Yes, social media is a topic of discussion in therapy. Every day. And, we are right at that time of year when people are posting about their holiday activities and we might have a little more time or temptation to be keeping up with what’s going on. This is going to be short and...
“You Wouldn’t Act Like That If You Loved Me”
We have all either thought or said this at some point: “you wouldn’t act like this if you loved me.” I have to tell you something: this belief is probably causing unnecessary pain and suffering. There is this prevailing thought that people act one certain way when they love someone. They talk in a...
3 Things That Help When You Are Beyond Stressed
When you are beyond stressed, there are very few self care remedies that you feel like doing. Even if they are going to do wonders for you like exercise or breathing or meditation. Honestly, when I am beyond, I could care less about what is going to be good for me. I just need...
A Mindful Path of Trauma Recovery with Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
**Written by staff therapist Anna Pirkl, M. A., MFT, ATR, LAADAC I have experienced significant trauma recovery as a direct result of my training at Gracie University in Torrance, California. My Goal… To start a discussion on the psychological benefits I’ve experienced and how it might benefit other trauma survivors as well. I am...
Lawnmower Parenting–It is so tempting!!
I’m pretty sure you would answer with a resounding “YES!” if I asked you whether you wanted to raise your child to be resilient. Right, because you care about raising a child that can be a successful, well adjusted, contributing member to society. What if you are doing something that goes against this goal...
Why Is It So Hard To Change? These Are 3 Ways to Help Get You There.
Adopting a new way of handling difficult things is usually not something you bother to do when everything is going great. Usually you decide you must make a change when there have been tough times. You are built to be drawn toward what is familiar even when that is not in your best interests...
Keeping Your Cool When Your Kids Are Not
I think we go into parenthood with the intention of showing love to our children and staying calm when our children are upset or misbehaving. We plan to parent in such a way that our children will only need to be told to do something once before they listen and immediately follow directions. I...
When Things Aren’t Going Your Way, This One Question Changes Everything
Whether it feels like one thing after another or it feels like big things are not going your way, there is a helpful way to look at it. We all know that there is no “there” to get to where everything is perfect, when we are fully evolved or have our life set up...
When You Resist Your Feelings: There’s no “Trying” in Emotions!
When I was thinking about this post, a little scene from A League Of Their Own popped into my head: Well, in the world of emotion, sometimes there is lots of crying! But there is no trying, especially when it comes to feelings you are resisting. Having emotions is about ALLOWING. It is about...
Our Heart is Expanding! New Satellite Office in Costa Mesa
A new Art Therapy resource for Orange County! One Heart Counseling Center is excited to announce its new location in Costa Mesa, close to the 405, 73, and 55 freeways. Our new satellite office offers mindfulness based therapy, art therapy, and counseling services for children, teens, and adults dealing with a wide variety of...