Living under old belief systems that keep us stuck can be automatic for us. Mindfulness practice and other tools that assist you in accessing the power of your whole-brain can help you identify these destructive thought patterns so you can move forward instead of just spinning in place. When we become aware of them and […]

Judging ourselves. Others. It’s true. We all do it. A lot. “That person is beautiful”. “That person is mean”. “I’m not good looking enough, rich enough or thin enough”. “I’m right and you’re wrong”. We can all relate to having these judgements and with little awareness find ourselves literally stuck in these belief systems/thought patterns. […]

Did you know that imagination is one of the most important attributes of the human brain? Think about it. Without imagination, Steve Jobs wouldn’t have created the iPad. Picasso would never have created his dazzling works of art. Without imagination, we wouldn’t have anything that nature hasn’t already provided for us. Wikipedia describes imagination – […]

Through patient and animal studies, it has been discovered that the two hemispheres of the brain see and respond to the world in divergent manners. Why is it that an organ whose job it is to communicate divided? The left hemisphere sees things narrowly and focused, while the right views the whole. This was advantageous […]

(For those of you who understand the title and photo reference, I applaud your superior taste in film.) 😉 We recently had to move. We were given just over two weeks’ notice that our old office needed “unforeseen renovations”. Gulp, cringe, yikes. We made it through these last two weeks intact and grateful – but, […]

As a therapist, I’m constantly asking people to practice compassionate curiosity about the places that scare them. I believe that people are inherently good and intelligent. That’s why I’m so interested in those moments where we find ourselves acting “out of character” or doing something that we know falls short of our values. Fortunately, I […]

The written history of flamenco only goes back about 200 years, but there are oral accounts of flamenco that are much older. There is much debate about “what is true flamenco.” My aim is not even to attempt to answer that question, which is a very slippery slope indeed. Rather, I would like to share […]

5 fun and safe ways to express your “wild thing” What is your Shadow, and how can you honor it? In Jungian psychology the Shadow is an unconscious aspect of your personality. The conscious ego does not fully identify with this aspect of self. However, our Shadow is often the seat of creativity and recognition […]

As a counselor and art therapist, I am honored to work with people who are seeking greater happiness, improved health and well-being and more fulfilling relationships and careers. I often describe my job in the following way: I help people cultivate the optimal conditions for growth and healing to occur. While the conditions are unique […]

Why and how does creativity affect the brain? It feels different when we are in a “creative flow” and this is due to the structure of the brain. The brain is divided both vertically and horizontally. There are three distinct, but interconnected, hierarchies of the human brain that evolved overtime. They are 1) the brainstem […]