“Anxiety is not the enemy—it is the messenger.” Dr. M This phrase echoes deeply in therapeutic settings. Throughout my work, I’ve found that the children and clients I meet are not always struggling with anxiety in its purest sense. Instead, anxiety often shows up as a symptom—a signal—of something deeper. And when we fail toContinue reading “Getting to the Root: Supporting Children and Clients with Anxiety through a Root Cause Approach”
Tag Archives: grief and grieving; trauma; mental health
When the Strong Struggle: The Hidden Impact of High-Functioning Depression on Children and Families
High-functioning depression is often silent — but its ripple effects are not. While the person experiencing it may carry on with daily life, fulfilling responsibilities and appearing “together,” the emotional undercurrent can have a profound impact on the people around them, especially children. In therapeutic and educational settings, we often see children struggling with anxiety,Continue reading “When the Strong Struggle: The Hidden Impact of High-Functioning Depression on Children and Families”
High-Functioning Depression: The Invisible Weight So Many Carry
In therapy rooms, classrooms, workplaces, and even among friends, there are countless individuals living with a quiet kind of suffering — high-functioning depression. They are the ones who keep going, who show up, who meet deadlines, care for others, and keep the house in order. On the surface, they seem fine — even successful. ButContinue reading “High-Functioning Depression: The Invisible Weight So Many Carry”
Behind Closed Doors: The Lingering Wounds of Coercive Control
“They never hit me. But they made me doubt my mind, my worth, my sanity. And that’s the scar I still carry.” Coercive control is an insidious, often invisible form of abuse. Unlike physical violence, it operates beneath the surface—through manipulation, isolation, control, and degradation. The amount of people who are met with statements suchContinue reading “Behind Closed Doors: The Lingering Wounds of Coercive Control”
Music and Song Therapy Supporting Mental Health and Connection
I left the local hall this evening feeling noticeably lighter. There’s something about singing with others that lifts the fog, even after a long, emotionally taxing week. No one asked how I was doing—and somehow, no one needed to. In that space we all understand that we are there to support each other, the harmoniesContinue reading “Music and Song Therapy Supporting Mental Health and Connection”
Should I Suffer On in Silence?
A Reflection from the Therapy Room She sits in the chair across from me, clutching a tissue, her eyes weary with the kind of tiredness that goes beyond sleep. Her voice is barely audible, but every word is soaked in pain. “I don’t know how much longer I can do this… I love my childrenContinue reading “Should I Suffer On in Silence?”
Sunlight, Shadows, and the Roads We Walk
There’s something about sitting in the sun that brings the past into soft focus. On a quiet day, when the world finally slows down, and the light drapes gently across the floor, you find yourself caught between now and then. Not in a sad way—more like a quiet ache. A gentle nod to the lifeContinue reading “Sunlight, Shadows, and the Roads We Walk”
Dr M’s thoughts 