Author Archives: Robyn E. Brickel, MA, LMFT

Learning to live in the moment is a special gift of a healthy childhood. That’s ideally when we discover simple pleasures like playing with crayons, learning to ride a bicycle, and making friends. We also start to realize that in healthy secure relationships, parents are there for their children. Continue reading →

A Compassionate Guide to Talking about LBGTQ Issues

November 20, 2017

by Robyn E. Brickel, M.A., LMFT and Emily Sanders, LPC

On November 7, Virginia voters elected Danica Roem to the Virginia House of Delegates. Roem is the first openly transgender state legislator in America. Her campaign focused on local issues, especially improving traffic problems, which resonated with voters. But she has also broken a cultural barrier that brings attention to the LBGTQ community. Her public life opens new opportunities for us to talk about transgender issues.

Why #MeToo Isn’t Helpful for Everyone (You Don’t Have to Go Public to Heal)

November 17, 2017

No one should have to endure sexual harassment, or tolerate its prevalence. No one should have to live in a world that is deaf and blind to how pervasive it is. The #MeToo social media movement breaks the silence. The hashtag is a rallying cry for anyone harassed or assaulted to help demonstrate how enormous the problem is. Yet the viral reach of #MeToo is problematic for some survivors. If #MeToo has made you feel troubled, sad, upset or angry, you’re not alone. And today I’d like to talk about it. Continue reading →

Why Consistency is a Powerful Force for Healing Trauma

November 1, 2017

Today I’m going to talk about one of the most important concepts on the road to healing for a trauma survivor: consistency.

To Heal Trauma, Free Your Most Compassionate Self

October 27, 2017

The experience of trauma makes a profound mark on a person. It doesn’t matter whether the injury is grave and evident, like the bruising of a battered person, or hard to see, like the emotional neglect of someone detached and withdrawn. Whatever the cause, when a person feels threatened, helpless, and unable to escape, that person knows trauma.

3 Concepts to Help Trauma Survivors Move Forward Into Healthier Relationships

September 15, 2017

It’s good, healthy and human to want love and seek it out. We live longer, healthier lives when we feel close to someone safe. Some people feel painfully disconnected, and long to open up to others. But then they stop themselves from reaching out.

As therapists, we want to empower people to build more meaningful connections. For all of us, healthy relationships matter. In fact, deep relationships are essential to life as a healthy human being. For trauma survivors, the act of deepening relationships in a healthy way can be particularly difficult.

Why I Take a Mind-Body Approach to Trauma Recovery

August 24, 2017

Trauma recovery takes hard work, which survivors often wish could go faster. A new client recently asked me, “Should I be exercising? Doing yoga? Meditating? What can I be doing physically to help me heal or recover more quickly? What else can I do to get through all of this?” It was a great question, so today, I’m going to address it in case you’ve been wondering too.

Trauma’s Impact on Relationships: Finding New Skills to Talk Through Relationship Pain

July 20, 2017

What’s your relationship coping skill? Find out why it’s so important to say something!

Say something, I’m giving up on you
I’ll be the one, if you want me to
Anywhere, I would’ve followed you
Say something, I’m giving up on you

Lyrics from “Say Something” by A Great Big World