Category: Psychology

1/5/2026 0 Comments

Creating Safety to Feel Again: How Trauma-Informed Self-Care Rebuilds Confidence from the Inside Out

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Divorce recovery is tough terrain to navigate. I've been working with trauma survivors for years, and I can tell you that rebuilding confidence after a marriage ends isn't just about positive thinking or "moving on." It's about creating safety in your nervous system so you can actually feel again, without panic, without that constant knot in your stomach, without your mind racing through worst-case scenarios.

The truth is, divorce often triggers our deepest attachment wounds. Your nervous system doesn't distinguish between physical danger and emotional threat. When your primary relationship dissolves, your brain interprets this as a survival crisis. That's why you might feel like you're losing your mind, even when you know logically that you're going to be okay.

What Happens to Your Nervous System During Divorce

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1/1/2026 0 Comments

Part-Time Jobs for Therapists: 10 Things You Should Know Before You Apply (2026 Edition)

Looking for part-time therapy work can feel overwhelming. Trust me, I get it. As someone who's navigated both sides of the hiring equation in mental health, I've seen how the landscape has shifted dramatically: especially post-pandemic. The good news? Part-time opportunities for therapists are more abundant than ever in 2026. The challenging news? There are some crucial things you need to know before you apply that could save you from frustration, financial stress, or career missteps.

Let me walk you through the ten most important considerations I wish every therapist knew before pursuing part-time work.

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11/19/2025 0 Comments

Hidden Struggles: Why Depression Can Be Harder to Spot in High-Achievers

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Depression in high-achievers is a tough subject to talk about. It might be natural to think that successful people, those climbing the career ladder, excelling in school, or managing multiple responsibilities with apparent ease, have it all figured out. But that's not always the case.

As therapists, we see this pattern regularly: accomplished individuals who appear to thrive externally while experiencing significant emotional distress internally. This phenomenon, often called "high-functioning depression," represents one of the most misunderstood forms of mental health struggles.

The Neuroscience Behind High-Functioning Depression

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10/9/2025 0 Comments

Tips to Move Toward Secure Attachment: Practical Strategies

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Changing your attachment style as an adult is challenging work. I won't sugarcoat that. The patterns we developed in childhood run deep, and they've been our go-to strategies for navigating relationships for years, maybe decades. But here's what I want you to know: it's absolutely possible to move toward more secure attachment, no matter where you're starting from.
Whether you tend toward anxious attachment (constantly seeking reassurance), avoidant attachment (keeping people at arm's length), or disorganized attachment (swinging between the two), you can develop the skills that securely attached people seem to naturally have. It just takes intentional practice and a lot of self-compassion along the way.

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9/15/2025 0 Comments

Your expectations are too high! The difference between a standard and an expectation

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I hear this phrase a lot in my therapy office: "My partner says my expectations are too high!" And honestly? Sometimes they're right. But here's the thing: when someone tells you your expectations are too high, they might actually be pointing to something much deeper than what you think you're asking for.

As a therapist who's spent years working with couples and individuals struggling with relationship dynamics, I've learned that the real issue isn't usually about lowering your standards. It's about understanding the crucial difference between standards and expectations: and how confusing the two can actually damage the very relationships we're trying to protect.

What's Really Going On in Your Brain

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8/4/2025 0 Comments

Does Journaling Actually Help With Anxiety?

Anxiety is tough. Really tough. If you're reading this, chances are you've felt that familiar tightness in your chest, the racing thoughts that won't quit, or that constant feeling like you're waiting for the other shoe to drop. You might have heard people suggest journaling as a way to help with anxiety, but you're probably wondering: does it actually work, or is it just another feel-good suggestion that doesn't really make a difference?

Here's the thing – journaling does help with anxiety, and there's solid science behind why it works. As a therapist, I've seen it make a real difference for my clients, and the research backs up what we see in therapy rooms every day.

What's Actually Happening in Your Brain When You Journal

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3/27/2025 0 Comments

Overly Dependent: When Your Partner Feels Like Oxygen (But You're Gasping)

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Being overly dependent in a relationship is a tough topic to talk about. It brings up feelings of shame, guilt, and fear that many of us would rather avoid. But here's the thing - recognizing dependency patterns doesn't mean there's something inherently wrong with you or your partner. It means you're human, and you're ready to create healthier connection.

If your partner feels like they can't breathe without you, or if you find yourself suffocating under the weight of being someone's emotional lifeline, you're not alone. This dynamic affects countless couples, and understanding it is the first step toward breathing easier together.

What Overly Dependent Actually Looks Like

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2/2/2025 0 Comments

How Bilateral Stimulation Reprocesses Traumatic Memories: The Neuroscience Behind EMDR

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Let's be honest: trauma is a tough topic to talk about. But understanding how our brains process traumatic memories can actually be incredibly empowering. And when it comes to healing from trauma, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) has become one of the most fascinating and effective treatments we have.

As a therapist, I've watched EMDR work what seems like magic in the therapy room. But there's nothing magical about it: it's pure neuroscience. The secret lies in something called bilateral stimulation, and what it does to our brains is pretty remarkable.

What Actually Happens During Bilateral Stimulation?

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12/6/2024 0 Comments

The Neuroscience of Rituals: How Traditions Keep Us Grounded Through Uncertainty, Grief & Stress

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Let's talk about something that might seem a little mystical at first, rituals and traditions. You know, those little (or big) things we do that feel important but maybe we can't quite put our finger on why. Like always making your coffee the exact same way each morning, or how your family always watches the same movie every Christmas Eve, or the way you light a candle when you're feeling overwhelmed.

Here's the thing: there's actually some pretty fascinating science behind why these rituals feel so grounding and helpful, especially when life gets tough. And I'm not just talking about religious ceremonies (though those count too). I'm talking about any repeated, meaningful action that helps you feel more centered.

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6/29/2023 0 Comments

Teen Girls & Therapy

By Jessica Darling Wilkerson, LMFT

Oh, the teen girls! I love them. Once upon a time, I was a teen girl... now, I'm a grown up woman with all these years of college learning in psychology and years of providing therapy to girls and their families. But, I can still tap into that teen girl brain and emotions that once lived in this body when I need a reminder of those conflicts and feelings.

It's such a dichotomy in that brain. "My parents are sooooo smothering! They don't let me do anything!" and also, "My parents don't even care about me. Nothing I do is right, they don't pay attention to me unless I'm messing up."

No matter how much positive encouragement you give your teen girl, some girls will only notice when you reprimand them or give them instructions.

Why is this? Well, there are several reasons.

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6/19/2023 0 Comments

Values: Our Life Compass

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By Joe Acciaioli, LCSW

In his book Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life, Steven Hayes compares our values to a life “compass.” Values go beyond goals, because they are more deeply held, and we are never “done” with them. If one of my values is to be loving, that is different than the goal of finding a partner and possibly getting married. Presumably, once I find that partner, or even if I break up with that partner, I will continue to have the value of being loving.

Especially during these challenging times, I find myself talking to my clients about their values, and the importance of living a values-based life. How do we not lose hope in a time of crisis, a time when we see so much suffering in the world? I believe the answer has a lot to do with living our values day-by-day.

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5/1/2023 0 Comments

The Fear of Therapy

By Jessica Darling Wilkerson, LMFT

I have a tendency to dig right in.

I have to force myself to remember to engage in the expected pleasantries of hello, how are you, how has your day been so far? This is because by the time my client has shown up to my office I've already been thinking about them - how about I just say "you".

I've been thinking about you.

I get up in the morning, take my shower, drink my coffee, drop my children off to their respective places, and drive into work. I listen to the radio while I drive in, but that's mostly background noise. I think about the people I get to see today. Their stories come back to me and I start wondering how they've been this week based on how they left my office the previous week.

By the time you arrive, I've already started our conversation hours ago, and I'm ready to jump right in. But quite often, I'll catch myself, and I'll try to remember to say the hello first...

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12/5/2022 0 Comments

Boost Your Confidence in One Easy Mindshift

By Dan Katz, LCSW

So, what are you going to do............
Get up and get some exercise, or grab the remote and head for the couch?

We've all asked ourselves this question lots of times. If you're one of the people that usually gets up and gets going, that's great for your physical health, as well as for your mental health. If you're one of the people that too often chooses the couch, I've got some interesting information for you.

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(530) 809-1702

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Locations:

1025 Village Lane, Chico CA 95926

1610 West Street, Ste 4, Redding CA 96001

Inspired Life Counseling is NOT a crisis center and is not equipped with the necessary tools to help in an emergency. Please click below for more information if you or your loved one is in crisis: Crisis Information.

Crisis Information

By texting Inspired Life Counseling at ( 530) 809-1702, you agree to receive conversations (external) messages from Inspired Life Counseling. We are NOT a crisis response. If you are in a mental health crisis or feel you are a danger to yourself or someone else, please contact 911. If you would like to no longer receive SMS correspondence Reply STOP to opt-out; Reply HELP for support; Message & data rates may apply; Messaging frequency may vary. Visit https://www.inspiredlifechico.com/contact to see our privacy policy and our Terms of Service.

MISSION: To provide a tranquil and healing space in which people in our community can find calmness internally through the relaxing atmosphere, along with respectful and engaging therapy conversations. To contribute to happier and more secure families by helping individuals, couples, and teens heal within and thereby creating different ways of engaging with themselves, the world, and those they love.

VISION: Creating a new kind of therapy experience in the Chico and Redding areas in which therapists have smaller caseloads, giving them the flexibility to spend more time with clients as needed - longer sessions, phone calls, client-centered advocacy. Creating a space in our community where clients can go between sessions to sit, linger, and re-center themselves when they're having difficult days. A place to belong while they heal their hearts and relationships. A therapy office that embodies the unconditional love of Christ, no matter what a person's gender identity, romantic disposition, or previous life hardships, experiences, or actions might have been. To be a safe place.

Inspired Life Counseling
Inspired Life Counseling is owned and directed by Jessica Darling, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #104464.
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YOUR CART

Creating Safety to Feel Again: How Trauma-Informed Self-Care Rebuilds Confidence from the Inside Out

Part-Time Jobs for Therapists: 10 Things You Should Know Before You Apply (2026 Edition)

Hidden Struggles: Why Depression Can Be Harder to Spot in High-Achievers

Tips to Move Toward Secure Attachment: Practical Strategies

Your expectations are too high! The difference between a standard and an expectation

Does Journaling Actually Help With Anxiety?

Overly Dependent: When Your Partner Feels Like Oxygen (But You're Gasping)

How Bilateral Stimulation Reprocesses Traumatic Memories: The Neuroscience Behind EMDR

The Neuroscience of Rituals: How Traditions Keep Us Grounded Through Uncertainty, Grief & Stress

Teen Girls & Therapy

Values: Our Life Compass

The Fear of Therapy

Boost Your Confidence in One Easy Mindshift

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