“If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can’t survive.” ~ Brené Brown Recently, I was out to eat with a friend when her teenage daughter called several times in a row. My friend knew it was important or her daughter would not call repeatedly. She stepped away
“Anger helps straighten out a problem like a fan helps straighten out a pile of papers.” — Susan Mancotte What makes you angry? Do you fume when someone cuts you off in traffic? Does your blood pressure skyrocket when your child refuses to cooperate? Regardless of what sets you off, anger is a common and
“Doing what you love is the cornerstone of having abundance in your life.” ~ Wayne Dyer Recently, I went to the funeral of my friend’s father. I have–fortunately or unfortunately–been to my fair share of funerals in my short life. They can be uplifting and inspiring, as they celebrate the whole life of the honored
“When sex becomes easy to view, love becomes difficult to find.” ~Fight the New Drug There was once a Dutch biologist named Nikolaas Tinbergen who made a fascinating conclusion through a famous experiment. He created cardboard cutouts of butterflies that were attractive to their mates by color and movement. He decided to paint these cardboard
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson I know someone who has been working on herself for a while. As a dancer, she has dealt with all sorts of body image issues for the majority of her life. Her motivation
“You can’t hate yourself happy. You can’t criticize yourself thin. You can’t shame yourself worthy. Real change begins with self-love and self-care.” — Jessica Ortner Every day we see pictures of what the “perfect” man or woman *should* look like. While we may think these are just images that we view and move on, the
“People say things / meant to rip you in half / but you hold the power to not / turn their words into a knife / and cut yourself.” ― Rupi Kaur Trigger Warning: This post contains explicit descriptions of self-harming behavior and may be triggering to some. Educating my clients has become an important
“A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” ~Mignon McLoughlin Next week is Valentine’s Day–the day of love. Chocolates, roses, lingerie, jewelry, romantic candlelit dinners…you will see it all across your social media platforms. If you and your partner are in the trenches or in a season of rebuilding
Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others. — Christopher Germer I will never forget a client I saw years ago. On the surface everything seemed okay and she had checked off all the boxes of a career, marriage, family, children, etc. Yet she was struggling with PTSD,
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” ~Aristotle Welcome to 2023! I am sure many of you have been excitedly working on your goals and resolutions for the New Year. It is a very exciting time! My hope for you this year is to make it a special
“If you think someone or something other than yourself is responsible for your happiness or success, I’d guess you’re not that happy or successful.” – Rob Liano We lost much of 2020 due to the fear and pandemonium of the virus. In 2021 we were extremely cautious for fear of repeating 2020. We spent 2022
Let’s get ready for the holiday gatherings this year by preparing ourselves and our family members!
Melissa Cluff is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in North Texas, providing face-to-face and telehealth therapy options to clients in Texas.
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in North Texas, providing face-to-face and telehealth therapy options to clients in Texas.
