Trauma Therapy
Becoming A Constant Object: Actionable takeaways from a classic
This essay explores how to become a steady and predictable presence (a constant object) in our clients’ therapeutic lives. During our first decade or so of clinical work, it’s easy to feel like our words need to be perfect, our interventions insightful, and our techniques airtight. But one of the most powerful things we can…
Aunt Lydia’s Psy Ops
This might be Aunt Lydia’s most brutal moment yet. Not because of what she does physically, but because of how expertly she breaks June down—emotionally, morally, and psychologically using psychological operations (psy ops). Let’s unpack how she does it. (Season 2; Episode 11) Guilt Induction (Moral Injury) Aunt Lydia uses guilt as a weapon. By stating…
When Your Caregiver Is Also Your Captor
What Serena and June Teach Us About Attachment Trauma We don’t need to be trapped in a dystopia to feel trapped by someone we once depended on. In The Handmaid’s Tale, June and Serena’s relationship is often framed as a political or moral battleground. But beneath the drama of Gilead’s theocracy, there’s something more intimate…
Aunt Lydia’s Moral Reckoning
Can People Like Aunt Lydia Change? What Her Partial Awakening Tells Us About Selective Empathy and Its Path Toward Redemption As The Handmaid’s Tale draws to a close, few character arcs are as surprising, or as psychologically rich, as Aunt Lydia’s. What began as a portrait of righteous cruelty becomes a study in conflicted loyalty, inner reckoning,…
3 Strategies For Dealing With A Critical Mother-In-Law
Q: We spent spring break with my in-laws. I was miserable. My mother-in-law is so critical of everything I do, and I feel hurt and angry whenever I am around her. My husband won’t intervene, insisting she can’t or won’t change. How can I prepare to see her this summer so she doesn’t ruin my…
It's not an easy time to be a kid. Perhaps it never is, but now it's especially true. Let us help you understand and support your child's needs.
Is your teen struggling with school, in their relationships with friends, with you? Do they seem irritable, withdrawn, unmotivated, sad? Our therapist know how to help.
Are you looking to make some aspect of your otherwise good relationship better? Maybe you’ve tried all the strategies that make sense to you.