Dealing with the "bi-product" of empathy. NATALIE FURDEK, M.ED., LPC Alright, let’s dive into GUILT! Not the kind you feel when you’ve actually done something wrong. Like I tell my clients, if you punch someone in the nose and feel guilty, we’re not going to try to get rid of that guilt. Maybe the anger…but that guilt and remorse is healthy in that case! (And no, my clients haven’t punched anyone, I’m pretty sure.) Nope, we’re talking about the guilt you get even when you haven’t done...

With a lot of "manual" effort NATALIE FURDEK, M.ED., LPC I've got an awesome mom! I'm sure I'll chat more about her here, but for now, let me tell you how she insisted I learn to drive a stick shift when I was a teenager. Back then (and even now), I thought it was such a hassle, especially cruising around town.  But knowing how to shift gears and manage speed and RPMs came in handy later on. I had a blast owning a Volkswagen Beetle in my early 20s and riding my Harley Davidsons in my late...

"Fluency" takes time, practice, and patience. NATALIE FURDEK, M.ED., LPC In my last post, I mentioned a study linking self-compassion to unmasking. But how do we actually learn to be self-compassionate? Especially for those of us who’ve been conditioned by ableist norms without realizing our neurodivergence? Well, therapy is a great starting point! But not everyone can afford it, needs it, or even wants it. So, I’m hoping to share some useful info for those folks here. First off, there are...