How do you look at your loved one? After months or years together in a committed relationship, it’s easy to become complacent — meeting your partner’s gaze with neutrality or forgetting to look at them with love at all. Lingering hurt from late night arguments, disappointment when expectations are not met, or anger due toContinue reading “The look of Love”
Author Archives: Laurel Holmes, ABs, LMHC
Internal Family Systems (IFS) Parts Work explained!
The best therapy: Parts Work/IFS
Internal family systems. “IFS is a transformative tool that conceives of every human being as a system of protective and wounded inner parts led by a core Self. We believe the mind is naturally multiple and that is a good thing. Just like members of a family, inner parts are forced from their valuable statesContinue reading “The best therapy: Parts Work/IFS”
Children & Chores
In Parenting tool #1, we covered how kids should be doing a chore a day, and how this leads to being a good household citizen. Now lets explore consequences– when kids are not meeting mom and dad’s expectations. Expectations are the behaviors we consciously have of our kids. You will be polite, you will push yourContinue reading “Children & Chores”
Children and chores = making good citizens
I’ve been mother and a psychologist for 22 years. I used to be caught over-thinking, over-analyzing and trying to full-proof my son’s emotional life before I would take action. I’d over-process with my weary husband about the effects of discipline and influence over everything–regarding my son’s self esteem. In therapy sessions, I’m often asked toContinue reading “Children and chores = making good citizens”
Laughter is Medicine
Laughter is the Best Medicine! Let’s face it, life is full of stuff for our nervous systems to chew on. Not always fun. Today, let’s take a break from all of the things our heads are subject to figuring out. I need a good laugh and some light hearted thinking. You too? Let’s start withContinue reading “Laughter is Medicine”
Learning about Meditation
I’ve just returned from Dr. John Preston’s Brain Conference on Positive Emotions. He shared research on brain health–linking it to foods, medicinals, and what else? Meditation. He suggests 10-15 minutes a day. Why meditate? Stimulating the front lobes suppresses activity in the amygdala. The amygdala is impulsive, reactive, prone to false alarms, and loves toContinue reading “Learning about Meditation”
Your Kitchen is a Pharmacy
A letter to friends, family and community: I recently spent a day at a medicinal foods conference, and learned tons about current research on foods and amino acids and supplements that can deeply heal cells, tissues, blood, and the overall biome we walk around in. I got tons of information on medicinal foods targeting: brainContinue reading “Your Kitchen is a Pharmacy”
Form a Secure Couple Bubble
A couple bubble is a power tool. Everyday, I continue to be blown away at the effects of teaching others–and practicing at home–what a secure couple bubble feels like, and how to care for it. It’s a very basic concept of behaving reassuringly toward your partner (I apply it as a parent and friend too).Continue reading “Form a Secure Couple Bubble”
Why I love EMDR!
From Robin Shapiro: A friend of mine was home when her house was broken into last night. She got away, and the cops found the guy and arrested him. She posted the whole story on Facebook this morning. This afternoon, she posted this. I have her permission to repost. Please don’t mention her name inContinue reading “Why I love EMDR!”
Laurel Holmes, ABs, LMHC 