Connected Wellness Group

We have openings for a few new clients! As we approach the 2 year anniversary of CWG, we are excited to be adding 2 licensed therapists to our practice this month.
🛋️ Want to join our team? Check out the website in our bio for information on full-time licensed and part-time resident openings!
🛋️ Want to become a client? We know stepping into therapy or finding a new therapist can be nerve racking. We are inclusive, ethical practitioners focused on best-practices and personal approaches to mental health. Email [email protected] to schedule.

The chairs almost bested us (swipe for proof), but we managed to get set up and get excited for our weekly, collaborative CWG team meeting starting on Tuesday. We believe connection also happens in the workplace. We hope to grow a practice where our staff learns from one other, celebrates together, and leans on each other to work through the hard things. Come join us (we are hiring)!

🫶 Come back to yourself. 🫶

Therapists suffer from burnout. Daily, we hold space for our clients and their stories but leave little room to hold space for ourselves. Many of us also feel isolated in our profession. We work behind closed doors hour after hour before rushing home to roll into the responsibilities of our own lives.

Join us for a mini retreat that fosters connection back to yourself and with other therapists through nourishing your mind, body and soul.

Replenish your mind: (9:00 - 9:45) Nidra Yoga
Replenish your body: (9:45 - 10:15) Connect & Nutrition for Mental Health Replenish your soul: (10:15 - 11:00) Sound Bath

February 24, 2024
9am - 11am

@ Flourish on Colley
809 Brandon Avenue, Suite 210
Norfolk, VA 23517

RSVP @
www.ConnectedWellnessGroup.com

Or, send an email to [email protected]

🙆‍♀️ I am doing my best to practice what I preach!

For my daily practice this year I chose to hold a yoga 🧘‍♀️ pose for a few minutes each day. I’m gentle with myself. I stop when I first feel the stretch, allowing my body to expand and move deeper as it wants.

🥱 Sometimes it is pigeon pose at night before bed. Usually, it is Cobra as I wake each morning. 🌞

I say “doing my best” because I don’t always do it each day. Then, I have to reset.

☺️ Show yourself kindness when you have to reset! Use the pause to learn what is not working for you. Allow yourself to adjust. Self-care also means self-compassion. ☺️

🙋🏼‍♀️How is your ritual coming along? Are you allowing yourself to practice self-compassion?

📣Welcome, Jen!! 🥳

⁉️ Jen wants to share WHY she was drawn to CWG:

🤩 “I am excited to join Connected Wellness Group! I love a small group practice that uses a MULTI-MODALITY approach to support WHOLE-PERSON HEALING.” 🤩

Jennifer Pope (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Virginia Tech, and her Master’s in Social Work from SUNY Albany.

Jennifer practices as an EMDR-trained clinician through the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) with full certification expected in spring 2024. She specializes in the treatment of Anxiety, Depression, PTSD, DID, complex and childhood trauma, and Eating Disorders.  In addition to EMDR, Jennifer utilizes Trauma-responsive Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Internal Family Systems, and Unyte-iLS Safe and Sound Protocol to support her clients’ relief from past trauma, attachment style, anxiety, and depression.  Jennifer is additionally a NASW-approved clinical supervisor. 

🪇 Outside of the therapeutic space, Jennifer loves dogs, cooking, running and going to concerts with her family.🐶🏃‍♀️

Let’s talk about rituals. A ritual is a daily practice that offers an opportunity to re-center. It is a gentle way to care for yourself each day. They are small positive additions instead of a negative “not.”

Rituals are not routines. Rituals are practices designed to engage in daily with the intent of being ✨mindful about the present moment ✨ and how that activity makes us feel.

Presence is hard! ‼️ Most of us live the day-to-day on autopilot, thinking forward to what we have to do next or looking backward toward all we haven’t done. Daily practices are moments of built-in “pause.” 

💜 Some examples of daily rituals: 💜

🌞 Wake up in the morning and first expose yourself to natural light. Even if it is just opening the blinds and pausing for a moment.

🫁 Spend 5 minutes each day pausing to take conscious deep breaths. Notice how your diaphragm rises and falls.🫁

😌 Take a moment to do a body scan. Notice where you are holding tension and consciously relax those muscles.

🥱 Stretch before bed to let your body know it’s time to wind down.

🧘 Choose 1 yoga pose and hold it even for a few minutes.

📓 Start a new journal. Pick 1️⃣ event from the day and identify the feelings that accompany it. Or, 1️⃣ moment of gratitude 🙏 you failed to notice at the time.

🛌 Make the bed in the morning so you end the day with a sense of calm. Or, clean the kitchen at night so you start your day without a picture of chaos. 🧑‍🍳

☮️ Do you have a new ritual you’d like the weave into your day? ☮️

Mantra Day #3:
⭐️ I will slow down and take care of myself instead of giving in to grind culture. ⭐️

A mantra is an offering. A meditation. A phrase of remembrance. An opportunity to ingrain a TRUTH deep within our being. A truth that has the power to lead to transformation and healing. A mantra isn’t about doing, it’s about being. 🧘🏽‍♂️🧘🏻🧘‍♀️

A resolution is a commitment to improvement. It’s a goal, a practice, a behavior change, an accomplishment. They usually about striving and embrace black and white thinking. Resolutions have a place, yes. They aren’t inherently “bad.” But, they often turn into a source of shame when they are not met or forgotten. They are also frequently unrealistic. Therefore, they set us up for “failure.” Resolutions are about doing, not about being.🏃‍♀️📊😔

What will be your mantra for 2024?

Mantra Day #2:
⭐️ I will allow myself to ask for help instead of telling myself l’m a failure or weak for needing it. ⭐️

A mantra is an offering. A meditation. A phrase of remembrance. An opportunity to ingrain a TRUTH deep within our being. A truth that has the power to lead to transformation and healing. A mantra isn’t about doing, it’s about being. 🧘🏽‍♂️🧘🏻🧘‍♀️

A resolution is a commitment to improvement. It’s a goal, a practice, a behavior change, an accomplishment. They usually about striving and embrace black and white thinking. Resolutions have a place, yes. They aren’t inherently “bad.” But, they often turn into a source of shame when they are not met or forgotten. They are also frequently unrealistic. Therefore, they set us up for “failure.” Resolutions are about doing, not about being.🏃‍♀️📊😔

A mantra is an offering. A meditation. A phrase of remembrance. An opportunity to ingrain a TRUTH deep within our being. A truth that has the power to lead to transformation and healing. A mantra isn’t about doing, it’s about being. 🧘🏽‍♂️🧘🏻🧘‍♀️

A resolution is a commitment to improvement. It’s a goal, a practice, a behavior change, an accomplishment. They usually about striving and embrace black and white thinking. Resolutions have a place, yes. They aren’t inherently “bad.” But, they often turn into a source of shame when they are not met or forgotten. They are also frequently unrealistic. Therefore, they set us up for “failure.” Resolutions are about doing, not about being.🏃‍♀️📊😔

Most of us neglect our mental health until there is a crisis. Until there is an overwhelming struggle we find we no longer have the tools to handle alone. Or, once we come to recognize those tools we’ve relied on are no longer working. Instead, we begin to see those tools are causing more pain and difficulties. They are no long helping reduce shame, anxiety, and relational struggles.

Today is World Mental Health Awareness Day. Difficulties with mental health have been stigmatized and judged for far too long! Let’s create a world where we no longer shame ourselves or others for addressing our emotional needs. A world where we destigmatize difficulties with mental health. A world where we honor our willingness to ask for help.

Judge yourself a little bit less today. Move your body to complete the stress cycle. Stop and breathe. Give yourself a minute to see beauty. Honor your need to rest. And reach out to a practitioner if that is what your brain, body, and heart need to help you heal.

Connect with yourself, your people, your body, and your spirit.

💆 Memory of trauma, painful, difficult experiences, and suppressed emotions become “stuck energy” inside the body. When that occurs our body becomes a storehouse for emotions. We experience pain, tension, discomfort, fatigue, anxiety, stress and stagnation.

Massage harnesses the power of healing touch, increasing positive benefits to the mind, body, and spirit. It honors the whole person, balancing our body’s structures, aiding in the reduction of soft tissue pain, and encouraging emotional release as the body dislodges and releases physical tension.

At CWG we believe Massage Therapy is a complement to psychotherapy and a vital component of the healing journey. 💆‍♀️

📆 ➡️ Visit our website at www.ConnectedWellnessGroup.com to book an appointment with Tiffany. 💻📲

Tiffany Rodriguez, LMT

Needing an outlet from the stress of corporate sales Tiffany began receiving regular massages and was immediately drawn to the physical effects it had on her well-being. Soon after she enrolled in Advanced Fuller School of Massage in Virginia Beach, VA and received her licensure in 2018.

Her belief is that we are all interconnected and dependent upon each other for healing our bodies and minds; therapeutic touch was the initial spark for her. She approaches her work with a trauma-informed mindfulness, combining Swedish, deep tissue and myofascial release techniques. 

Tiffany is from the Hampton Roads area and currently resides in Norfolk with her partner Stephan and their cat Terra. Long distance hiking and gardening are a few of the hobbies she enjoys, she recently returned from backpacking 1,900 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail.

YAY!!!! Massage Therapy!

🥳 💆 We are so excited to be offering Massage Therapy as a new Wellness Service at Connected Wellness Group. 💆‍♀️🥳

The dream is to build a place where clients can attend their psychotherapy session and book another wellness service directly before or after their appointment.

We could not be more honored to partner with you on your journey towards (w)holeness!

📆 You can book a massage by going to the services section of our website at www.ConnectedWellnessGroup.com 👩‍💻

‼️☔️ Unfortunately, the storm has CANCELED us. Please stay safe! Join us next week for our last workshop of September, 9/30 @ 10a. We will be breathing, grounding, stretching, and being mindful at Flourish on Colley. Sign up on our website, www.Connectedwellnessgroup.com ☔️‼️

🥳🧁🤩 CONNECTED WELLNESS GROUP TURNS 1️⃣! 🤩🧁🥳

Healing is a process, not a destination. When will I be healed? That’s not the question. The question is … Will I commit to the journey of healing?

Webster’s defines journey as “an act of traveling from one place to another.” A journey refers to a trip without regard to the amount of time it takes. There are bumps along the way, unexpected joys and instances of awe. There are unwanted delays and unmet expectations. Tears and laughter, memories made, and one’s we’d prefer to forget. There are moments of frustration and fear as we get lost along the way. There is beauty and there are desolate places. A journey is not linear. It’s always a winding road. Sometimes we backtrack after we take a wrong turn. Other times, we travel the unexpected road, risking going in the wrong direction. Curious about the new one.

Pause. Talk with the person at the rest stop. Hear the story of the single mother or recovering addict at the restaurant you stop at for dinner. Share yours. Be present to yourself and the experience. Look around and ponder what your senses take in. Listen to your body as it needs rest, nourishment, and company. Be kind to yourself when it takes longer than expected. CONNECT.

No one is healed in isolation, though we often want to be … try to be. In our shame and pain we hide.

Find your people. Build a team. A tribe. A support system. Courage is not the absence of fear. It’s wading into the deep waters when you can’t see. It’s a TRUSTFALL. Trust the process of connection. Commit to connecting with your TRUE self, your emotions, your body, your community, your safe people, your spirituality … and hope. Allow yourself to heal.

Welcome Jess!! 🥳

Jessica Seaburg (she/her) is a resident in counseling currently pursuing her LPC in Virginia. She is a graduate from Old Dominion University with a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling and a bachelor's in psychology.  

Jessica’s primary focus is working with those experiencing s*xual, relational, and racial crisis and trauma. She utilizes skills of trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and Relational-cultural theory (RCT) to help clients identify and modify their habits, increase their tolerance to distress, and create more awareness of the complex nature of relationships in their life.  

As a registered yoga teacher, Jessica prioritizes the importance of a holistic approach to creating balance in life and often helps clients regulate their nervous systems through breathing exercises, movement, and meditation.  

Jessica is currently pursuing education in couples counseling and s*x therapy through the Integrative S*x Therapy Institute to help those experiencing low-s*x relationships, infidelity, shame, exploring cultural and gender roles, redefining monogamy, body-image issues, trauma, and s*xual dysfunction.

As the 1️⃣ Year Anniversary of Connected Wellness Group approaches, we are excited to announce the launch of WELLNESS WORKSHOPS to encourage practice in movement, mindfulness, breathwork, meditation, and grounding as a somatic and body-based compliment to therapy and healing. Breathe and Ground in September will be facilitated by Jessica, our newest employee.

🧘‍♀️ As this is CWG’s introductory series, we have decided to make it FREE and open to the public. We look forward to you joining us! Bring a friend! 🧘‍♂️

Pick a date and check 👨‍💻 www.connectedwellnessgroup.com 👩‍💻 for more information and to register. Please have any additional parties joining you also register via the website. ➡️ link in profile ⬅️

⏰ Friday, September 8, 2023 @ 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM

⏰ Saturday, September 23, 2023 @ 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

⏰ Saturday, September 30, 2023 @ 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Welcome Isabelle!!! 🥳

Isabelle Kight (she/her) is a supervisee pursuing her LCSW in Virginia (Licensure expected in September 2023). She is a graduate of Old Dominion University where she received her Bachelors of Science in Psychology with a minor in Human Services and obtained her Masters in Clinical Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University. Isabelle is an EMDR trained clinician through EMDR International Association (EMDRIA), IFS-informed EMDR trained through EMDRIA, and Ego State Therapy trained; Isabelle also uses art and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy interventions.

Isabelle has a diverse clinical experience, from partial hospitalization to many years in outpatient private practice. Isabelle’s clinical and research experience has focused on the understanding of how one’s past and present experiences influence one’s mental and emotional well-being.

Isabelle believes there is strength and bravery within the steps taken to pursue therapy and wellbeing. Isabelle is passionate in working collaboratively with each individual while utilizing a strength-based approach in furthering one’s discovery of self, strength, and resiliency.

Emotions have jobs. They exist for a reason. What is your fear trying to provide for you?

One of the most important steps in our healing is to reconnect with the body. Often, people are aware of the extreme ends of the spectrum — pain or pleasure. Sometimes, in order to survive and keep ourselves emotionally safe, we’ve even disconnected completely from those. We need to increase somatic awareness. To pause. To tune in. To name what is happening in order to reduce emotional reactivity and increase intentional responsiveness.

🧘🏽‍♂️ Pause. Take a few deep breaths. Tune into your body. Notice the sensations. 🧘‍♀️

Where is there tension or pain? Where are you relaxed and at peace? What is your heart rate like? Is your breath short and constricted or deep and calm? What about your shoulders … can you drop them? What is happening in your stomach … your head … your face? What else do you notice?

You are beginning to tune into the Mind-Body connection.

Share one of the responses you noticed in the comments below. ⬇️

Radical acceptance doesn’t mean we live in denial about our feelings or approve of the situation. It doesn’t mean we don’t allow ourselves to feel by slapping on a smile and proclaiming . In fact, it means we allow ourselves to feel wholeheartedly. It means we stop trying to resist reality.

📣 Staff Introduction 📣

Meet Melanie Phillips, LCSW - Staff Therapist

Melanie Phillips is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, an EMDR trained clinician by the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA), a Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) trained clinician by Cognitive and Behavioral Consultants, and has trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). She earned her undergraduate degree and Master’s degree in Social Work at Salisbury University and is a registered Supervisor with the Virginia Board of Social Work.

Melanie has experience in settings that include inpatient/residential treatment, hospitals and with providing crisis and outpatient mental health treatment. She works with individuals who are recovering from trauma or other distressing life experiences as well as those experiencing anxiety, depression, or are adjusting to life’s many changes.
Melanie believes in the power of connection and strives to create a welcoming, supportive, validating, and safe environment to promote health, healing, and growth.

We are so excited to have Melanie on staff! Melanie worked with the owners of CWG many years ago during our time working in an inpatient treatment environment. She was the first clinician we contacted to join us when we began to create CWG. Welcome, Melanie!

I’ve been waiting for years for this to bloom. In the last month, we’ve seen buds appear and blossom overnight. Little specks of fresh green peek up from the ground. The sun has stayed out to play a little longer. Our world has started to transform with pops of color and new life.

This is like what happens in counseling. It’s winter for what feels like forever. A season of hibernating, turning inward, dark, and dreary. Then, one day you realize, out of nowhere, that you handled that situation different. Your anxiety has decreased. You’re smiling and heard your laughter for the first time in a while. Your interaction with someone was a little more real. You aren’t as hyper-vigilant. You risked vulnerability or saying no. You didn’t run away or lose your temper. You let go of that grasp for perfection this once. You didn’t need the extra drink at the end of the day.

You see, change is cyclical. It isn’t linear. Just like the seasons. And, if you pay attention you’ll notice a little speck of hope because everything must change.

📣 Staff Introduction 📣

Calie Garrett — Collaborative Provider in Yoga, Meditation, and Coaching

Calie is a a certified yoga instructor (RYT 200), registered with Yoga Alliance, and a Certified Life Coach through the Certified Life Coach Institute (ICF). Prior to life coaching and yoga, Calie spent well over a decade in non-profit leadership and team development, and has taught high school as a licensed special education teacher for the last 6 years. Calie currently teaches at Norview where she also coaches volleyball and provides yoga for student athletes. Originally from Virginia Beach, Calie graduated from the University of Virginia. In her spare time, Calie is a singer/songwriter, consistently writing, recording, and performing music around town. Calie is passionate about helping those around her find beauty, hope, and purpose for their life journey.

We are excited to announce we opened up scheduling for individual yoga with instructor Calie Garrett for our Connected Wellness Group therapy clients!

🧘‍♀️ The focus of yoga at CWG is to assist clients in the somatic processing of emotions, grounding, and reconnecting with safety in the body through yoga movement, mindfulness, stretches, and breathwork.

🧘🏽‍♂️ We believe yoga is a complementary practice to therapy and an integral part of (w)holistic mental health and well-being.

🧘🏻 At this time, we are only offering individual yoga sessions; we hope to add small group yoga, breath work, and meditation classes as Connected Wellness Group evolves.

Calie is a certified yoga instructor (RYT 200), registered with Yoga Alliance, and a Certified Life Coach through the Certified Life Coach Institute (ICF). Prior to life coaching and yoga, Calie spent well over a decade in non-profit leadership and team development and has taught high school as a licensed special education teacher for the last 6 years. Calie currently teaches at Norview where she also coaches volleyball and provides yoga for student-athletes. Originally from Virginia Beach, Calie graduated from the University of Virginia. In her spare time, Calie is a singer/songwriter, consistently writing, recording, and performing music around town. Calie is passionate about helping those around her find beauty, hope, and purpose for their life journey.

To schedule, please go to the Services page of ConnectedWellnessGroup.com and click the “Schedule A Private Yoga Session” button.

At this time, we are only offering individual yoga sessions; we hope to add small group yoga, breath work, and meditation classes as Connected Wellness Group evolves.