September’s Suicide Prevention Month is an opportunity to think about something that impacts all of us: connection. We live busy lives, and it can be easy to become disconnected from ourselves and the people around us. In this post, I explore what true connection can look like, why asking for support can feel so difficult, and how our early relationships can shape the way we connect with others today. If you’ve been feeling disconnected, stuck in your relationships, or unsure how to ask for support, therapy can be a place to begin exploring those patterns.

Counseling works, and sometimes the greatest sign of progress is that therapy eventually comes to an end. In this reflection on the therapeutic relationship, I explore the bittersweet experience of saying goodbye to clients and the grief that can accompany successful counseling. As a Milwaukee therapist, I’m reminded of the privilege it is to witness clients grow, heal, and create lives that allow them to move forward beyond therapy.

Journaling can be a simple way to slow down, understand yourself, and notice patterns in your thoughts and emotions. Whether you love journaling or have always hated the idea of it, putting your experiences into words can provide valuable insight into how you’ve been feeling and how you’ve changed over time. In this post, we’ll explore how journaling can support emotional awareness and regulation, along with simple prompts to help you get started.

Defensiveness can be more than a reaction to criticism. It can be a sign that our self-esteem and sense of identity feel threatened. Understanding the connection between self-esteem, accountability, and defensiveness can help us navigate conflict with greater openness and create deeper, more meaningful relationships.