Self Space Seattle

Work and work-life balance can be difficult to navigate, and when it comes to relieving that daily stress, 's latest article covers the popular “saving the day” mood-boosting idea made popular by user Trina Merz. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Self Space licensed clinical mental health counselor, Amanda Kieser, weighs in on the mental health benefits—”I think the first time I saw these [videos], I was excited and proud of these people for allowing themselves to take breaks throughout the day,”

Kieser said that many of her clients “feel this pressure to really give work and work-life everything they have, and so taking time for yourself, taking a pause from work, just feels really challenging or brings a lot of stress to people.”

Read the full article from Huff Post here: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mood-boosting-tik-tok-trend-life-hack_l_66a2b77fe4b04c3a3024938d

As parents, we all want the best for our children, ensuring they grow up healthy in every way - physically, emotionally and relationally. However, it can sometimes be challenging to distinguish between typical childhood behavior and signs that your child may need professional help. Early intervention can make a significant difference in your child's well-being.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​An analogy that really struck a chord with me is the concept that everyone falls ill from time to time, even those who are generally healthy. However, while most people recover, ongoing or recurrent illness might indicate an underlying, more serious issue. Similarly, children can go through periods of sadness, anxiety, or behavioral changes, which are normal and often temporary. But if these symptoms persist or intensify, it could be a sign of a deeper emotional or psychological concern that needs attention. Just as we seek medical help for physical ailments that don't resolve, it's important to consider professional support for mental health issues that don't seem to improve on their own.

For more on the 5 indicators therapy might be useful for your child, read the full article on our blog, here → www.selfspaceseattle.com/blog/2024/6/19/5-indicators-therapy-might-be-useful-for-your-child

Vacation season is here, and for those who struggle with perfectionism, taking a moment to relax and stay present, can be easier said than done. Self Space therapist Becca Trayner, MA, LMHC, offers some insights in the latest article, 6 Signs Your Perfectionism is Ruining Your Vacation. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​We hope this summer season offers the opportunity to truly unwind, check in with yourself, and enjoy. And if perfectionism finds its way into your plans, you are not alone, we are here to support you along the journey.

Read the full article, here: www.huffpost.com/entry/perfectionism-could-ruin-vacation-trip_l_666b2ac2e4b0dabf8cf6da5f

Anxiety affects millions of people, and therapy dogs can offer a particularly cuddly form of relief. These compassionate canines offer a unique form of support that can significantly alleviate anxiety and improve overall well-being.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Some of the ways therapy dogs can help with anxiety 🐶:

🐾 Therapy dogs offer unconditional love and companionship, which can be incredibly soothing for those dealing with anxiety.

🐕 Physical touch is a powerful tool in managing anxiety. Stroking a dog’s fur, feeling their warmth, and experiencing their rhythmic breathing can have a calming effect on the nervous system.

🎾 Engaging in activities like playing fetch, taking a walk, or simply sitting with the dog can help shift focus away from anxiety-inducing thoughts and promote a more positive mindset.

🗓️ Caring for a therapy dog involves establishing a routine, which can be beneficial for those with anxiety.

🤍 Therapy dogs can act as social catalysts, helping individuals with anxiety to engage more easily with others.

Thinking of incorporating a therapy dog into your life? Head to our blog for more: www.selfspaceseattle.com/blog/2024/6/3/the-healing-power-of-therapy-dogs-for-those-with-anxiety

Find us at this week’s

Enjoy the bounty of the season & meet team Self Space too. We’re so excited to connect with you.

See you soon 🥕

Location: Marina Park, 25 Lakeshore Plaza, Kirkland, WA 98033
When: Wednesday, June 26th from 3-7pm

We're proud to have not one, but two of our incredible therapists featured in this month's edition of —The Men's Issue.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​With coming up, we're exploring the topic of masculinity + therapy, and why men engage, or don't engage, with the therapeutic process. Both Dan Suffoleta, LMHCA, and Marcus Berley, Clinical Director & LMHC at Self Space, bring thoughtful insights to the topic.

🗞️ Read the article: www.selfspaceseattle.com/blog/2024/6/3/kirkland-lifestyle-magazine-men-in-therapy

Work stress can significantly affect your overall well-being, leading to a range of issues including anxiety and depression. The pressures of the workplace, from tight deadlines to complex projects, can create a taxing environment, and the constant push for productivity only contributes to this burden.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​But the effects of work stress don't stop at the office door. They can infiltrate your personal life, affecting relationships, sleep patterns, and overall life satisfaction. Recognizing the signs of work-related stress and learning how to manage it effectively is crucial for maintaining good mental health.

Learn how to recognize the signs of stress and how to activate effective coping strategies → www.selfspaceseattle.com/blog/2024/1/12/the-connection-between-work-stress-and-mental-health

Finding tranquility and a sense of grounding can often seem elusive. However, many have discovered a simple, yet profound activity that nurtures both body and mind: gardening. There are countless therapeutic benefits of gardening and ways that this age-old pastime can contribute to improved mental and physical health.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Some of the benefits that may have you in your gardening era
🌱 Reduces Stress
🌱 Boosts Mental Health
🌱 Enhances Physical Health
🌱 Improves Cognitive Function
🌱 Builds Connection to Nature

For more on the impacts of gardening on your mental health, head to our blog here: www.selfspaceseattle.com/blog/2024/4/29/the-therapeutic-benefits-of-gardening

Living with chronic pain can present significant challenges, both physically and emotionally. This 6-week group therapy experience is designed to help individuals who experience chronic pain cope with their pain, regulate their emotions, and process their experience in a supportive environment​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Led by graduate-level intern therapists, Stephanie Angione and Tucker Robinson, and drawing on theories and techniques from both cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness research, the group will focus on four main areas:

🌿 Building coping skills
🌿 Providing psycho-education
🌿 Integrating mindfulness and relaxation techniques which can be employed to manage pain
🌿 Fostering social connectedness and support

We’re so excited to offer this low-cost resource to our community.

🌿 Only a couple spots left, click the link to register today: www.selfspaceseattle.com/chronic-illness-group

Meet Tucker, an intern therapist here at Self Space. In his own words—“Before starting my career in psychotherapy, I spent a decade working in the fast-paced world of finance. Over the years, I discovered the detrimental effects of extreme stress, disconnection, and lack of purpose. I also live with a chronic pain disease which has taught me valuable lessons about the connection between physical and mental health. Because of these experiences, I embrace a holistic approach to healing that includes the mind, body, and spirit working in harmony.”

Tucker’s compassion for issues like chronic stress, chronic illness, anxiety, depression, and addiction has cultivated a safe space to move into healing. For those looking for a low-cost therapy option, Tucker is one of many stellar interns who can help healing begin.

Tucker is currently leading a support group for those living with chronic pain and illness. There are 4 spots left, so tap the link to register today.

🌿 Register today https://www.selfspaceseattle.com/chronic-illness-group

Today we're exploring the landscape of couples therapy, a journey many embark upon to strengthen, heal, and understand their relationships. Whether you're facing challenges in communication, intimacy, or simply seeking to deepen your connection, understanding the different types of couples therapy techniques can be a transformative step towards relationship resilience.

Swipe through to explore the different types of couple’s therapy techniques →

Read more on our blog today: https://www.selfspaceseattle.com/blog/2024/4/1/understanding-the-different-types-of-couples-therapy-techniques

Couple’s Therapy, Mental Health, Therapy, Therapist, Relationships, Seattle Therapists, Gottman Method, Therapy Techniques

Every couple’s relationship and journey is unique, and every couple’s experience in therapy is unique as well, excavating and uncovering patterns and challenges that are blend of the individual and partner dynamics of each relationship. That said, essentially all couples work involves communication and couples are able to build closer, more nuanced, more aligned, and more generous partnerships when they can hear and understand one another better. The following exercises are designed to help couples talk and listen to each other better - both within couples therapy and outside of it.

Read more today

Effective Communication Exercises for Couples in Therapy Every couple’s relationship is unique, but, essentially all couples therapy involves communication. Couples are able to build closer, more nuanced, more aligned, and more generous partnerships when they can hear and understand one another better. The following exercises are designed to help couple...

For most people, life rarely takes a fully predictable path — instead, it twists, turns, and weaves, with unexpected joys, challenges, and detours. Amidst the ups and downs, it's natural to encounter moments of anxiety and stress. Whether it's navigating relationships, facing career decisions, or coping with the uncertainties of tomorrow, anxiety can cast a shadow over our lives. However, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a longstanding approach to treating anxiety that can bring significant relief.

Read more on our blog at the link below

The Benefits of CBT Therapy for Anxiety: What Everyone Should Know For most people, life is rarely predictable. Amid the ups and downs, it's natural to encounter anxiety and stress. Whether it's navigating relationships, facing career decisions, or coping with the uncertainties of tomorrow, anxiety can cast a shadow over our lives. However, Cognitive Behavioral Th

Thank you to Spruce Psychiatric and everyone who helped create a wonderful space to build connections in the Seattle healthcare community. From nutrition to mental health, it was so great to meet everyone! We can’t wait for the next one 🥂

Meet Kathy, one of our therapists in the Kirkland offices here at Self Space.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Kathy works with her clients to navigate life transitions, cope with anxiety, depression, grief and loss, and explore issues around faith and spirituality. She specializes in working with people living with chronic health conditions and parents coping with a child’s diagnosis of a developmental difference. Kathy loves helping clients increase self awareness and make meaning in their life.

Learn more about Kathy and her process today → https://www.selfspaceseattle.com/therapists/kathy-greiner

Meet Emily West, LMHC, one of our incredible therapists here at Self Space. Emily works with individuals who are experiencing diverse issues including grief and loss, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, impacts of trauma, identity exploration and life transitions. She believes the process of therapy can help us find voice and direction with which to navigate challenges of living, find our own best answers to current dilemmas and foster hope and possibility for the future.

Click the link to explore her profile and learn more https://www.selfspaceseattle.com/therapists/emily-west

Anxiety can be an overwhelming experience, and when your heart starts racing, it can make your anxiety feel even more intense. However, there are several techniques you can use to help reduce your heart rate and calm yourself down when you’re feeling anxious. Click the link to learn some effective methods for managing your anxiety and bringing your heart rate back to a more comfortable level.

Read more:

Techniques to Reduce Your Heart Rate During Anxiety Anxiety can be an overwhelming experience, and when your heart starts racing, it can make your anxiety feel even more intense. However, there are several techniques you can use to help reduce your heart rate and calm yourself down when you’re feeling anxious. Here are some effective methods for ma...

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a medical condition many folks experience after the birth of their baby. While "baby blues" typically refers to a post-birth emotional roller coaster that tends to subside after a few weeks, PPD can be more persistent. If you're struggling with PPD, you're not alone. Reach out, and we'll connect you with one of our therapists who specializes in postpartum care.

Access more of our thoughts on our blog, here →

Postpartum Depression: Understanding the Signs and When to Get Help Postpartum depression can seem surprising. During a time when you most want to feel love, joy, and hope, you may end up experiencing high anxiety and feeling like you’re trapped under a dark cloud. You deeply want to bond with your baby, but instead you may feel distant, overwhelmed, and a lot of

How in touch do you feel with your emotions? Are you able to experience them in the moment they are happening? How about identifying which emotion or emotions are in that moment? Then, how do you express or use this information from your emotions? If this is sounding like a new way of thinking about your emotions, you are not alone. Many of us have never been taught or shown how to effectively interact with our emotional experiences. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​In the teachings of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), emotions have three core functions: to communicate information to ourselves about our internal world, to help communicate to and receive support from others, and to motivate or prepare us to take action. In short, that is a ton of information that emotions are meant to provide to us! But learning how to decipher this information becomes that much more challenging when many of us don’t even know what certain emotions feel like in our bodies.

If you find yourself in need of support to better understand your emotions, we're here for you.

Our bodies are magnificently adaptable to different situations. One of the ways they adapt is through the survival responses known as "fight", "flight", and "freeze", states. These responses are intended to move us through danger and then out of danger in very specific ways. Once the danger is handled, ideally our body should bring us back to a state of relative safety or ease.​​​​​​​​
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As we move through life, we might find that some of these states get activated very easily, more easily than we like, and others may have difficulty activating at all. ​​​​​​​​
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Join us as Aaron Kapin, Somatic Experience Practitioner, leads this 4-session group where we'll learn to recognize what these different nervous system states feel like, and how they present in us individually.​​​​​​​​
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This series will meet every Friday in February from 12:00pm-1:00pm PST​​​​​​​​
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Mark your calendar! Save this reminder and sign up to join us today → selfspaceseattle.com/somatic-group-course

How do we take steps towards engaging in intuitive self-care? It can start with checking in with yourself and reflecting on these questions. Learn more about intuitive vs. impersonal self-care from our therapist Erin Sathyamoorthy at www.selfspaceseattle.com/blog.

Depression is a prevalent and often misunderstood mental health condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Despite its prevalence, misconceptions about depression continue to persist, leading to stigma, misinformation, and barriers to seeking help. In this blog post, we aim to shed light on some of the most common myths surrounding depression and provide a more accurate understanding of this complex experience.

If you’re struggling with depression, you’re not alone. Reach out today, and we’ll connect you with one of our therapists who specializes in the treatment of depression.

Our Clinical Director, Marcus Berley, weighs in on how having a time limit in therapy sessions influences the therapeutic experience. Read more at www.selfspaceseattle.com/blog.

Some people may find that as they try to explore self-care, internal resistance comes up. If this is the case for you, feel free to bring it up in therapy. Exploring these barriers can even be one way of caring for yourself, and there can often be a lot of valuable therapeutic work to be done here. Learn more from our therapist Erin Sathyamoorthy.

When Self-Care is No Longer Caring Self-care is often portrayed as a curated picture of bubble baths, tea, mindful walks, and gourmet breakfast bowls - all before the day begins. If this seems unappealing or unrealistic, you’re not alone. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with these activities, but what becomes problematic i...

An important part of our mission at Self Space is to create safe spaces for therapists' exploration and growth. That's why we host free CEU courses for the WA therapist community. Learn more and sign up to join us at www.selfspaceseattle.com/ceu-couples.

Mental Health Benefits of Gratitude Gratitude can have a significant impact on your mental health and overall well-being. You might keep a gratitude journal, express your appreciation to others, or take a moment to reflect on the positives in your life. Here are some of the benefits these simple practices can generate.