When quarantine started it almost felt like a vacation, okay, more of a stacation in hell, but still it was a break from the norm, so I treated it as such (and I know a lot of you did as well). I indulgenced in more than the usual amount of comfort food, cocktails and desserts, traded my exercise routines for naps. And looked on with amazement and a little envy at the people posting the amazing projects they were tackling. While I shook the pretzel crumbs out of my bra and called Netflix a judgmental jerk for again asking if I was still watching. In the back of my mind I was sure I would get sick any day so why not live it up before that happens.

A few weeks passed and thankfully, my clients started agreeing to participate in tele-therapy. Understandably, so many of them were struggling with the stress of the situation, and I thought they might benefit from a guided meditation. My husband, David, is a recording engineer so he has both the equipment and the expertise to record a simple guided meditation for my clients. In fact, he’s been telling me he’d help me with this for years. We made the recording and I loved the process. It felt so natural and made me so happy, and I wanted to keep doing it. 

In reality, I’ve been harboring a wish to host a podcast since for a long time. But the thought of actually doing it was terrifying. Plus life just seemed to busy. Back in January 2013 I started a blog called “A Therapist Takes Her Own Advice.” The idea was to spend a year doing all the things I suggest to clients, but never do myself…meditating, eating healthy, exercising. You know, all the things we know are good for us…but we don’t always do. The first few months went okay. I meditated, exercised, ate right, then things started going downhill. First my father became very ill. He died in August. I learned I was pregnant soon after his funeral. At that point everything changed. Meditating became code for napping, healthy eating included plenty of pasta and French fries though I did continue to exercise. For me and many others, exercise is crucial to staving off depression. The baby came, we moved to a new town, my kids went to new schools, and my posts in A Therapist Takes Her Own Advice were few and far between. But now here we are 7 years later, we’re in quarantine, my husband’s work as a recording engineer is on pause, we can’t go anywhere so there are no more excuses. 

Though this podcast is named after the blog, it’s not going to be exactly the same. Rather than spending time talking about what we’re doing wrong and how to fix it. I want to explore how we can learn from each other, be more empathetic of ourselves and each other, break old patterns that cause us suffering and live the life we were meant to live. 

Join me each week as I discuss my own challenges with guests who offer unique insights into overcoming them. Whether you’re struggling with the effects of the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic, trying to devote more time to self-care or meditation, or looking to make a major life change, you’ll find inspiration and get practical advice on your journey. The truth is we are all doing the best we can, and we are all trying to do better. Please explore this with me on A Therapist Takes Her Own Advice.