by Harper West | Nov 27, 2022 | Self-Compassion, Shame
Some life decisions are life changing — think: getting married, having children, choosing a career, buying a house, etc. They should, rightfully, cause us to pause and consider deeply before jumping in. But some people are so indecisive they don’t just pause, they can...
by Harper West | Jun 20, 2022 | Self-Acceptance, Self-Compassion, Shame
NOTE: I find that everyone can benefit from information on how to strengthen self-worth with self-compassion, so I highly recommend these practices for my therapy clients. I know that learning to be self-accepting was life-changing for me. This information is...
by Harper West | Aug 23, 2021 | Self-Compassion, Shame
I was working with a patient on how to stop ruminating when he said something that was very insightful and perfectly described the process of how to be more compassionate to yourself. Like many people, Ashok (not his real name) ruminated about his past mistakes...
by Harper West | Aug 22, 2021 | Shame, Trauma
Some people are so well practiced at feeling guilty that they feel guilty when they don’t feel guilty. What do I mean by this riddle? Let’s consider a scenario of a young woman, Charlotte (fictionalized account) who has been estranged from her grandfather for years....
by Harper West | Aug 22, 2021 | Parenting, Shame
Aliesha, 9, had reluctantly followed her parents from the waiting room into my office and slumped into a chair. Her parents immediately launched into a description of her latest behaviors and their concerns about how this would cause her to flunk a grade and be held...
by Harper West | Aug 20, 2021 | Parenting, Shame
Would you believe that I can spot low self-worth and poor shame tolerance even in a child as young as three? It’s true. Sometimes it is obvious. I have worked with three- and four-year old children who say things like: “I’m no good,” and “I’m a bad kid.” These...
