Better Late than Never!
Nine years later to be exact! Blogging has been on my mental to-do list forever, and after finally following my own advice, I’ve come around to jotting down some of my inner thoughts and handwritten post-it notes.
What advice is that? Truly resting when you have the time to do so. Sitting in idleness instead of “finding something to do” and not feeling guilty about it. Vegging out on the couch and unapologetically comfort-watching Girlfriends for the fiftyleventh time.
So who am I, and why should my opinions mean anything? I’m a girl mom, a licensed mental health therapist, a self-care coach, a holistic health product ambassador, and a reality TV enthusiast. My passion for self-care was planted in the midst of my postpartum journey with #2under2 (whew!) while navigating the challenges of being a brand new baby therapist and a marriage that was on a rapid decline.
Self-care moved to the top of my priority list after New Year’s Day 2018 when my blood pressure was at stroke levels and I was admitted into the hospital for the first time ever in my life (did I mention I’m also a crunchy mom? Waterbirth mama here!). Tests were run and concluded that my blood pressure spike was attributed to stress, which consisted of a perfect storm of personal stress and an extremely stressful work environment at the time. As cliche as it sounds, I had to prioritize myself first and take a leave of absence from my full-time employer at the time, which shifted into full-time private practice work within a matter of months, and ultimately a less stressful professional life.
Shifting my mindset over these past five years has demonstrated itself in my work and how I’ve helped clients reprioritize self-care for their literal peace of mind. Self-Care Simplified is an interactive workbook that I’ve created that incorporates solution-focused practices to help the reader intentionally practice self-care more consistently.
Designed for the person too busy for self-care, my workbook uses therapeutic principles to improve the quality of life outside of therapy, regardless of gender, age, occupation, or daily schedule. Digital copies are available for purchase here, and hard copies will be available for pre-orders very soon (scroll to the bottom of this page to get the email announcement first).
In a time when self-care is becoming annoyingly trendy, my mission for this blog is to help normalize the concept of self-care and debunk the myths of self-care being limited to manicures and massages. Whether it’s from my notes, coaching, workbook, or journals, my hope is that every reader who sets eyes on this blog becomes inspired to prioritize self-care without guilt and to reframe their mindset about “earning” a break (second blog article loading!).
Enjoy!