state.
WHY DO I HAVE TO FEEL MY FEELINGS?
You know why you people-please. You understand your attachment patterns. You can identify your trauma responses in real time—so why do they keep happening? Here’s why understanding ourselves and experiencing something differently aren’t always the same kind of learning.
HOW MUCH DOES THERAPY COST IN ARIZONA?
What does therapy actually cost in Arizona? An honest look at private-pay rates, superbills, AHCCCS & low-cost options from Phoenix to Tucson.
CAN RELIGION MAKE YOU A PEOPLE-PLEASER?
When being good means being agreeable and saying no feels selfish, religion and people-pleasing can get really tangled up. Here’s how to tell your values apart from your fear.
WHAT DO PEOPLE-PLEASERS TRY TO CONTROL?
People-pleasing rarely feels controlling, but a lot of it is quietly working overtime to manage how everyone else feels, reacts and sees you. Here are ten things people-pleasers try to control (and don’t actually have to).
HOW DO I STOP TAKING CARE OF EVERYONE?
Caring about someone doesn’t make you responsible for their feelings, needs and boundaries. Healing people-pleasing often means learning to trust people to take care of themselves.
WHY DO I FEEL RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYONE’S FEELINGS?
When someone you love is upset, do you immediately wonder what you did wrong? Codependent patterns and internalizing can make everything feel like your responsibility, even when it isn’t.
HOW DO I SAY WHAT I MEAN (& STOP MIND-READING)?
Healthy relationships shouldn’t require constant mind-reading. Owning our words, saying what we mean and trusting other people to do the same, can cut down on so much anxiety, resentment and guessing.
NINE SIGNS OF ENMESHMENT IN RELIGIOUS ENVIRONMENTS
Religious communities can offer real connection and belonging, but closeness gets complicated when there’s no room to be a separate person. Here are nine signs of enmeshment in religious environments.
WHO AM I WITHOUT RELIGION? IDENTITY LOSS & SELF-DISCOVERY AFTER LEAVING A FAITH
Leaving or questioning religion can bring up an unexpected identity crisis: if I don’t believe this anymore, who am I? Here are eight areas where religious identity can hold both loss and self-discovery.
HOW DO I FEEL SAFE IN MY BODY WHEN I’M ALWAYS ON EDGE?
Knowing you’re safe and actually feeling safe can be two very different things. Here’s what I wish I’d known about cultivating safety (spoiler: it doesn’t require being calm all the time).
HOW DO I COPE WITHOUT PRAYER AFTER LEAVING RELIGION?
Leaving religion can leave a really practical gap where prayer used to be. Instead of hunting for one perfect replacement, let’s figure out what prayer actually did for you.