Articles
Thoughts on Counseling and Therapy
Gender Rolls: the Difference Between Who You Are and What You Do
Who Are We Without Gender Rolls, Part 3: The Difference Between Who You Are and What You Do Most people don't spend much time thinking about the difference between who they are and the roles they play. Honestly, why would they? Much of life is organized around our...
The Missing Half of Masculinity
Who Are We Without Gender Rolls, Part 2: the Missing Half of Masculinity Men are often taught to keep distance from traits labeled "feminine"—empathy, vulnerability, emotional awareness, tenderness, and compassion. The assumption is usually unspoken, but it is there:...
Femininity is Not Submissive
Who are we without Gender Rolls, Part 1: Femininity is Not Submissive. Femininity is often treated as a set of rules for how women should behave: be gentle, be nurturing, be capable, be beautiful, and be agreeable. Individually, these qualities may seem harmless, but...
Patterns Aren’t Permanent
Many people who grow up in homes filled with anger make themselves one promise: "When I grow up, I'll never be like that." So they spend years looking for someone different. Someone patient and gentle. Someone who doesn't yell when they're frustrated. Someone who...
Reframing Red Flags in Relationships
The language of red flags and green flags has become part of everyday conversations about dating and relationships. While these concepts encourage people to recognize healthy and unhealthy behaviors, the metaphor itself has an important limitation: The metaphor...
GRTG Therapist Q&A: OCD
An Interview with Dr. Jordan Gregory Mary and Dave Thornsen, owners of GR Therapy Group, are proud of the amazing therapists they work with at GRTG and love to learn from them. This interview series is a way to share some of those conversations. The transcripts are...
“People Pleaser:” A Troublesome Label
How many times have you heard the phrase or even thought to yourself, “I am such a people pleaser!” This is a common refrain I hear from folks. When we start to unpack what so-called people-pleasing looks like for them, I often hear some of the following tendencies....
Getting Unstuck in Relationships
Have you ever found yourself feeling stuck in the middle between two people? As though the problems between them suddenly became yours now too. Perhaps instead, you find yourself feeling aligned with one of the individuals against the other? Maybe you feel pushed out,...
Anxiety: When Breathing and Journaling Aren’t Enough
At some point in all of our lives, we’ve found ourselves feeling anxious. Whether that means nervousness before a big presentation, an upset stomach before a flight, or the inability to get out of bed in the morning, all of these things can seem impossible to...
Thriving Over Perfection: Let Go of Control and Live Your Best Life
So, here’s a short story about me just so you know where I’m coming from as a therapist. I was the kid who thought I might not do well on a math test and ended up collapsed on the floor of the kitchen in full melt-down mode. I told my parents in that moment, “Who am I...