The Therapist Diaries

 Hello and Welcome Back to The Therapist Diaries,  Last week I had one of those low days that seemed to arrive without warning. I woke up feeling heavy, flat, and quietly disappointed in myself. I felt behind in my progress. I felt defeated in my ongoing relationship with Type One Diabetes. I felt lonely while the people I love were busy with their own plans, and irrationally envious of people socializing, even though I didn’t actually want to see anyone. All I wanted to do was stay in bed and cry. And the fact that I wanted to do that made me feel even worse about myself.  How did I handle it? As a clinician, I’d love to tell you I immediately booked an extra therapy session, journaled for 45 minutes, did breathwork, and cognitively reframed my distortions. But this blog is all about being honest about our mental health with ourselves and others, so... the truth? I stayed in my pajamas and watched childhood comfort films back-to-back: Barbie as The Princess and the Paupe...

 Hello and Welcome Back to the Therapist Diaries,  Have you ever found yourself doing the very thing that pulls you away from what you want most? Maybe you procrastinate on something important, push away people who care about you, abandon goals right as they start to feel possible, or repeat patterns you promised yourself you were done with. If so, you’re not broken, and you’re not alone. This is often what we call self-sabotage , and it’s far more common (and understandable) than most people realize. As a therapist, I want to start with this: self-sabotage is not a character flaw . It is usually a learned survival strategy that once made sense, even if it no longer serves you now. Self-sabotage refers to behaviors, conscious or unconscious, that interfere with our goals, values, or well-being. These behaviors might look like: Procrastination or avoidance Perfectionism that keeps you stuck Negative self-talk or harsh inner criticism Pushing away people closest to us  Stay...