Feeling stuck is actually a message from your nervous system that doesn't feel safe to change or move forward. This episode explores how our inner child influences our adult patterns and how honoring those early needs can lead to authentic transformation.

• Stuckness is not laziness or self-sabotage but a survival pattern from childhood
• The inner child is a living emotional memory that carries our earliest experiences of love and belonging
• Early emotional environments created neuropathways that operate automatically in adulthood
• People-pleasing, shutting down, and avoiding intimacy are adult manifestations of childhood protection
• Unfreezing begins with listening to what your stuck part needs, not forcing change
• Creating safe micro-moments of intentional care helps build safety in your nervous system
• Play and imagination help reconnect with your inner child's language
• Working with a guide or therapist provides external attunement that your inner child may need
• Transformation happens when you feel safe enough to be authentic, not when you force yourself to change

If you'd like to take the step into healing your inner child, reach out to our practice through the link at the bottom of this page to get matched with a therapist, coach, or guide who can support your journey.

Thank you for tuning into And Still WE Rise! If you would like to learn more about me or the work our practice is doing, feel free to follow us on Instagram at:

@atltherapygirl and @risetherapycenter

Or check us out at www.risetherapycenter.com

Disclaimer: And Still We Rise is meant to provide perspective and meaningful conversations around mental health topics. It is not meant to provide specific therapeutic advise to individuals. If anything in these podcasts resonates, ASWR recommends consulting with your individual therapist or seeking a referral from your primary care physician.

Validation might be the missing piece in your most challenging relationships. In this illuminating conversation with therapist Sara Kassam, we dive deep into why so many of our interactions break down and how one powerful communication skill can transform them.

The revelation at the heart of our discussion? Validation doesn't require agreement. This distinction liberates us to acknowledge others' emotional experiences without endorsing perspectives we don't share. "You can validate that someone is feeling upset or hurt," Sara explains, "without validating the action of them yelling at you or insulting you."

We examine the subtle ways invalidation creeps into our everyday language through phrases like "you shouldn't feel that way" or the particularly problematic "I'm sorry you feel that way"—words that appear empathetic but actually distance us from accountability and connection. Through practical examples, we demonstrate how replacing "but" with "and" in our responses creates space for multiple truths to exist simultaneously.

The conversation takes an honest turn when we address the discomfort that drives our invalidating behaviors. Often, we jump to problem-solving or dismissing emotions because sitting with someone else's feelings triggers our own insecurities. This awareness allows us to approach communication differently—from conscious self-reflection rather than defensive reactivity.

Whether you're struggling with a romantic partner, family member, coworker, or even your relationship with yourself, this episode offers tangible strategies to break free from destructive communication cycles. As Sara reminds us, "Communication is just a form of connection seeking"—and validation might be the key to the connection you've been missing.

Thank you for tuning into And Still WE Rise! If you would like to learn more about me or the work our practice is doing, feel free to follow us on Instagram at:

@atltherapygirl and @risetherapycenter

Or check us out at www.risetherapycenter.com

Disclaimer: And Still We Rise is meant to provide perspective and meaningful conversations around mental health topics. It is not meant to provide specific therapeutic advise to individuals. If anything in these podcasts resonates, ASWR recommends consulting with your individual therapist or seeking a referral from your primary care physician.

What if everything you thought you knew about grief was oversimplified? Therapist Taylor Strong challenges the notion that grief follows a neat, linear path through five stages, revealing instead the complex and deeply personal nature of loss.

"Grief is this really unique human experience that's specific to who we are and our relationship with the person," Taylor explains. Rather than a straightforward journey from denial to acceptance, grief often manifests as an unpredictable cycle of emotions that can shift dramatically within the same day. One moment might bring peace that a loved one is no longer suffering; the next might bring profound questioning about why they had to leave at all.

The physical manifestation of grief—what Taylor calls "somatic grief"—is equally complex. Some experience insomnia while others can't stop sleeping. Some feel emotions intensely while others experience numbness as their nervous system protects them from overwhelming pain. These varied responses aren't signs of grieving "incorrectly" but reflect the unique ways our bodies process profound loss.

Perhaps most illuminating is Taylor's insight into what grievers truly need versus what well-intended supporters often provide. Comments like "they're in a better place" or "they're no longer in pain," while meant to comfort, can actually create disconnection. What grievers need isn't solutions but presence—someone who can witness their pain without trying to fix it. As Taylor beautifully puts it: "I understand that this person is experiencing something complex and deep, and if I can just be here for them and hold space, that is a gift in itself."

Whether you're navigating your own grief journey or supporting someone through theirs, this conversation offers profound guidance on honoring the messy, non-linear process of living with loss while finding connection and meaning along the way.

Check out these links to learn more about Taylor Strong and Rise Therapy Center:

Link to Taylor: https://www.risetherapycenter.com/taylor

Link tonTaylor's Blog: https://www.risetherapycenter.com/blog/holding-space-for-grief-the-power-of-sitting-in-someones-pain

Find Taylor on Instagram: @taytalkstherapy

Thank you for tuning into And Still WE Rise! If you would like to learn more about me or the work our practice is doing, feel free to follow us on Instagram at:

@atltherapygirl and @risetherapycenter

Or check us out at www.risetherapycenter.com

Disclaimer: And Still We Rise is meant to provide perspective and meaningful conversations around mental health topics. It is not meant to provide specific therapeutic advise to individuals. If anything in these podcasts resonates, ASWR recommends consulting with your individual therapist or seeking a referral from your primary care physician.