Hello Again…..

 Hello, and thank you for stopping by! 

It has been 2 years since my one and only blog.  Rustic Counseling was created  primarily as a way to consolidate all clinical things into one spot, but has grown in my heart to be so much more.  It is now a place where real life, topics I am passionate about, and professionalism all intersect, as I live this therapist life.  It is me living authentically with all the many hats I wear.   I want to share these things with you with the hope that another perspective can be gained, if only for consideration.  

You may be wondering what to expect from these blogs.  The short answer is a little bit from several areas: faith and trauma; mind/body connection, and “living a life you don't need a vacation from”.  While not all blogs will fall in these three categories, many of them will, as this is life for me personally and professionally these days.  Sometimes there may be multiple blogs per month.  Others, there will be longer spacing in between :-)   My hope is always that it will be helpful, either to you or someone you know.

I invite you to take this journey with me.  At the end of the day, don't we all desire to move from surviving to thriving, even if just a little bit?  Until next time…..

Thawing the Frozen

Cold weather always draws me inward to a very reflective, introspective place.  Oh, I have these moments throughout the year, but it seems to be heavier when we are iced in, like this past  week.  Curled up in the warm house, with a fire going, and no place to go except with my thoughts. And books :) The hibernation of sorts was necessary for survival.

And then the temperature creeps above freezing. The ice begins to melt.  My body craves the sun and fresh air.  I take my dog for a walk, and the movement and fresh air is so badly needed by us both!  

As I see the frozen places start to melt, I have mixed emotions.  The scenes are beautiful and peaceful, and yet have been debilitating for many.  The roads are bad.  People have lost income.  Friends and family have been stranded and without power. Mental health has been a struggle for many.  This weather freeze-  an example of beauty and struggle coexisting.  I have come to the conclusion that frozen states can be beautiful ( even with the messiness),  but that it's not sustainable long term.  Movement is required for us to survive. 

During that walk, I heard and saw and felt so many chunks of ice falling, producing crashing sounds. Slower melting icicles from all the many trees sounded  like it was raining.  It was a little jarring at first.  I was mindful of safety for both Molly( the dog) and I.  The sounds had us both whipping our heads to find the location of the sound. And yet….this is not unlike life changes.  The thawing of frozen places in life can feel uncomfortable.  It does not always feel safe, and every sense can be awakened in new ways.  Despite this, it can often be what the soul yearns for.

What areas of your life are frozen?  Are the frozen parts beautiful, or do they represent a paralysis of sorts? Are there areas of life that are starting to thaw?  Can we agree that this process from one season to the next can be beautiful and messy at the same time?   I invite you to embrace the process.  You just might find that this is what your soul craves as well.