Reflections
"Other People Have It Worse"
It's a phrase many of us use to dismiss our own struggles, believing we're gaining perspective when we're actually denying ourselves compassion. In this blog, Dr. Vicky Huangfu explores why minimizing your pain is a learned defense, how it disconnects us from healing, and why acknowledging your experience is not self-pity—it's self-honesty.
Post-holiday Decompression: Letting Go of Childhood Coping Patterns
After the holidays, old family dynamics can reactivate childhood coping patterns like people-pleasing, fawning, and emotional shutdown. This trauma-informed reflection explores why these strategies once kept you safe, why they now feel exhausting, and how healing means updating—not shaming—your nervous system responses.
How to Take Care of Yourself During the Holidays
A compassionate guide to caring for your mind, body, and boundaries during the holiday season—so you can show up with presence, not pressure.