
Emotional Regulation: Tools for Staying Grounded in Difficult Moments
Emotional regulation is the ability to manage your emotional responses in a way that aligns with your values and long-term goals. It’s not about suppressing emotions or pretending everything is fine—it’s about learning how to respond thoughtfully, even when emotions are intense.

Self-Sabotage: Why We Get in Our Own Way
Self-sabotage is the act of undermining your own success, happiness, or well-being—often without realizing it. It’s when your actions, thoughts, or behaviors conflict with your goals or values. You might want to succeed, but find yourself procrastinating. You might crave connection, but push people away. These patterns can be frustrating and confusing, especially when you’re trying to grow.

The Power of Setting Boundaries in Relationships
Boundaries are the invisible lines that define where you end and another person begins. They are essential for maintaining healthy, respectful, and balanced relationships—whether with a partner, friend, family member, or colleague. When you set clear boundaries, you protect your emotional well-being, clarify expectations, and foster mutual respect.
Without boundaries, relationships can become overwhelming, one-sided, or even toxic. You may find yourself constantly giving, feeling resentful, or losing sight of your own needs and identity. Boundaries are not about building walls—they’re about creating space for healthy connection and self-respect.

The Impact of Perfectionism on Mental Health: Learning to Let Go
Perfectionism is often praised in our culture as a sign of ambition, discipline, or high standards. But beneath the surface, perfectionism can take a serious toll on mental health. When the drive to be flawless becomes relentless, it can lead to chronic stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout.
Perfectionism involves setting unrealistically high standards for yourself and being overly critical when those standards aren’t met. It’s not just about wanting to do well—it’s about feeling like anything less than perfect is failure.

What is an Expectation Hangover? How to Cope When Things Don’t Go as Planned
We’ve all been there. You set your sights on something—a job you wanted, a relationship you hoped for, a perfect event you imagined in your mind. You put your heart and energy into it. You envisioned how amazing it would feel. But then… it didn’t turn out the way you hoped.
The disappointment that follows can feel like an emotional hangover—an expectation hangover, as life coach Christine Hassler calls it. Unlike a typical hangover, this one doesn’t involve alcohol, but the effects are just as real: emotional heaviness, self-doubt, and a fog of “What now?” that can linger.
So what exactly is an expectation hangover—and how can you move through it with resilience and self-compassion? Let’s dive in.

How to Know When It’s Time to See a Therapist
Everyone experiences stress, sadness, or worry from time to time—these are normal parts of life. But how do you know when what you’re feeling has moved beyond the usual ups and downs and into territory where professional support could make a meaningful difference? Knowing when it’s time to see a therapist can be difficult, especially if you’re used to “pushing through” or downplaying your struggles. But therapy isn’t just for crises—it’s a powerful tool for growth, healing, and clarity at any stage of life.

Understanding the Five Personality Patterns: A Path to Self-Awareness and Healing
We all have behaviors and coping styles that show up in predictable ways, especially under stress. Why do we react so strongly in certain situations? Why do some patterns feel so hard to change, no matter how much insight we gain? One framework that offers powerful clarity is The Five Personality Patterns, developed by therapist and author Steven Kessler. This model helps explain not who you are—but how you learned to adapt in order to feel safe.

Navigating a Breakup: Understanding, Coping, and Healing
Breakups are among the most emotionally challenging experiences people face, often triggering intense feelings of sadness, anger, confusion, and loneliness. Whether expected or sudden, ending a meaningful relationship can profoundly impact your emotional health, self-esteem, and overall well-being. Understanding how breakups affect you emotionally and psychologically is essential for effectively coping, healing, and eventually growing from the experience.

Building Resilience: Coping Strategies for Stressful Times
Resilience—the ability to effectively cope with stress and adversity—is more important than ever in today’s fast-paced and challenging world. Resilient people can manage stress, bounce back from setbacks, and sustain emotional balance during difficult periods. Thankfully, resilience isn't just innate—it’s a skill that can be learned and cultivated through specific strategies.

Helga Byrne on Dr. Aimie Apigian’s Podcast, The Biology of Trauma
FMHC's Helga Byrne joins Dr. Aimie Apigian on her Podcast, The Biology of Trauma, on episode 118 to discuss how practitioners can navigate their own chronic illness and healing journey. Helga shares her personal experience and insight.
Are you trying to work caring for others while navigating your own chronic health symptoms? In this episode, we’ll take a look at one woman's decade-long battle with a chronic illness and the actions she took to build and maintain her practice.
Helga Byrne, worked years in corporate, but wanted a more meaningful life. Becoming a licensed therapist, she spent years struggling with a chronic health issue without having an answer. Eventually, it was discovered it was chronic Lyme disease, but that didn’t bring an overnight solution.