Receiving Critical Feedback
Critical feedback, while challenging to receive, offers valuable insights that can help us grow both personally and professionally.
When we approach feedback with openness and self-compassion, we transform potentially difficult conversations into opportunities for deeper understanding and meaningful change.
🎯 Receiving Critical Feedback
Receiving critical feedback can be challenging. We often get defensive or shut down, creating barriers in our relationships - even with those who genuinely care about our growth.
But here's the thing: processing feedback mindfully can transform these moments into opportunities for deep connection and personal growth!
Scroll through for supportive tips on handling critical feedback with grace and openness! ✨
Steven Avila (@nerdytalk_therapy) shares these insights from their Queer & Trans Accountability & Sensitivity Training for educators, as well as their therapeutic practices with their clients.
Anger, frustration, and being overwhelmed- how do we emotionally regulate and navigate ourselves?
Discover practical strategies for managing anger, frustration, and overwhelm in this guide to emotional regulation. Learn how to identify triggers, develop healthy coping mechanisms, and create lasting change through professional support and self-compassion.
I have noticed how impactful it is to work with and understand our emotions and express them healthily. Many people find this easier said than done, and I agree. Here are some things that can be helpful and that we should be aware of when working to understand ourselves and our emotions.
When working with emotional regulation, it’s always helpful to have a therapist guide you through the process if you have the means to do so.
When we work with ourselves and our emotions, it's helpful to understand how our surroundings and upbringing impacted the way we handle these emotions at the outset.
What triggers our emotional intensity? What escalates our emotions to a higher degree? Knowing what triggers us means we have an idea of how to cope.
It's essential to be aware of coping skills and what helps us in times of high distress. These skills include distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and communication and handling of the situation.
Understanding the levels of our emotional dysregulation is another helpful factor. Sometimes, we know what level we’re at and what helps us and what not to know what coping mechanisms help.
Ask what your environment can do to help you. Can people around you help? How can others improve the situation, such as changing the tone or how things are said? Ask how people can help and support you.
Our emotions will be valid, but not the intensity or action. Remember what we feel will be valid and make sense, but how we express
Be patient with yourself and the process. It's hard to feel like we know what we need to do. Why isn’t it easy? Remember, if you’re used to doing things a certain way and your instincts are to react a certain way, it takes time to undo behaviors. Be patient with yourself. Getting better at our reactions takes time and patience.
Learning and building mastery on understanding our intense emotions and navigating them can be so beneficial. We can communicate with ourselves and others about what we feel and work together to better the situation for everyone involved. We can feel good knowing we handled the situation well and also feel our emotions and wants can be heard by others. Not lashing out or regretting our actions can make us feel better about ourselves and our self-image. So, if you need help and want to learn to handle intense emotional situations, it’s worth reaching out for help!
New Year, Renewed Love: When to Consider Couples Therapy in 2025
A New Year's message highlighting how couples therapy can strengthen relationships in 2025. The post normalizes seeking professional help, lists signs for when therapy might be beneficial, and encourages couples to invest in their relationships, whether facing challenges or seeking growth.
🌟 As we step into 2025, let's talk about relationship growth and healing 💕
The new year often brings reflections on our relationships with ourselves and our loved ones. As a therapist, I've witnessed countless couples transform their connections by having the courage to seek help and do the work together.
Remember: Seeking couples therapy isn't a sign of failure—it's a sign of commitment to growth and understanding. It says, "Our relationship matters enough to invest in it."
Some signs it might be time to consider couples therapy:
Communication feels stuck or hostile
You're having the same arguments on repeat
You feel disconnected or like roommates
Trust needs rebuilding
Life transitions are creating strain
You want to strengthen an already good relationship
Every couple's journey is unique, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. Whether starting 2025 in a challenging place or wanting to deepen your connection, professional support can help you create the relationship you envision.
Here's to nurturing our relationships in 2025 with intention, compassion, and hope 🌱
Five Steps to Manage Big Emotions
Therese shares some helpful tips for emotional regulation!
Pause Don't Panic
In the midst of COVID-19, Viridiana Rodriguez reminds us to pause instead of panic.
What is the appropriate response to a crisis?
Are you struggling with questions such as “Am I overreacting?” and/or “Am I taking this situation seriously enough?”
These are normal statements to an abnormal situation occurring in our lives. You might be feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about how to proceed. Here are five simple things you can do as we face this Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis as a nation:
1. Breathe and give yourself time to process your emotions
2. Create and give yourself positive affirmations if your emotions are causing anxiety and/or insecurities.
a. Positive statements such as “I am safe and protected” and “Everything will be okay” work great! Keep it clear and simple.
3. Assess your mental, emotional, physical, and even spiritual needs on a regular basis. Give yourself time and space to attend to each area.
4. Connect with others in person, by phone, and/or online; friends, family, etc. Do not isolate yourself completely! Be kind to yourself and others during this difficult moment.
5. Self-Care! It can look like meditation every night, journaling every morning, limiting your social media or news exposure, or listening to music. The important thing is to pause not panic — figure out what helps your nervous system calm down.
And, of course, if you need to, don’t hesitate to reach out to a mental health professional to support you during this stressful time! All of our clinicians are offering online video sessions.
While challenging, it is in the most critical moments of our lives that it is the most important to bring light to yourself and others.
Namaste, Viri
If you’re looking for ways to educate yourself about COVID-19 and what you can do to help yourself and others from sources that are also encouraging a “pause don’t panic” philosophy, we recommend checking out this episode of Ologies to hear scientific facts from an expert, this episode of Healing Justice to listen to how we can take care of ourselves and one another, and this magical poetry offering from Dori Midnight — use it as a meditation, an affirmation, or a community action manifesto — all ways will work wonders for your heart!
You can also sign-up for our newsletter so that you’re always up to date with the wisdom shared by our therapists and what events are happening to beat the isolation through healing and connection at Gather & Grow OC headquarters and online!
Self-Scare Can Be Self-Care!
Ami shares some of her favorite general and seasonal self-care ideas!
October is here and you know what that means? Halloween season, my favorite holiday! This is a great time to remind people to go out and do self-care or should I say self scare? Whether it be making time to sit down and watch a neat horror flick or even playing horror video games, decking out your place with Halloween decorations, making plans with friends, etc. (You can even do none of those things because you are easily spooked. Do other things and that’s ok too!) Self (s)care is an important factor in keeping our mental health and even physical health in check. It’s greatly encouraged to go out and have fun for the sake of your mental health. Let’s face it, it’s not easy to function when you feel like a zombie working on aimlessly with no room for yourself and your mental health needs!
When utilizing self-care remember that the reason we self-care in the first place is to re-energize or refuel us mentally, emotionally, and even physically. Some basic self-care activities to consider are:
Getting a good amount of sleep
Healthy eating habits
Checking up on your physical health
Exercise
Spending time with people you enjoy being around
‘Tis the season for Halloween so here are some seasonal self-care ideas! If you’re like me and enjoy the spooky holidays here are some seasonal self-scare ideas:
Pumpkin carving with friends/family
Watching a Halloween inspired movie either alone or with friends
Making or buying a costume
Decorating your house and if you’re able to your workspace (Director’s Note: Come check out the GGOC offices! Ami did a great job helping us get in the spirit of the season!)
Giving out candy or going out and trick or treating
Having a Halloween social with friends and/or family
Making Halloween or seasonally inspired foods
Going out to a Halloween theme park attraction
Treat yourself to a seasonal pumpkin spice latte
Be mindful when you’re doing any activities for the holiday that this is for your personal mental and physical well being. Don’t scare yourself into doing things you have to for the holidays. Go out there and take (s)care of yourself!