Healing the Void: From CEN to Wholeness
Where Psychology, Nature, and Motherhood Meet — for Deep Inner Healing
Everyone’s healing path is different. Use the search bar above to find what speaks to you — or open the menu in the top right and explore the topics below.
Curious where to begin? Here are some ideas.
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Blog:
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How Restorative Yoga Rewires Your Body and Mind — Even If You Struggle to Relax
Restorative yoga is often mistaken for easy relaxation. In reality, stillness can be one of the most demanding practices we encounter. This essay explores how restorative yoga reshapes the nervous system, why rest can feel unsettling rather than soothing, and what happens when the body finally has permission to stand down. A reflective, research-informed look at rest as regulation—not escape.
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More Than Exhausted: The Real Story of Motherhood Burnout (+ Free Guide)
Motherhood burnout is more than exhaustion — it’s an emotional, physical, and identity-level depletion many mothers quietly endure. This therapeutic deep dive helps you recognize the real signs, understand why you feel this way, and begin healing with research-backed tools, reflective prompts, and nervous-system support. A compassionate guide for mothers breaking generational patterns without a village.
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When Marriage Enters Autumn: Finding Our Way Back to Each Other (+Free Journal)
Even the deepest love can drift quietly, leaving couples feeling distant and lonely. This article explores the seasons of marriage — from the post-baby dip to the subtle chill of emotional drift — and offers insight, reflection, and practical tools for rekindling intimacy. Learn to recognize signals like limerence, navigate choice points, and rediscover tenderness, curiosity, and connection, so love can bloom again, season after season.
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The Seasons of Grief: How Autumn Teaches Us to Let Go, Grow Roots, and Begin Again
Autumn mirrors our inner seasons of grief — reminding us that letting go, resting, and rooting deeply are part of renewal. Explore the emotional and psychological rhythm of loss through nature’s wisdom, IFS insights, and gentle reflective prompts. Learn how slowing down becomes an act of healing and how spring always returns, both around us and within.
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Healing Through Less: A Journey to Emotional Clarity with a No-Buy Year (+ Free Journal)
Discover how a no-buy year can become a journey of emotional healing and self-trust. Learn why we shop for comfort, what surfaces when we stop, and how to find fulfillment through less. This in-depth guide explores the psychology of spending, mindful minimalism, and lasting change—plus a free reflection toolkit to help you stay aligned with your values and needs.
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6 Simple Fall Recipes for When You Crave Warmth, Comfort, and Ease
Discover six simple fall recipes that bring warmth, comfort, and ease to your table. From miso soup and leek pasta to baked apples and roasted pumpkin, these nourishing meals celebrate the season’s grounding flavors without complicated steps. Perfect for busy evenings or slow weekends, each recipe offers gentle nourishment to support body, mood, and rhythm through autumn’s shift.
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When Love Felt Far Away: Re-Parenting the Unseen Child (Part 2 of 4)
Many adults still carry the child who waited to be seen, comforted, and loved. In this second part of our series, we explore how to re-parent the unseen child through practical, evidence-based approaches. Learn somatic, expressive, relational, and daily tools to nurture yourself, plus access a free downloadable toolkit with journaling prompts, self-soothing exercises, and guided practices to begin meeting the child within.
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When Love Felt Far Away: Healing the Wounds of CEN and the Dead Mother Archetype
Explore the impact of emotional distance and the dead mother archetype through this empathetic guide to Childhood Emotional Neglect. This pillar article introduces the four-part series, offering insight, reflection, and gentle invitations to reclaim presence, warmth, and connection. Learn how patterns of emotional unavailability form, how they affect relationships, and begin the journey toward nurturing both the unseen child within and healthier connections with your own children.
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Foraging as Healing: From CEN to Wholeness Through Nature’s Cycles (+Free Calendar)
Foraging offers more than food — it reconnects us with cycles of abundance, grounding, and care. This article explores how foraging through the seasons can support healing from Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN), drawing on Maslow and polyvagal theory, and includes a free calendar with plants, symbolism, and recipes for each month.
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When Your Child Provokes and Your Partner Yells: A Guide to Boundaries, Healing, and Hope (+Free Printable)
Learn practical strategies for when your child provokes and your partner yells at them. Discover how to set healthy boundaries, protect your emotional well-being, manage your own triggers, and use therapeutic tools like Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Nonviolent Communication (NVC). This guide offers actionable exercises, repair rituals, and insights into child development and family dynamics.
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The Many Faces of Grief in Motherhood: Healing from Loss and CEN (+Journaling Workbook)
Motherhood brings joy, but also deep grief—for your body, freedom, friendships, and more. Explore 11 types of maternal grief, understand how Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN) amplifies them, and discover therapeutic pathways and journaling prompts to honor your feelings, heal, and cultivate presence in daily life.
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Why You Resist Sleep Even When You’re Exhausted
Have you ever been exhausted but found yourself scrolling, cleaning, or staring into the quiet instead of sleeping? When childhood emotional neglect or adversity shaped our early years, rest could feel unsafe or undeserved. In adulthood, that old imprint resurfaces each night. This piece explores the hidden emotional needs beneath bedtime procrastination—and gentle, practical ways to rewrite the story so rest feels safe again.
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Alone Time for Moms: A Parenting Strategy to Stay Present, Prevent Burnout, and Manage Mom Rage (+Printable Ideas)
Stay-at-home moms need alone time to prevent burnout, mom rage, and emotional exhaustion. Learn why self-care is essential, how to create breaks even with young children, and practical ways to recharge.
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6 Low-Prep Summer Meals for When You Want to Nourish Yourself Without Spending the Day in the Kitchen
Nourishing, low-prep summer meals designed for busy mothers and anyone with little time to cook. These six seasonal recipes practically cook themselves, offering grounding energy, mood support, and stable blood sugar — all with just minutes of hands-on time. Perfect for long days outside, postpartum seasons, or when you want to eat well without overextending yourself.
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Why We Long to Start a Family Early: Healing Childhood Emotional Neglect and Embracing Wholeness (+ Free Guide)
Explore how Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN) can fuel an intense longing to start a family early. This trauma-informed article unpacks the hidden emotional drivers behind family urgency and offers reflection prompts, IFS-based tools, and reparenting practices. Whether you’re planning a family or already have one, this guide helps you understand your inner needs with compassion — and begin to heal.
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Why Rest Feels Unsafe: Healing from the Inner Critic + Free Journal
Rest shouldn’t feel wrong. Learn how childhood criticism created an inner voice that resists rest—and how to reclaim stillness with compassion.
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Dopamine-Seeking Habits and CEN: Buying to Feel Better (Part 5 of 6)
How shopping becomes a survival strategy for emotional neglect. Learn why the rush fades, and how to meet your real needs with presence and care.
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Dopamine-Seeking Habits and CEN: Overworking and Productivity Addiction (Part 4 of 6)
Learn how overworking and productivity addiction often mask Childhood Emotional Neglect—and how to reclaim rest and self-worth without guilt.
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Dopamine-Seeking Habits and CEN: Food and Substance Use (Part 3 of 6)
Explore how emotional eating, caffeine dependence, or alcohol use can mask Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN). Learn why you crave comfort foods or substances — and how to heal the real need underneath.
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Healing the Echoes of Physical Abuse in Parenting + Free Printable Guide
Break the hidden cycle of physical abuse in parenting. Learn why it repeats, gentle alternatives, repair scripts, IFS reflections, and free healing guide.
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The 8 Hidden Wounds That Shape How We Parent — And How to Gently Heal the Echoes
Learn Pete Walker’s 8 types of childhood trauma — four abuses and four neglects — and how they shape our parenting today. Discover why these cycles repeat and how to break them gently with IFS, practical tools, and free guides.
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When Home Feels Heavy: Why You’d Rather Stay Out All Day — And How to Feel Safe Staying In (+Free Printable)
Do you feel an urge to flee your own home? Learn why CEN makes home feel heavy, how to tune into your needs, and tiny ways to rest without running.
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How Minimalism Can Calm Mom Overwhelm — But Why It Won’t Fix Everything (+Free Download)
A gentle look at how minimalism soothes mom overwhelm — and why deeper control needs still matter. Includes free calming guide and next steps for healing.
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Dopamine-Seeking Habits and CEN: Digital Overuse and Emotional Disconnection (Part 2 of 6)
Why can’t you stop scrolling—even when you want to? This article explores how compulsive screen use can be a survival strategy for those with Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN), and offers trauma-informed ways to reconnect with your emotions.
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Dopamine-Seeking Habits and CEN: Risk and Thrill-Seeking (Part 1 of 6)
Thrill-seeking behaviors like fast driving, risky adventures, or emotional chaos may be linked to childhood emotional neglect (CEN). Explore the roots of risk addiction and how to reclaim real aliveness with grounding tools, IFS exercises, and a free guide.
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Dopamine-Seeking Habits and CEN: What Your Behaviour Is Really Trying to Tell You
Understand how Childhood Emotional Neglect drives dopamine-seeking habits like thrill-seeking, overworking, shopping, drinking or scrolling. Begin to heal with clarity and care.
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Rewriting the Scarcity Story with Tarot and Shadow Work
Explore how scarcity mindset is rooted in emotional memory, not just money. This pillar article introduces a 3-part tarot and shadow work journey to uncover, understand, and rewrite your scarcity story.
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Simple Soft Spelt Rolls Recipe With Seasonal Variations & Kid-Friendly Snack Ideas
Discover an easy, nourishing soft spelt rolls recipe perfect for busy families. Includes seasonal variations, kid-friendly tips, and serving ideas for mindful, healing meals.
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Rewriting The Scarcity Story With Tarot: Calling in Abundance (Part 3 of 3)
Discover how to use tarot for shadow work around scarcity mindset and self-worth. This article guides you through a powerful spread and daily practices to embody true abundance from within.
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The Hidden Cost of Breastfeeding: What Every Mother Wishes You Knew + Printable Snack Ideas
Breastfeeding is natural—but it’s also biologically demanding and emotionally complex. Learn how hormones, ADHD, loss of appetite, and pain affect mothers, and how to offer true support.
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Rewriting the Scarcity Story With Tarot: Meeting the Shadow (Part 2 of 3)
Explore how fear of lack shows up in control and self-doubt. Use tarot, inner dialogue, and journaling to meet your scarcity wound with compassion.
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Rewriting The Scarcity Story With Tarot: Exploring The Roots (Part 1 of 3)
Begin a soulful tarot + shadow work journey to uncover and rewrite scarcity beliefs. Includes root spread, reflections, and a guided toolkit.
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Why Your Child Acts Out with Their Father — and You’re Left Carrying It All (+Free IFS Dialogue)
When your child whines for dad and he avoids conflict, you’re left carrying the parenting weight. Here’s why it triggers you — and how to set boundaries.
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Creamy Red Lentil Curry: A Gentle One-Pot Meal to Nourish Body and Soul
Discover an easy, creamy red lentil curry recipe perfect for busy families. This kid-friendly, plant-based meal uses homemade mild curry powder and pairs beautifully with whole grains. Learn how to make cooking a nurturing ritual with seasonal, healing ingredients.
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The Motherhood Fog: Why You Feel Irritated, Blank, and Disconnected—And How to Parent Through It (+ Free Journal)
Feeling numb, irritated, and confused as a mom? This gentle, therapeutic guide explores the hidden roots of motherhood fog—from ADHD and emotional neglect to the nonstop demands of caregiving—and offers practical steps to parent through it and reconnect with yourself.
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Soft Spelt Potato Flatbreads for Sensitive Mothers: A Seasonal Recipe and Grounding Ritual
Soft, spelt flour potato flatbreads for sensitive mothers healing from trauma, ADHD, or CEN. Easy, kid-friendly recipe with seasonal toppings and nervous-system soothing tips.
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Why ADHD Moms Feel Overwhelmed by Clutter and Noise: Trauma, Emotional Neglect, and the Healing Power of Simplicity
Why do ADHD mothers feel overwhelmed by clutter and noise—and why does being home feel so triggering? Explore the trauma-informed reasons behind sensory overload in moms with ADHD and emotional neglect, plus realistic minimalist tips and nervous system tools to help you feel calmer, safer, and more at home.
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The 9 Human Needs That Shape Your Mental Health: A Mother’s Guide to Emotional Wellbeing (+ Free Journal)
Discover the 9 essential emotional needs every mother must nurture to prevent burnout, depression, and overwhelm. Learn practical self-care tips and reflection prompts based on the Human Givens framework to help you restore balance and emotional wellbeing.
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Lonely Motherhood and the Myth of the Village: How to Build Real Support That Respects Your Values + Free Workbook
Many mothers today feel deeply alone—burned out by constant toddler demands and afraid to trust others with their children. This article explores the roots of our modern solitude, the fears we carry, and how to slowly build a support circle aligned with our deepest parenting values.
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Living for Your Kids, Losing Yourself: A Deep Dive Into Maternal Emptiness and the Way Back + Free Journal
Feeling empty and restless at the end of the day, even when exhausted? This heartfelt article explores why so many mothers feel disconnected, overwhelmed, and drained—and offers a healing path back to self through psychological insight and daily micro-shifts.
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Spring’s Wild Abundance: Edible Greens to Forage for Healing and Joy
Step into spring with a basket in hand and reconnect to nature through foraging. Discover 13 edible wild greens—from nettles to wild violets—and learn how to use them in teas, salads, and healing seasonal meals.
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Wholesome Spelt Pancakes (No Added Sugar!) for Picnics and Homey Days
Discover a nourishing banana spelt pancake recipe made with no added sugar—perfect for babies, toddlers, and adults alike. Easy to make, picnic-friendly, and naturally sweet from ripe bananas, this whole grain recipe ties perfectly into seasonal living.
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The Pressure to Succeed Quickly: Understanding and Easing the Creative Rush (+ Free Journal)
Feeling pressured to monetize your passion project quickly? Explore the deeper reasons behind urgency, scarcity, and burnout in creative work—plus practical tools to reconnect with purpose, safety, and sustainability as you build a psychology-based side hustle.
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The Grief Beneath the Anger: How Restlessness, Somatic Healing, and Nature Lead Us Home (+free PDF)
Grief often hides behind anger and restlessness, especially during quiet moments. Learn how to understand these emotions, why they surface, and discover somatic and nature-based practices to support your healing journey.
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The Freeze Melts Into Fire: Why Sudden Anger Might Be a Sign of Deep Emotional Healing (+ free journal)
If you’ve been feeling intense anger out of nowhere—snapping at loved ones, overwhelmed by rage—you’re not broken. Learn how unprocessed grief, emotional neglect, and long-buried trauma can turn into explosive anger, and why this can actually be a step toward healing.
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Becoming the Parent You Needed: Healing the Mother-Daughter Dynamic (+free journal)
Explore the emotional complexity of mother-daughter dynamics and how past wounds can shape parenting today. This healing article invites mothers into awareness, repair, and becoming the parent they longed for—featuring a free guided journal for post-rupture reconnection.
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The Healing Power of Stillness: Reclaiming Your Inner Self After Emotional Neglect (+ Free Journal)
Discover the healing potential of stillness for adults recovering from childhood emotional neglect. Learn how to sit with discomfort, reconnect with your inner self, and gently reclaim rest.
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When Motherhood Gets Harder: Why Your Toddler Challenges You More Than Your Newborn (+Reflexion Guide)
Why toddlerhood can feel harder than the newborn stage—and how mothers can grow through it. A comforting, deep-dive article for overwhelmed moms feeling overstimulated and behind.
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The Toy Trigger: Why Clutter Overwhelms You and How to Heal It (+Free Journal for Moms)
Why the sight of toys or clutter triggers overwhelm—and how deeper healing can begin with space, self-compassion, and nervous system repair.
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When a Friend’s Submissiveness Triggers You: What’s Really Going On?
Feeling triggered by a friend’s submissiveness to her partner? This deep-dive article explores why these emotional reactions happen—and how to use the trigger as a guide for your own healing and empowerment.
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Touched Out, Talked Out: The Repetition, Clinginess, and Loudness of Toddlers—and the Silent Burnout of Mothers (+free journal)
Why does my toddler repeat the same things over and over—and why does it drain me so much? Learn the psychological roots of repetition, maternal burnout, and touch irritation. This in-depth article offers trauma-informed insight, nervous system wisdom, and real-life structural tools for overwhelmed mothers.
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The Dreams That Haunt Us: When We Wake Longing for What We Can’t Name
Explore why certain dreams—especially those we barely remember—can leave us longing, irritable, or emotionally unsettled the next day. Learn what it means when waking imagination can’t satisfy dream longing, and how unconscious desires surface through symbolic or sensual dreams.
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The Heroine’s Journey Through Motherhood: A Mythic Path to Heal the Mother Wound + Free Guide
Explore the heroine’s journey through the lens of motherhood—from conception to early parenting—with emotional depth, mythological wisdom, and practical tools for healing childhood emotional neglect.
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When Your Partner Shuts Down: How to Stay Connected Through Exhaustion, Loss, and Silence
Learn how to support a partner whose silent grief shows up as exhaustion. Understand the hidden emotional layers, validate both your needs, and gently reconnect in the midst of shutdown and pain.
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When Therapy Becomes a Compulsion: Why We Keep Digging and How to Step Into Life Beyond Self-Work
Feeling stuck in constant self-work? Explore what’s behind the urge to stay in therapy even when life feels stable and get tools, reflections, and a free questionnaire to help you know if you’re ready to pause or shift your healing journey.
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Why Am I Sabotaging My Stable Job While Overworking on My Side Hustle? Understanding Shadow Motivations & Finding Balance (+free PDF)
Feeling stuck between a stable job and a passion-driven side hustle? Learn how to navigate self-sabotage, shadow motivations, and career transitions with psychology-backed strategies and practical exercises. Download your free Gentle Transition Workbook today!
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Tarot for Shadow Work: The Symbolic Power of Tarot in Psychology & Myth (Part 5 of 6) + free PDF
Discover how tarot connects to Jungian psychology, personal myths, and self-exploration. Learn how symbols and archetypes reveal your unconscious patterns and guide deep healing.
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Why Some Mothers Crave Intense Physical Labor Instead of Rest—And How to Honor That Need (+free PDF)
Feeling drawn to intense physical labor instead of rest? Many mothers unconsciously use exertion as an emotional regulation tool. Learn why this happens, how to voice your needs without guilt, and practical ways to balance physical effort with true rest.
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Tarot for Shadow Work: Practical Techniques & Spreads (Part 4 of 6) + free PDF
Discover powerful tarot techniques for shadow work in this step-by-step guide. Learn how to use tarot spreads to explore hidden fears, integrate suppressed parts of yourself, and find healing. Includes sample readings, psychological insights, and a free downloadable Shadow Work Tarot Journal.
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Tarot for Shadow Work: The Minor Arcana as a Mirror for Everyday Struggles (Part 3 of 6) + free PDF
Introduction: The Shadows in the Small Moments Many people think of shadow work as diving deep into their past traumas, exploring the vast unconscious, or confronting their most hidden fears. While those elements are certainly part of the journey, the small, everyday moments often reveal just as much about our inner world. Think about this:
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When Change Feels Like a Threat: Healing Powerlessness with IFS
When unexpected changes feel overwhelming, your inner parts may be reacting to past experiences of powerlessness. Learn how IFS therapy can help you work with your Manager, Firefighter, and Exile parts to heal deep-seated fears of losing control. Includes practical exercises and a free worksheet to guide your healing journey.
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Tarot for Shadow Work: The Major Arcana as a Roadmap to Your Hidden Self (Part 2 of 6) + free PDF
Unlock the hidden depths of your subconscious through tarot shadow work. Explore the Major Arcana as a roadmap for self-discovery, healing, and personal transformation. Learn practical tarot spreads, psychological insights, and how to integrate your shadow for lasting growth.
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Tarot for Shadow Work? A Beginner’s Guide (Part 1 of 6) + free PDF
Discover how tarot can be a powerful tool for shadow work. Learn practical tarot spreads for self-exploration, uncover hidden aspects of yourself, and integrate Jungian and IFS psychology into your practice.
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The Hidden Pain We Inherit: Why Martyrdom and Avoidance Aren’t Your Only Paths in Motherhood (+free PDF)
The wounds of our motherline often remain unspoken, yet they shape our lives in profound ways. This article explores the intergenerational transmission of trauma, the heroine’s journey to healing, and practical steps to break cycles of self-sacrifice and avoidance—creating a new legacy of presence, boundaries, and self-respect.
