The ache of grief is vast like an ocean, warm on its surface and chilly in its depths. It covers you; wave after wave of pain and hurt crashing against the corners of your being. And in the next moment, it leaves you so full of love, so light, and so beyond grateful for what you’ve lost. My dog died in March. My soul dog. My sweet Vivianne. It happened quickly, and I held her as she left our world. Walking out of the emergency vet without her undid me. Her absence was palpable and it ripped me open. It also left me relieved. And my relief gave way to immense shame and guilt, which felt nearly ..read more

Hey younger me, how are you? What are you thinking in this picture? You weren’t always a fan of having your picture taken but it is so fun to look back and think of all of the things waiting for you in the future. Also, I’m realizing this polaroid is a bit blurry, hah.  Well, get ready to learn a lot. And grow a lot. And feel a lot of things. And I don’t even mean to insinuate that these things will be negative. Of course, you are going to experience your share of heartbreak and hurt but also you will encounter happiness and bliss. There will be balance, I promise. Really soon you are go ..read more

Trauma sensitive yoga classes or trauma informed yoga classes emphasize connecting to bodily intuition and exploring agency through mind body connection. Therefore, trauma sensitive yoga is not just for individuals in trauma recovery--I’ve seen it support many individual’s healing processes. Rather than being an “exercise” meant to push our bodies, trauma sensitive yoga is about honoring our body’s signals, energetic desires, and needs.  Here are a few things you can expect from trauma sensitive yoga and trauma sensitive yoga poses: Inspired by Hatha Yoga Trauma sensitive yoga poses ar ..read more

I have a complex relationship with change. I assume a lot of us do. Usually change comes with feelings of excitement, joy, grief and anxiety. When I moved to Austin after living in Dallas for most of my life, I remember clinging hard to the idea of all remaining “the same”. I planned on returning multiple times a month, seeing my same clients, going to the same office--nothing had to change right?! Despite my attempts to avoid the grieving process of no longer being in Dallas, it became unsustainable, and I eventually had to face the emotions I had been so desperate to stave off. Fast forward ..read more

Over the summer, I have been expanding my collection of books related to massage and the mind-body connection. A couple of my recent favorites include: Engaging Resilience, Heal the Physical Impact of Emotional Trauma: A Guidebook for Bodywork Practitioners by Lissa Wheeler, MA and The Psychology of the Body by Elliot Greene and Barbara Goodrich-Dunn. I added The Psychology of the Body to my library awhile back, and I find myself revisiting it often. It is an in-depth and helpful resource about our body's patterns that are based on our emotional experiences. I also appreciate the way it deliv ..read more

Megan Mae, our Healing House head of creative and admin connected with Jenn Moulaison from Breathe Meditation and Wellness, a meditation studio close by to our Dallas office. We love how Breathe is strengthening community, mindfulness, and healing. 1. How does breathwork strengthen the mind-body connection? Breathing is a subconscious act that we can control through conscious exercises i.e., conscious breathing.....Breathwork helps put the brakes on an acute stress response and can divert the health problems associated with chronic stress on the body.  In addition to reversing ..read more

At Healing House, we embrace everything mind-body. One of our newest services honoring our mind-body connection is trauma-informed bodywork. Through this modality, clients have the space to create a safe and neutral relationship with their bodies while developing a deeper understanding of how they hold and process emotions. Here are 3 things to expect from this unique offering:  A structured intake session: Rachel meets with new clients to complete paperwork, assessments, and goal-setting.  Grounding and resourcing skills: Rachel provides clients with a variety of coping skills ..read more

Our therapists at Healing House love the healing power of EMDR. EMDR therapy, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy, is a type of therapy that is used to treat a variety of mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression. If you're considering EMDR therapy, you may be wondering what to expect. In this post, I will explore what you can expect from EMDR therapy, including what happens during sessions and how our EMDR therapists in Austin and Dallas practice EMDR. One of the key things to know about EMDR therapy is that it use ..read more

Let’s rebrand anger. Anger has gotten a bad reputation, and I’ve seen big shifts happen for my clients when they realize anger is a feeling just like other feelings (sadness, fear, happiness). Usually these clients start with “I’m not an angry person,” to which I say anger is a feeling like any other. No feeling defines you, but they are a response to your environment. Embracing anger could open lots of doors in your life.  Anger is one of my favorite things to talk about. Unlocking anger in therapy can be like unlocking a part of yourself that’s been away for a long time.  Things t ..read more

The holiday season can be a joyous time of year, but it can also be a source of stress and anxiety for many people. With all the hustle and bustle of gift buying, party planning, and family gatherings, you could be feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. If you're feeling anxious and burdened by holiday stress, there are ways to manage your stress and enjoy the holiday season. I first invite you to manage holiday stress through making a plan. This can help you stay organized and avoid feeling overwhelmed by all the things you need to do. Experiment with making a list of everything you need to d ..read more