Author Archives: Nicole

Wise Sentiments From A Beautiful Wordsmith… Aimless Love by Billy Collins This morning as I walked along the lakeshore, I fell in love with a wren and later in the day with a mouse the cat had dropped under the dining room table. In the shadows of an autumn evening, I fell for a seamstress still at her machine in the tailor’s window, and later for a bowl of broth, steam rising like smoke from a naval battle. This is the best kind of love, I thought, without recompense, without gifts, or unkind words, without suspicion, or silence on the … Continued

A Beloved Hombre Says… “Any action is often better than no action, especially if you have been stuck in an unhappy situation for a long time. If it is a mistake, at least you learn something, in which case it’s no longer a mistake. If you remain stuck, you learn nothing.” — Eckhart Tolle Today’s Fun Challenge – yep, that’s right, I said fun – that you absolutely can do… Go out and take action today to do something different to change habits and create movement in an area in your life in which you feel stuck. Pay attention to … Continued

My clients often say things that make me grin like the Cheshire Cat… this is a good thing for those of you who are wondering. I am not referring to the revealing of a deep dark part of a person’s past, or a breakthrough that will let the sun shine in. No doubt these are indeed crucial therapeutic moments. The Cheshire Cat comes out when a client says something so utterly unique to them as a person that I am moved in a deeply heartfelt way. Moved, and inspired and utterly grateful that I do the kind of work that … Continued

Do the shorter days, colder temperatures and pounding rain make you to want to shovel mashed potatoes in your mouth? Does your ability to focus plummet to the level of a four-month old puppy? Does your bed beckon to you as if it could speak? You are not alone! If you answered in the affirmative to these questions (I surely did), you may be amongst the many whose spirits plummet as the fall days get darker and shorter. Clinical speak for this is SAD (seasonal affective disorder). I like to refer to it using the more commonly accepted phrase of … Continued

“I need to hire a nanny.” “Right on,” I thought, while a client, a sharp and savvy business woman, described how her demanding work schedule leaves her with little energy to stay on top of everyday chores, and in particular, to prepare nourishing food. Sound familiar? It does to me. I know a lot of successful adults who would both benefit and be down for the same perks afforded to some kids – midday naps, milk and cookie time, and a nanny. Sign me up! As we head into the colder and darker winter months, the topic of how to … Continued

“I want insight on wheels.” This is the catchy phrase that summed up what a client recently told me she wants to get out of somatic psychotherapy. In other words, she wants to organize the insight she gains, and then have it translate into conscious movement in the areas in her life that she feels both overwhelmed and stuck. Insight on wheels? I love it. She is speaking my language for sure. Which brings me to the topic of willpower. Remember the cartoon character (yes, I am dating myself) Popeye the sailor, often the underdog who, while not eating canned … Continued

Today is day seven of a 21-day challenge that a friend of mine introduced me too. Thankfully, it does not involve going three weeks without essentials like dark chocolate or a perfectly prepared steak. I have done that, many times, and let me tell you, it is hard. The challenge: Every time you encounter something difficult or frustrating, pause, and say to yourself silently or out loud, “Why is this so fun and easy?” There are oh-so-many examples from the past week during which I took up the challenge, but here is one standout: On Thursday, I took my little … Continued

Today, my plan is to make someone uncomfortable, including myself. This should be quite easy. Since posting a blog last week about breaking rules, I have kept a running log (on a very official piece of scrap paper in my car) of all the rules I was flipping the bird to daily. Each and every one of them involved me making someone uncomfortable, myself included. Take Tuesday for instance: I botched a practice lesson I was teaching, being evaluated by mentors, for a fast approaching final test for my therapeutic horseback riding instructor certification. I caught myself en route, carried … Continued

Today, my goal is to break a rule. I’ve made the decision, am committed to it, and am currently creating the optimal environment to make it happen (hot tea, comfy socks, and a scheduled time block). This drive is alive and twitching in every muscle in my body (even the sore ones), and I plan to let it off leash to run wild. And, I am going to start small, not because I myself am not big, but because it is always the small things that launch momentum and lead to epic, life changing outcomes. 11:45am: The rule I am … Continued

Meet Pearl… a horse mentor of mine who taught me an important lesson recently, tough love style, on the importance of slowing down. Coincidentally, or maybe not, the enticing yet ever so illusive allure of slowing down has been a common theme in my work with clients recently. The way I see it, slowing down is really code for being present, and being present is code for connecting more whole-heartedly to other people or whatever we are doing at any given moment. As both a teacher and student of the art of slowing down, the events of February 7th, 2013 … Continued