Author: Ida Fariba

#beinglovedis . . .

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to volunteer at a couples retreat called Hold Me Tight with Jennine Estes.  I had volunteered at these workshops before and fell in love with it; yet, this one was particularly special to me because it was focused on LGBTQ+ couples.  It was such an honor and privilege to help provide a safe space for these couples who have so much stacked against them.  

It was also an honor and privilege to work with Jennine, who put her heart and soul into this workshop. There were a variety of things that resonated with me during this retreat; yet, the message of #beinglovedis will stay with me forever.

 

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Stay gold, Ponyboy

Real talk: sometimes, the world can be really shitty. I’m imagining that resonates with most of you, especially with everything that is happening in the present day. Today’s post has two parts because I feel like both concepts revolve around the same theme of staying true to yourself, no matter what the world throws at you. 

 

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It all starts with us

When we experience trauma and it isn’t processed, those experiences and the way those memories are stored in our brain changes the way we view ourselves. We may begin to internalize our experiences or blame ourselves for the trauma we endured, and then every experience we have afterwards can just reaffirm those negative beliefs we’ve created about ourselves. The way we see ourselves impacts the way we show up in the universe; it impacts our relationships, our careers, our motivation, and our purpose in the world. It all starts with us as individuals, and then ripples out into the system we are a part of. That is where EMDR comes in. 

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Reaching out for support

…is not easy.  We are taught to be independent and self-reliant, which are beautiful traits to have.  We have the strength to handle whatever life throws at us and to get shit done, to stand on our own two feet with confidence.  We are resilient.

Asking for support does NOT take away from our strength and our resiliency.

Asking for support does NOT make us weak or unworthy.

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Finding that Special Someone

Throughout my journey becoming a therapist, the concept that stood out the most was our human need for connection.  It was the first time I had heard that humans need connection the same way we need water and air.  Yet, the more time I thought about it, the more sense it made.  I could not imagine a life of solitude and isolation without my support systems around me, nor would I need to.  Support systems are vital, and I can help you find and create your own.

And then, there is that one special human that leaves you feeling like this chaotic rollercoaster called life was completely and utterly worth it.

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The Cry of Love

Right now, the world is as far away from peace as its been for a long time.  It’s like we’ve gone back in time; only, today we don’t have artists like Jimi Hendrix or The Beatles that make it worth it.  I don’t think there is a more relevant or poignant quote that illustrates what is happening in this country today because we have power-hungry individuals leading us.  However, what we may not see is that love of power stems from a place of fear and disconnection.  This is not a political post, rather one inspired by the wisdom of the revolutionaries that came before us.

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When therapy is so punk rock

It’s been a minute folks, a long minute. It’s been difficult staying consistent with my postings with school and beginning my teaching and supervision internship. Good news: I absolutely love what I’m doing. Yet, that is not what this post is about…

I visited my sister in Seattle and went to the Museum of Pop Culture. When I was there, surrounded by the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain, I was reminded of my love for music and all things culture. I think that when I go into school and therapy mode, everything else gets put on pause. Yet, everything in life is so intermingled that I feel like I was depriving myself of things that could have supported me.

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Long Live Robin Williams

I, along with millions of others, was devastated after learning of Robin Williams’ passing.  I couldn’t watch Mrs. Doubtfire for two years after.

There were several things I learned from his passing.  One was that mental health challenges do not discriminate; every single human, whether you are a celebrity or person holding immense power, is susceptible to difficulties regarding their mental health.

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I’m baaaaaaaack from my self-care journey!

The second semester of my doctorate program is officially over and I can finally breathe…which is a bit concerning because it feels like I’ve been holding my breath the past few weeks.

It has been an adjustment. It’s strange going from talking to someone almost every day to them just not being there anymore. Add on all the end-of-semester stress, let’s just say that the past few weeks have been a blur.

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The dreaded word called grief

These past few days have been immensely difficult for me. Writing this is immensely difficult for me. A good friend of mine passed away last week and I was of the opinion that I was not handling it very well.

And then I asked myself, what does “handling it well” even mean?

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