As I write this, I find I have more questions than answers, however I am curious and observational by nature and this topic has been on my mind. I am a Certified Counselor and Holistically minded Health Coach in WA state in private practice. I have observed that over the last couple of years an interesting phenomenon has occurred in my practice. I have had several female clients with long Covid symptoms who also have a history of profound childhood abuse. Before we dive in

I like my stuff… how about you? We Americans love our stuff! We build big houses to store our stuff, purchase storage units to house our stuff, and often lament that we have too much stuff (while we accumulate more stuff!) How did we get here? What does all this stuff do for us? How does it make us feel? Whether we are a mass collector of old T shirts, antiquated childhood games, pillows, trophies, lamps, shoes or souvenirs, most of us can agree if we take an honest apprai

When most of us think of time management, we think of time blocking, or setting a schedule that we hope will be better than the last one. However, just like change management is really about transition management, a holistic approach to time management is needed to create something that actually helps you feel more in control over your life, health, relationships and work. Our schedule is where we live… where and how we spend time, with who, when and why. Which necessitates

How many times have you heard someone say, “well, that’s just the way it is”? Perhaps you have said that once or twice before. It causes me to pause and wonder, how many things in our life, in relationships, health matters, in our country do we just lament, “that’s the way it is.” The problem with “that’s just the way it is…” is that it typically causes us to be complacent and accept that which is actually not acceptable. That phrase literally causes our brain to accept som

I am blessed nearly every day to do work that I love. I raised my kids with the theory that you find what you love, get good, then figure out how to make a living at it and it won’t feel like work. I am fortunate to live out that “theory”! Every day that I am on the journey with clients who genuinely are ready to learn, grow, heal and thrive, is a good day. My job is to listen, ask thought provoking questions, and to share new tools and techniques that help them thrive. Th

How many women do you know that apologize for every little thing that they perceive was not honoring to someone else? Whether it’s apologizing because the line was long at the bank or traffic was bad and it caused them to be three minutes late, it’s always an apology followed by an explanation. Have you ever observed the difference between a woman crossing the street and a man? I often observe women whisking by as quickly as possible whereas I’ll notice a guy just strolling

We are fresh off KitsapFest which happened last Saturday July 11 in Silverdale. The Live Well Kitsap team and I are still basking in the joy of seeing it all come together. Sunshine, sponsors, vendors, music, flowers, children, and people connecting, discovering, exploring and engaging. People were present. And it was a beautiful thing to witness. In the midst of the duties, responsibilities and tasks that have to be tended to at KitsapFest, I paused several times to just loo

Marlene Berg - Abundance Healing Welcome, friend. Pour yourself something delicious, get comfy, and stay awhile while I share another story from the healing house, the animals, and the beautiful humans I’m honored to serve. At Abundance Boutique & Healing, healing doesn’t stop with humans. Some of the most heartfelt moments I’ve experienced lately have come with four paws, soft eyes, gray muzzles, and even hooves. As a holistic practitioner, I’ve spent years suppor

Blog contribution from Monica Batchelor with Bemer Bemer is a Silver Sponsor at KitsapFest. Be sure to stop by the Bemer booth! I am 48 years old. I had a mantra through my 30’s. Something AMAZING is going to happen when I turn 40. I was aware that I had to show up to my own work to learn, grow and engage in my life. I did. For sure! And…something AMAZING did happen. First, the work I did as I was believing for 40 built a new level of awareness and confidence. I was understan

by Brett Clark/ BC Fitness

By Brett Clark/ BC Fitness I was sitting at a networking luncheon recently when the man to my right proudly announced, “I stopped eating sugar.” Now, to be clear, I genuinely don’t care what people eat. That’s not my business. You want the burger? Eat the burger. You want fries? Go for it. You want to dip those fries into ketchup and barbecue sauce like you’re at a Fourth of July cookout in 1998? Live your best life. But the moment someone brings it up to me, especially knowi

Chances are if you are not living under a rock, you or someone you know is dealing with the heartache of an adult child calling it quits on the relationship with mom and/ or dad. In generations past I don’t believe this was happening nearly as much which can feel confusing and betraying for the parent that is left holding the relationship bag… Previously, we did not understand as much as we do now about mental and emotional health and the importance of not staying in toxic re

I am old enough to see the consequences of when people don’t invest in their health as their no. 1 priority. I have seen the bigger picture of so many clients, friends, family and society at large, reap the effects of believing that our food is safe, it’s ok (and body positive ) to be morbidly obese, and taking pharma pills is the key to fixing what ails us. If you are triggered by my morbidly obese/ body positive comment, allow me to clarify. Being obese is largely incompa

How often do you lament that “there is never enough time” or that you wish you had more time… Do you wish for more time to finish up tasks at home or work, more time with your partner, your kids, or just more time to do nothing? Sometimes time can feel more like sand slipping through our fingers. We want more time to experience joy, travel, or just to garden, play a game, or pursue that which brings us joy. The “I don’t have time” mantra is a big one for a lot of people. It

When I was the mother of 3 young children, the chorus often sung at home was “Can we have just 5 more minutes?” Whether they were playing a game, hanging from the monkey bars at the park, or glued to their game boy… their chorus was consistent: …”just fiiiiiive moooore minutes please?” What things do you do now, where you have that same sentiment or feeling? How often do you have the thought, this is so great, I just want to keep doing it? Maybe for you it’s hiking, a gr

Lessons from Fitness, Business, and Long-Term Thinking By Brett Clark BC Fitness Studio There’s a moment that shows up in every workout. And if you’ve been in business long enough, you’ve felt it there too. It’s that split second where your brain asks: “Is this too much, or is this exactly what I need?” Most people don’t actually know the difference. And that’s where things start to go sideways. Pain and Discomfort Are Not the Same Thing Somewhere along the way, we blurred th

I am writing a blog that I truly am unqualified to write. And yet, I feel compelled to write it. I am that person, that feels nearly everything. My kids used to give me grief for shedding tears at animated kid movies, crying at heart tugging commercials, and being the person who would stop what I’m doing to help a stranger. What motivates all that- the ability to see and care about others, to feel things deeply? What we possess when we experience sadness when those we love a

How many times a day do you have the “I have to” thought? How many times do you hear yourself say it out loud? Are you that person all day long, in your thoughts and in your speech, bemoaning your “Have to” list? Has your day become a task master list of have to do’s ? But what about the “Have to’s” that don’t have anything to do with chores and tasks? What about the ones that have even greater significance? Recently, I heard a client lament, “I have to see my parents next

If you are old enough to remember Zig Ziglar, the motivational speaker who wrote books of wisdom and the author of many life quotes, he often talked about “Stinkin’ Thinkin’. At the time I used to read his stuff I really didn’t have the full understanding of what that meant. Now as a trained mental health professional who understands the power of our thoughts and how those thoughts can serve us well; help us be healthy, set boundaries, have good relationships, excel in ou

As a business coach, I hear a lot of stories about what goes on in the workplace. Often time what goes on is a lot of chaos, conflict and confusion. Much of it could be prevented with training for leaders in communication, self management and time management.