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A S.T.O.R.Y. Reflection in Real Life One of the ways I use the S.T.O.R.Y. framework  is through a simple daily reflection. Not because life always needs analysis, but because sometimes the stories in our minds get loud. When that happens, it can be helpful to slow down and gently walk through the steps. This morning, I did just that. S — Slow Down What feels loud right now? Right now, what feels loud is my health. I have osteoporosis. I am reasonably young to be dealing with

This morning I was thinking about my S.T.O.R.Y. framework , and I found myself getting a little stuck on R — Reality Check . In theory, this step seems simple. We pause and ask ourselves what is actually true. We try to separate the story our brain is telling from the facts in front of us. But the truth is…sometimes we are not ready for that reality check . Sometimes the reality check feels like too much. Sometimes our feelings are real and legitimate, and a quick “reality ch

In my last post I wrote about something I call loop thinking . That place where something happens during the day and our mind grabs onto it and simply won’t let go. We replay the situation, analyze what was said, predict what might happen next, and somehow find ourselves right back where we started. Our brains are incredibly good at trying to make sense of discomfort. When something doesn’t feel right, the mind starts building a story to explain it. Sometimes the story sounds

The S.L.O.W.E.R. Story One of the things I have noticed about myself — and about many of the people I work with — is how easy it is to get caught in what I sometimes all loop thinking or spiraling. Something happens during the day. Sometimes it’s a big stressor, but often it’s something small. Maybe a difficult conversation. Maybe a comment that didn’t sit right. Maybe just the quiet feeling that something is off. Even if we don’t have full awareness of the stressor, our min

Does anyone else reach the end of their day and find themselves heading straight for the sofa to mindlessly watch TV? Or worse yet, getting pulled into a show that is intense enough that you can actually feel your nervous system shifting while you watch it? Or even worse… falling asleep while watching inane TV shows only to wake up later, drag yourself to bed, and realize you’ve just made your nighttime sleep even worse? And can we talk about the shame that sometimes comes wi

I have journaled on and off for most of my life. For years, journaling for me looked mostly like reflective journaling — writing about what had already happened. Processing difficult conversations, hard days, complicated feelings. Sometimes that kind of reflection can be really helpful. But other times it feels like I am just rehashing something painful. Almost like I am reliving the experience all over again. When that happens, journaling can become exhausting, and eventuall

What I have created is not rocket science. And it certainly isn’t new. For years I have read about the benefits of meditation. Some of my favorite books on my shelf explore how to incorporate meditation and mindfulness into daily life. S.L.O.W.E.R. is really a culmination of the last twenty years of my life — years filled with experiences I am still learning from and, in many ways, still working through. The ideas behind it are not groundbreaking. Slowing down, becoming aware

I didn’t become a coach because I have it all together. Quite the opposite. If you read my bio, the path from social worker to coach doesn’t look like a dramatic shift. I could say I let my license go because I was caring for three children with special needs. I could say I’m stepping back into work now that my boys are adults. But that’s not really it. I became a coach because I am still learning. When we first realized our children were struggling, the road to diagnosis was

Does anyone else struggle with getting dinner on the table? I do. Maybe it’s my executive functioning challenges, but dinner feels like such a big ask. It isn’t just cooking. It’s deciding, planning, checking ingredients, and holding energy at the end of a long day. I plan. I shop. I imagine nourishing meals. And then life happens. Something runs long. My energy dips. Dinner means more to me than food. Dinner is a pause. Dinner is grounding. Dinner is medicine. I believe food

Yesterday started out beautifully. I had meaningful coaching calls. Conversations that reminded me why I do this work. I felt steady, connected, clear. And then the day turned. A phone call to the bank about a technical issue left me feeling small and completely incompetent. Then personal stress layered on top of that. And to round it out, my sweet neurodivergent son came home with a truly terrible haircut. It wasn’t catastrophic. I kept thinking about S.L.O.W.E.R. I teach th

I am still learning. Yesterday, I was deeply dysregulated in my body. I could feel it. Everything felt fast. Heavy. Overwhelming. Everything felt unfair. Everything felt out of control. Everything felt impossible. I was struggling to apply my own S.L.O.W.E.R. methodology. I was struggling to use my own ideas to support my nervous system. YIKES. There’s something particularly uncomfortable about teaching something and then finding myself unable to access it when I need it most

There’s something I’ve been sitting with lately. I want to move my body more intentionally. I know exercise is good for my heart, my mood, my long-term health. But I’ve also noticed something. Sometimes when I add more intensity…my sleep gets worse. For a long time, that confused me. Isn’t exercise supposed to improve sleep? I’m learning that it depends on the nervous system. When I push too hard, the added stress can feel less like nourishment and more like stimulation. My b

Lately, I’ve been paying attention to me. The work I’m doing throughout the day — the small, quiet ways I’m paying attention to my nervous system — is beginning to change my nights. For a while, I focused only on sleep itself, the dreaded "sleep hygiene" - they said it would fix my problem, but it didn't. But what I’m beginning to understand is that sleep doesn’t start at night. It starts at 9 a.m.At 2 p.m.At 6 p.m. It starts with how regulated I am throughout the day. I’ve

Lately, I’ve noticed a rising narrative online:Gentle parenting is a problem. It seems to be blamed for disrespect, entitlement, and emotional dysregulation. But I feel like there might be a need to pause here... Could there be other variables that could explain some of the struggles that both parents and caregivers are dealing with right now? In my opinion, parenting does not happen in a vacuum. Parenting occurs within the broader context of society and culture. So, I have t

Lately, I’ve been reminded that the answers may be in listening. Listening to my body. Not in a dramatic way. Not in a “perfect wellness routine” kind of way. But in the smallest, most ordinary moments. When I’m tired and push through anyway. When I have to use the restroom but decide to finish one more task. When I feel thirsty but tell myself I’ll take that sip of water later. When I feel the subtle tightness of overwhelm and ignore it. Every time I override those signal

I didn’t begin my professional life as a coach. I began as a social worker. I was drawn to social work not only because I cared deeply about people, but also because of my personal life experiences, particularly the everyday traumas we all face. I wanted to understand them—how they live in the body, how they shape behavior, and how people navigate them. I was looking for language, tools, and meaning, both professionally and personally. Through my training and work, I learned