Written by Jody Cecil, our Licensed Professional Counselor

We all have a part of us we dislike, and we often refer to them as “bad”. A bad habit, an addiction, sinfulness, or some other critical and belittling name. We hate feeling anxious or depressed. We work hard to fix and change ourselves, sometimes with little success. What if, instead, we could befriend that part and show it compassion? Even be grateful for it? According to Dr. Richard Schwartz, the creator of an evidence-based psychotherapy called Internal Family Systems (IFS), “A part is not just a temporary emotional state or habitual thought pattern. Instead, it is a discrete and autonomous mental system that has an idiosyncratic range of emotion, style of expression, set of abilities, desires, and view of the world. [It] is as if we each contain a society of people, each of whom is at a different age and has different interests, talents, and temperaments.” Dr. Schwartz and others invite us to consider these parts with curiosity and compassion. All parts belong.

As human beings, it seems we contain within us a multitude of parts. Some feel younger, as in the example shared from Ted Lasso. As you read these examples, begin to be curious about the different parts within you. While ordering at a restaurant, a part of me plans to choose a healthy salad; when the server arrives, I order a greasy burger. A part of us wants to be with our friends, and yet, another part may want to stay home. On any given day, despite years of experience in our professional roles, a part of us may feel like we have no idea what we’re doing. It’s very common to feel competing impulses, thoughts and feelings, and our relationship with those parts matters.

In the earlier example from Ted Lasso, Rebecca’s anxious little girl might be considered an exiled part – the part of the personality who holds painful memories, unmet needs, and disowned feelings. If Rebecca had sat down and decided not to attend the meeting, we could say that a protective part had jumped in to help her. The protector part is not bad; she’s doing her job. She was warning Rebecca of the danger within the next room. In the past, people had been judgmental and unkind. Of course, Rebecca is an adult now and can handle the situation much differently. Adult Rebecca could have ignored the anxious young part, but instead, she notices her and empowers her.

Viewing ourselves as parts invites greater self-compassion and grace. If we are more tender with ourselves, we discover greater opportunities for healing and growth. We feel empowered. I often tell clients, “Not all of you is anxious right now; they are simply a part of you”. Naming the part leads to a separation. We can see that part and seek to understand what might be worrying them rather than criticizing them. Now we have agency and hope. I invite you to try it out and notice the parts of you. If you feel you need additional support from a licensed professional, you can contact me at https://www.takingrootcounseling.com.

As a counselor, I welcome all parts of you.

Written by our Licensed Professional Counselor, Jody Cecil

One of my favorite symbols is the ampersand. Anyone who visits my home will find a few scattered throughout, in varied sizes, textures and colors. The symbol itself stands for the word “and”. Seems a bit strange to add them into your décor, right? Perhaps – until you see the power of this small character, a symbol of possibility and connection.

Our brain and bodies are wired for protection. To think in terms of either/or allows us to survive. Many years ago, as a young child, I wandered outside to play while my parents were entertaining a group of their friends. While exploring, I discovered mushrooms growing in our lawn. Now, I loved mushrooms and decided to eat a few while everyone else was enjoying their own meal. Turns out they were poisonous toadstools, not mushrooms. You can imagine what happened next. In so many situations, the categories of good and bad can keep us safe.

So much of our experience as human beings, however, is much more complex. If we interpret or perceive something as only good or bad / all or nothing, we may become stuck and rigid in our thinking. This rigidity often leads to distress, both internally and in relationships. Here’s where “&” invites hope. All of life includes both comfort and discomfort, beauty and heart ache, struggle and success, anger and peace. Even when ideas or circumstances feel like they are in conflict, the reality is that both sides are valid.

A dialectic is the idea that two opposites can both be true at the same time. To be dialectical means expanding your way of seeing things, being more flexible and approachable. We can practice being dialectical in our everyday experiences and interactions. Consider where your thinking might automatically perceive a situation as either/or and try to shift it a bit. Yes, you’re frustrated by the driver who just cut you off AND they may have had a good reason why they were driving so quickly. Our partners may have said something hurtful AND we recognize they just had a stressful day. We want to be more motivated to change AND we’re doing the best we can. Dialectical thinking invites us to validate and normalize a situation while at the same time, naming something that offers hope.

May we all learn to better embrace the power and hope of the “both/and”.

Interested in exploring the possibility of counseling? Reach out to Jody Cecil, our licensed professional counselor at the Flourish Center. You can contact her at https://takingrootcounseling.com.

A few weeks ago, I spent the weekend with a dear friend who is battling cancer for the second time. The days following a chemotherapy treatment can be daunting for her – physically, emotionally, and mentally – and my friend has no problem asking for support. Our time together highlighted the importance of boundaries, the lines and limits we create for ourselves so that we can function well in relationships with others. With my friend, for example, I knew it would not go well if I told her to do something, no matter how essential it was for her at that moment. How do you feel about the boundaries in your current relationships?

There are many types of boundaries including physical, emotional, relational, sexual, intellectual, time, financial, spiritual, and material boundaries. The limits we set are defined by multiple factors including our experiences as we grow up in our families. To narrow this topic a bit for today, let’s consider your relationships with a friend or family member.

Ask yourself these questions:

• What do I value in a relationship?
• What behaviors bother me?
• What qualities do I admire in others?
• How do I like to spend my time? What makes me feel fulfilled?
• How much time do I like to spend with others? What do I currently have time for now in my friendships?
• How easy is it for me to say no? To say yes?

Setting a boundary with someone can be difficult. Our boundaries may be too rigid (picture a wall without any doors and no access to others), too porous (the wall and door are there, but others can come and go as they please) or collapsed (no walls at all). When we find it difficult to set a limit, typically we’re afraid of something. We may fear . . .

We may fear . . .

• losing the love or approval of another person.
• the other’s anger.
• loneliness
• guilty feelings, feeling like a bad person when we say no.
• hurting the feelings of others.

If boundaries in relationships are challenging for you, another step may involve seeking the support of another person, including a counselor. In my practice, I collaborate with clients to change their boundaries through experiential therapy that includes experiments where we explore the body’s role in boundary setting. If you’re interested in working with me, click below. 

Written by our Licensed Professional Counselor, Jody L. Cecil

As I continue to enjoy the summer season, I’ve spent a fair amount of time tending to the flowers planted in the yard of our home. New to Oregon, I’m learning about each plant’s needs and growing seasons. Water, sunshine, and fertilizer all matter. And then there’s deadheading.

For those who might be new to gardening and flower care (like me!), deadheading is the process of removing the old blossoms and seed heads from the plant. While it’s not always necessary, many flowering plants need it. With the dead blossoms gone, the plant directs its energy into growth and more flowers. If I’m being honest, I often find the task of deadheading quite tedious. The flowers I have seem beautiful enough, right?

Surrounded by daisies, I recently paused and saw the process of deadheading through the eyes of a growing and healing human being. Caring for ourselves requires a type of pruning at times, doesn’t it? Long-lasting change often occurs when we accept the invitation to “prune”, to explore old wounds and survival strategies that may no longer be serving us. Growth must be stimulated, and much like a plant, our brains have the ability to change and rewire themselves. Our energy can be redirected to create even more beauty.

As a member of the Flourish team, I’d be honored to walk with you on your personal journey of healing and growth. If you feel counseling might be helpful, please contact me. Together, we’ll collaborate on a plan that invites more beauty and hope into your life.

Shared by our Founder & Nurse Practitioner, Jen Owen, N.P.

In February 2024, I finished a yearlong coaching program with the Hendricks Institute to become a Big Leap Coach. One of the main areas of exploration was Body Intelligence, how we have innate wisdom within our bodies and how we can unlock and unblock this wisdom.

One of the main ways our body wisdom is blocked is by fear.

Fear, even in small doses, can get locked in the cells of our bodies causing anxiety, insomnia, depression, worry, stress, etc. We get stuck in fight-or-flight. Read the details about what it means to be in fight-or-flight here.

Through the Hendricks, I learned an easy and effective way to release fear called the Fear Melters.

You may know that I’ve had a particular challenging year so far in 2024. Without doing the Fear Melters every day, I’m not sure where I’d be.

There are four ways that fear shows itself: fight, flight (flee), freeze, or faint.

All of these are accompanied by shorter and shallower breath. We cannot be talked out of fear. Fear is a physiological response and can only be melted with breath, movement and love. There are specific movements that can be applied as an antidote to each type of fear.

FIGHT

Is often confused with anger. Your body weight moves forward, arms get tight, hands may form into fists, talking is faster and louder. You are ready to fight.

To combat FIGHT: OOZE your body

Begin to move slowly as if you are warm chocolate oozing off a spoon. Ooze your arms, shoulders, and hips and even your jaw; slow your words down and change your tone of voice.

FLEE

Part or all of you leaves the vicinity. Can be accompanied by a nervous laugh or eyes glazing over. You may flee by using drugs, alcohol, technology, or food. You’re not present in the moment.

To combat FLEE or FLIGHT: ROOT your body

Widen your stance and bend your knees a little or a lot. Let your toes spread out as you imagine beautiful roots extending from your feet into the nourishment of the earth. Imagine the earth’s energy infusing you with aliveness here and now. Learn more about rooting (grounding) here.

FREEZE

Your body becomes stiff and tight and you might have a nervous smile. Your thoughts may go round and round in your mind. You are frozen in place.

To combat FREEZE: WIGGLE your body

Begin to wiggle your fingers and toes, eventually wiggle your hips and shoulders; to unfreeze you will eventually need to wiggle your core. Literally “shake it off”.

FAINT

Your thinking becomes foggy and confused. You may feel drained or sleepy with your jaw hanging open. You may feel “stupid” and not like yourself.

To combat FAINT: give yourself LOVE SCOOPS

Reach your arms out around you as if you are gathering energy and love towards you. Bring your hands towards you, touching your head, chest, belly or wherever love is needed.

Often, you will be experiencing a combination of fears. Do the one(s) that feel(s) best in the moment. I find that the right Fear Melter feels very good in my body.

For prevention, do the Fear Melters for at least 2 minutes every day and do them more often during times of high stress. While my dad was dying and tensions were high, I practiced the WIGGLE move many times a day.

If you need help, let me know at an appointment and I’ll walk you through them. You can learn about the Fear Melters from my teacher, Katie Hendricks, in this video.

Please report back about your experiences with these helpful and easy tools as you shift from FEAR to FLOW.