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Source: https://www.embracenewlife.com/feed/

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<title>What Monday Night Football Can Teach Texas Families About Life, Love, and Mental Health</title>
<link>https://www.embracenewlife.com/what-monday-night-football-can-teach-texas-families-about-life-love-and-mental-health/</link>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth Davis, PsyD, LPC-S]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Wed, 10 Sep 2025 02:20:12 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Family Counseling]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Parenting]]></category>
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<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.embracenewlife.com/?p=23314</guid>
<description><![CDATA[What Football Can Teach Texas Families About Life, Love, and Mental Health 1. Game Day Lessons: What Monday Night Football Can Teach Texas Families About Teamwork Every winning football team thrives on communication and trust. Families are no different. Quarterback Parents: Lead with vision and direction. Defense: Protect boundaries, values, and routines. Offense: [...]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 fusion-flex-container has-pattern-background has-mask-background nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling" style="--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;" ><div class="fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap" style="max-width:1216.8px;margin-left: calc(-4% / 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% / 2 );"><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-0 fusion_builder_column_1_5 1_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:20%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:9.6%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:9.6%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"></div></div><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-1 fusion_builder_column_3_5 3_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:60%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:3.2%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:3.2%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"> <div class="fusion-image-element " style="--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="800" height="533" title="Families & Football" src="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/families-football.jpg" alt class="img-responsive wp-image-23318" srcset="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/families-football-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/families-football-400x267.jpg 400w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/families-football-600x400.jpg 600w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/families-football.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 800px" /></div> <div class="fusion-text fusion-text-1">What Football Can Teach Texas Families About Life, Love, and Mental Health
1. Game Day Lessons: What Monday Night Football Can Teach Texas Families About Teamwork
Every winning football team thrives on communication and trust. Families are no different.
<ul data-start="708" data-end="972">
<li data-start="708" data-end="768">
Quarterback Parents: Lead with vision and direction.
</li>
<li data-start="769" data-end="827">
Defense: Protect boundaries, values, and routines.
</li>
<li data-start="828" data-end="881">
Offense: Move the family toward shared goals.
</li>
<li data-start="882" data-end="972">
The Huddle: Try a quick daily check-in before school or bedtime to stay connected.
</li>
</ul>
At Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness, we often remind families that teamwork at home builds resilience and unity. If you’re looking to strengthen your <a class="decorated-link" style="font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" href="#" rel="noopener" data-start="1130" data-end="1155" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500">family relationships</a>, think of counseling as your playbook.
2. Stronger Together: Marriage Lessons from Football for Texas Couples
NFL quarterbacks trust their linemen to protect them. In marriage, couples build that same “pocket of trust.”
<ul data-start="1405" data-end="1695">
<li data-start="1405" data-end="1482">
Timeouts: Step back during conflict to regroup instead of escalating.
</li>
<li data-start="1483" data-end="1569">
Game Film: Reflect on disagreements without blame – just like teams review tape.
</li>
<li data-start="1570" data-end="1695">
Celebrate Wins: Whether it’s a parenting breakthrough or managing finances, notice and cheer for the small victories.
</li>
</ul>
Healthy marriages, like winning teams, succeed with commitment, support, and communication. Our <a class="decorated-link" style="font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" href="#" rel="noopener" data-start="1793" data-end="1813" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500">couples therapy</a> in Rockwall, Royse City, and Greenville helps you protect that trust.
3. From the Gridiron to Real Life: Managing Stress Like a Pro
NFL athletes train their minds as much as their bodies. Stress management is part of their playbook – and it can be part of yours too.
<ul data-start="2095" data-end="2331">
<li data-start="2095" data-end="2173">
Mindset Training: Visualization and breathing calm the nervous system.
</li>
<li data-start="2174" data-end="2261">
Coaching: Every athlete has a coach; therapy is your coach for mental strength.
</li>
<li data-start="2262" data-end="2331">
Recovery Time: Rest, prayer, reflection, and downtime matter.
</li>
</ul>
When stress hits, having a mental “game plan” is vital. Our <a class="decorated-link" style="font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" href="#" rel="noopener" data-start="2393" data-end="2416" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500">anxiety counseling</a> can help you manage stress with proven tools and strategies.
4. Why We Love Monday Night Football: The Power of Community & Belonging
Game day isn’t just about touchdowns – it’s about gathering with people you love. That sense of community is why Monday Night Football matters so much.
Therapy provides a similar experience of belonging and support. At Embrace, you don’t need a jersey to belong—you’re already on the team. Whether you’re seeking <a class="decorated-link" style="font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" href="#" rel="noopener" data-start="2878" data-end="2904" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500">individual counseling</a> or <a class="decorated-link" style="font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" href="#" rel="noopener" data-start="2908" data-end="2933" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500">Christian counseling</a>, we’re here for you.
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600; font-size: 23px;" data-start="2963" data-end="2991" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">Ready to Join the Team?</h2>
This season, as you tune in to Monday Night Football, ask yourself:
<ul data-start="3062" data-end="3213">
<li data-start="3062" data-end="3107">
Are you playing in sync with your family?
</li>
<li data-start="3108" data-end="3153">
Protecting the “pocket” in your marriage?
</li>
<li data-start="3154" data-end="3185">
Managing stress like a pro?
</li>
<li data-start="3186" data-end="3213">
Finding your community?
</li>
</ul>
If not, we’re here to help. At Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness, serving the great State of Texas, locations in Rockwall, Royse City, and Greenville, virtual across Texas, we’ll help you build a winning season in life.
<h3 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" data-start="3395" data-end="3437" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f4c5.png" alt="📅" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> 2025 NFL Schedules for Texas Fans</h3>
<ul data-start="3438" data-end="3625">
<li data-start="3438" data-end="3531">
<a style="font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600;" href="https://fbschedules.com/2025-dallas-cowboys-schedule/" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Dallas Cowboys Schedule</a>
</li>
<li data-start="3532" data-end="3625">
<a style="font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600;" href="https://fbschedules.com/2025-houston-texans-schedule/" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Houston Texans Schedule</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div></div></div><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-2 fusion_builder_column_1_5 1_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:20%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:9.6%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:9.6%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"></div></div></div></div>
The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.embracenewlife.com/what-monday-night-football-can-teach-texas-families-about-life-love-and-mental-health/">What Monday Night Football Can Teach Texas Families About Life, Love, and Mental Health</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.embracenewlife.com">Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness</a>.
]]></content:encoded>
</item>
<item>
<title>Who Are Narcissists? Can Narcissists Change?</title>
<link>https://www.embracenewlife.com/who-are-narcissists-can-narcissists-change/</link>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth Davis, PsyD, LPC-S]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 05 Sep 2025 23:24:57 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Civility]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Health & Lifestyle]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.embracenewlife.com/?p=23271</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Who Are Narcissists? Can Narcissists Change? “Narcissist.” Few words in modern psychology are as loaded - or as weaponized -as this one. It’s used in breakups, custody disputes, and even in therapy offices. But what does it actually mean? And more importantly: can narcissists change? At Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness, we [...]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-2 fusion-flex-container has-pattern-background has-mask-background nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling" style="--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;" ><div class="fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap" style="max-width:1216.8px;margin-left: calc(-4% / 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% / 2 );"><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-3 fusion_builder_column_1_5 1_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:20%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:9.6%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:9.6%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"></div></div><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-4 fusion_builder_column_3_5 3_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:60%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:3.2%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:3.2%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"> <div class="fusion-image-element " style="--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);"><img decoding="async" width="800" height="533" title="narcissism" src="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/narcissism.jpg" alt class="img-responsive wp-image-23279" srcset="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/narcissism-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/narcissism-400x267.jpg 400w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/narcissism-600x400.jpg 600w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/narcissism.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 800px" /></div> <div class="fusion-text fusion-text-2"><h1 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="text-align: center; --fontsize: 34; line-height: 1; font-size: 34px; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600;" data-start="260" data-end="308" data-fontsize="34" data-lineheight="34px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">Who Are Narcissists?
Can Narcissists Change?</h1>
“Narcissist.” Few words in modern psychology are as loaded – or as weaponized -as this one. It’s used in breakups, custody disputes, and even in therapy offices. But what does it actually mean? And more importantly: can narcissists change?
At Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness, we take a hopeful, nuanced approach. We believe:
<ol data-start="652" data-end="952">
<li data-start="652" data-end="703">
Every human being has narcissistic traits.
</li>
<li data-start="704" data-end="774">
Most narcissistic traits come from wounds common to humanity.
</li>
<li data-start="775" data-end="811">
Yes – narcissists can change.
</li>
<li data-start="812" data-end="865">
Abuse and narcissism are not the same thing.
</li>
<li data-start="866" data-end="952">
Healthy therapy doesn’t label one partner as the villain but helps both heal.
</li>
</ol>
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 24; line-height: 1.25; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600; font-size: 24px; --minfontsize: 24;" data-start="959" data-end="995" data-fontsize="24" data-lineheight="30px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">Narcissism Exists on a Spectrum</h2>
Narcissistic traits are part of being human. They include:
<ul data-start="1058" data-end="1151">
<li data-start="1058" data-end="1087">
Wanting recognition <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f64b-200d-2640-fe0f.png" alt="🙋‍♀️" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />
</li>
<li data-start="1088" data-end="1115">
Protecting our image <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f440.png" alt="👀" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />
</li>
<li data-start="1116" data-end="1151">
Hoping our needs will be met <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f4ac.png" alt="💬" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />
</li>
</ul>
At the extreme end is Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), which involves entrenched patterns like grandiosity, lack of empathy, or exploitation. But most people who get called “narcissists” don’t meet criteria for NPD—they simply have traits that can harm relationships if unexamined.
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" data-start="1459" data-end="1500" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500"></h2>
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 24; line-height: 1.25; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600; font-size: 24px; --minfontsize: 24;" data-start="1459" data-end="1500" data-fontsize="24" data-lineheight="30px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">Narcissistic Traits Come from Wounds</h2>
At Embrace, we remind families that narcissistic traits are not “monsters” to be eradicated. They are protective parts of the human personality – common to all of us – that formed to shield against wounds.
<ul data-start="1711" data-end="1969">
<li data-start="1711" data-end="1795">
A child who felt ignored may grow into an adult who constantly seeks validation.
</li>
<li data-start="1796" data-end="1887">
A child who felt unsafe may develop a defensive edge, protecting themselves from shame.
</li>
<li data-start="1888" data-end="1969">
A child who felt powerless may cling to control in relationships as an adult.
</li>
</ul>
These traits are common to humanity. They started in the Garden, with humanity’s parents. What differentiates them is how strongly they persist and how much they harm relationships if left unhealed.
And because they are human, not inhuman, they can change. With therapy, safety, and accountability, people can soften their defenses, build empathy, and learn healthier ways of relating.
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" data-start="2323" data-end="2346" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500"></h2>
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 24; line-height: 1.25; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600; font-size: 24px; --minfontsize: 24;" data-start="2323" data-end="2346" data-fontsize="24" data-lineheight="30px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">Narcissism ≠ Abuse</h2>
Here’s the crucial distinction:
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Narcissism is a set of traits—self-focus, defensiveness, or insecurity—that developed as protective strategies.
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Abuse is an intentional pattern of control and harm (emotional, physical, financial, or sexual). Abuse is gender-neutral: men, women, and non-binary individuals can all be abusive.
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</ul>
At Embrace, we’re clear:
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Narcissistic traits can change through therapy.
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Abuse must be confronted and treated as a safety issue first.
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We never excuse abuse under the label of narcissism.
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</ul>
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<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" data-start="2912" data-end="2951" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500">When “Narcissist” Becomes a Weapon</h2>
Ironically, calling someone a narcissist can sometimes reflect a narcissistic trait itself – the impulse to elevate oneself by putting another down. We see this when:
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A partner dismisses the other as “just a narcissist.”
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Parents use the label in custody disputes.
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Even therapists fall into the trap. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f609.png" alt="😉" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />
</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 24; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 24; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600; font-size: 24px;" data-start="3269" data-end="3320" data-fontsize="24" data-lineheight="52.8px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">The Karpman Drama Triangle in Couples Therapy</h3>
In unhealthy couples therapy, the therapist may unintentionally step into the Karpman Drama Triangle:
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One partner becomes the Victim.
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The absent or “problem” partner becomes the Persecutor (often labeled “the narcissist”).
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The therapist steps into the Rescuer role, aligning with one partner.
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</ul>
This dynamic gives short-term relief to one partner but ultimately entrenches the conflict. The “narcissist” partner feels attacked, ganged up on, or excluded—making real change nearly impossible.
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<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" data-start="3851" data-end="3892" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500">What Healthy Couples Work Looks Like</h2>
At Embrace, we don’t play the triangle. Instead, we use evidence-based models (EFT, IMAGO, Gottman, IFS) to create safe, balanced sessions where both partners can grow.
In healthy couples therapy:
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The partner with narcissistic traits is not shamed, but invited into self-reflection and empathy-building.
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The other partner is supported in finding voice and boundaries without being framed as a helpless victim.
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The therapist serves as a facilitator of growth, not a rescuer or judge.
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</ul>
This creates space for the “narcissistic” partner to heal underlying wounds, soften defenses, and learn healthier patterns of connection—while protecting the other partner from being erased or diminished.
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" data-start="4628" data-end="4657" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500"></h2>
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 24; line-height: 1.25; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600; font-size: 24px; --minfontsize: 24;" data-start="4628" data-end="4657" data-fontsize="24" data-lineheight="30px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">Why Embrace Is Different</h2>
At Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness, we are not in the business of blame. We are in the business of healing systems.
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We are child-centered and family-centered: our work protects children and restores peace to families.
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We believe in equal rights for mothers and fathers: both parents matter.
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We require the participation of both biological parents in child-related work. Healing can’t happen when only part of the system engages.
</li>
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In couples therapy, we refuse to join the Karpman Triangle. We don’t weaponize labels or elevate one partner at the expense of the other.
</li>
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Instead, we provide structured, whole-system therapy that helps both partners grow—and if children are involved, ensures they are shielded from alienation and conflict.
</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 24; line-height: 1.25; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600; font-size: 24px; --minfontsize: 24;" data-start="5459" data-end="5478" data-fontsize="24" data-lineheight="30px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">A Call to Hope</h2>
When people ask, “Can narcissists change?”, they are really asking: “Is there hope for my loved one—or for me?”
At Embrace, our answer is always: <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/2728.png" alt="✨" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> Yes, people can change. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/2728.png" alt="✨" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> Yes, relationships can heal. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/2728.png" alt="✨" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> Yes, peace can be restored.
Because at the heart of every person – even those with narcissistic traits – there is a core self longing for connection, love, and truth.
Call or Text if you need assistance: 972.292.7092
—
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 24; line-height: 1.25; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600; font-size: 24px; --minfontsize: 24;" data-start="229" data-end="260" data-fontsize="24" data-lineheight="30px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">What About Serial Killers & other Dangerous People?</h2>
Sometimes people hear that “narcissists can change” and immediately ask: “But what about serial killers or people who seem to have no conscience at all?”
This is a different category.
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Narcissistic traits are protective strategies rooted in wounds common to humanity. They can soften with insight, empathy-building, and therapy.
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Serial killers and individuals with psychopathy or antisocial personality disorder often struggle with a fundamental lack of theory of mind (the ability to understand others’ perspectives) and a profound absence of empathy.
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Unlike narcissism, which is about defending a wounded self, psychopathy is about the absence of self-other connection.
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</ul>
At Embrace, we make this distinction clear:
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Narcissism is human and changeable. We work with clients overcome ’empathy blocking’, a primitive form of defensiveness.
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Abuse is intentional harm and must be stopped.
</li>
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Psychopathy is rare, severe, and fundamentally different from the wounded defenses of narcissism.
</li>
</ul>
Most people who get labeled “narcissist” are not psychopaths or killers—they are wounded humans with traits that can heal. That’s why we stay committed to hope, therapy, and peace. In our work – peace and civility – are foundational. Our skilled team offers what most centers don’t – empathy building and therapy focused on reducing empathy blocking.
<h3 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" data-start="294" data-end="344" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500"></h3>
<h3 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600;" data-start="294" data-end="344" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f33f.png" alt="🌿" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> On Universal Human Traits (common to all)</h3>
Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/27a1.png" alt="➡" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> Reminds us that no one is without flaws; narcissistic traits are part of our shared humanity.
<h3 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" data-start="529" data-end="566" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500"></h3>
<h3 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600;" data-start="529" data-end="566" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f33f.png" alt="🌿" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> On Defenses Rooted in Wounds</h3>
Proverbs 20:5 – “The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.” <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/27a1.png" alt="➡" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> Speaks to how therapy, insight, and reflection help us uncover what’s beneath defensive behaviors. At Embrace, this is our work.
<h3 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" data-start="792" data-end="829" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500"></h3>
<h3 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600;" data-start="792" data-end="829" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f33f.png" alt="🌿" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> On Transformation and Change</h3>
Ezekiel 36:26 – “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/27a1.png" alt="➡" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> A powerful image of hardened defenses (stone) being softened into empathy (flesh).
Romans 12:2 – “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/27a1.png" alt="➡" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> Encourages hope that people can indeed change their thinking and patterns.
<span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: #333c4e; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 1px; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600;" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f33f.png" alt="🌿" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> On Love and Empathy (the opposite of psychopathology)
Where psychopathology such as psychopathy is marked by a lack of empathy and inability to connect with others’ humanity, Scripture calls us to a higher way of being:
1 Corinthians 13:4–7 – “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/27a1.png" alt="➡" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> This passage highlights what healthy, transformed relationships look like: empathy, patience, and mutual care—the very qualities that stand in contrast to the emptiness of psychopathy and the defensiveness of unhealed narcissism.
—
<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25; text-align: center;" data-start="223" data-end="282" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px">A Recent Reminder:</h2>
<div style="text-align: center;">When Narcissism Meets a Child’s Joy – An Empathy Block</div>
Not long ago, the world watched a viral moment at the U.S. Open when a Polish CEO grabbed a signed hat from a young boy, overshadowing the child’s joy with an adult’s entitlement. What happened next, however, is worth noticing: the CEO later apologized, calling it “a lesson in humility,” and returned the hat.
This story isn’t about psychopathy. It’s about a narcissistic blind spot—a moment where self-focus blocked empathy. And yet, even here, we see a glimmer of change: awareness, humility, and an attempt to make things right.
At Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness, we see this dynamic every day in families. Narcissistic traits—rooted in wounds common to all humanity—can block empathy in the moment. But with insight, accountability, and support, those blocks can soften. Empathy can return. Families can heal.
Because peace and civility aren’t luxuries. They are foundations—for children, for parents, and for communities. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f33f.png" alt="🌿" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />
—
<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f33f.png" alt="🌿" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> If your family is struggling with defensiveness, blocked empathy, or conflict, Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness can help. Our doctoral-led team is here to guide parents, couples, and children toward peace, civility, and healing.
<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f4de.png" alt="📞" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> Call or Text: 972.292.7092
</div></div></div><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-5 fusion_builder_column_1_5 1_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:20%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:9.6%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:9.6%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"></div></div></div></div>
The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.embracenewlife.com/who-are-narcissists-can-narcissists-change/">Who Are Narcissists? Can Narcissists Change?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.embracenewlife.com">Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness</a>.
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<title>Lessons from the Donna Adelson Case: Why Families Need Peace, Not Alienation</title>
<link>https://www.embracenewlife.com/lessons-from-the-donna-adelson-case-why-families-need-peace-not-alienation/</link>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth Davis, PsyD, LPC-S]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 05 Sep 2025 21:55:19 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Civility]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Family Counseling]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Counseling for Children]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Divorce]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.embracenewlife.com/?p=23258</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Lessons from the Donna Adelson Case: Why Families Need Peace, Not Alienation The nation recently watched as Donna Adelson, age 75, was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation in the 2014 killing of her former son-in-law, Florida State University law professor Daniel Markel. The case revealed how a bitter custody dispute spiraled [...]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-3 fusion-flex-container has-pattern-background has-mask-background nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling" style="--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;" ><div class="fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap" style="max-width:1216.8px;margin-left: calc(-4% / 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% / 2 );"><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-6 fusion_builder_column_1_5 1_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:20%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:9.6%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:9.6%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"></div></div><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-7 fusion_builder_column_3_5 3_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:60%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:3.2%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:3.2%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"> <div class="fusion-image-element " style="--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);"><img decoding="async" width="800" height="533" title="Donna Adelson Case – Family Alienation Counseling" src="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/donna-adelson.jpg" alt class="img-responsive wp-image-23259" srcset="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/donna-adelson-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/donna-adelson-400x267.jpg 400w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/donna-adelson-600x400.jpg 600w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/donna-adelson.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 800px" /></div> <div class="fusion-text fusion-text-3"><div style="text-align: center;">Lessons from the Donna Adelson Case:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">Why Families Need Peace, Not Alienation</div>
The nation recently watched as Donna Adelson, age 75, was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation in the 2014 killing of her former son-in-law, Florida State University law professor Daniel Markel.
The case revealed how a bitter custody dispute spiraled into manipulation, alienation, and violence. Prosecutors argued that when courts denied the Adelson family’s request to relocate Markel’s children across the state, resentment fueled a murder-for-hire plot worth $100,000. Donna’s conviction makes her the fifth person held accountable, alongside her son, his ex-girlfriend, and two hitmen.
In court, Markel’s grieving father asked a haunting question: “Was it worth it?” For the children left behind, the answer is painfully obvious: no family war is ever worth the cost.
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600; font-size: 24px;" data-start="1446" data-end="1496" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">Family Alienation: A Warning for Every Parent</h2>
The Adelson case stands as a cautionary tale of what happens when alienation replaces peacemaking. Family alienation occurs when one parent – or extended family – undermines or severs a child’s relationship with the other parent. It is destructive, unethical, and deeply harmful to a child’s sense of security and identity.
Children who are caught in parental conflict often experience:
<ul data-start="1890" data-end="2058">
<li data-start="1890" data-end="1939">
Anxiety, depression, or emotional withdrawal.
</li>
<li data-start="1940" data-end="1992">
Loyalty conflicts that damage their self-esteem.
</li>
<li data-start="1993" data-end="2058">
Long-term struggles with trust, relationships, and belonging.
</li>
</ul>
Alienation doesn’t just harm the other parent – it wounds the child most of all.
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600; font-size: 24px;" data-start="2147" data-end="2223" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">Embrace New Life’s Approach: Child-Centered, Equal-Parent, Whole-System</h2>
At Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness, we take a different path. Our approach is:
<ul data-start="2318" data-end="2873">
<li data-start="2318" data-end="2455">
Child-Centered: Every decision and intervention is filtered through the lens of what best protects a child’s long-term wellbeing.
</li>
<li data-start="2456" data-end="2629">
Equal-Parent Rights: We honor both mothers and fathers as essential. Children thrive when they can safely maintain strong relationships with both biological parents.
</li>
<li data-start="2630" data-end="2873">
Whole-System Work: We require the participation of both parents. When court stipulations are involved, we engage the entire system – parents, children, and the legal framework – because healing cannot happen if only one side is involved.
</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600; font-size: 24px;" data-start="2880" data-end="2920" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">Our Services for Families in Crisis</h2>
High-conflict families often intersect with the legal system. Our doctoral-led team provides evidence-based, court-recognized services designed to protect children and reduce conflict:
<h3 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600;" data-start="3114" data-end="3141" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">Reunification Therapy</h3>
Structured sessions that help children and estranged parents reconnect safely, with both parents participating in the process.
<h3 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600;" data-start="3272" data-end="3301" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">Co-Parenting Counseling</h3>
Guidance to reduce hostility, improve communication, and teach separated parents how to collaborate around their child’s needs.
<h3 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600;" data-start="3433" data-end="3468" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">Trauma-Informed Child Therapy</h3>
Individual counseling to help children process the fear, anxiety, and grief that come from custody disputes and family conflict.
<h3 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600;" data-start="3601" data-end="3630" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">Court-Involved Services</h3>
<ul data-start="3631" data-end="3951">
<li data-start="3631" data-end="3727">
Expert Guidance in custody and criminal matters where alienation or trauma is at issue.
</li>
<li data-start="3728" data-end="3829">
Forensic Evaluations that provide impartial, evidence-based insight for attorneys and judges.
</li>
<li data-start="3830" data-end="3951">
System-Wide Collaboration, ensuring courts, parents, and therapists work together toward child-focused solutions.
</li>
</ul>
<hr data-start="3953" data-end="3956" />
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600; font-size: 24px;" data-start="3958" data-end="4000" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">What To Do If You’re in a Custody War</h2>
If your family conflict feels overwhelming, there is still a path to peace:
<ol data-start="4081" data-end="4746">
<li data-start="4081" data-end="4235">
Recognize the Damage of Alienation – If one parent is cutting the other out or turning the child against them, it’s time to break the cycle.
</li>
<li data-start="4237" data-end="4361">
Refocus on the Child – Ask: Is this decision protecting my child’s safety and belonging—or fueling division?
</li>
<li data-start="4363" data-end="4517">
Get Help Early – High-conflict situations rarely resolve on their own. Professional intervention prevents patterns from becoming entrenched.
</li>
<li data-start="4519" data-end="4746">
Engage the Whole Family System – At Embrace, both parents are required participants. We work with you to co-create reunification strategies that protect your child’s right to love and be loved by both parents.
</li>
</ol>
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600; font-size: 24px;" data-start="4753" data-end="4794" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">How Embrace Helps End the Family War</h2>
At Embrace, our mission is to end family wars with peace, not alienation.
<ul data-start="4876" data-end="5181">
<li data-start="4876" data-end="4929">
We create safe spaces where children feel secure.
</li>
<li data-start="4930" data-end="4983">
We guide parents from hostility into cooperation.
</li>
<li data-start="4984" data-end="5083">
We work with the whole system—including courts when necessary—to ensure children are protected.
</li>
<li data-start="5084" data-end="5181">
We stand as neutral advocates for what matters most: the child’s health, dignity, and future.
</li>
</ul>
Because every child deserves to grow up free from fear. 
Because every parent deserves the chance to love and guide their child. 
Because families thrive when peace, not alienation, leads the way.
</div> <div class="fusion-image-element " style="text-align:center;--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);"><img decoding="async" width="300" height="382" title="Dan Markel" src="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/dan-markel-e1757109138716.jpg" alt class="img-responsive wp-image-23265"/></div> </div></div><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-8 fusion_builder_column_1_5 1_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:20%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:9.6%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:9.6%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"></div></div></div></div>
The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.embracenewlife.com/lessons-from-the-donna-adelson-case-why-families-need-peace-not-alienation/">Lessons from the Donna Adelson Case: Why Families Need Peace, Not Alienation</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.embracenewlife.com">Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness</a>.
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<item>
<title>50 Reasons to Stay: A Counseling Center’s Guide to Hope and Healing</title>
<link>https://www.embracenewlife.com/50-reasons-to-stay-a-counseling-centers-guide-to-hope-and-healing/</link>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth Davis, PsyD, LPC-S]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Tue, 02 Sep 2025 18:32:49 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.embracenewlife.com/?p=23214</guid>
<description><![CDATA[🌟 50 Reasons to Stay: Finding Hope in Life’s Hardest Seasons At Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness, we believe every story matters - including yours. But when life feels unbearably heavy, hope can seem distant. Despair whispers that the world would be better without you. If you’ve ever felt that way, please [...]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-4 fusion-flex-container has-pattern-background has-mask-background nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling" style="--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;" ><div class="fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap" style="max-width:1216.8px;margin-left: calc(-4% / 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% / 2 );"><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-9 fusion_builder_column_1_5 1_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:20%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:9.6%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:9.6%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"></div></div><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-10 fusion_builder_column_3_5 3_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:60%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:3.2%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:3.2%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"> <div class="fusion-image-element " style="text-align:center;--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);"><img decoding="async" width="800" height="533" title="i-hope-you-stay-blog" src="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/i-hope-you-stay-blog-1.jpg" alt class="img-responsive wp-image-23224" srcset="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/i-hope-you-stay-blog-1-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/i-hope-you-stay-blog-1-400x267.jpg 400w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/i-hope-you-stay-blog-1-600x400.jpg 600w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/i-hope-you-stay-blog-1.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 800px" /></div> <div class="fusion-text fusion-text-4"><h1 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 80; line-height: 1; font-size: 39px;" data-start="239" data-end="304" data-fontsize="80" data-lineheight="80px" data-fusion-font="true"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f31f.png" alt="🌟" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> 50 Reasons to Stay: Finding Hope in Life’s Hardest Seasons</h1>
At Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness, we believe every story matters – including yours. But when life feels unbearably heavy, hope can seem distant. Despair whispers that the world would be better without you.
If you’ve ever felt that way, please hear this: you are not alone, and your life is precious.
September is Suicide Prevention Month, a reminder that every life holds meaning and that light can break through the darkest nights. As counselors, we’ve walked alongside many who felt they couldn’t take another step. We’ve also seen the transformation that comes when someone chooses to stay—chooses to hold on for one more day, one more sunrise, one more chance at healing.
This isn’t about forcing yourself to push harder. It’s about remembering that life is bigger than the pain you feel right now. Sometimes, the smallest reminders – the touch of sunlight, a child’s laugh, the truth of Scripture – can anchor us long enough to keep going.
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="1283" data-end="1308" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f331.png" alt="🌱" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> You Are Not Alone</h2>
The Bible says: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18). Even in seasons of despair, God’s presence surrounds you. And beyond that, there are people who hope you stay: a friend, a neighbor, a child, a co-worker, even your therapist.
Staying doesn’t mean everything is easy. It means you’re giving yourself permission to see what beauty and healing tomorrow might bring.
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="1749" data-end="1775" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f33f.png" alt="🌿" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> 50 Reasons to Stay</h2>
Here are 50 gentle reminders- some simple, some profound – that may help you anchor yourself when the night feels long:
<ol data-start="1896" data-end="4384">
<li data-start="1896" data-end="1968">
Texas sunrises painting the sky in colors you’ve never seen before.
</li>
<li data-start="1969" data-end="2015">
The smile of a child who looks up to you.
</li>
<li data-start="2016" data-end="2066">
The way laughter feels when it surprises you.
</li>
<li data-start="2067" data-end="2120">
A hug that melts the weight from your shoulders.
</li>
<li data-start="2121" data-end="2178">
The strength you haven’t yet discovered in yourself.
</li>
<li data-start="2179" data-end="2224">
The next song that will move your heart.
</li>
<li data-start="2225" data-end="2275">
The prayer that reminds you you’re not alone.
</li>
<li data-start="2276" data-end="2325">
Coffee shared with someone who listens well.
</li>
<li data-start="2326" data-end="2388">
The sound of rain on your window when you’re safe inside.
</li>
<li data-start="2389" data-end="2461">
Watching seasons change – proof that nothing stays the same forever.
</li>
<li data-start="2462" data-end="2510">
The way your name sounds spoken with love.
</li>
<li data-start="2511" data-end="2544">
Your story – still unfolding.
</li>
<li data-start="2545" data-end="2600">
The chance to rebuild bridges, or build new ones.
</li>
<li data-start="2601" data-end="2638">
The warmth of sun on your skin.
</li>
<li data-start="2639" data-end="2680">
The peace that comes after a storm.
</li>
<li data-start="2681" data-end="2724">
A favorite book waiting to be reread.
</li>
<li data-start="2725" data-end="2778">
The joy of teaching someone else what you know.
</li>
<li data-start="2779" data-end="2817">
Laughter in a circle of friends.
</li>
<li data-start="2818" data-end="2854">
Your pet’s unconditional love.
</li>
<li data-start="2855" data-end="2894">
Discovering a new favorite place.
</li>
<li data-start="2895" data-end="2928">
Holding a baby’s tiny hand.
</li>
<li data-start="2929" data-end="2986">
Singing along to a song at full volume in your car.
</li>
<li data-start="2987" data-end="3028">
The quiet beauty of a starry night.
</li>
<li data-start="3029" data-end="3084">
The feeling of belonging when someone “gets you.”
</li>
<li data-start="3085" data-end="3134">
A future milestone you haven’t reached yet.
</li>
<li data-start="3135" data-end="3178">
The promise of forgiveness and grace.
</li>
<li data-start="3179" data-end="3222">
The comfort of your favorite blanket.
</li>
<li data-start="3223" data-end="3258">
Ice cream on a hot Texas day.
</li>
<li data-start="3259" data-end="3299">
The moment a burden finally lifts.
</li>
<li data-start="3300" data-end="3352">
Sitting around a table with family or friends.
</li>
<li data-start="3353" data-end="3389">
Walking barefoot in the grass.
</li>
<li data-start="3390" data-end="3446">
Trying something you’ve always been curious about.
</li>
<li data-start="3447" data-end="3497">
Seeing your reflection and noticing healing.
</li>
<li data-start="3498" data-end="3542">
Finding courage in the middle of fear.
</li>
<li data-start="3543" data-end="3592">
A story that makes you laugh until you cry.
</li>
<li data-start="3593" data-end="3647">
The smell of a good meal cooking in the kitchen.
</li>
<li data-start="3648" data-end="3702">
Watching something grow – plants, children, faith.
</li>
<li data-start="3703" data-end="3753">
A handwritten note that you’ll keep forever.
</li>
<li data-start="3754" data-end="3797">
The relief of being truly understood.
</li>
<li data-start="3798" data-end="3840">
A sunrise service on Easter morning.
</li>
<li data-start="3841" data-end="3890">
Hearing your favorite hymn or worship song.
</li>
<li data-start="3891" data-end="3946">
The kindness of a stranger who holds open a door.
</li>
<li data-start="3947" data-end="3993">
Seeing someone you love achieve a dream.
</li>
<li data-start="3994" data-end="4049">
Sharing your own wisdom with the next generation.
</li>
<li data-start="4050" data-end="4094">
Experiencing the power of forgiveness.
</li>
<li data-start="4095" data-end="4140">
Witnessing beauty in unexpected places.
</li>
<li data-start="4141" data-end="4194">
The first cool breeze after a long, hot summer.
</li>
<li data-start="4195" data-end="4231">
A dream you haven’t yet lived.
</li>
<li data-start="4232" data-end="4327">
God’s unchanging promise: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
</li>
<li data-start="4328" data-end="4384">
Because your life matters – your story is important.
</li>
</ol>
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="4391" data-end="4420" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/271d.png" alt="✝" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> A Gentle Word of Hope</h2>
If you are struggling today, know this: your pain is not your whole story. Healing is possible. Hope can rise. And God’s mercy is new every morning.
Please stay. Stay to see what tomorrow brings. Stay to find your reason. Stay because you are loved, and because your life is needed here.
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25; font-size: 34px; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" data-start="4720" data-end="4754" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f4de.png" alt="📞" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> If You Need Help Right Now</h2>
<ul data-start="4755" data-end="4926">
<li data-start="4755" data-end="4808">
Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).
</li>
<li data-start="4809" data-end="4926">
If you’re in North Texas, contact us, Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness, at 972.292.7092. We are here to walk with you.
</li>
</ul>
You are not a burden. You are beloved. You are worth staying
</div><div class="fusion-video fusion-youtube" style="--awb-max-width:600px;--awb-max-height:350px;--awb-align-self:center;--awb-width:100%;"><div class="video-shortcode"><div class="fluid-width-video-wrapper" style="padding-top:58.33%;" ><iframe title="YouTube video player 1" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BFTbRCDLWmw?wmode=transparent&autoplay=0" width="600" height="350" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture;"></iframe></div></div></div><div class="fusion-text fusion-text-5">Sometimes words aren’t enough—but nature’s quiet beauty can be.
Let this moment of visual peace remind you that 
the world still holds wonder, and your heart still holds hope…
</div></div></div><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-11 fusion_builder_column_1_5 1_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:20%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:9.6%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:9.6%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"></div></div></div></div>
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<title>Are You Mad at Me? The Neuroscience of People-Pleasing and the Fawn Response</title>
<link>https://www.embracenewlife.com/are-you-mad-at-me-the-neuroscience-of-people-pleasing-and-the-fawn-response/</link>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth Davis, PsyD, LPC-S]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 22 Aug 2025 16:19:02 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.embracenewlife.com/?p=23152</guid>
<description><![CDATA[If you’ve ever caught yourself asking “Are you mad at me?” more often than you’d like, you’re not alone. Beneath those words lies a deeply wired survival strategy: the fawn response. Unlike fight, flight, or freeze, fawning isn’t about running away or fighting back-it’s about smoothing over conflict at any cost. Recent neuroscience [...]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-5 fusion-flex-container has-pattern-background has-mask-background nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling" style="--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;" ><div class="fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap" style="max-width:1216.8px;margin-left: calc(-4% / 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% / 2 );"><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-12 fusion_builder_column_1_5 1_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:20%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:9.6%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:9.6%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"></div></div><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-13 fusion_builder_column_3_5 3_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:60%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:3.2%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:3.2%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"> <div class="fusion-image-element " style="--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);"><img decoding="async" width="800" height="533" alt="A realistic photo of a young woman showing worry and uncertainty in a relationship conversation. This image reflects the nervous system’s fawn response—people-pleasing, scanning for disapproval, and the anxious attachment fear of rejection. Ideal for articles on people-pleasing, the fawn response, and attachment trauma" title="are-you-mad-at-me" src="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/are-you-mad-at-me.jpg" class="img-responsive wp-image-23153" srcset="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/are-you-mad-at-me-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/are-you-mad-at-me-400x267.jpg 400w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/are-you-mad-at-me-600x400.jpg 600w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/are-you-mad-at-me.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 800px" /></div> <div class="fusion-text fusion-text-6">If you’ve ever caught yourself asking “Are you mad at me?” more often than you’d like, you’re not alone. Beneath those words lies a deeply wired survival strategy: the fawn response. Unlike fight, flight, or freeze, fawning isn’t about running away or fighting back-it’s about smoothing over conflict at any cost.
Recent neuroscience shows that people-pleasing isn’t weakness. It’s your nervous system’s brilliant way of keeping you safe in the face of perceived threat. But when survival mode becomes a lifestyle, it can leave you anxious, resentful, and disconnected from your true self.
The Brain on Fawning
<ul>
<li>Amygdala Activation: When you sense disapproval, your amygdala (the brain’s alarm system) lights up, signaling danger.</li>
<li>Prefrontal Cortex Shutdown: Logic and long-term decision-making take a back seat.</li>
<li>Vagus Nerve & Social Survival: The vagus nerve prompts you to appease, smile, and mirror others to restore harmony.</li>
<li>Dopamine Reward Loop: Each time you avoid conflict, your brain rewards you with temporary relief, reinforcing the cycle.</li>
</ul>
</div> <div class="fusion-image-element " style="--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);"><img decoding="async" width="1024" height="1024" title="The People Pleasing Brain" src="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/b54482b6-7239-4d9b-b951-da590a9c1d6f.png" alt class="img-responsive wp-image-23156" srcset="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/b54482b6-7239-4d9b-b951-da590a9c1d6f-200x200.png 200w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/b54482b6-7239-4d9b-b951-da590a9c1d6f-400x400.png 400w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/b54482b6-7239-4d9b-b951-da590a9c1d6f-600x600.png 600w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/b54482b6-7239-4d9b-b951-da590a9c1d6f-800x800.png 800w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/b54482b6-7239-4d9b-b951-da590a9c1d6f.png 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 800px" /></div> <div class="fusion-text fusion-text-7"><h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" data-start="267" data-end="308" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500">The Two Realities of People-Pleasing</h2>
When the fawn response becomes your default survival strategy, it creates a split experience – an outer life that looks smooth, and an inner life that feels turbulent.
<h3 class="" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22;" data-start="479" data-end="527" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px">1. External Reality: The Polished Mask</h3>
On the outside, you present as calm, agreeable, and “easy to be around.” You say yes when you mean no, laugh when you’re uncomfortable, and smooth over tension before it sparks. Friends, coworkers, and even loved ones may see you as endlessly accommodating or conflict-free. To others, you look like the ideal teammate, partner, or friend.
This polished version of you is not a lie – it’s a mask your nervous system puts on to protect you from potential rejection, conflict, or abandonment.
<h3 class="" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22;" data-start="1030" data-end="1076" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px">2. Internal Reality: The Hidden Cost</h3>
Inside, however, a different story unfolds.
<ul data-start="1123" data-end="1381">
<li data-start="1123" data-end="1197">
You feel invisible, as if your real thoughts and needs don’t matter.
</li>
<li data-start="1198" data-end="1282">
You grow resentful, watching yourself agree to things you don’t actually want.
</li>
<li data-start="1283" data-end="1381">
You carry fear of rejection, worrying that if you ever dropped the mask, people would leave.
</li>
</ul>
This gap between who you appear to be and who you actually are slowly destabilizes your sense of self. Over time, you may even lose touch with your own desires, boundaries, or preferences – because so much energy is spent scanning others for cues and adjusting to keep the peace.
<h3 class="" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" data-start="1669" data-end="1689" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500">Why It Matters</h3>
Living in these “two realities” may feel safe in the moment, but it quietly erodes authenticity and intimacy. When people love your mask, you never feel fully loved for who you are. The cost isn’t just exhaustion – it’s disconnection from your true self and from the possibility of honest, mutual relationships.
</div> <div class="fusion-image-element " style="--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);"><img decoding="async" width="1024" height="1024" title="Two Realities of People Pleasing" src="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/6296572f-f55b-4931-a380-9660799c5313.png" alt class="img-responsive wp-image-23157" srcset="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/6296572f-f55b-4931-a380-9660799c5313-200x200.png 200w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/6296572f-f55b-4931-a380-9660799c5313-400x400.png 400w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/6296572f-f55b-4931-a380-9660799c5313-600x600.png 600w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/6296572f-f55b-4931-a380-9660799c5313-800x800.png 800w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/6296572f-f55b-4931-a380-9660799c5313.png 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 800px" /></div><div class="fusion-text fusion-text-8">
Self-Deception in Fawning
Many who people-please convince themselves:
<ul>
<li>“It’s not worth speaking up.”</li>
<li>“Keeping the peace is love.”</li>
<li>“If they’re happy, I’m okay.”</li>
</ul>
But neuroscience shows that emotional suppression increases stress hormones. Cortisol builds. Immunity weakens. Relationships become fragile, not stronger.
Self-Help: Breaking the Cycle
<ol>
<li>Pause & Name It: Notice when you’re smoothing over discomfort. Say silently, “My fawn response is here.”</li>
<li>Anchor in the Body: Ground yourself with a deep breath, feet pressing into the floor, or hand over heart.</li>
<li>Practice Micro-Honesty: Instead of silence, try, “I have a different thought” or “I need a moment.”</li>
<li>Rewire Reward: Celebrate each time you set a small boundary. Dopamine can work for growth too.</li>
<li>Seek Safe Spaces: Therapy offers a place where your nervous system can unlearn fear and discover authentic expression.</li>
</ol>
</div> <div class="fusion-image-element " style="--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);"><img decoding="async" width="1024" height="1024" title="From Fawn to Freedom" src="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/3fed2d63-f08c-4a2b-80bd-411e446ff010.png" alt class="img-responsive wp-image-23158" srcset="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/3fed2d63-f08c-4a2b-80bd-411e446ff010-200x200.png 200w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/3fed2d63-f08c-4a2b-80bd-411e446ff010-400x400.png 400w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/3fed2d63-f08c-4a2b-80bd-411e446ff010-600x600.png 600w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/3fed2d63-f08c-4a2b-80bd-411e446ff010-800x800.png 800w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/3fed2d63-f08c-4a2b-80bd-411e446ff010.png 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 800px" /></div> <div class="fusion-text fusion-text-9">Conclusion
“Are you mad at me?” isn’t just a question-it’s a window into your nervous system. You don’t have to stay locked in the fawn response. With neuroscience, self-compassion, and therapeutic support, you can retrain your brain to trust safety, set boundaries, and live authentically.
<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f449.png" alt="👉" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> At Embrace New Life, we help you untangle survival patterns and step into healthier, freer relationships. Therapy is more than healing-it’s training your nervous system to feel safe in your own skin.
—
<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f6e0.png" alt="🛠" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> Practical Self-Help Tips 
<ul>
<li>Catch your people-pleasing in real time-no judgment.</li>
<li>Take one long exhale before answering someone’s request.</li>
<li>Experiment with a gentle “no” in a low-stakes situation.</li>
<li>Journal daily: “Where did I abandon myself today?”</li>
<li>Practice safe eye contact and grounding when you feel the urge to appease.</li>
<li>Remember: Your worth isn’t measured by harmony.</li>
</ul>
</div> <div class="fusion-image-element " style="text-align:center;--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);"><a class="fusion-no-lightbox" href="https://amzn.to/3Ju59je" target="_self" aria-label="Book Recommendation: Are You Mad at Me? Meg Josephson" rel="nofollow noopener"><img decoding="async" width="282" height="425" src="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/71VNkTSSFL._SY425_-2.jpg" alt class="img-responsive wp-image-23166" srcset="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/71VNkTSSFL._SY425_-2-200x301.jpg 200w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/71VNkTSSFL._SY425_-2.jpg 282w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 282px" /></a></div><div class="fusion-text fusion-text-10"><a href="https://amzn.to/4oFdCjI" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Are You Mad at Me?</a> (Meg Josephson, released August 2025)
If you’ve ever found yourself spiraling with questions like “Are you mad at me?” this book will feel like a mirror. Josephson unpacks the roots of relational anxiety and people-pleasing, blending practical tools with compassionate insight to help you quiet the fear of disapproval and reconnect with your authentic self.
<hr data-start="746" data-end="749" />
<h3 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22;" data-start="751" data-end="783" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f4d6.png" alt="📖" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> More for Your Bookshelf</h3>
<ul data-start="784" data-end="1381">
<li data-start="784" data-end="1081">
<a href="https://amzn.to/4mWmRdN" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Fawning: Why the Need to Please Makes Us Lose Ourselves – and How to Find the Way Back </a>– Dr. Ingrid Clayton explores the neuroscience of the fawn response and offers a roadmap to unlearn people-pleasing patterns.
</li>
<li data-start="1082" data-end="1223">
<a href="https://amzn.to/45vNxME" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Set Boundaries, Find Peace</a> by Nedra Glover Tawwab – A practical guide to boundary-setting and reclaiming your energy in relationships.
</li>
<li data-start="1224" data-end="1381">
<a href="https://amzn.to/45KJCu1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">The Disease to Please </a>by Harriet Braiker – A classic exploration of why saying “yes” feels safer than saying “no,” with strategies to break the cycle.
</li>
</ul>
</div></div></div><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-14 fusion_builder_column_1_5 1_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:20%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:9.6%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:9.6%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"></div></div></div></div>
The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.embracenewlife.com/are-you-mad-at-me-the-neuroscience-of-people-pleasing-and-the-fawn-response/">Are You Mad at Me? The Neuroscience of People-Pleasing and the Fawn Response</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.embracenewlife.com">Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness</a>.
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</item>
<item>
<title>How to Break a Trauma Bond: Christian Counseling Strategies for Lasting Freedom</title>
<link>https://www.embracenewlife.com/how-to-break-a-trauma-bond-christian-counseling-strategies-for-lasting-freedom/</link>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth Davis, PsyD, LPC-S]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Wed, 13 Aug 2025 17:11:19 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.embracenewlife.com/?p=23128</guid>
<description><![CDATA[How to Break a Trauma Bond: A Faith-Informed Guide to Rewiring Your Brain’s Addiction Quick Answer: How to Break a Trauma Bond Recognize the neurochemical cycle keeping you stuck Replace dopamine triggers with healthy habits Heal memories through trauma therapy Build a new identity rooted in safety and faith 1. Recognizing the Addiction [...]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-6 fusion-flex-container has-pattern-background has-mask-background nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling" style="--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;" ><div class="fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap" style="max-width:1216.8px;margin-left: calc(-4% / 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% / 2 );"><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-15 fusion_builder_column_1_5 1_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:20%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:9.6%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:9.6%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"></div></div><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-16 fusion_builder_column_3_5 3_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:60%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:3.2%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:3.2%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column">
<div class="fusion-image-element " style="--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);"><img decoding="async" width="800" height="533" alt="At Embrace, we assist you in breaking trauma bonds and building healthy secure attachment bonds." title="what-is-trauma-bonding" src="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/what-is-trauma-bonding.jpg" class="img-responsive wp-image-23129" srcset="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/what-is-trauma-bonding-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/what-is-trauma-bonding-400x267.jpg 400w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/what-is-trauma-bonding-600x400.jpg 600w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/what-is-trauma-bonding.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<div class="fusion-text fusion-text-11"><h1 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 80; line-height: 1;" data-start="259" data-end="352" data-fontsize="80" data-lineheight="80px">How to Break a Trauma Bond: A Faith-Informed Guide to Rewiring Your Brain’s Addiction</h1>
Quick Answer: How to Break a Trauma Bond
<ul data-start="406" data-end="604">
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Recognize the neurochemical cycle keeping you stuck
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Replace dopamine triggers with healthy habits
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Heal memories through trauma therapy
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Build a new identity rooted in safety and faith
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</ul>
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="611" data-end="659" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px">1. Recognizing the Addiction Underneath</h2>
Breaking a trauma bond is not simply “getting over” a bad relationship – it’s dismantling a neurochemical loop your brain has been trained to crave. That’s why leaving can feel harder than logic would suggest.
At Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness – an award-winning Christian counseling practice serving Royse City, Rockwall, Heath, Greenville, and Forney – we help clients understand that this pull isn’t weakness, but biology. Knowing why you feel drawn back to someone who’s hurt you is the first step toward lasting freedom.
<h3 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22;" data-start="1206" data-end="1238" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px">What Is a Trauma Bond?</h3>
A trauma bond happens when cycles of abuse, neglect, or emotional manipulation are intertwined with brief moments of affection or apology. The same person who wounds you also becomes the one who offers temporary relief – creating an addictive paradox.
In our counseling sessions, we map this cycle visually so you can see it in black and white, which makes it easier to break free without guilt or confusion.
<h3 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22;" data-start="1657" data-end="1692" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px">How the Brain Gets Hooked</h3>
<ol data-start="1694" data-end="2544">
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Intermittent Reinforcement – Inconsistent affection makes your brain “work harder” for connection, releasing more dopamine than steady kindness would. We use cycle-mapping exercises in therapy to help you see patterns clearly.
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Dopamine & Withdrawal – Highs during reconciliation are followed by painful dopamine crashes during silence or conflict. Our team teaches coping tools for these “withdrawal” phases so you don’t mistake chemical craving for love.
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The Stress Hormone Loop – Cortisol spikes during conflict make moments of peace feel more addictive. We help you learn calming techniques that work without chaos.
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The Bonding Hormone Trap – Oxytocin from physical closeness deepens the bond, even in harmful relationships. We help you build safe, healthy bonds that meet your need for connection without pain.
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</ol>
</div><div class="fusion-image-element " style="--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);"><img decoding="async" width="1170" height="678" title="average-attempts-break-trauma-bond-habits-comparison-chart" src="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/average-attempts-break-trauma-bond-habits-comparison-chart-1300x753.jpg" alt class="img-responsive wp-image-23130" srcset="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/average-attempts-break-trauma-bond-habits-comparison-chart-200x116.jpg 200w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/average-attempts-break-trauma-bond-habits-comparison-chart-400x232.jpg 400w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/average-attempts-break-trauma-bond-habits-comparison-chart-600x348.jpg 600w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/average-attempts-break-trauma-bond-habits-comparison-chart-800x463.jpg 800w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/average-attempts-break-trauma-bond-habits-comparison-chart-1200x695.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 800px" /></div><div class="fusion-text fusion-text-12">
<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f4c4.png" alt="📄" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> Ready to see if you may be experiencing a trauma bond?
At Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness, we offer a free Trauma Bonding Self-Reflection Worksheet to help you recognize patterns like gaslighting, love bombing, financial control, or emotional withdrawal. This faith-informed resource asks guided questions so you can better understand your relationship dynamics and take the first step toward healing.
<a class="cursor-pointer" href="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Trauma-Bonding-Worksheet-Embrace-Christian-Counseling.pdf" rel="noopener" data-start="3664" data-end="3771">☞ Download the Trauma Bonding Worksheet here</a> and bring it to your first counseling session to jumpstart your recovery journey.
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="3862" data-end="3898" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px">2. Rewiring in Three Phases</h2>
We guide clients through each stage of recovery so they’re never walking this road alone.
Phase 1 (Days 1–30): Dopamine Replacement – Replace the chemical highs from the toxic relationship with healthy, mood-lifting activities – brisk walks, creative hobbies, worship music, or connecting with supportive friends.
Phase 2 (Days 31–90): Memory Rewiring – Trauma therapies like EMDR or trauma-focused CBT help neutralize the emotional charge of painful memories. We offer both at Embrace, led by doctoral-trained and trauma-certified clinicians.
Phase 3 (Days 91+): Identity Rebuilding – Rediscover passions, values, and faith outside of the toxic bond. Our counseling integrates biblical principles with proven psychology to help you reclaim your God-given identity.
</div> 
<div class="fusion-image-element " style="--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);"><img decoding="async" width="1170" height="778" alt="Line chart showing success rates of breaking a trauma bond over 90 days – comparing self-guided recovery versus therapy-supported recovery, highlighting higher success with counseling" title="90-day-trauma-bond-recovery-success-therapy-vs-self" src="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/90-day-trauma-bond-recovery-success-therapy-vs-self-1300x864.jpg" class="img-responsive wp-image-23134" srcset="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/90-day-trauma-bond-recovery-success-therapy-vs-self-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/90-day-trauma-bond-recovery-success-therapy-vs-self-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/90-day-trauma-bond-recovery-success-therapy-vs-self-600x399.jpg 600w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/90-day-trauma-bond-recovery-success-therapy-vs-self-800x532.jpg 800w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/90-day-trauma-bond-recovery-success-therapy-vs-self-1200x798.jpg 1200w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/90-day-trauma-bond-recovery-success-therapy-vs-self.jpg 1775w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<div class="fusion-text fusion-text-13"><h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="5311" data-end="5356" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px"> </h2>
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="5311" data-end="5356" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px">3. Daily Practices to Build Strength</h2>
These tools help you stay steady between sessions:
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Grounding movement such as gentle yoga or stretching
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Craving logs to track and interrupt triggers
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4-6-8 breathing to lower stress hormones
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Reset kits with sensory items like a grounding stone, scented lotion, or a cold pack
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</ul>
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="5673" data-end="5708" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px">4. Tech as a Recovery Ally</h2>
We often help clients set up:
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Geofencing reminders for high-risk locations
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App blockers to prevent impulsive contact
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Wearable alerts to catch stress responses early
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</ul>
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="5907" data-end="5953" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px">5. Trauma Bonds in Different Contexts</h2>
Trauma bonds aren’t only romantic:
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Romantic: Often mistaken for deep passion
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Familial: Rooted in obligation and loyalty
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Cultural or community: Driven by a need to belong even when unsafe
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</ul>
We tailor recovery strategies to your unique context, because healing is never one-size-fits-all.
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="6275" data-end="6322" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px">6. Relapse Isn’t Failure—It’s Feedback</h2>
Relapse is not defeat – it’s data that shows where the bond still has influence.
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Keep a “truth log” to remind yourself why you left
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Use pre-written “hoovering” scripts to shut down manipulative outreach
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</ul>
</div> 
<div class="fusion-image-element " style="--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);"><img decoding="async" width="1170" height="832" alt="Bar chart showing success rates of leaving a trauma bond: trying alone, using therapy, and combining no-contact with CBT therapy – emphasizing the highest success with combined approaches" title="trauma-bond-recovery-success-support-vs-alone" src="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/trauma-bond-recovery-success-support-vs-alone-1300x924.jpg" class="img-responsive wp-image-23136" srcset="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/trauma-bond-recovery-success-support-vs-alone-200x142.jpg 200w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/trauma-bond-recovery-success-support-vs-alone-400x284.jpg 400w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/trauma-bond-recovery-success-support-vs-alone-600x427.jpg 600w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/trauma-bond-recovery-success-support-vs-alone-800x569.jpg 800w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/trauma-bond-recovery-success-support-vs-alone-1200x853.jpg 1200w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/trauma-bond-recovery-success-support-vs-alone.jpg 1660w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 800px" /></div>
<div class="fusion-text fusion-text-14"><h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="7159" data-end="7191" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px">7. Post-Bond Rebuilding</h2>
Breaking the bond is the first victory – rebuilding is where life truly changes. We help you:
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Practice micro-boundaries that rebuild self-trust
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Keep gratitude journals to rewire your brain for safety and joy
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Build new, faith-centered support networks so you never rely on one unsafe person for connection again
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</ul>
<h2 class="fusion-responsive-typography-calculated" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="7524" data-end="7577" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px">Why Choose Embrace for Trauma Bond Recovery?</h2>
At Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness, we provide:
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Evidence-based trauma therapies including EMDR, CBT, and Polyvagal-informed care
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A faith-informed, judgment-free environment
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A doctoral-led team with award-winning service from 2017–2025 
2017 <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f3c6.png" alt="🏆" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f3c6.png" alt="🏆" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f3c6.png" alt="🏆" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f3c6.png" alt="🏆" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f3c6.png" alt="🏆" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f3c6.png" alt="🏆" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f3c6.png" alt="🏆" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f3c6.png" alt="🏆" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f3c6.png" alt="🏆" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />2025
 

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</ul>
Your story isn’t over – and you don’t have to heal alone. Call or Text Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness at 972.292.7092 today to begin trauma bond recovery in Royse City, Rockwall, Heath, Greenville, or online anywhere in Texas.
</div> 
</div></div><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-17 fusion_builder_column_1_5 1_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:20%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:9.6%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:9.6%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"></div></div></div></div>
The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.embracenewlife.com/how-to-break-a-trauma-bond-christian-counseling-strategies-for-lasting-freedom/">How to Break a Trauma Bond: Christian Counseling Strategies for Lasting Freedom</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.embracenewlife.com">Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness</a>.
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<title>Best Christian Counseling in Royse City, TX: Faith, Hope & Healing with Embrace New Life</title>
<link>https://www.embracenewlife.com/best-christian-counseling-in-royse-city-tx-faith-hope-healing-with-embrace-new-life/</link>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth Davis, PsyD, LPC-S]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Wed, 13 Aug 2025 03:43:22 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.embracenewlife.com/?p=23114</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Best Christian Counseling: Faith, Hope & Healing with Embrace If you’re looking for the best Christian counseling in Royse City, you’re not just looking for someone to talk to - you’re searching for a safe, faith-based place to heal, grow, and reconnect with your God-given purpose. At Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness, we [...]]]></description>
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</script> <div class="fusion-image-element " style="--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);"><img decoding="async" width="800" height="533" title="royse-city-christian-counseling" src="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/royse-city-christian-counseling.jpg" alt class="img-responsive wp-image-23115" srcset="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/royse-city-christian-counseling-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/royse-city-christian-counseling-400x267.jpg 400w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/royse-city-christian-counseling-600x400.jpg 600w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/royse-city-christian-counseling.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 800px" /></div> <div class="fusion-text fusion-text-15"><h1 class="" style="--fontsize: 80; line-height: 1; font-size: 36px; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600;" data-start="246" data-end="338" data-fontsize="80" data-lineheight="80px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">Best Christian Counseling: Faith, Hope & Healing with Embrace</h1>
If you’re looking for the best Christian counseling in Royse City, you’re not just looking for someone to talk to – you’re searching for a safe, faith-based place to heal, grow, and reconnect with your God-given purpose. At Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness, we believe true healing happens when evidence-based therapy is grounded in biblical wisdom.
We’ve built our Royse City practice on one mission: to offer authentic, Christ-centered care that addresses the whole person – mind, body, and spirit. Whether you’re facing relationship struggles, personal challenges, or the weight of past trauma, we’re here to walk beside you.
<hr data-start="989" data-end="992">
<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25; font-size: 28px;" data-start="994" data-end="1038" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px" data-fusion-font="true">Why Royse City Chooses Embrace New Life</h2>
<h3 class="" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22;" data-start="1040" data-end="1090" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px">1. Faith-Based, Evidence-Driven Approach</h3>
Our counseling is rooted in Christian values and guided by Scripture, but it’s also informed by proven therapeutic methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), EMDR, EFT, DBT, and trauma-focused care. This means you’ll experience compassionate, Spirit-led support alongside techniques that work.
<h3 class="" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22;" data-start="1397" data-end="1442" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px">2. Doctoral-Led, Award-Winning Team</h3>
Embrace New Life is led by Dr. Elizabeth Davis, PsyD, LPC-S, and a team of highly trained, faith-driven counselors. We’ve been recognized as one of the top counseling practices in the region, serving Royse City, Heath, Greenville, and providing virtual sessions across Texas.
<h3 class="" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22;" data-start="1730" data-end="1761" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px">3. Local & Accessible</h3>
With our Royse City office and telehealth availability, you can meet with a counselor in the way that works best for you – without long commutes or logistical hurdles.
<hr data-start="1931" data-end="1934">
<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25; font-size: 28px; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600;" data-start="1936" data-end="1984" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">Services Offered at Our Royse City Location</h2>
We provide a full range of Christian counseling services for individuals, couples, and families, including:
<ul data-start="2101" data-end="2416">
<li data-start="2101" data-end="2162">
Individual Counseling for adults, teens, and children
</li>
<li data-start="2163" data-end="2231">
Marriage & Couples Therapy, including pre-marital and affair recovery counseling
</li>
<li data-start="2232" data-end="2277">
Family Counseling & Parenting Support
</li>
<li data-start="2278" data-end="2318">
Trauma Recovery & PTSD Treatment
</li>
<li data-start="2319" data-end="2366">
Anxiety, Depression & Stress Management
</li>
<li data-start="2367" data-end="2416">
Faith-Based Guidance for Life Transitions
</li>
<li data-start="2367" data-end="2416">Faith-based Behavioral Addiction Counseling</li>
</ul>
<hr data-start="2418" data-end="2421">
<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25; font-size: 28px; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600;" data-start="2423" data-end="2488" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">What Makes Us the “Best” Christian Counseling in Royse City?</h2>
It’s not a title others give us lightly. We believe being the best means:
<ul data-start="2572" data-end="3021">
<li data-start="2572" data-end="2688">
Living our faith in every session – not preaching, but integrating biblical truth in practical, loving ways.
</li>
<li data-start="2689" data-end="2827">
Creating a safe space where you can bring your whole story – your doubts, your struggles, and your faith questions – without judgment.
</li>
<li data-start="2828" data-end="2950">
Walking with you beyond the office by equipping you with skills, Scripture, and strategies to apply in daily life.
</li>
<li data-start="2951" data-end="3021">
Serving our community with integrity, privacy, and excellence.
</li>
</ul>
<hr data-start="3023" data-end="3026">
<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25; font-size: 28px; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600;" data-start="3028" data-end="3047" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">Client Stories</h2>
<blockquote data-start="3049" data-end="3248">
“We came to Embrace New Life at a breaking point in our marriage. Their faith-based approach didn’t just help us communicate—it helped us reconnect with God and each other.” – Royse City Couple
</blockquote>
<blockquote data-start="3250" data-end="3401">
“My counselor truly listened and understood me. I never felt like just another appointment; I felt cared for and prayed for.” – Royse City Client
</blockquote>
<hr data-start="3403" data-end="3406">
<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25; font-size: 28px; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600;" data-start="3408" data-end="3458" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="600">How Christian Counseling Can Change Your Life</h2>
When life feels overwhelming, Christian counseling offers hope. It bridges the gap between spiritual growth and emotional healing, helping you:
<ul data-start="3615" data-end="3795">
<li data-start="3615" data-end="3656">
Overcome patterns that keep you stuck
</li>
<li data-start="3657" data-end="3701">
Heal from emotional and spiritual wounds
</li>
<li data-start="3702" data-end="3754">
Strengthen your relationship with God and others
</li>
<li data-start="3755" data-end="3795">
Find renewed peace, purpose, and joy
</li>
</ul>
<hr data-start="3797" data-end="3800">
<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25; font-size: 28px; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" data-start="3802" data-end="3822" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500">Ready to Begin?</h2>
If you’ve been searching for the best Christian counseling in Royse City, we invite you to experience the difference at Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness. Our team is ready to help you take the first step toward the life and relationships God has for you.
<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f4cd.png" alt="📍" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> Royse City Office Address: 118 E. Main Street, Royse City, Texas 75189 <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f4de.png" alt="📞" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> Call / Text Us: 972.292.7092 [FREE 15-minute Consult] <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f4c5.png" alt="📅" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> Schedule Online: https://elizabeth-davis.clientsecure.me/request/clinician
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The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.embracenewlife.com/best-christian-counseling-in-royse-city-tx-faith-hope-healing-with-embrace-new-life/">Best Christian Counseling in Royse City, TX: Faith, Hope & Healing with Embrace New Life</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.embracenewlife.com">Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness</a>.
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<title>Christian Counseling for Burnout – Find Rest and Renewal</title>
<link>https://www.embracenewlife.com/christian-counseling-for-burnout-find-rest-and-renewal/</link>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth Davis, PsyD, LPC-S]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 08 Aug 2025 23:35:14 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.embracenewlife.com/?p=23084</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Burnout in 2025: Why We’re Running on Empty and How to Refill the Tank Burnout isn’t just about being tired - it’s the slow draining of your mental, emotional, and spiritual reserves until even simple things feel overwhelming. In 2025, work pressures, family demands, and the constant noise of our connected world mean many [...]]]></description>
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Burnout isn’t just about being tired – it’s the slow draining of your mental, emotional, and spiritual reserves until even simple things feel overwhelming.
In 2025, work pressures, family demands, and the constant noise of our connected world mean many of us are living in a constant “low battery” mode. This isn’t how we were designed to live – and Scripture reminds us that God calls us into rhythms of both work and rest.
<hr data-start="713" data-end="716">
<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="718" data-end="756" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px">The Burnout Symptom Checklist</h2>
Physical Signs
<ul data-start="779" data-end="957">
<li data-start="779" data-end="832">
Constant fatigue, even after a full night’s sleep
</li>
<li data-start="833" data-end="873">
Frequent headaches or muscle tension
</li>
<li data-start="874" data-end="910">
Changes in appetite or digestion
</li>
<li data-start="911" data-end="957">
More colds or slower recovery from illness
</li>
</ul>
Mental Signs
<ul data-start="978" data-end="1098">
<li data-start="978" data-end="1021">
Trouble focusing or remembering details
</li>
<li data-start="1022" data-end="1051">
“Brain fog” or zoning out
</li>
<li data-start="1052" data-end="1098">
Feeling easily overwhelmed by simple tasks
</li>
</ul>
Emotional Signs
<ul data-start="1122" data-end="1246">
<li data-start="1122" data-end="1153">
Irritability or mood swings
</li>
<li data-start="1154" data-end="1206">
Loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy
</li>
<li data-start="1207" data-end="1246">
Feeling detached, numb, or hopeless
</li>
</ul>
Behavioral Signs
<ul data-start="1271" data-end="1412">
<li data-start="1271" data-end="1309">
Procrastinating on important tasks
</li>
<li data-start="1310" data-end="1355">
Isolating yourself from friends or family
</li>
<li data-start="1356" data-end="1412">
Using food, alcohol, or mindless scrolling to escape
</li>
</ul>
<img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f4d6.svg" alt="📖"> Biblical insight: Even Jesus withdrew from the crowds to rest and pray (Luke 5:16). If the Son of God needed space to restore His strength, so do we.
<hr data-start="1572" data-end="1575">
<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="1577" data-end="1616" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px">Small Steps to Start Refueling</h2>
1. Name it Acknowledging burnout isn’t failure – it’s wisdom. Proverbs 4:23 reminds us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
2. Draw micro-boundaries Set limits on work, social media, or commitments. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Boundaries help us honor those seasons.
3. Schedule “non-negotiable” recovery Make intentional space for things that restore your soul – prayer, worship, creativity, laughter. Remember Psalm 23:2-3: “He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul.”
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<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="2296" data-end="2357" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px">Free & Easy Self-Care Ideas (Right From Your iPhone)</h2>
<ul data-start="2359" data-end="2878">
<li data-start="2359" data-end="2488">
Stream a live webcam of peaceful places God created – beaches, mountains, coral reefs – to remind yourself of His beauty.
</li>
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Listen to worship music or Scripture audio while you rest.
</li>
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Use a prayer and meditation app (like YouVersion Bible App’s guided prayers).
</li>
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Take a “gratitude walk” and thank God for what you see and experience.
</li>
<li data-start="2721" data-end="2794">
FaceTime a trusted Christian friend for encouragement and prayer.
</li>
<li data-start="2795" data-end="2878">
Replace your phone wallpaper with a favorite Bible verse that brings peace.
</li>
</ul>
<hr data-start="2880" data-end="2883">
<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="2885" data-end="2926" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px">Burnout Recovery Is a Team Sport</h2>
Even Moses needed help carrying the weight of leadership (Exodus 18:17-18). God didn’t design us to push through alone – He designed us for community, rest, and dependence on Him.
If you’re weary, hear Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:28: “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Let’s help you step out of burnout and into a life marked by peace, balance, and purpose. Call or message our office today – we’ll walk with you toward healing, together.
<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="167" data-end="217" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px">Burnout Signs vs. Biblical Rest Practices</h2>
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<th data-start="219" data-end="238" data-col-size="sm">Burnout Sign</th>
<th data-start="238" data-end="267" data-col-size="md">Biblical Rest Practice</th>
<th data-start="267" data-end="294" data-col-size="sm">Scripture Reference</th>
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<tbody data-start="372" data-end="1115">
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<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="395" data-col-size="sm">Constant fatigue</td>
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-start="395" data-end="450" data-col-size="md">Honor Sabbath rhythms — set aside a true day of rest</td>
<td data-start="450" data-end="468" data-col-size="sm">Exodus 20:8–10</td>
</tr>
<tr data-start="469" data-end="559">
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="487" data-col-size="sm">Loss of joy</td>
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="538" data-col-size="md">Practice gratitude and rejoice in the Lord daily</td>
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="559" data-col-size="sm">Philippians 4:4–6</td>
</tr>
<tr data-start="560" data-end="676">
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="593" data-col-size="sm">Irritability or short fuse</td>
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="659" data-col-size="md">Slow down to be “quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger”</td>
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="676" data-col-size="sm">James 1:19–20</td>
</tr>
<tr data-start="677" data-end="766">
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="707" data-col-size="sm">Brain fog & distraction</td>
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="751" data-col-size="md">Meditate on God’s Word to renew your mind</td>
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="766" data-col-size="sm">Romans 12:2</td>
</tr>
<tr data-start="767" data-end="860">
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="783" data-col-size="sm">Isolation</td>
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="840" data-col-size="md">Stay connected to the body of Christ for encouragement</td>
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="860" data-col-size="sm">Hebrews 10:24–25</td>
</tr>
<tr data-start="861" data-end="940">
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="882" data-col-size="sm">Overcommitment</td>
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="922" data-col-size="md">Seek God’s wisdom before saying “yes”</td>
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="940" data-col-size="sm">Proverbs 3:5–6</td>
</tr>
<tr data-start="941" data-end="1027">
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="962" data-col-size="sm">Restless sleep</td>
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="1012" data-col-size="md">End the day with prayer, casting burdens on Him</td>
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="1027" data-col-size="sm">1 Peter 5:7</td>
</tr>
<tr data-start="1028" data-end="1115">
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="1050" data-col-size="sm">Loss of purpose</td>
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="1097" data-col-size="md">Remember your identity and calling in Christ</td>
<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" data-end="1115" data-col-size="sm">Jeremiah 29:11</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.embracenewlife.com/christian-counseling-for-burnout-find-rest-and-renewal/">Christian Counseling for Burnout – Find Rest and Renewal</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.embracenewlife.com">Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness</a>.
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<title>The ENL Gauge: A Smarter Alternative to the Anger Thermometer</title>
<link>https://www.embracenewlife.com/the-enl-gauge-a-smarter-alternative-to-the-anger-thermometer/</link>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth Davis, PsyD, LPC-S]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 08 Aug 2025 03:41:57 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.embracenewlife.com/?p=23063</guid>
<description><![CDATA[From Boiling Over to Balanced: How the ENL Gauge Transforms Anger Into Healthy Action You know that moment in a video game when your “rage meter” starts flashing red? Or when your car’s dashboard lights up, warning you something needs attention? That’s what anger is - a built-in emotional warning system. At Embrace [...]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-9 fusion-flex-container has-pattern-background has-mask-background nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling" style="--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;" ><div class="fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap" style="max-width:1216.8px;margin-left: calc(-4% / 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% / 2 );"><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-24 fusion_builder_column_1_5 1_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:20%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:9.6%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:9.6%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"></div></div><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-25 fusion_builder_column_3_5 3_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:60%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:3.2%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:3.2%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"> <div class="fusion-image-element " style="--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);"><img decoding="async" width="800" height="533" title="The ENL Gauge: A Smarter Alternative to the Anger Thermometer" src="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/anger-mgmt.jpg" alt class="img-responsive wp-image-23064" srcset="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/anger-mgmt-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/anger-mgmt-400x267.jpg 400w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/anger-mgmt-600x400.jpg 600w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/anger-mgmt.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 800px" /></div> <div class="fusion-text fusion-text-17"><hr data-start="264" data-end="267">
<h1 class="" style="--fontsize: 80; line-height: 1;" data-start="269" data-end="360" data-fontsize="80" data-lineheight="80px">From Boiling Over to Balanced: How the ENL Gauge Transforms Anger Into Healthy Action</h1>
You know that moment in a video game when your “rage meter” starts flashing red? Or when your car’s dashboard lights up, warning you something needs attention? That’s what anger is – a built-in emotional warning system.
At Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness, we see anger not as the enemy, but as a protest emotion. It’s your mind and body saying, “Something’s wrong – speak up.” The challenge is knowing when and how to act before frustration turns into regret.
That’s where the ENL Gauge comes in. Think of it as your clinician-designed upgrade to the standard “anger thermometer” – a simple yet powerful way to measure, understand, and guide your emotional responses.
<hr data-start="1066" data-end="1069">
<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="1071" data-end="1130" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px">Why Anger Isn’t the Problem – It’s the Way We Use It</h2>
Anger has a purpose. It can:
<ul data-start="1160" data-end="1297">
<li data-start="1160" data-end="1214">
Alert you when your boundaries have been crossed
</li>
<li data-start="1215" data-end="1251">
Energize you to solve problems
</li>
<li data-start="1252" data-end="1297">
Push you to protect what matters most
</li>
</ul>
But it can also backfire:
<ul data-start="1325" data-end="1532">
<li data-start="1325" data-end="1395">
Bottled up anger can cause headaches, stomach pain, and anxiety.
</li>
<li data-start="1396" data-end="1459">
Explosive anger can damage relationships and reputations.
</li>
<li data-start="1460" data-end="1532">
Passive-aggressive anger lets resentment simmer under the surface.
</li>
</ul>
The key isn’t to eliminate anger – it’s to stay in what we call the Within Functional Limits zone, where you can communicate needs clearly without crossing into harmful territory.
<hr data-start="1721" data-end="1724">
<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="1726" data-end="1772" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px">The ENL Gauge vs. the Anger Thermometer</h2>
While the anger thermometer measures intensity from 0 (calm) to 10 (rage), the ENL Gauge goes further. It doesn’t just rate heat – it shows you where you are on the escalation path and what to do next.
<img decoding="async" class="wp-image-23075 alignleft" src="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ENL-Spectrum-of-Anger.png" alt="" width="388" height="269" srcset="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ENL-Spectrum-of-Anger-200x139.png 200w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ENL-Spectrum-of-Anger-300x208.png 300w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ENL-Spectrum-of-Anger-400x277.png 400w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ENL-Spectrum-of-Anger-600x416.png 600w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ENL-Spectrum-of-Anger.png 675w" sizes="(max-width: 388px) 100vw, 388px" />
ENL Spectrum of Anger:
<ol data-start="2056" data-end="2609">
<li data-start="2056" data-end="2200">
Annoyed → Frustrated → Upset (Left & Center Zone: Within Functional Limits) You can still think clearly and express yourself respectfully.
</li>
<li data-start="2201" data-end="2328">
Protest / Assert (Middle Zone) You feel tension, but you can “say something” to address the issue constructively.
</li>
<li data-start="2329" data-end="2465">
Physical Agitation (RIght Zone: Leaving WFL) Stomping, pacing, raised voice — your body’s telling you escalation is near.
</li>
<li data-start="2466" data-end="2609">
Verbal Venom → Wrath → Destruction (Far Right Zone: No-Go) Words and actions cross into attack mode. Damage to relationships is likely.
</li>
</ol>
The ENL Advantage:
<ul data-start="2636" data-end="2823">
<li data-start="2636" data-end="2688">
Identifies both verbal and physical escalation
</li>
<li data-start="2689" data-end="2761">
Helps you spot the exact moment you’re leaving Functional Limits
</li>
<li data-start="2762" data-end="2823">
Gives you reset strategies to return to the safe zone
</li>
</ul>
<hr data-start="2825" data-end="2828">
<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="2830" data-end="2875" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px">How to Use the ENL Gauge in Daily Life</h2>
<ol data-start="2876" data-end="3316">
<li data-start="2876" data-end="2951">
Check in early Ask, “Where am I on the Gauge?” before reacting.
</li>
<li data-start="2952" data-end="3045">
Notice your body Jaw tight? Heart racing? You might be leaving Functional Limits.
</li>
<li data-start="3046" data-end="3135">
Take a pause Step away, breathe deeply, or ground yourself before responding.
</li>
<li data-start="3136" data-end="3316">
Assert – don’t attack Use “I” statements to express needs without blaming. Example: “I felt dismissed in the meeting. I’d like a chance to share my perspective.”
</li>
</ol>
<hr data-start="3318" data-end="3321">
<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="3323" data-end="3355" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px">Benefits of the ENL Gauge</h2>
<ul data-start="3356" data-end="3742">
<li data-start="3356" data-end="3464">
Emotional Self-Awareness – You’ll recognize the exact moment your protest turns into potential harm.
</li>
<li data-start="3465" data-end="3557">
Improved Communication – You’ll express needs without creating unnecessary conflict.
</li>
<li data-start="3558" data-end="3637">
Healthier Relationships – You’ll reduce the cycle of regret and repair.
</li>
<li data-start="3638" data-end="3742">
Better Physical Health – Avoiding chronic escalation keeps your body out of long-term stress mode.
</li>
</ul>
<hr data-start="3744" data-end="3747">
<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="3749" data-end="3808" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px">Quick Self-Check: Are You Leaving Functional Limits?</h2>
You might be edging toward the No-Go Zone if you notice:
<ul data-start="3866" data-end="4030">
<li data-start="3866" data-end="3892">
Increased muscle tension
</li>
<li data-start="3893" data-end="3924">
Urge to shout, slam, or stomp
</li>
<li data-start="3925" data-end="3990">
Thoughts like “I’ll show them” or “I’m right, you’re wrong”
</li>
<li data-start="3991" data-end="4030">
Difficulty hearing other perspectives
</li>
</ul>
If you’re here – it’s time to pause, breathe, and reset before responding.
<hr data-start="4108" data-end="4111">
<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="4113" data-end="4144" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px">Anger in a Faith Context</h2>
For our Christian clients, we also explore what Scripture says about righteous anger. The Bible doesn’t forbid anger – it cautions against letting it lead to sin (Ephesians 4:26). With the ENL Gauge, you can honor the boundary-protecting purpose of anger while choosing responses aligned with both your values and God’s peace.
<hr data-start="4475" data-end="4478">
<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="4480" data-end="4530" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px">Your Next Step: Get the ENL Gauge Printable</h2>
Want to try it? We’ve created a free, printable ENL Gauge worksheet you can keep in your journal, on your desk, or on your fridge. Use it to track your emotional state, note triggers, and practice de-escalation in real time.
<img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f4e5.svg" alt="📥"> Download Your ENL Gauge Tool Here → <a href="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ENL-Spectrum-of-Anger-1.pdf">ENL Spectrum of Anger</a>
<hr data-start="4845" data-end="4848">
<h3 class="" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22;" data-start="4850" data-end="4902" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px">Serving Rockwall, Royse City, and Greenville</h3>
If anger has been controlling you – or if you’ve been avoiding it until it explodes — we can help. Some clients go from ‘E’ to ‘F’ in nanoseconds – we can help! Our doctoral-led team at Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness offers anger management counseling that blends clinical skill, emotional intelligence, and, if desired, a faith-based approach.
<img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f4c5.svg" alt="📅"> Schedule your first session at <a style="font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" href="https://www.embracenewlife.com" target="_new" rel="noopener" data-start="5237" data-end="5289" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500">EmbraceNewLife.com</a> or call 972-292-7092.
</div></div></div><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-26 fusion_builder_column_1_5 1_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:20%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:9.6%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:9.6%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"></div></div></div></div>
The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.embracenewlife.com/the-enl-gauge-a-smarter-alternative-to-the-anger-thermometer/">The ENL Gauge: A Smarter Alternative to the Anger Thermometer</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.embracenewlife.com">Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness</a>.
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<title>ADHD in Adults: Signs, Relationship Struggles, and Real Solutions</title>
<link>https://www.embracenewlife.com/adhd-in-adults-signs-relationship-struggles-and-real-solutions/</link>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth Davis, PsyD, LPC-S]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Jul 2025 17:10:42 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.embracenewlife.com/?p=23016</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The ADHD You Don’t See: Untangling the Hidden Struggles of Adults Who Care Deeply, Try Hard—and Still Miss the Mark “It’s not that I don’t care. It’s that my brain won’t cooperate. I want to remember. I want to show up. But sometimes, I just… don’t.” If you’ve ever whispered something like that [...]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-10 fusion-flex-container has-pattern-background has-mask-background nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling" style="--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;" ><div class="fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap" style="max-width:1216.8px;margin-left: calc(-4% / 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% / 2 );"><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-27 fusion_builder_column_1_5 1_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:20%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:9.6%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:9.6%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"></div></div><div class="fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-28 fusion_builder_column_3_5 3_5 fusion-flex-column" style="--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:60%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:3.2%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:3.2%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;"><div class="fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column"> <div class="fusion-image-element " style="--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);"><img decoding="async" width="800" height="533" title="Adult ADHD" src="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/adult-adhd.jpg" alt class="img-responsive wp-image-23017" srcset="https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/adult-adhd-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/adult-adhd-400x267.jpg 400w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/adult-adhd-600x400.jpg 600w, https://www.embracenewlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/adult-adhd.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 800px" /></div><div class="fusion-text fusion-text-18"><h1 class="" style="text-align: center; --fontsize: 80; line-height: 1;" data-start="320" data-end="348" data-fontsize="80" data-lineheight="80px"><img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/26a1.svg" alt="⚡" />The ADHD You Don’t See:</h1>
<h2 class="" style="text-align: center; --fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500; font-size: 31px;" data-start="349" data-end="443" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500">Untangling the Hidden Struggles of Adults Who Care Deeply, Try Hard—and Still Miss the Mark</h2>
<blockquote data-start="445" data-end="581">
“It’s not that I don’t care. It’s that my brain won’t cooperate. I want to remember. I want to show up. But sometimes, I just… don’t.”
</blockquote>
If you’ve ever whispered something like that to yourself – or cried in shame after letting someone down again – you are not alone. You might be living with adult ADHD, and no one taught you how to name it, let alone work with it.
And if you love someone with ADHD, you’ve likely felt the sting of missed anniversaries, interrupted conversations, or promises forgotten – not because they don’t love you, but because they are at war with their own wiring.
At Embrace New Life Counseling & Wellness, we see behind the symptoms. And what we often find is not a disorder, but a heart crying out for structure, grace, and healing.
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<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="1226" data-end="1293" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px"><img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f9e0.svg" alt="🧠" /> ADHD in Adults: Not Lazy. Not Broken. Just Wired Differently.</h2>
ADHD isn’t about bouncing off the walls or forgetting where you left your keys – though those things may happen. It’s about executive dysfunction: the brain’s impaired ability to filter, prioritize, sustain focus, and regulate emotions.
It’s neurological. It’s real. And it often goes undiagnosed until adulthood.
Many of our adult clients say:
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<li data-start="1656" data-end="1690">
“I thought I was just a mess.”
</li>
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“I thought I was the problem in all my relationships.”
</li>
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“I was the ‘potential’ kid who never followed through.”
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</ul>
This kind of internalized shame creates a lifelong echo: “Why can’t I just be normal?”
But what if the answer isn’t to be “normal”? What if the answer is to be understood, supported, and finally free to function as you were made?
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<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="2054" data-end="2083" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px"><img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f9e9.svg" alt="🧩" /> The Three Masks of ADHD</h2>
<h3 class="" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" data-start="2085" data-end="2107" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500">1. The Scatterer</h3>
You forget appointments. You double-book yourself. Your brain jumps six steps ahead and skips the essentials. You organize in piles. You hyperfocus, then burn out. You’re either all-in or MIA.
<h3 class="" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" data-start="2302" data-end="2322" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500">2. The Reactor</h3>
You overtalk. You interrupt. You move fast, respond faster, and regret it later. You hate being misunderstood – and yet it keeps happening. Your feelings go from zero to 100 without a warning sign.
<h3 class="" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" data-start="2520" data-end="2541" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500">3. The Survivor</h3>
You hide your struggle. You overcompensate. You run anxious, but look productive. No one sees the chaos inside. You’re exhausted, irritable, and terrified someone’s about to call you out.
<img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f9e0.svg" alt="🧠" /> All three are common faces of ADHD in adults – and none of them are flaws in character. They are adaptive patterns built to survive a misfiring executive system.
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<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="2906" data-end="2960" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px"><img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f494.svg" alt="💔" /> ADHD and Relationships: The Invisible Earthquake</h2>
If you live with ADHD, here’s what your partner might not know:
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<li data-start="3026" data-end="3072">
You genuinely meant to show up on time
</li>
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You did remember the thing – just five minutes too late
</li>
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You heard their words but got emotionally hijacked before you could respond meaningfully
</li>
</ul>
Here’s what you may not realize about them:
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<li data-start="3275" data-end="3313">
They feel unseen in your world
</li>
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They’re carrying the weight of details you forget
</li>
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They’re not angry because you forgot the milk – they’re grieving the deeper sense of unreliability
</li>
</ul>
Emotional dysregulation, a hallmark of adult ADHD, makes relational ruptures feel catastrophic. You spiral into guilt or defensiveness. They pull back or lash out. And soon, you’re not fighting about the calendar – you’re fighting about worth, safety, and “Do I matter to you?”
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<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="3764" data-end="3830" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px"><img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f6e0.svg" alt="🛠" /> How Adult ADHD Undermines Intimacy (And What to Do About It)</h2>
<h3 class="" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22;" data-start="3832" data-end="3869" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px"><img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f4ac.svg" alt="💬" /> 1. Conversational Disruption</h3>
You interrupt because your brain fears it will forget your thought. You go off-topic, chase tangents, or finish their sentences. The solution isn’t “just listen better” – it’s train your prefrontal cortex to regulate pause and re-entry.
<img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f501.svg" alt="🔁" /> Try This: Count to 3 in your head before speaking. Write a keyword if needed to come back to it. Train your delay reflex.
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<h3 class="" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22;" data-start="4241" data-end="4292" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px"><img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f4a1.svg" alt="💡" /> 2. Mental Fatigue Disguised as Disinterest</h3>
You’re not emotionally distant – you’re cognitively taxed. But to your partner, your sighs, scrolling, or pacing read as boredom or rejection.
<img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f501.svg" alt="🔁" /> Try This: Label it. “I’m overwhelmed, not disengaged. Can we revisit this when I reset?” Teach your partner your rhythms and invite grace into the gap.
<hr data-start="4595" data-end="4598" />
<h3 class="" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22;" data-start="4600" data-end="4647" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px"><img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f525.svg" alt="🔥" /> 3. Emotional Reactions that Burn Trust</h3>
People with ADHD often feel deeply and react quickly. Your heart means well, but your delivery stings.
<img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f501.svg" alt="🔁" /> Try This: Create a “cool-down protocol.” Walk outside. Splash water. Pray. Return when the signal of safety is restored.
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<h3 class="" style="--fontsize: 22; line-height: 2.2; --minfontsize: 22;" data-start="4888" data-end="4931" data-fontsize="22" data-lineheight="48.4px"><img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/23f3.svg" alt="⏳" /> 4. Missed Moments, Misread Messages</h3>
Forgetting the birthday, showing up late to dinner, spacing out during a hard talk – it all adds up to perceived apathy.
But you do care. You just can’t hold all the mental tabs open at once.
<img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f501.svg" alt="🔁" /> Try This: Set recurring reminders with meaning: “This says ‘I love you.’” Create rituals: a morning coffee touchpoint, a “remember me” wall. Let systems hold what your brain drops.
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<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="5320" data-end="5379" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px"><img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/271d.svg" alt="✝" /> A Christian Lens: God Is Not Surprised by Your Wiring</h2>
<blockquote data-start="5381" data-end="5474">
“For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” – Psalm 139:13
</blockquote>
God didn’t make a mistake when He gave you a brain that moves differently. He knew you’d need scaffolding, support, and compassionate connection.
He also knew you’d have gifts – creativity, empathy, humor, intuition, boldness – that would bless others if only you weren’t drowning in shame.
The Gospel meets ADHD not with labels, but with liberation:
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From the voice that says you’re “too much”
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From the inner critic who says you’re failing
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From the belief that you’re unlovable as you are
</li>
</ul>
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<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="5993" data-end="6031" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px"><img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f4ac.svg" alt="💬" /> Therapy Can Be the Turning Point</h2>
At Embrace, we work with:
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Adults navigating ADHD and burnout
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Couples where one or both partners have ADHD
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Parents struggling to show up consistently for their families
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</ul>
We combine:
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ADHD-focused cognitive and emotional tools
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Attachment repair
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Biblical compassion
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Neurodiversity-informed strategies So you don’t just cope – you grow.
</li>
</ul>
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<h2 class="" style="--fontsize: 46; line-height: 1.25;" data-start="6399" data-end="6433" data-fontsize="46" data-lineheight="57.5px"><img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/2728.svg" alt="✨" /> Ready for Change That Sticks?</h2>
You’re not flaky, fragile, or broken.
You’re ready for a plan that works for your brain, a relationship that sees you, and a therapist who gets it. We also offer private psychological assessments for medication management for teens and adults.
<img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f4cd.svg" alt="📍" /> Rockwall/Heath • Royse City • Greenville <img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f4de.svg" alt="📞" /> Text/Call (972) 292-7092 for a free 15-minute consult <img decoding="async" class="emoji" role="img" draggable="false" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f310.svg" alt="🌐" /> <a class="cursor-pointer" style="font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 500;" target="_new" rel="noopener" data-start="6709" data-end="6757" data-fusion-font="true" data-fusion-google-font="Montserrat" data-fusion-google-variant="500">EmbraceNewLife.com</a>
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