Blog - Freedom Within Center | Counseling

Letting go of Anxious Thoughts

Have you ever noticed that the more you try not to think about something the more you actually think about it? Try it! For example, try not to think about a giant warm chocolate chip cookie. See if you can NOT think about it for 30 seconds. Did you succeed? Some might...

Mental Wellness During the Holidays

This time of year serves as a reminder of how important it is to prioritize mental wellness during the holidays. The holidays are here! It seems like once October hits, the holiday countdown is on! The holiday season can be exciting, anxiety-provoking,...

Mental Health Tips: Steps to Forgiveness

What is forgiveness? Why do we need to forgive people who don’t deserve to be forgiven? Forgiveness is one of the hardest things to do and it looks different for everyone. Forgiveness doesn’t mean it is a reconciliation or repairing or returning to a relationship, it...

Couples Therapy – Relationship Check Ins

I am sure for many of us when we hear the words “couples therapy” or see what couples therapy is on a tv show or in a movie, we want to run away as far as possible. For a lot of people, couples therapy means the relationship is “doomed” or “already over” and it is a...

Gardening and Gratitude

I recently treated myself to a beautiful potted ficus ginseng plant, and its curvy roots and dark green leaves spark joy for me when I see it. My hope is that it will thrive and grow, and still be with me year after year like my resilient rubber tree. But it could go...

Navigating Complex Trauma with Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI)

For many in the AAPI community, the term “complex trauma” is unfamiliar. We go through life thinking our experiences and stressors are normal, suppressing valuable thoughts and emotions- living in survival mode. Our unique experiences follow us from history into...

Even Therapists Experience Difficulties in Communication

Over Lunar New Year, I gathered with my family and extended relatives. Seeing aunts, uncles, cousins, and close friends at my aunt’s house- some people I had not seen since the beginning of the pandemic. We were enjoying each other’s company, catching up over...

Healthy Coping Mechanisms vs Unhealthy

It’s the new year, it’s 2022 and yet it still feels like we're in March of 2020. Covid-19 feels like a never-ending Groundhog’s day and it’s starting to take an emotional toll on us all again. It can feel like there is never a light at the end of the tunnel and that...

Mental Health Tips for Values and Goals

Having a hard time staying focused on your goals? Losing sight of what is most important to you? Feeling stuck and having difficulty moving forward? These are all such common experiences, especially when we lose sight of the bigger picture. It’s easy to go through our...

Benefits of Group Therapy

Sometimes when we hear “group therapy” it’s easy to think of tv shows where people are “forced to go to group” or “one person just talking the whole time.” In our women’s anxiety group, that’s the last thing you get. Let me tell you a few benefits of group therapy and...

Mindfulness Exercises to Reduce Anxiety—Especially During the Holidays

The holidays are right around the corner, so here are a few mindfulness exercises to reduce anxiety and get you through the season. It seems that 2021 has come and gone. Where has the time gone? For many of us, it feels just as 2020 did, with a lot of unknown and...

What to Expect From Therapy

Signing up for your first therapy session can be a daunting task. Maybe you have reached a point where you know you need support, or have been encouraged to see a therapist by someone in your life. Knowing what to expect from therapy can make getting started in the...