Life can be hard! It can be frustrating, and unfair... Shitty!

Look in the mirror, what do you see?

• Can’t trust or get close to anyone. 

• Struggling with self-esteem and boundaries.

• History of unstable, toxic, or failed relationships. 

• Emotion regulation, what’s that? You stuff it down, blow it up, can't get out of bed, or anxiety is off the charts.

• Drugs and/or alcohol seem to make it all stop or go away. The only way to forget for a while.

• The invisible scars of military life; the shit won’t turn off. A car backfires, nightmares, cars on the side of the road; nothing feels safe. The anger inside raging, the guilt gnawing. And the same damn questions and thoughts repeat in your head; why am I the one that came home, what could I have done differently, where do I fit in now.

• The daily grind as a 1st responder can make you feel like Jekyll and Hyde sometimes, bouncing between your “shift” and “life” identities. Dark humor, numbness, and checking out are some of the ways we’ve learned to cope, and not everyone gets that. Family, friends, and society expect us to just deal with it and be “normal”, that just makes it worse. They don’t see the darkness; it’s not that easy to turn that shit off. Nightmares, flashbacks, negative thoughts, and triggers, haunt us. The invisible scars are real!!

• The fear of failure is everywhere. Afraid of failing at work and making your boss angry; afraid of messing up on a project and disappointing people; afraid of making a mistake in front of friends, family, or even strangers who are watching. You're tired of that inner voice saying "You're not good enough". You look in the mirror and see -worthless, shameful, unrealistic high standards.

Change is hard, asking for help can be even harder, and you need someone who gets that. That’s where I come in. Whether it's trauma therapy, skills building, coping skills, or goal setting, we will come up with a plan that works for you. If you just need someone who will listen without judgment, that's fine too. But whatever you need, you’re not going to get it unless you start. 

So... what are you waiting for?