Most people expect romantic relationships to end from time to time. We talk openly about divorce, heartbreak, and dating disappointments. But friendship breakups often happen quietly, leaving people confused, isolated, and wondering why it hurts so much. If you've recently…
Read More Friendship Breakups: Why They Hurt So Much and How to Heal
Making friends as an adult can feel surprisingly difficult. Many people in Colorado Springs and beyond quietly wonder, “Why does everyone else seem connected while I feel lonely?” The truth is that adult loneliness is incredibly common, even among people…
Read More Why It’s So Hard to Make Friends as an Adult — And Why You’re Not Alone
Anxiety has a way of making thoughts feel like facts. In this blog, learn how to use a powerful CBT technique called “putting your thoughts on trial” to challenge anxious thinking, reduce spiraling, and create more balanced perspectives. Includes a practical Socratic questioning worksheet you can start using immediately.
One theme I’ve seen consistently in therapy sessions is this: How do I talk to new people? How do you start a conversation, come across as interesting, and actually build a friendship from that first interaction? Almost every person I talk to believes they’re the only one struggling with this. The reality? It’s becoming increasingly common. The way we engage with one another has shifted—much of our communication now happens digitally. And while that’s made connection more accessible in some ways, it’s also quietly eroded something foundational: our ability to make small talk. I’ll be honest—I don’t love small talk either. But it serves an important purpose. It’s the doorway to deeper, more meaningful conversation. Recently, I asked a client to simply observe moments where small talk might happen and notice what anxieties came up. They came back the following session with an unexpected realization: there just weren’t that many opportunities. Even something as simple as chatting with a cashier at the grocery store has largely disappeared with self-checkout. So if you feel out of practice, it makes sense. If you never developed confidence in starting conversations—or if you used to feel comfortable but now feel a bit rusty—you’re not alone. This isn’t as obvious or automatic of a skill as people assume. And for most of us, the hardest part is the very beginning. So… where do we start?
Co-parenting is challenging under the best of circumstances—those all-too-rare scenarios where former partners genuinely get along. In those situations, communication flows easily, schedules are flexible, and both parents maintain a shared focus on their children's well-being. But for many families, that is not the reality.
Why is it so hard to make friends as an adult? A therapist explains common barriers like social anxiety, life transitions, political tension, and friendship trauma — plus practical ways to build meaningful adult friendships.
Friendship can be one of the most meaningful sources of support in our lives — until a painful experience makes the connection feel complicated. If you’ve ever been ghosted, betrayed, excluded, or blindsided by someone you trusted, you may carry friendship trauma into new relationships. And when your nervous system is already on alert, even healthy friendships can feel overwhelming.
The holidays are marketed as a time of joy, connection, and cozy moments — but for many people, this season stirs up anxiety, unresolved tension, and family dynamics that feel… a lot. If gatherings leave you feeling drained, irritable, or…
Read More Managing Family Conflict During the Holidays: A Therapist’s Guide to Staying Grounded
Anxiety isn’t always loud. It can show up as racing thoughts that never stop, constant self-criticism, or a body that never quite relaxes. For many people, anxiety feels like being stuck in “survival mode”—even when life looks fine from the outside.
In today’s achievement-driven culture, perfectionism often hides behind words like motivation, discipline, or high standards. But when you can’t rest until everything is flawless—or when mistakes feel like failure—it’s not drive anymore. It’s self-pressure dressed as productivity.
