A note from Hannah: As you already saw, there is some slightly disguised adult language in this post. (That makes it fun, right?)  I started running yesterday in preparation for a 15K in 6 weeks. Yes, that’s right, it’s 6 weeks away and I started yesterday.  I pictured started out with an easy couple of miles, light and fluid like a gazelle. I’m fit right? I’ve been lifting weights but my muscles were not happy with this now unfamiliar way of moving. I was tight, uncomfortable, and grumpy. I want to quit already. I need some inspiration. Change is uncomfortable.  Changes are hard and maintaining motivation over a long period of time is a classic human difficulty. I can’t seem to get through day #1 half the time. I believe that if you are going to invest in a key     . . . read more

I am excited to share today’s guest post from Kim Lloyd of Kim Lloyd Fitness. If you are like me, March is feeling less than inspiring. Whether you need to take on your emotional health or fitness goals (and those are related!), check out Kim’s awesome advice: Motivation is tough.  Especially on a Wednesday in March with another massive snowstorm bearing down on us.  Work out? Yeah, more like wrap up in a blanket next to the wood stove and snuggle in with a good book.  Even if you are not predisposed to depression, there will come a point in your fitness journey when you begin to doubt the process. You will put on a pair of shorts from last summer and they will still feel snug.   Maybe you lost 10 pounds in the first two months but the scale has     . . . read more

We are very pleased to announce that we now have a fabulous intern, Mallory Zwerdling! A message from Mallory: “As your counselor my greatest desire is to understand your unique circumstances and help you reach a place of personal fulfillment. My style is client-centered, interpersonal and solution focused. I believe that by joining you in whatever space you are in, sometimes as a companion and sometimes as a guide, together we can discover meaning behind experiences, thoughts behind behavior, and cultivate the growth needed to get you your desired outcomes. With years of experience surrounding domestic violence, homelessness and disability, I am no stranger to assisting people as they learn to navigate life’s most trying tribulations. Holding a bachelors degree in psychology and sociology, and having completed all master’s degree coursework for clinical mental health counseling, I am now accepting     . . . read more

Parenting is a beautiful, rewarding, and challenging undertaking. It’s easy to second guess yourself as a parent, and you sometimes wonder if you are doing all you can to give your child the love and guidance she needs. The good news is that we all have the tools we need to be positive parents. The key to unlocking them is found through awareness of the impact the parent-child relationship holds for your child. Here are three key areas to consider when cultivating a positive parenting approach. The relationship with your child. Children develop through relationship. Everything that a child learns and internalizes is based on this. A newborn infant does not understand that he is a separate entity from his mother. The developmental task of a child’s first three years of life is to gain a sense of psychological “separateness”     . . . read more

The holidays have a way of bringing out the kid in all of us. We long to innocently enjoy all the wonder (blissfully unaware of the work involved!). We treat ourselves to hot chocolate with a candy cane stirrer because, after all, it’s the holidays. The first time we turn on the tree lights, we remember our very first tree and clap our hands with the same joy and excitement. Innocent childhood delights adding a special flavor to our adult celebrations. No harm in that, right? Right! But what if your holiday-inspired temporary reversion to childhood isn’t quite so harmless? What if you get together with your family and find yourself acting like the bossy older sister, a role you thought you’d outgrown a long time ago? Or what if a step through Granny’s door takes you instantly from competent, capable mother to     . . . read more