I’ve been noticing a lot lately that so many of us have the idea that we’re supposed to be perfect before we deserve good things. We’re supposed to be more regulated, less anxious, more confident, more assertive, less negative, bounce back from hard things in a minute, and so on.  It seems like these messages sneak in slowly and quietly through conversations with well-meaning friends and family members, movies, books, advertisements, and what I think might be the biggest culprit – social...

It seems like the holidays have a way of always sneaking up on us. One minute it’s pumpkin-spice season and the next thing we know, there are twinkling lights everywhere, Christmas playlists in every store, kids running on sugar highs while parents are running on fumes, and everyone asking, “So… any exciting plans for the holidays?” For many people, this time of year feels warm and magical. For others, especially those who are grieving, it feels like walking through a place full of memories...

We all carry pieces of our past with us. For some people, those pieces are light and warm, shaping happy memories and a sense of “I’m...