It’s not until I am back home, the doors closed, the house quiet, that the feelings begin to surface - if I allow them.

I am tired. And if I am honest, I don’t want to feel these feelings either. But I know better.

I know they will force themselves out in unhealthy ways if I don’t make room for them.
What we resist, persists.

I really don’t like being treated like crap by my teens. This is when my patience is truly tested. Some days I feel like I take all the crap. And most days, I do. It always feels like such a balancing act to find the right line: when is it just normal hormone-fueled turbulence that will pass in five minutes, and when is it real disrespect that warrants a boundary?

Lately, it feels like so many people are in a season of falling apart — jobs, relationships, identities, the way things used to be.
I wrote this as a love note to the version of you who’s standing in the rubble, wondering what comes next.

Two of my favorite words or concepts that I see coming up more and more are somatics and trauma informed. Of course, I love these because they are what I do and what I study, but I’m also thrilled to see them getting more press these days. To me, it means people are becoming more interested, and maybe even that our world is evolving toward a more holistic, body-based, and empathetic way of approaching life. That’s my hope!

That’s the heart of being human: free will. We can choose how we respond—both to a conflict with a friend and to horrific headlines. I’m choosing not to let the outer madness destroy my inner harmony. I’m choosing to keep my light on because the world needs it.

That’s the heart of being human: free will. We can choose how we respond—both to a conflict with a friend and to horrific headlines. I’m choosing not to let the outer madness destroy my inner harmony. I’m choosing to keep my light on because the world needs it.

This week, I’ve been really sitting with a phrase a mentor once taught me: “The issue is not the issue. The issue is how we relate (or connect ) to ourselves within the issue.”

When we don’t hold our boundaries… when we say “yes” but mean “no”… when we ignore that quiet inner voice, we often start to feel resentful. And what do we do? We blame the person who overstepped the boundary that we didn’t enforce.

If back-to-school season feels like a whirlwind in your house, I get it. For years, our family’s transition from summer to school mode was anything but smooth—late nights, frazzled mornings, and a lot of deep sighing.

When was the last time you did a cartwheel? Honestly, I wasn’t even sure I still could. Part of me was bracing for a crash landing—I thought my arms might give out, or I’d end up in a heap of limbs and regret.

The jaw is one of the strongest joints in the body, and we ask a lot of it - chewing, talking, and engaging all day long. Even on a good day, without added stress, it’s working hard and likely holding tension.

Try placing your hands on your jaw. See if that feels supportive. You might notice that a deep breath or sigh comes naturally. It doesn’t take much, just baby steps. These small, nurturing practices bring awareness and relief.

We lose ourselves daily—in responsibilities, in identities, in the noise of the world. Spiritually, emotionally, mentally. The real work is returning. Coming back to our bodies, back to our hearts.