Self-compassion

Create an emotional inventory to retrain your brain.

By Nicole Urdang | July 28, 2021
Posted in ,

Have you ever tracked your steps with a Fitbit or other app? If so, you became aware of something you might have been taking for granted. In a similar way, the emotion or mood tracker I propose helps you increase your awareness and appreciation for the variety of emotions you can have in a day, […]

Your body is a portal to essential knowledge.

By Nicole Urdang | March 13, 2021
Posted in , ,

Your body is your ever present home on earth and houses a wealth of information you can tap into anytime. Yet no one teaches you how to use this innate somatic knowledge. The field of psychotherapy, especially trauma therapy, is In the midst of a mini revolution as somatic awareness is now recognized as a […]

You Are The Hero

By Nicole Urdang | September 6, 2018
Posted in ,

What is heroism? Courage, bravery and perseverance in the face of adversity. What personhas not had all three? This is not another chapter in the pantheon of modern narcissism, but a truism. It’s not easy being human. From the littlest discomfort to the hugest existential despair, health challenge or relationship dissolution, it takes guts to […]

A Quick Practice to Help You Develop Compassion for Yourself and Others

By Nicole Urdang | June 21, 2018
Posted in , ,

Sometimes, the easiest way for us to see where we are hard on ourselves is to notice how harshly we react to other people’s behavior. Here’s a quick way to shift your perspective while developing more self-compassion. When someone behaves in a way you don’t like or understand try saying this to yourself: Just like […]

The Holy Grail of Psychotherapy: What It Is And How You Can Achieve It

By Nicole Urdang | July 13, 2017
Posted in , ,

After 45 years as a psychotherapist I now believe the holy grail of therapy is helping people feel safe. If that sounds too simplistic, just think about it. Whatever you are dealing with: anxiety, depression, grief, guilt, or anger, the best possible outcome is feeling safe in your body, mind, emotions, and environment. If you […]

Compare to Despair or Cultivate Self-Acceptance

By Nicole Urdang | January 5, 2016
Posted in ,

Comparison is the death of joy. Mark Twain If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back. Regina Brett If you look at the symbol commonly used to show Yin and Yang you will notice each of the larger shapes has a small circle of the opposite […]