We hear more often now about postpartum depression, but what about postpartum anxiety. I once heard someone say that it wasn’t anxiety it was just new mom worries. Doesn’t every mom worry about their child?! But what if it is beyond the “normal worries” what even defines that. The Postpartum Support International organization lists the following symptoms for postpartum anxiety- “Constant worry, feeling that something bad is going to happen, racing thoughts, disturbances of sleep and appetite, inability to sit still and physical symptoms like dizziness, hot flashes, and nausea” (2023). If you have a history of anxiety, you have an increased risk of developing postpartum anxiety. About 10% of women will develop postpartum anxiety.

Welcome back! If you didn’t join us for the first blog in this 3-part series, go read it now! (Or, you know, don’t—I’m not the boss of you.) As we saw last time, attraction is a surprisingly complex thing and informs our relationships in countless ways. I promised that this time, we’d take a look at some of the groups and orientations in our alphabet soup. Today, we’ll hit on L, G, B, Q, and A (lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and asexual), among others, introducing terms and concepts I bet you’ve never heard of or considered. It’s a lot, I know, but from speaking with other people, a lot of this stuff was new information and gave them a lot to think about. I hope it does the same for you.

Welcome to the first blog of a unique 3-part series on LGBTQIA+ people: who exactly they are, how they experience themselves, and how they interact with the world. Maybe you’re a friend, parent, or ally of a queer person, or maybe you’re just curious to learn more than the basics.

Today, we’ll take a quick dive into what makes people gravitate toward one another, romantically or otherwise. Why do I say “LGBTQIA+” you ask? Seems long. Good question! People often talk about the “LGBTQ community,” but lesbians, bi men, trans women, demisexual people, and those with Klinefelter syndrome, let’s say, have wildly different experiences and challenges—which is why I personally prefer “communities” over “community,” FWIW. The added letters just stand for a couple of significant groups that don’t always get a seat at the table. We’ll meet them later. (These are just the terms I like to use. Continue to use whatever you’re used to or comfortable with!)

Do you ever walk away from conversations with your partner and feel completely misunderstood? Like no matter what you say, you cannot make them hear you?

Maybe this happens in all your conversations, whether you are discussing chores, plans, schedules, insecurities, hurt, or needs. You do not know whether to fight harder or to shut down and give up. You both end up feeling hurt, disconnected, or emotionally exhausted.

Boundaries are an interesting concept. They are invisible, subject to change, and are present in practically all of our friendships, relationships, and other social connections. But what exactly are boundaries, and why do they change as we move through life?

Self-care is a term that we all know and love. But what is self-care really? Despite how often the term is mentioned on social media or in wellness articles, self-care is one of the most misunderstood concepts in mental health. When some hear the term, lavish spa days, vacations, or elaborate routines are quick to come to mind, while others may associate the term with being just another item to add to an already long list of to-dos.

Physical touch with a partner is one of the simplest ways to remind your nervous system: “You’re safe. You’re not alone.” These are not grand romantic gestures. They are just small, steady moments of reaching for one another.

To be clear, I’m not talking about big romantic movie moments here. This isn’t The Notebook or When Harry Met Sally. I mean the small, everyday ways we reach toward each other in passing.

When we talk about performance—whether in sports, music, theater, public speaking, or competitive events—we tend to focus first on the physical side: skills, strength, conditioning, repetition, rehearsal. We measure effort by how many hours were spent training and how much sweat was poured into preparation.

Hello, beautiful humans…

Something’s been on my mind lately — a quiet ache I think many of us are feeling. In a world lit by screens, we are constantly connected yet profoundly alone. Faces glow under artificial light, fingers scroll, voices ping, but our nervous systems feel a quiet emptiness. We are surrounded by information, advice, and digital “community,” yet our limbic systems — the emotional centers of our brains — hunger for something far more ancient: true human presence. Feel familiar? This is limbic resonance — the subtle attunement of one nervous system to another, the wordless synchrony that reminds us we are not alone.

As a therapist who works with couples, this is a common scene played out in front of me:

Wife: “I just want him to do things around the house because he wants to.”

Husband: “She could’ve just asked.”

Wife: “But I don’t want to have to ask.”

Husband: “I’m not a mind reader.”

And there it is — that tense volley that ends with someone crying, someone shutting down, and both feeling unseen.

Your 20s are often romanticized as a decade of adventure, growth, and endless possibilities. But the reality? For many young adults, this life stage brings overwhelming anxiety, sleepless nights, and the constant feeling of falling behind.

If you're struggling with anxiety in your twenties, you're far from alone. Research shows that anxiety disorders peak during young adulthood, affecting nearly 1 in 3 people aged 18-29. Between managing student loans, launching careers, navigating relationships, and facing constant social media comparison, it's no wonder this decade feels so mentally taxing.

The encouraging news: anxiety in your 20s is manageable with the right strategies. This comprehensive guide explores why anxiety intensifies during this life stage and provides five evidence-based techniques to help you cope.

How does it work if the client and clinician are simply playing with the toys together in the office? Children communicate through play as it is their natural medium. Before you learned to verbalize your feelings, you first learned to express yourself through play. This goes for you too adults, although you may not remember it there was a time when play or art was your biggest form of communication. Children use play as it is the most natural and self-healing way for them to process what they are feeling or experiencing. 

The Latinx community in Houston faces unique challenges when it comes to mental health, including cultural stigma, language barriers, and lack of access to culturally competent care. Fortunately, there are a variety of organizations and professionals that provide accessible, culturally sensitive support for those in need.

Ever wished you could navigate those tricky conversations with family, friends, or colleagues with a little more ease and understanding? You don't need a psychology degree to improve your communication and build stronger relationships. Believe it or not, many of the core techniques used by counselors can be incredibly valuable in everyday life.

In a world that often silences voices, storytelling emerges as an act of defiance and empowerment. Through our narratives, we reclaim agency over our lives, embrace our truths, and foster connection. The therapeutic power of storytelling transcends the confines of traditional counseling; it nourishes both individual healing and communal strength, particularly among marginalized identities.

As a parent, it is important to acknowledge the many transitions occurring in your adolescent’s life. Whether they are entering middle school or high school, teens are now facing many social dilemmas where they tend to be more aware of their looks, social status, school performance, and relationships.

Your teen may be facing these challenges even as they explore different roles in determining their identity and place in the world. All these changes can lead to them experiencing confusion and discomfort.

It's normal to feel anxious from time to time, especially if your life is stressful. However, excessive, ongoing anxiety and worry that are tough to control and interfere with daily activities may signify generalized anxiety disorder.

Journaling is a healthy coping strategy that can help reduce mental stress and anxiety, coping with major depressive disorder, and manage symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. The process of journaling is a therapeutic tool that can be practiced at home and at a convenient time, with just the need of a journal and pencil. When we have an overwhelming number of thoughts, good or bad, it can be helpful to write them out and choose what to focus on.

“I am worthy. “

Some days I can believe these words to be true, but other times it feels like a relentless battle and an unnecessary headache. Am I worthy? How do I define my worthiness? Is it in the way I look? What I am to do? How others see me? Asking myself these questions has made me realize that I may not fully understand what worthy is, or what it is I am hoping I am worthy of.

How can you set goals to help you Thrive in 2025? This has been quite a year. A year that followed an incredibly taxing and stressful year. But we have made it. We have made it to another year, and are ready to conquer the next one. But not just survive it, THRIVE in it.

As I think about what it means to Thrive in 2025, I have spent time thinking about goals that I have, things that I want to accomplish, for myself and for Restoring Hope.