What if the discomfort so many women carry in their upper bodies isn’t just physical - but relational?

Years ago, while working as a massage therapist, I began noticing a quiet pattern among clients living with chronic shoulder and upper-back pain. Many of them wore their bras constantly - day and night - not just for support, but for a sense of safety. Over time, it became clear that this wasn’t only about posture or tissue tension. It was about how women are taught to manage, contain, and tolerate their bodies - especially their breasts - rather than feel at home in them.

This piece explores the intersection of bodywork, culture, and trauma, looking at how constant containment can dull sensation, weaken muscular support, and quietly reinforce disconnection from parts of ourselves that carry memory and meaning. With a trauma-informed lens, it invites curiosity instead of correction - offering a gentle, non-sexual practice for reconnecting with the body through listening rather than fixing.

One of the hardest parts of living with chronic illness during the holidays is that joy starts to look different. For a long time, I thought celebration had to mean showing up - dressing up, staying late, doing all the things that make the season feel “full.” It took years (and a few painful flare-ups) to realize that celebration can also live in stillness.
When you’re used to measuring the holidays by what you do, it can feel strange to celebrate by being. But chronic illness often asks us to rewrite our relationship with energy and challenges us to find meaning now in how much we participate, but in how deeply we connect to the moments we can access.

Pelvic pain is real, and far more common than most people realize. Yet too many suffer in silence, dismissed by providers or unsure where to turn. This blog breaks the silence, validates the emotional weight of chronic pelvic pain, and explores the integrative, trauma-informed care options that can support healing. Whether you're seeking answers or simply need to hear that you're not alone, this is for you.

Sometimes, walking away from toxic relationships - especially those laced with narcissism, abuse, or deep emotional dysfunction- means accepting that you won’t get closure, mutual understanding, or even the truth on your side. In fact, you might be cast as the villain in their story, no matter how quietly or courageously you try to exit. This is what it means to step into your villain era- not becoming cruel or vengeful, but finally choosing your peace over their narrative. In this blog, we explore why embracing this misunderstood role is often the only path to healing, and how reclaiming your “villain” status can actually be the boldest act of self-love.

Season 2 of Shiny Happy People doesn’t just tell stories, it names systems. From purity culture and spiritual performance to family loyalty and emotional suppression, this season hit hard.

As a therapist and someone who’s lived parts of this story, I wrote about the connections between religious trauma, high-achiever identity, and the long road back to self-trust. If you’ve ever felt like “being good” came at the cost of being whole, this is for you.

Let’s be honest, being queer in a world that likes its boxes neat, and tidy is complicated enough. When you add in a partner of a different gender, and suddenly people act like your identity is gone, like it disappeared the minute you met somebody (and spoiler alert- it didn’t) it can leave you feeling pretty isolated. Well, that’s why I’m writing this blog- to shine a light on the invisible struggles that so many bisexual people experience in straight-presenting relationships. Whether you’re living it yourself, loving someone who is, or trying to unlearn some old assumptions that aren’t serving you, this one’s for you.

Let’s be honest—talking about sex can feel awkward, especially in a doctor’s office. It’s one thing to chat with friends or partners (and even that isn’t always easy), but opening up to a healthcare provider? That can feel next-level vulnerable. For a lot of us, sex just wasn’t something we were encouraged to talk about growing up. Maybe it was treated like something shameful, private, or inappropriate. So now, as adults, it’s not surprising that we can feel embarrassed or unsure about bringing it up—even in a setting where health is supposed to be the focus.

Not all kindness is created equal. In this blog, we unpack the “Nice Guy” trope—where seemingly respectful behavior masks hidden expectations, entitlement, and resentment. Using dynamics from popular media such as Love Is Blind and beyond, we explore how this pattern shows up in modern dating and why it’s not actually about being nice at all. If you’ve ever been confused by mixed messages, friend-zone frustration, or the emotional undercurrent behind “being a good guy,” this one’s for you.