Multitasking feels like a badge of honor in medicine. Charting, answering messages, tossing in laundry, helping with bedtime…all at once…feels like proof you’re keeping up. For years, I thought the same thing. If I could do more in less time, I must be winning…right? But then I started seeing the cracks. More distraction. More mental clutter. More moments where I’d stop and think, “Wait… did I already do that?” Every free moment turned into a free-for-all. Playing with the kids was interrupted by bills. Bills were interrupted by laundry. Laundry was interrupted by texts. Nothing got my full attention. Everything felt half-done. And here’s the part that took me a while to understand: That’s not a personality flaw. That’s a system problem. Presence isn’t about trying harder. It’s about having a structure that lets your brain stop firefighting long enough to actually be where you are. 🎧 In 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝟐𝟑 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 — “𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐧: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬”, we break down why physician brains struggle with presence and the 4-step system that finally changes it. #BetterPhysicianLife #PhysicianLeadership #AttentionManagement #WorkLifeBalance #HealthcareCulture #PhysicianWellBeing #ProfessionalGrowth

Practical Clinical Tip - The "Bare Minimum Day" Plan Have clients create a "Bare Minimum Day" plan for when they're struggling. What's the absolute minimum they need to do to keep everyone safe and fed? This might include: babies fed (however that happens), everyone gets some sleep (even if it means bed-sharing or formula when they planned to exclusively breastfeed), basic safety maintained, and that's it. Writing this down in advance gives clients a permission structure for hard days, reducing the shame spiral that often makes difficult days even worse. It's also a helpful tool for distinguishing between a bad day and a crisis that needs more support.

Practical Clinical Tip - The "Bare Minimum Day" Plan Have clients create a "Bare Minimum Day" plan for when they're struggling. What's the absolute minimum they need to do to keep everyone safe and fed? This might include: babies fed (however that happens), everyone gets some sleep (even if it means bed-sharing or formula when they planned to exclusively breastfeed), basic safety maintained, and that's it. Writing this down in advance gives clients a permission structure for hard days, reducing the shame spiral that often makes difficult days even worse. It's also a helpful tool for distinguishing between a bad day and a crisis that needs more support.

Your client leaves at 5 pm. Their pain doesn't. You carry it home, into your kitchen, your relationships, your sleep. New therapists often believe that emotional spillover indicates that they care deeply. That's not care. That's drowning. The therapists who sustain 20-year careers? They have a closing ritual. They physically end the session when it ends. Try this: After your last client, walk outside for 2 minutes and say aloud, "That was their story. Not mine." Your body will believe you. The weight will lift. And you'll actually be present when you walk back inside. Closing rituals like this are encouraged for building sustainable clinical practices. #ClinicalSupervision #TherapistBurnout #MentalHealthProfessionals #ProfessionalDevelopment #ClinicalPractice #BehavioralHealth #Supervision #WorkLifeBalance #SelfCare #MentalHealthCounseling

Therapy Thursday: Guard Your Peace 💙📱 Doomscrolling is more than a bad habit. Research links it to anxiety, poor sleep, and overstimulation. For Former Fosters already managing chronic stress, this digital weight is heavy. You care about justice. You want to stay informed. However, you cannot pour from an empty cup. The Strategy: 📵 Swap the Scroll: Don't just put the phone down. Keep a journal or book by your bed to fill the morning gap. ⏰ Set a Timer: Check news only at 12 PM and 5 PM. When the timer dings, the session is over. 🌍 Curate Your Input: Avoid sensationalist news. Seek solutions-based journalism instead. 📱 Increase Friction: Charge your phone in another room. Physical distance is more reliable than willpower. 🚫 Use a Script: If a story feels too heavy, say out loud: "I am not equipped for this right now." Self-care is tactical. It is how we stay strong for the long game. ~Evidence from Harvard in the first comment... DISCLAIMER: This group cannot and does not contain medical/health advice. The medical/health information is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE GROUP IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

As a clinician, I want to give busy Naples and SWFL residents quick, evidence-based tools you can use today for anxiety relief. Try this brief checklist: 1) Box or 4-4-4 breathing for 2–5 minutes to calm the nervous system. 2) Behavioral experiments: test one anxious prediction with a small, doable action. 3) Sleep hygiene: consistent bedtime, screen curfew, and wind-down routine. These techniques are grounded in clinical practice and outcomes we track at Sigma Centrum, and we integrate them into outpatient sessions at our local office on 1185 Immokalee Rd, Ste. 220, Naples, FL. If anxiety is affecting your daily life, reach out — we can tailor these tools to your needs. Learn more: https://wix.to/EXPOq2k #MentalHealth #AnxietyRelief #NaplesFL

Three tips & tricks to help therapists flourish in 2026. They center around cultivating more investment from your clients. The more invested your clients are in the work you do, the easier it becomes for you to flourish in your work (where flourishing looks like reduced stress & fatigue, and increased satisfaction & energy). 1. Shift to a 48 hour cancellation policy. Some clients may have trouble with this, but it will motivate your clients to be more forward-thinking about their own needs to cancel or reschedule. Your own nervous system will benefit greatly from fewer last minute or day-before cancellations. 2. Increase your fees. Even if only a $5-$10 increase, it's important that your fees keep up best as they can with market rates, inflation and cost of living. It also communicates an ongoing valuation of yourself to your client related to your growing experience, competence, etc. To not do this is, in effect, to commit yourself to longer-standing fatigue & stress. 3. Take time off. Well, duh, that's obvious. But here's a useful strategy for how to do it to mitigate the difficulties of being in a profession where we exchange our time for money (i.e. when we're not working, we're not getting paid): identify months of the year that have 5 sets of certain days (i.e. five Tuesdays or five Wednesdays). If you can stage your time off around those weeks, your monthly inflows should resemble more typical 4-week months. If you're busiest day is a Tuesday, try to take off a 5th Tuesday in a month.

Most people don’t become therapists by accident. They do it because they know pain. They’ve lived through hard things and thought, “I never want anyone else to feel this way.” That part is real. And it’s admirable. But here’s what doesn’t get talked about enough: A degree doesn’t magically heal someone. Training doesn’t automatically resolve old wounds. And insight alone doesn’t equal emotional safety. When therapists stop doing their own personal work, therapy can quietly shift. The session can start to feel off. Boundaries can blur. And clients often sense it before they can explain it. The best therapists aren’t the ones who were never hurt. They’re the ones who were hurt and kept doing the work. They’ve sat in the client’s chair. They know resistance. They know what it feels like to be stuck, and what it actually takes to move. And yes, you’re allowed to ask: “Have you been in therapy yourself?” That question isn’t rude. It’s about safety. Healing works best when the person guiding you has walked the path too. — Dr. Sharona

At Praxis Therapy, we work with clinicians, clergy, and other helpers who are learning to care for themselves again. Here are three brief, evidence-informed strategies you can use between sessions to steady mood, manage cravings, and navigate life changes — plus why they work and how we track progress. 1) Grounded breathing for mood swings: Use 4-4-6 breathing (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 6) for 2–3 minutes when emotions feel sharp. Clinically, paced breathing calms the autonomic nervous system and reduces emotional reactivity. In therapy we set a baseline (how quickly you settle) and track frequency of use and mood ratings over weeks. 2) Urge surfing for cravings: Notice the craving like a wave — name sensations, watch them crest, and ride them without acting. Research shows nonjudgmental awareness reduces impulsive responses. We practice the skill in-session, assign short daily logs, and review how peak intensity and duration change over time. 3) Behavioral activation for life changes: Schedule small, meaningful actions (a 10-minute walk, a check-in call) on low-energy days to rebuild momentum. Behavioral activation targets avoidance patterns and boosts mood through repeated, achievable steps. Progress is measured by activity completion and shifts in mood and functioning scores. These techniques fit our practice-focused model: we teach skills in session, tailor them to your daily routine, and use simple measures (usage logs, self-ratings, and functional checklists) to show tangible gains between meetings. If you’re a helper in Texas or Florida seeking practical, compassionate support, we’re here to walk alongside you. Visit https://wix.to/lReFuMs to learn more or schedule a consultation. #MentalHealth #TherapyForHealers #Resilience

Therapist Red Flags (in Ourselves) A humorous, but also important, take. We help others spot red flags... but what about our own? “I scheduled five clients back-to-back and called it ‘efficient.’” “I told my client to take a break. I haven’t taken one since 2021.” “I said ‘I’m fine’ with the same tone I flag in others.” “I laughed when someone asked if I have a lunch break.” “I reminded a client to practice mindfulness… while mentally checking my to-do list.” “I taught grounding techniques at 10am and dissociated through my 3pm session.” “I made a boundary worksheet… and ignored three of my own boundaries before noon.” “I tell clients self-care isn’t indulgent, then feel horrible taking a day off for my kid's wedding.” “I suggested ‘reframing’ a thought while fully spiraling about my own calendar.” “I coached someone on saying no and then agreed to a 7:30 AM consult.” “I corrected a client’s people-pleasing... in the middle of agreeing to a double-book.” “I asked someone, ‘What would it look like to slow down?’ and answered my own emails while they responded.” This isn’t to throw shade. This is to make a point. Healers need healing too, so make sure to practice what you preach. Give yourself the time, space, acceptance, and understanding you are quick to display for your clients. And don't forget that you have a community around you that is there to support you.