Reassessing

I recently joined a Stepmoms Support Group, after moving in with my partner and his almost-nine-year old daughter last August and realizing, “Holy shit, there’s no roadmap for this!” 

Or for anything. Maddening, right? 

I hadn’t lived with another person since getting divorced five years ago, and I never found the desire within to have my own children - though my clinical work and my own zest for life allows me to appreciate them (well, most of them, ha!). And here I am, happier than ever, reassessing what I need and finding out more about who I am.

Big changes mean growth on an accelerated level. Sometimes that’s traumatic - not in the sense of it being bad - but being too much, too soon, too fast (my favorite pocket-sized definition of trauma). 

And look, I’d love to prevent each and every one of us from experiencing trauma but the fact of the matter is, most of us have, and will, *and* it’s not something that has to stop us from living, or thriving even. Particularly if we have a strong sense of self (i.e., values, awareness of strengths) and community that supports us (Source: Harvard Business Review, 2020). 

That’s why I do the work I do– to help folks (like you!) transform change into growth, and build community while they’re at it.

This month is the one-year anniversary of me leaving treatment for anxiety and depression. If you are struggling, I encourage you to listen to this episode of Who’s Missing? where I talk about my road to recovery and how I’m healing which is incidentally NOT on my own, but in relationship. Who knew?

I’ve redefined my values this month. I'm getting support for things I need to outsource, and getting familiar with parts of myself that have been quiet.If you’re navigating a big change, I encourage you to do the same. And remember: We got you.