# Jayma Jamieson, MA, NCC, LPC > Licensed Professional Counselor Lafayette Colorado ## Pages - [Spiritual Energy Healing](https://jaymajamieson.com/spiritual-energy-healing/) - [Grief, Loss and Estrangement](https://jaymajamieson.com/grief-loss-and-estrangement/) - [Beyond the Conscious Mind](https://jaymajamieson.com/beyond-the-conscious-mind/) - [Healing Through Art & Creative Expression](https://jaymajamieson.com/healing-through-art-creative-expression/) - [Working with the Inner Critic](https://jaymajamieson.com/working-with-the-inner-critic/) - [Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)](https://jaymajamieson.com/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-cbt/) - [Buddhist Mindfulness](https://jaymajamieson.com/buddhist-mindfulness/) - [Somatic Healing](https://jaymajamieson.com/somatic-healing/) - [EMDR Treatment](https://jaymajamieson.com/emdr-treatment/) - [Holistic Approach](https://jaymajamieson.com/holistic-approach/) - [Home](https://jaymajamieson.com/) - [Pricing](https://jaymajamieson.com/pricing/) - [Blog](https://jaymajamieson.com/blog/) - [Contact - Appointments](https://jaymajamieson.com/contact/) ## Posts - [Mindfulness, Self Love and Self Compassion](https://jaymajamieson.com/mindfulness-self-love-and-self-compassion/) - [Part I: Shadowboxing with Unconscious Bias](https://jaymajamieson.com/shadowboxing-with-unconscious-bias-and-reaching-your-highest-potential/) - [Marshall Fire Recovery from PTSD and Trauma](https://jaymajamieson.com/ptsd-and-marshall-fire-recovery/) - [Inflammation and How It Affects the Body](https://jaymajamieson.com/inflammation-and-how-it-affects-the-body/) - [Emotional Abandonment in Relationship](https://jaymajamieson.com/emotional-abandonment-in-relationship/) - [Mindful Mastery of the Monkey Mind](https://jaymajamieson.com/mindful-mastery-of-the-monkey-mind/) - [Breaking Free from Limiting Beliefs](https://jaymajamieson.com/breaking-free-from-limiting-beliefs/) - [The Neuroscience of Hardwiring Happiness](https://jaymajamieson.com/the-neuroscience-of-hardwiring-happiness/) - [What is EMDR and How Can It Help Me Heal?](https://jaymajamieson.com/what-is-emdr-and-how-can-it-help-me-heal/) - [What Is Splankna Energy Healing?](https://jaymajamieson.com/what-is-splankna-energy-healing/) - [Buddhist Mindfulness 101](https://jaymajamieson.com/buddhist-mindfulness-101/) - [Suicidal Thoughts & The Inner Critic For The Fall Equinox](https://jaymajamieson.com/suicidal-thoughts-the-inner-critic-for-the-fall-equinox/) - [Successful Communication Strategies for Couples](https://jaymajamieson.com/successful-communication-strategies-for-couples/) - [7 Daily Practices to Optimize Mental Health](https://jaymajamieson.com/7-daily-practices-to-optimize-mental-health/) - [Surviving & Thriving in 2020](https://jaymajamieson.com/surviving-thriving-in-2020/) - [Collective Trauma, Anxiety & Healing](https://jaymajamieson.com/collective-trauma-anxiety-healing/) - [Quarantine Hindsight is 2020](https://jaymajamieson.com/quarantine-hindsight-is-2020/) - [Self Care & Compassion in Crisis](https://jaymajamieson.com/self-care-compassion-in-crisis/) - [Spiritual Advice for Healing](https://jaymajamieson.com/spiritual-advice-for-healing/) - [2020 Vision](https://jaymajamieson.com/2020-self-care-self-compassion/) - [The Busyness Epidemic & Coping Mechanisms](https://jaymajamieson.com/the-busyness-epidemic-coping-mechanisms/) - [Holiday Humbugs: Dealing with Holiday Stress](https://jaymajamieson.com/holiday-humbugs-dealing-with-holiday-stress/) - [The Dog Blog: Therapy Dogs](https://jaymajamieson.com/the-dog-blog-therapy-dogs/) - [The Relationship Between Introjects and Inner Critic](https://jaymajamieson.com/relationship-between-introjects-inner-critic/) - [How to Set Your 2019 Personal Growth Goals](https://jaymajamieson.com/how-to-set-2019-personal-growth-goals/) - [Defining Trauma: What is Trauma? Have You Experienced It?](https://jaymajamieson.com/trauma-definition-what-is-trauma-and-how-do-i-know-if-i-have-it/) - [Equal Opportunity Affairs: Infidelity and The Web of Shame](https://jaymajamieson.com/infidelity-affairs-of-the-heart-and-the-web-of-shame/) - [The Inner Critic, Perfectionism and Shame](https://jaymajamieson.com/the-inner-critic-perfectionism-and-shame/) - [Healing Happens In Supportive Therapeutic Relationships](https://jaymajamieson.com/supportive-counseling-vs-going-it-solo/) - [An Empath and A Narcissist](https://jaymajamieson.com/an-empath-and-a-narcissist/) - [New Year's De-Resolutions..](https://jaymajamieson.com/new-years-resolutions/) - [Self-Love & Compassion](https://jaymajamieson.com/self-love-compassion/) # # Detailed Content ## Pages > Spiritual Energy Healing - Jayma Jamieson is a licensed professional counselor based out of Louisville, Colorado. Learn more about Jayma and A Boulder Body Mind Spirit Counseling. - Published: 2026-09-17 - Modified: 2026-09-17 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/spiritual-energy-healing/ [vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" css=". vc_custom_1789059660940{margin-top: 30px ! important;}" z_index=""][vc_column][vc_column_text] Spiritual Energy Healing [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" side_padding="10" z_index="" css=". vc_custom_1789679717953{margin-top: 20px ! important;margin-bottom: 0px ! important;padding-top: 20px ! important;padding-bottom: 0px ! important;}"][vc_column width="2/5" css=". vc_custom_1788881681173{margin-top: 20px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="41253" img_size="full" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1789680375730{margin-bottom: 10px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="41254" img_size="full" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1789680386567{margin-bottom: 10px ! important;}"][/vc_column][vc_column width="3/5"][vc_column_text] What is Spiritual Energy Healing? Spiritual Energy Healing is a holistic approach developed from my training in energy psychology, counseling, and spiritual healing practices. It explores emotional, relational, and spiritual patterns that may continue to influence a person's thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and sense of well-being. Using muscle testing as an intuitive assessment tool, we explore emotions, beliefs, past experiences, and recurring patterns that may contribute to present-day difficulties. These can include childhood experiences, family-of- origin patterns, difficult relationships, grief, loss, trauma, or deeply held spiritual beliefs. How Is My Approach Different From *SPLANKNA Therapy? My approach grew out of more than 11 years of training in Splankna Therapy, including advanced training in its methods and protocols. Over time, my practice evolved to incorporate my counseling background, spiritual practices, and other therapeutic techniques. I also work remotely with clients through Zoom. Because my approach extends beyond traditional Splankna protocols, I call it Spiritual Energy Healing. How Does It Work? Sometimes clients know they are struggling but cannot identify what is keeping them stuck. They may experience anxiety, grief, anger, resentment, emotional shutdown, sadness, or patterns... > Grief, Loss, Estrangement - Grief is a natural response to loss, but loss comes in many forms. - Published: 2026-09-17 - Modified: 2026-09-30 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/grief-loss-and-estrangement/ [vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" css=". vc_custom_1789059660940{margin-top: 30px ! important;}" z_index=""][vc_column][vc_column_text] Grief, Loss and Estrangement [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" side_padding="10" z_index="" css=". vc_custom_1789679717953{margin-top: 20px ! important;margin-bottom: 0px ! important;padding-top: 20px ! important;padding-bottom: 0px ! important;}"][vc_column width="2/5" css=". vc_custom_1788881681173{margin-top: 20px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="41206" img_size="full" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1789670726189{margin-bottom: 10px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="41208" img_size="full" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1789670735524{margin-bottom: 10px ! important;}"][/vc_column][vc_column width="3/5"][vc_column_text] Grief Is More Than the Death of Someone We Love Grief is a natural response to loss, but loss comes in many forms. We may grieve the death of someone we love, the end of a marriage or relationship, the loss of a friendship, changes within our family, or a life that simply did not turn out the way we expected. Grief can bring sadness, anger, guilt, confusion, loneliness, anxiety, or even relief. Sometimes these emotions arrive all at once. Other times they come and go unexpectedly. There is no single “right” way to grieve and no timetable for when you should be finished. When Someone Is Gone—but Still Here Estrangement creates a particularly difficult kind of grief. Someone you love may still be alive, yet no longer be part of your life. This can happen between parents and adult children, siblings, former partners, close friends, or other family members. You may find yourself grieving not only the relationship you had, but also the relationship you hoped you would someday have. Estrangement can leave you with difficult and conflicting emotions: Sadness and loneliness... > Beyond the Conscious Mind - Dreams, Symbols & Spirituality - Published: 2026-09-14 - Modified: 2026-09-30 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/beyond-the-conscious-mind/ [vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" css=". vc_custom_1789059660940{margin-top: 30px ! important;}" z_index=""][vc_column][vc_column_text] Beyond the Conscious Mind [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" side_padding="10" z_index="" css=". vc_custom_1789059564986{margin-top: 20px ! important;margin-bottom: 30px ! important;padding-top: 20px ! important;padding-bottom: 20px ! important;}"][vc_column width="2/5" css=". vc_custom_1788881681173{margin-top: 20px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="41138" img_size="full" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1789407651909{margin-bottom: 10px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="41136" img_size="full" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1789407623883{margin-bottom: 10px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="41137" img_size="full" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1789407635381{margin-bottom: 10px ! important;}"][/vc_column][vc_column width="3/5"][vc_column_text] Dreams, Symbols & Spirituality Not everything we know about ourselves exists in words. Sometimes our conscious mind is busy analyzing and trying to make sense of our lives, while something deeper within us may already be communicating through intuition, dreams, images, and symbols. Some of the work I find most meaningful involves helping clients explore this deeper, sometimes spiritual level of awareness. Influenced by Jungian ideas about dreams, symbolism, and the unconscious, I work with dreams and imagery that clients bring into therapy. Rather than simply telling someone what a dream or symbol means, we explore it together. What catches your attention? Why might that image have appeared? What does it mean to you? What emotions does it bring up? Is there something here that feels important? For clients who are highly sensitive, intuitive, creative, or spiritually oriented, this kind of exploration can open another door into healing and self-understanding. Spirituality can also become part of our work when it is meaningful to the client. Painting From the Subconscious One exercise I use involves... > Healing Through Art & Creative Expression - working with color, or creating a mandala can help us express feelings and experiences. - Published: 2026-09-11 - Modified: 2026-09-17 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/healing-through-art-creative-expression/ [vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" css=". vc_custom_1789059660940{margin-top: 30px ! important;}" z_index=""][vc_column][vc_column_text] Healing Through Art & Creative Expression [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" side_padding="10" z_index="" css=". vc_custom_1789059564986{margin-top: 20px ! important;margin-bottom: 30px ! important;padding-top: 20px ! important;padding-bottom: 20px ! important;}"][vc_column width="2/5" css=". vc_custom_1788881681173{margin-top: 20px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="41020" img_size="434x320" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1789154876632{margin-bottom: 10px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="41023" img_size="434x320" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1789154892687{margin-bottom: 10px ! important;}"][/vc_column][vc_column width="3/5"][vc_column_text] When Words Aren’t Enough Sometimes we know that something is troubling us, but we can't quite put it into words. Emotions, memories, fears, and experiences can remain beneath the surface of our conscious awareness. Creative expression can offer another way in. Drawing, painting, working with color, or creating a mandala can help us express feelings and experiences that may be difficult to explain verbally. Sometimes what we create on paper reveals something our subconscious already knows—but our conscious mind doesn't understand yet. Bringing the Unconscious Into Awareness My approach to creative expression is influenced in part by the work of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, who explored dreams, symbols, and imagery as ways of understanding the unconscious mind. Jung believed that images could reveal aspects of ourselves that aren't always accessible through rational thought alone. He frequently created mandalas—circular images that became an important part of his own exploration of the inner world. In therapy, creative work can provide another way to become curious about what may be happening beneath the surface. Why Mandalas? A mandala is a circular design that can... > The Inner Critic often has roots in childhood. Messages from a critical parent, family member, teacher, or other important person can gradually become messages we repeat to ourselves. - Published: 2026-09-10 - Modified: 2026-09-17 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/working-with-the-inner-critic/ [vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" css=". vc_custom_1789059931764{margin-top: 30px ! important;}" z_index=""][vc_column][vc_column_text] Working with the Inner Critic & Negative Self-Talk [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" side_padding="10" z_index="" css=". vc_custom_1788881674288{margin-top: 20px ! important;margin-bottom: 20px ! important;}"][vc_column width="2/5" css=". vc_custom_1788881681173{margin-top: 20px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="41007" img_size="434x320" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1789080658884{margin-bottom: 20px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="41005" img_size="434x320" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1789080638909{margin-bottom: 10px ! important;}"][/vc_column][vc_column width="3/5"][vc_column_text] What Is the Inner Critic? We all have an inner dialogue—the ongoing conversation that takes place inside our minds. Sometimes that voice is encouraging and supportive. Other times, it becomes our Inner Critic. “I'm not good enough. ” “I can't do anything right. ” “ I'm going to fail. ” “Everyone else has it figured out except me. ” Where Does That Voice Come From? The Inner Critic often has roots in childhood. Messages from a critical parent, family member, teacher, or other important person can gradually become messages we repeat to ourselves. Experiences later in life—difficult relationships, rejection, failure, trauma, or unrealistic expectations—can reinforce these beliefs. Eventually, we may no longer recognize where the voice came from. We simply believe it. “I’m Not Good Enough” One of the most common messages of the Inner Critic is some variation of “I’m not enough. ” — Not Smart enough... Attractive enough... Successful enough... Thin enough... Talented enough... A good enough partner or parent. These beliefs can influence our relationships, careers, decisions, and self-worth. They can also fuel perfectionism—the belief that if we can just avoid mistakes... > Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, commonly known as CBT, is based on the connection of powerful ideas: our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors - Published: 2026-09-10 - Modified: 2026-09-30 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-cbt/ [vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" css=". vc_custom_1789059931764{margin-top: 30px ! important;}" z_index=""][vc_column][vc_column_text] Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" side_padding="10" z_index="" css=". vc_custom_1788881674288{margin-top: 20px ! important;margin-bottom: 20px ! important;}"][vc_column width="2/5" css=". vc_custom_1788881681173{margin-top: 20px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="40988" img_size="434x320" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1790786673057{margin-bottom: 20px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="40987" img_size="434x320" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1789080217669{margin-bottom: 10px ! important;}"][/vc_column][vc_column width="3/5"][vc_column_text] What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, commonly known as CBT, is based on a simple but powerful idea: our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are connected. The way we interpret an experience can influence how we feel about it and how we respond. When our thinking becomes negative, distorted, or overly critical, it can contribute to anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and unhealthy patterns of behavior. CBT helps us recognize these patterns and develop healthier, more balanced ways of thinking and responding. Thoughts, Feelings & Behaviors Are Connected Imagine that someone you care about doesn't return your call. You might immediately think, “They're upset with me,” or “I must have done something wrong. ” Those thoughts may create anxiety or sadness, which then influences what you do next. But what if they were simply busy? We often react not only to what happens, but to what we tell ourselves about what happened. CBT helps us slow down that process, recognize automatic thoughts, and ask whether they are accurate, helpful, or based on assumptions. Changing the Pattern Negative thought patterns often become so familiar that we don't even realize they... > Buddhist Mindfulness is being purposefully aware, without judgment, of what is happening in your mind, body, and environment. - Published: 2026-09-09 - Modified: 2026-09-30 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/buddhist-mindfulness/ [vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" css=". vc_custom_1789059660940{margin-top: 30px ! important;}" z_index=""][vc_column][vc_column_text] Buddhist Mindfulness Practices [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" side_padding="10" z_index="" css=". vc_custom_1789059564986{margin-top: 20px ! important;margin-bottom: 30px ! important;padding-top: 20px ! important;padding-bottom: 20px ! important;}"][vc_column width="2/5" css=". vc_custom_1788881681173{margin-top: 20px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="40903" img_size="full" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1788967822520{margin-bottom: 10px ! important;}"][/vc_column][vc_column width="3/5"][vc_column_text] What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is being purposefully aware, without judgment, of what is happening in your mind, body, and environment in the present moment. Mindfulness is both a mental state and a practice where one pays attention on purpose. In a nutshell, mindfulness is intentional awareness. Through different types of mindfulness practice, we can develop a moment-to-moment awareness of ourselves and our environment, a sense of decreased stress and anxiety, and a greater understanding of ease and well-being. There is always some element of mindfulness present at any moment—if you are aware, you are mindful. However, true mindfulness comes when one is both aware and unattached to what is present in their mind, body, and surroundings. This is referred to as the “egoless awareness” of mindfulness. Why Do We Need Mindfulness? Often, we become attached to our thoughts and feelings and assume they are completely accurate. We may also carry negative beliefs that originated much earlier in life—perhaps through a parent, partner, or an unhealthy or abusive relationship. Over time, we can internalize these messages and accept them as truths about ourselves. Mindfulness and Buddhist psychology can help us recognize these patterns and... > Somatic Healing therapy explores how the body expresses deeply painful experiences, applying mind-body healing to aid with trauma recovery. - Published: 2026-09-08 - Modified: 2026-09-17 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/somatic-healing/ [vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" css=". vc_custom_1789059809093{margin-top: 30px ! important;}" z_index=""][vc_column][vc_column_text] Somatic Healing (Emotions in the Body) [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" side_padding="10" z_index="" css=". vc_custom_1788881674288{margin-top: 20px ! important;margin-bottom: 20px ! important;}"][vc_column width="2/5" css=". vc_custom_1788881681173{margin-top: 20px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="40882" img_size="full" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1788901159693{margin-bottom: 10px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="40881" img_size="full" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1788901211073{margin-bottom: 10px ! important;}"][/vc_column][vc_column width="3/5"][vc_column_text] Helping You Process Difficult Experiences and Move Forward Somatic therapy explores how the body expresses deeply painful experiences, applying mind-body healing to aid with trauma recovery. Somatic therapy is grounded in the belief that our bodies are not just vessels for physical experiences but also repositories for emotional and psychological ones. Every joy, stress, or trauma we experience leaves an imprint—not only in our minds but in our physical selves. This is why emotions like fear or sadness can often manifest as a tight chest, a clenched jaw, or a tense stomach. While we might dismiss these sensations as temporary, somatic therapy recognizes them as vital clues to understanding deeper emotional and psychological patterns. One of the foundational principles of somatic therapy is that the body "remembers. " Trauma, for example, is not always stored as a coherent memory in the mind but is often encoded in the body as tension, pain, or disrupted physiological responses. These physical imprints can linger long after the mind has moved on, manifesting as chronic muscle tension, unexplained pain, digestive issues, or even a sense of disconnect from one's body. Somatic... > EMDR Treatment - Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy approach designed to help people process traumatic memories - Published: 2026-09-08 - Modified: 2026-09-17 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/emdr-treatment/ [vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" css=". vc_custom_1789059931764{margin-top: 30px ! important;}" z_index=""][vc_column][vc_column_text] EMDR Treatment [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" side_padding="10" z_index="" css=". vc_custom_1788881674288{margin-top: 20px ! important;margin-bottom: 20px ! important;}"][vc_column width="2/5" css=". vc_custom_1788881681173{margin-top: 20px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="40868" img_size="full" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1788901327895{margin-bottom: 20px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="40865" img_size="full" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1788900211369{margin-bottom: 10px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="40867" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="img_link_large" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1788900689202{margin-right: 20px ! important;margin-left: 20px ! important;padding-right: 30px ! important;padding-left: 30px ! important;}"][/vc_column][vc_column width="3/5"][vc_column_text] Helping You Process Difficult Experiences and Move Forward Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy approach designed to help people process traumatic memories and other distressing life experiences. EMDR is best known for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but therapists may also use it to address anxiety, panic, phobias, grief, and other difficulties connected to painful or overwhelming experiences. Unlike some forms of talk therapy, EMDR does not require you to describe a traumatic experience in extensive detail. Instead, therapy focuses on the memories, emotions, physical sensations, and beliefs associated with the experience and helps reduce the distress they continue to cause. Why Is EMDR Used? Sometimes a disturbing or traumatic experience continues to affect us long after the event itself has passed. A memory may trigger fear, anxiety, shame, anger, or physical reactions that can feel as immediate as when the experience first occurred. EMDR is designed to help the brain process these distressing memories so they become less emotionally disruptive. The goal is not to erase the memory,... > Jayma Jamieson is a licensed professional counselor based out of Louisville, Colorado. Learn more about Jayma and A Boulder Body Mind Spirit Counseling. - Published: 2026-09-08 - Modified: 2026-09-14 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/holistic-approach/ [vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" css=". vc_custom_1789059874520{margin-top: 30px ! important;}" z_index=""][vc_column][vc_column_text] Holistic Approach [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" side_padding="10" z_index="" css=". vc_custom_1788881674288{margin-top: 20px ! important;margin-bottom: 20px ! important;}"][vc_column width="2/5" css=". vc_custom_1788881681173{margin-top: 20px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="40852" img_size="full" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1788901336967{margin-bottom: 20px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="40850" img_size="full" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1788901366710{margin-bottom: 20px ! important;}"][vc_single_image image="40849" img_size="full" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1788881643925{margin-bottom: 10px ! important;}"][/vc_column][vc_column width="3/5"][vc_column_text] A Journey Towards Wholeness I encourage my clients to incorporate holistic approaches to healing between sessions, including yoga, exercise with heart rate variability, and coloring mandalas. These practices can be effective in helping to move trauma out of the body. Spiritual practices such as mindfulness, meditation, and contemplative prayer have also been shown to decrease depression and reactivate and engage various parts of the brain that can be affected by traumatic life events. I also encourage clients to build a network of safe, supportive relationships outside of counseling to increase support and facilitate authenticity, growth, and healing. We are wired to heal in safe relationships because of the way our brains work. Our brains are neuroplastic, and we can rebuild the secure attachment patterns necessary for developing healthy relationships. As a highly sensitive and empathic person, I have experienced the anxiety and thought patterns that can accompany these character traits, and I enjoy working with others who share similar traits. Counseling sessions are confidential, nonjudgmental, and supportive. It is a privilege to walk alongside my clients on their journey toward healing, authenticity,... > Jayma Jamieson is a licensed professional counselor and therapist based out of Louisville, CO. Mental health, counseling, depression, family. - Published: 2026-09-02 - Modified: 2026-10-02 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/ [vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" side_padding="10" z_index=""][vc_column][vc_row_inner row_type="row" type="full_width" text_align="left" css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1789156950504{margin-top: 30px ! important;margin-bottom: 30px ! important;}"][vc_column_inner width="1/4"][vc_empty_space height="50px"][vc_single_image image="6957" img_size="medium" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1790714733362{margin-bottom: 10px ! important;}"][vc_column_text] Jayma's therapy dogs: [/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image="13905" add_caption="yes" alignment="center" qode_css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1788822800470{margin-top: 10px ! important;}"][vc_empty_space][vc_single_image image="13906" add_caption="yes" alignment="center" qode_css_animation=""][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="3/4" css=". vc_custom_1788817898497{margin-top: 50px ! important;}"][vc_column_text] Supporting Your Journey Meet Jayma Jamieson Boulder born and raised, I like to say I caught the “Blessing of Chief Niwot. ” I’ve lived, worked, and breathed Boulder for the past five decades, raising both of my children here and spending more than 25 years volunteering with local nonprofit organizations. Over the years, I have co-led women’s groups exploring topics such as boundaries, healthy relationships, personal growth, perfectionism, and shame, drawing from the work of Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend and Brené Brown. I have also mentored teens through local foster care agencies and the Boulder Pregnancy Resource Center. After experiencing several major life transitions—including the deaths of my father and brother and a midlife divorce—I returned to school at Naropa University, earning my Master’s degree in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology. This approach recognizes the connection between body, mind, and spirit and allows clients to bring their own spiritual beliefs and values into the healing process and allowed me to start my Jayma Jamieson website. My role is to provide a safe, supportive therapeutic environment in which that healing and growth can take place. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and National Certified... > View pricing for 60-minute, 75-minute, and 90-minute counseling sessions with Jayma Jamieson at A Boulder Body Mind Spirit Counseling. - Published: 2019-01-03 - Modified: 2026-10-02 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/pricing/ [vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" side_padding="10" z_index=""][vc_column][vc_row_inner row_type="row" type="full_width" text_align="left" css_animation="" css=". vc_custom_1789077180337{margin-top: 30px ! important;}"][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text] Pricing [/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text] I offer $10 off for check, and $15 off for cash, which saves my credit card processing fees. I will give you a choice when we hit the 60-minute mark, and you can decide if you need more time! EMDR & Splankna sessions usually require 90 minutes. For Family sessions for couples, add $25 per session. [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][qode_pricing_tables columns="four_columns"][qode_pricing_table title="60-Minute Session" title_tag_standard="" show_button="no" active="no" price="175" currency="$" price_period="/appt"] 60 minutes $25 extra for additional family members Cash discount of $15 per session Check discount of $10 per session [/qode_pricing_table][qode_pricing_table title="75-Minute Session" title_tag_standard="" show_button="no" active="no" price="185" currency="$" price_period="/appt"] 75 minutes $25 extra for additional family members Cash discount of $15 per session Check discount of $10 per session [/qode_pricing_table][qode_pricing_table title="90-Minute Session" title_tag_standard="" show_button="no" active="no" price="215" currency="$" price_period="/appt"] 90 minutes $25 extra for additional family members Cash discount of $15 per session Check discount of $10 per session [/qode_pricing_table][qode_pricing_table title="120-Minute Session" title_tag_standard="" show_button="no" active="no" price="250" currency="$" price_period="/appt"] 120 minutes $25 extra for additional family members Cash discount of $15 per session Check discount of $10 per session [/qode_pricing_table][/qode_pricing_tables][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text] New here? Contact me for a free 15 minute phone or in-person consultation. [vc_empty_space] PRIVATE pay & pay up front each session. Receipts for insurance reimbursement are provided for all health insurance, but insurance is not accepted. After a few sessions, we can submit a bill to your insurance provider to see what they will... > Jayma Jamieson's blog dives into topics impacting the body, mind and spirit. Start healing yourself and your relationships through understanding and love. - Published: 2014-09-04 - Modified: 2026-09-30 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/blog/ [vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] What is self-love? Love -- loving others, loving myself, loving God. We can't offer others, what we first haven't offered to ourself. As Kahil Gibran eloquently states, "And God said, Love your Enemy. And I obeyed and loved myself. " Carl Jung, the famous psychiatrist who specialized in dream work and archetypes, said, "That I feed the hungry, forgive an insult, and love my enemy -- these are great virtues. But what if I should discover that the poorest of beggars and most impudent of offenders are all within me, and that I stand in need of all the alms of my own kindness; that I myself am the enemy who must be loved -- what then? " Oftentimes, I find, that we are our own worst enemy -- that instead of offering ourselves compassion, we judge and condemn parts of our self. This creates a split within our mind, body and spirit. Instead of being fully integrated, loving, authentic human beings, we wear masks, trying to hide what we fear and judge. Judgement of self and others is crippling. It is based in fear. If we can learn to focus our minds, hearts, spirits, on love -- being congruent in all parts of our being -- we learn to live, love and truly find peace. My goal in counseling is to help people become more of who they truly are. Let's be more authentic, more compassionate human beings; to self, and... > Contact Jayma Jamieson for appointments and more information. - Published: 2014-09-03 - Modified: 2026-10-02 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/contact/ [vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="center" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" side_padding="10" css=". vc_custom_1590683797276{background-color: #ffffff ! important;}" z_index=""][vc_column][vc_row_inner row_type="row" type="full_width" text_align="left" css_animation=""][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=". vc_custom_1789077222364{margin-top: 30px ! important;}"] Appointments [/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text css=". vc_custom_1790968272675{margin-top: 30px ! important;}"] Our office is located at 2770 Dagny Way, Suite 112, Lafayette, CO 80026 Our hours are Monday through Friday, 12-6PM. Receipts for insurance reimbursement are provided for all health insurance providers. For Couples Counseling sessions, please print and fill out this PDF form to bring with you to your first appointment. Policy on Illness and Covid: Distanced seating options Masks for sessions if warranted Please come into office only if healthy and well FaceTime, zoom or phone options if not feeling optimal Office disinfected routinely[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text] Contact A Boulder Mind Body Spirit Counseling using the form below below to schedule an appointment or ask a question. You can also give Jayma a call and leave a secure voice message at 303-351-2354. [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" side_padding="10" css=". vc_custom_1546576780660{background-color: #f5daa2 ! important;}" z_index=""][vc_column fade_animation_offset="45px"][vc_empty_space][vc_raw_html]JTVCZmx1ZW50Zm9ybSUyMGlkJTNEJTIyMSUyMiU1RA==[/vc_raw_html][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="center" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" z_index=""][vc_column][vc_gmaps link="#E-8_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" size="300px"][/vc_column][/vc_row] ## Posts - Published: 2026-03-05 - Modified: 2026-03-05 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/mindfulness-self-love-and-self-compassion/ MINDFULNESS & SELF LOVE Self love, self-care, mindfulness, and believing in yourself. Am I Worthy? Am I Enough? Who am I? Do I feel good about myself? If your answer is no, How do you get to the place where you believe in yourself again? What stops you from believing in yourself? Do you compare yourself to others? Where does the sense of comparison come from? Do you compare yourself to people online? in person? Both? How can you find your footing, believe in yourself, and trust in your worth and value? What would help you to know that you're good enough just as you are? We are all intrinsically loved for who we are and not what we do. In other words, none of us needs to be perfect in order to be loved. There is developmental trauma that can happen between the ages of 1 1/2 to 3, that can cause us to feel shame and perfectionism. For instance, If you had a parent shame you when you made a mistake, and if they did this routinely, then you may feel that you need to be perfect in order to be loved. You can either become an empath or a narcissist from this developmental trauma. Empaths are highly sensitive, give too much, are selfless, have no boundaries, & suffer from over responsibility and burnout. If this is you, and you want to overcome these hurdles, please reach out. Narcissists usually won't do therapy, because they feel that they... > Let's explore questioning personal beliefs, recognizing the shadow and living up to our highest potential with self-compassion. - Published: 2025-05-04 - Modified: 2025-05-07 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/shadowboxing-with-unconscious-bias-and-reaching-your-highest-potential/ Let’s examine and question our own deeply held beliefs and how they can hinder our growth and highest potential. We will examine the hidden parts of ourselves that Dr. Carl Jung calls the ‘shadow,’ how this it applies to each of us individually and collectively, and how our shadow sides determine how we relate to ourself and others. (more... ) > Read some counselor recommendations for self care and regulation, as we go through yet another experience of PTSD and trauma. - Published: 2025-01-08 - Modified: 2025-01-26 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/ptsd-and-marshall-fire-recovery/ For the past year, I have been seeing people for therapy who lost homes & had homes damaged in the Marshall fire through Boulder county crisis. The experience can bring back past trauma. This fire in LA is re-traumatizing for a lot of people here who were affected by the Marshall fire in Boulder and Louisville areas. We empathize with the fear, we remember the feelings and the dissociation involved with a sudden unexpected disaster. No one understands what is happening, everything happens so quickly, grabbing a few things out of your house, to evacuate & preserve your life & lives of pets, family and neighbors, if you are lucky... . I remember the feeling of dissociation as I evacuated, feeling my head spin, a little dizzy and out of my body. Not knowing where to go, or where I would be safe. I’m sure this was a familiar feeling to all involved. I remember grabbing some things I knew I would need, but leaving the rest behind, and feeling like I was going to lose everything. Here are some counselor recommendations for self care and regulation, as we go through yet another experience of PTSD, empathizing with people that are currently evacuating and losing homes in Pacific Palisades and other areas of LA... . I suggest you limit your passive intake of traumatizing news--it is very damaging to the brain, and nervous system. We usually forget to breathe, because of the trauma, and the energy can jump right into... > Learn about inflammation, how it affects the body, and practical ways to reduce inflammation for greater whole body health. - Published: 2024-05-06 - Modified: 2024-05-06 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/inflammation-and-how-it-affects-the-body/ I took a convicting class yesterday. The class was all about inflammation and the body, what causes it, ways to fix it, and what happens if it goes untreated. Dr. Sally Fisher, MD, MS, said that doctors are baffled by people age 56 and over who are not yet on medications, like statins, in our society. National Geographic did an observational study on distinct places in the world where people tend to live the longest. One was Loma Linda California another was Japan, another area in Costa Rica... they are called the Blue zones. There’s a Netflix special about the Blue zones, how people live and what they do, to stay healthy and live longer. Inflammation all starts in the gut. Drugs like antibiotics destroy our gut lining, so you have to find the right probiotic to rebuild the flora. How to Decrease Inflammation Here are some of the things that decrease inflammation: eliminating smoking and drinking, exercise, being out in nature, having family, community, spirituality/church/Meditation/mindfulness based stress reduction, yoga, emotional and spiritual wellbeing (*process those festering emotions), intermittent fasting, saunas, small periods of cold or heat exposure, eating healthy/diets, gardening, hunter-gatherer cultures were the healthiest. Exposure to sunlight and Vitamin D also reduced inflammation. Inflammation predisposes you to disease such as Viruses. Intermittent fasting is 15 hours a day where you body doesn’t eat or drink anything, except water, black coffee or tea. Not eating for this period of time allows your body to reset. The cancer cells die... > In order to deal with feeling abandoned while in a relationship, work on emotional baggage to break free from limiting beliefs. - Published: 2024-03-08 - Modified: 2024-03-08 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/emotional-abandonment-in-relationship/ Do you feel abandoned? Unseen? Do you wish you were single, and think it would be less lonely that way? This seems to be a common feeling and complaint in marriage and other committed relationships. Marriage is not easy and it takes two committed people to grow together, instead of apart. I wish there were an easy answer or solution, but it varies for each person. The emotions are real, ranging from feeling abandoned, betrayed, lonely, frustrated, powerless, sadness and more. Working on the Emotional Baggage In order to make a wise decision, we need to work on the emotional baggage, and break free from limiting beliefs, or lies we’ve believed about ourselves because of the relationship patterns. Do you question and blame yourself? Feel shame and disappointment around choosing an unhealthy marriage partner? Do you wonder how you got into this type of relationship, and how you chose an emotionally unavailable partner? Have you developed an addiction to cope with the loneliness and pain? There are many to choose from some examples being: Shopping, Drinking alcohol, smoking pot, working too much, chronic busyness. We creatively come up with ways to distract ourselves, so that we can avoid the inevitable conflict or decisions. Have you chosen to numb your pain around emotional neglect? Staying Physically Healthy While Processing Trauma In order to stay physically healthy, it’s important to process our emotional pain and work through traumas, big and small. I will support and help you work through confusion and the... > Choosing the path to mindfulness around emotions creates self-awareness and internal integrity, which brings satisfaction and long-term peace. - Published: 2023-12-07 - Modified: 2023-12-13 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/mindful-mastery-of-the-monkey-mind/ Mindfully Mastering our Monkey Mind: Meditation and the five senses When we allow our minds to ruminate, or get carried away by difficult feelings and life stressors, we develop neural patterns or networks in the brain, for fear and worry. Many people turn to addictions of choice (pot, alcohol, busyness, work) to bury their emotions. Choosing the more difficult path to mindfulness around emotions, creates self-awareness and internal integrity, the only things that bring internal satisfaction and long-term peace. Developing daily habits and mindfulness practices, helps to be more present centered, grounded, centered, mindful. Five Senses Meditation The five senses meditation is one of these practices. Go out into nature and just take time to observe everything around you; for instance, sit on the sand when you're on the beach, on a walk in the mountains, or on a slow meditative walk in nature, and do a five senses meditation. Let all of your thoughts and future worry go on a cloud just feel your feet connected into the Earth, breathe deeply, exhale even more deeply out your mouth, and let go of worries. Picture sinking the worries down into the ground through your feet. Then look around observe mindfully everything you see, hear, feel, smell, or taste. Stay in your body and in the present moment. Slowly Concentrate on your surroundings and nature around you, as if you are memorizing the colors, shapes, textures, the feeling of the sun and wind and elements on your skin, and all you... > Therapeutic practices help to overcome subconscious limitations so that we can live at our highest potential and higher functioning self. - Published: 2023-11-18 - Modified: 2024-03-05 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/breaking-free-from-limiting-beliefs/ Overcoming Trauma and Challenges During this lifetime, we learn many lessons and go through many challenges and obstacles along our path. Some people give up. Some people have suicidal thoughts, but end up breaking free, and using these obstacles to help them grow. This is an example of what happens when we go through various traumas, obstacles, difficulties in our relationships and our life. We often believe lies about the situation and ourself, which leads to false beliefs and thinking patterns. We make subconscious vows, such as, "I will never allow myself to be vulnerable again. " Next, we believe we will be safe, if we build walls around our hearts, thinking we can protect ourselves in this way. This is considered a limiting belief or a lie, because it is not in our best interest as humans. We need each other and we need safe relationships in order to heal. Jayma Jamieson Mind Body Spirit Healing Consultation With this in mind, what will you choose? Will you let go of your limiting beliefs, and live in your light? I encourage you to find your highest, best version of yourself! Live your purpose and your true calling! If you’re interested in mind body spirit energy healing, contact me today for a free 15-minute consultation. I utilize various therapeutic practices to help my clients discover and implement holistic ways to heal from recurring negative thought patterns. These techniques include Buddhist practices like mindfulness, self-compassion practice, loving kindness meditation and Tonglen, among... > There are specific steps that you can implement to affect your neural networks and experience life with a more positive mindset. - Published: 2023-08-17 - Modified: 2023-08-17 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/the-neuroscience-of-hardwiring-happiness/ Hardwiring Happiness & Neuroscience Did you know that you have the power to change your mindset? Do you see your cup as half empty or half full? What would you need to change in order to have a more positive outlook, more energy, and a more optimistic attitude? Consider this approach to hardwiring happiness into how you think. When we grow up in a negative environment or toxic family system, or we are in an unhealthy marriage or relationship, our thoughts and attitudes often change for the worst. This builds infrastructure in the brain's circuitry to support negative thinking patterns. These negativity biases get hardwired into the left and right brain, and causes us to automatically assume the worst. This is a coping mechanism that is designed to protect us, and help us survive in difficult circumstances or surrounding. This is similar to when we were cavemen & we needed to respond or react quickly to danger in our environment. This causes the amygdala to kick into gear, causing a fight flight freeze response in the body. When we are in panic mode, the rest of our higher functioning brain shuts off. EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing trauma) therapy helps to reset the brain and turn back on the higher functioning parts of the brain, including the frontal cortex & the hippocampus. This helps our nervous systems to relax and our brain to work optimally. If the brain is over stressed and traumatized throughout the lifetime, this can lead... - Published: 2023-05-10 - Modified: 2023-05-10 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/what-is-emdr-and-how-can-it-help-me-heal/ What is EMDR & how can it help me? EMDR stands for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. It is a therapy proven to heal people heal from PTSD, traumatic memories, fears, phobias, anxieties, addictions, and relationship difficulties (affairs, divorce, breakups). EMDR is administered by a trained, licensed therapist. What happens to the brain when it's "stuck" in trauma mode? Many clients come into my office and tell me that they feel stuck and unable to move forward after a traumatic event in their life. When this happens, the brain's adaptive information processing network - think of it like the brain's computer system - stops working the way it should, and gets stuck in fight, flight or freeze mode. To a client, this state may feel like repetitive thought patterns that lead to rapid heart rate, shallow breathing, anxiety, or fear every time they are triggered by a negative event in their life. All of the times they have felt fear in their life, from childhood through adulthood, get stored in one memory channel or network in the brain. Each time a similar circumstance activates the nervous system, it sends the person into the same fight-flight-freeze response. In the brain, this is when the the amygdala, or emotional control center, is activated in order to help the person escape the traumatic situation. Sometimes so much cortisol (stress hormone) is released that the nervous system responds by freezing up, and the trauma is locked away in the body and mind. EMDR releases... > Splankna energy healing is a holistic form of spiritual energy work that heals the mind, body and spirit by clearing family of origin trauma. - Published: 2023-05-01 - Modified: 2023-05-10 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/what-is-splankna-energy-healing/ Splankna is a Greek word meaning mind/body/spirit. Splankna energy healing is a holistic form of spiritual energy work that heals the mind, body and spirit. The technique consists of using muscle tests to identify what emotions a client is carrying in their body or subconscious (i. e. DNA, cell receptors, brain chemistry, etc. ), and any agreements made throughout their lifetime that compromise their mind, body or spirit. While this could take the form of a physical ailment (body), it could also be a certain compromised role or coping mechanism due to their family of origin trauma (mind, spirit). Through Splanka energy healing, we can find and clear generational curses, agreements, and strongholds that started between one and 10 generations back in the family line, on either parents' side. "Clearing" these agreements means removing and getting rid of their power in the client's body, mind or spirit. We can also locate certain themes of trauma that have occurred repeatedly in the clients lifetime. One example of trauma would be a theme of over-responsibility that began when the client was age 7 because of having a dysfunctional alcoholic parent, and having to take on a parental role in the family. Other emotions in the theme might include perfectionism, shame, grief, frustration, and an agreement that love will not be returned to them. This can create chaotic patterns of choosing the wrong partners later on in life, that continually reinforces this pattern of traumas and a feeling of not being loved. After... - Published: 2022-11-12 - Modified: 2022-11-12 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/buddhist-mindfulness-101/ Often times, we are attached to our feelings and thoughts and believe they are 100% accurate. We allow them to control our moods and mental health. This can lead to trauma, PTSD, insecurities, and even suicidal thoughts. We believe lies that might’ve been told to us in the past, either by a parent, marriage partner or someone who was narcissistic or abusive. We internalize these lies, often taking on a false identity, because of unhealthy relationships. People cling to their emotions, and false beliefs, especially the ones that are detrimental. This unhealthy approach and attachment to unhealthy thoughts, feelings, or ideas, can be undone and relearned in a healthier manner, using mindfulness and Buddhist psychology. The challenge becomes to be aware of the emotion, without attaching meaning to it. We begin by noticing the emotion in your body, as a sensation, and becoming aware of how it feels, and the memories attached. With a safe supportive therapist, & meditation and mindfulness techniques, you start to observe the emotions without attaching meaning to them. It’s like this... . You are a body of water, like a pond. Your emotions are like fish swimming around in that pond. So many emotions, running the gamut, from joy & happiness to sadness, fear, & anger. Your job is to become still, notice all of the emotions, and remain mindful and neutral. Like a silent observer of your emotions. You become that still body of water, and learn to detach and observe all you are... - Published: 2022-10-11 - Modified: 2022-11-12 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/suicidal-thoughts-the-inner-critic-for-the-fall-equinox/ Coming back to a relationship with God was the beginning of understanding my worth and value, my purpose and calling in this world, and the untangling of many years of shame, internal doubt/guilt, and living on the edge, in a party lifestyle that could and would have easily taken me down if I hadn’t made significant life changes. The beginning of my path to the light, and to healing, was walking into a church where I lived, in a different state, when I felt a calling to go back and try it, because of pain, and a tangible hole in my heart. All day long, as a mental health therapist, I have people talk to me about suicidal thoughts — which is okay to tell a therapist, by the way, everyone has these dark thoughts at some points in their life! (You just can’t say you have. Plan to kill yourself — then we need to figure out how to get you help! ). I help people talk about all of it, the reasons to live and the reasons they want to die, and we write up a safety plan and on occasion call the CO Suicide Crisis line together so the person see they are friendly therapists, safe, and they will talk you through the dark nights of the soul and internal self-doubt. The accuser, the inner critic, or the enemy of your soul, uses your negative self-regard, against you. It will try to take you down and take... > How to Communicate Successfully with your Partner - Published: 2021-03-21 - Modified: 2021-03-25 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/successful-communication-strategies-for-couples/ As a therapist, I listen carefully to the ways that couples communicate with one another, and the quality of their conversations. I was recently on vacation, and listening to couples around me, and noticed unsuccessful communication patterns. A couple in the restaurant was arguing. The wife was shut down and angry, and moved to a different table for several minutes. When the couple talked, or rather when he spoke, he blamed his wife for prioritizing her kids, and not spending enough time with him. The husband was talking loudly, and never left space for her to respond. He patronized her, and she shut down. This couple needs help to learn some strategies for effective listening and problem-solving. How could this couple learn to communicate so that each person feels heard and understood? Having a therapist in the room is a good start. This way, both parties are held accountable and they are invested in learning communication tools. If they are both invested in the marriage and have motivation and accountability, they will learn and change how they listen and respond. Mindful listening is needed to help relationships flourish, and for both parties to feel heard, understood, and validated. Usually this involves slowing communication down, and listening to understand, not just to respond. Practical tips for successful communication 1. Stay grounded and present in your body; breathe from your diaphragm. Four count breathing is best. When people get stressed out, they stop breathing deeply; shallow breathing leads to fight - flight... - Published: 2021-02-23 - Modified: 2021-03-02 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/7-daily-practices-to-optimize-mental-health/ 7 Daily Steps for Optimal Mental Health, Wellness and Healing The Healthy Mind Platter was created in a collaboration between Dr. Daniel Siegel, a Harvard trained medical doctor and Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA Medical School, along with Dr. David Rock, director of the NeuroLeadership Institute. They created the Healthy Mind Platter to help people optimize their mental health and wellbeing. How do you keep your mind healthy, improve relationships, and integrate your brain? If you incorporate these seven steps into your life on a daily basis, your levels of joy, fulfillment, and wellbeing will increase. The recent pandemic created new levels of stress in our society affecting physical health, and increasing stress levels, isolation, fear, separation from loved ones, job loss, and general malaise and distrust in society and leadership. Even people who normally thrive in daily life now find themselves anxious and discouraged. Does this describe you? What changes can you make in your daily life to bring balance back into your spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental health? There are 7 facets of our lives that Dr. Dan Siegel believes to be crucial for optimal wellbeing. These form the Healthy Mind Platter. I will explain each of these facets below, and encourage you to make some time for each of these seven things daily! Focus time includes solving problems and challenges for the brain, including school work, work life, or even the New York Times crosswords puzzle. Attention should remain focused on one thing at a time. Focus... - Published: 2020-10-05 - Modified: 2020-10-05 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/surviving-thriving-in-2020/ 2020 could be compared to walking on quicksand. Trying to get across it before you sink. We all know people who have been affected by this year in one way or another. Whether it is job loss, loss of a significant relationship, health issues, loss of property, other worries due to the pandemic. All of the updates in the news and social media can create widespread fear, panic, and even paranoia & distrust amongst people. All of our healthy coping mechanisms were taken away, like working out, yoga, massage, church, and often replaced with unhealthy coping mechanisms such as addictions. We have been told to separate and isolate, and this is usually how we heal, in safe relationships. Because of the lack of connection, things like depression, anxiety, fear, addiction, and suicide are on the rise. The invitation in all of this is to seek therapy, and do some important healing and growth work, in order to rise above the noise in the world. You can find healthy coping mechanisms and develop resilience even in trying times. I can help you develop a plan for wholeness and healing for past and present traumas. I went to Naropa University 10 years ago, Opened a practice seven years ago, and specialize in transpersonal, or spiritual trauma recovery, and counseling. I am a licensed professional counselor in the state of Colorado, and Nationally certified. I specialize in empaths, spiritual development, highly intelligent, and highly sensitive people. These types of people tend to absorb... > In early 2020 we were all thrown into a collective storm of anxiety and fear, due to the pandemic, economic uncertainty, and fear-inducing media exposure. - Published: 2020-07-01 - Modified: 2020-07-01 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/collective-trauma-anxiety-healing/ 2020, Collective trauma, healing and help for Anxiety in uncertain times In early 2020 we were all thrown into a collective storm of anxiety and fear, due to the new pandemic, global shutdowns, economic uncertainty, and perpetual fear inducing media exposure. Empaths, highly sensitive people, people with histories of generational trauma, or sensory integration issues can feel more traumatized than others by this collective stress. You may feel this collective societal unrest and inadvertently absorb it into your own body and energy field. You may not know how to guard your energy, and how to remove and ground negative energies. I can help you develop better coping skills for life stressors, and to learn to let go of whatever you have taken on. Traumas and stressful events are stored in our nervous system and in our body. In order to facilitate emotional health and restoration, There are certain therapeutic modalities that help heal the body and mind. Talk therapy can help you to have a safe place to discuss stressful events, and is a good starting point to reframe life experiences and stressors. Therapies that facilitate subconscious re-processing work deeper than the conscious mind, are often required to re-process the traumas that get stored in the nervous system and body. I like to focus on resolving traumatic events and facilitate true healing in my counseling practice. The therapeutic modalities that I prefer to use include: mindfulness of emotions, somatic experiencing, internal family systems ( healing the inner child), EMDR (eye... - Published: 2020-05-13 - Modified: 2020-05-13 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/quarantine-hindsight-is-2020/ Dear Clients, Thank you for supporting a Boulder Body Mind Spirit Counseling during the trying months of quarantine & letting me be your trusted local counselor to help you through all of this! “Hindsight is Always 2020” Quarantine has been like being in a pressure cooker for three months! Our relationships were put to the test. Communication patterns and relationships have been pressurized, and truth has been revealed. What was lingering below the surface has now been brought to the light. We see others at deeper levels, and who people are at the core of their beings. Some friendships and relationships have been lost because of this, and there is a lot of baggage to sift through in order to uncover our 2020 vision; lessons learned in hindsight. We will get through this together. I’m sure we’ve all come to value and appreciate life a little more, and the things and people we’ve taken for granted when life was too busy. We had so much taken away from us in so little time. It’s a lot to reflect on and to process through. Grief has many stages, and these stages are circular, not linear, like the layers of an onion. Grief expert Kubler-Ross lists these stages as denial, anger, bargaining, sadness/depression, and acceptance. The 6th stage of the grief process is finding meaning in our lives, as we assemble what happened & utilize the lessons constructively to moving forward. Let’s try to file away some positive learning lessons about the... - Published: 2020-04-20 - Modified: 2020-04-20 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/self-care-compassion-in-crisis/ When you are in times of crisis in your life, such as the current Covid-19 pandemic and mandated isolation, emotions flare up. Here are my tips to apply self-care and compassion in times of crisis. What You're Feeling in Crisis You may notice fluctuations in your moods: denial, anger, sadness, fear and anxiety, frustration and impatience with self or others. All of these emotions are parts of the complex grief process. To make things more complicated, we’re all in different stages at different times. How To Take Care of Yourself What do you do to make sure that you are taking good care of your self during times of stress? Some people like to go on walks, pet or adopt an animal, go on distanced walks or coffee dates with a friend, reach out to older people who may need your help with a grocery run, listen to podcasts on personal growth, meditate or join a prayer group. Coloring mandalas, painting, practicing yoga or Xi Gong on YouTube or Zoom, walking, hiking, and running are all healthy ways of moving unwanted anxiety. Taking hot baths and avoiding news can also be therapeutic. If your body feels tense, it can also be helpful to do a “trauma shake” and wiggle your whole body from head to toes for 1-2 minutes. Literally shaking off any negativity, fear or frustration that stuck to you during your day. Setting good boundaries with friends around talking about fear, news related to Covid-19, and other disasters... > If you're a spiritual or highly empathetic person, it can be difficult to heal in this highly-stressful and emotionally-charged world. Read more for 5 steps to healing. - Published: 2020-03-09 - Modified: 2020-03-09 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/spiritual-advice-for-healing/ If you're a spiritual or highly empathetic person, it can be difficult to heal in this highly-stressful and emotionally-charged world. Keep reading for 5 steps to emotional and spiritual healing. Do you identify as one of the following spiritual types? Empaths Intuitive types Highly sensitive people Highly intelligent Introverted people Spiritual seekers Light workers Healers If you find your personality traits on the above list, know that you’re in good company. Please know that there are self care tips, tools, and techniques that will help relieve stress, help you become more embodied, mindful, and remove tension from your nervous system & body. Empaths, spiritual, and sensitive people tend to absorb the emotions of others, and often feel confused, because we aren’t aware whose emotion we are feeling in our body, if it's ours or someone else’s. One thing you can start to notice, when you are around other people, is how you feel when you’re with them. Notice if they feel anxious — if they have shallow breathing, if they are talking fast, or their body movements seem frenetic. You may notice your stomach feeling a sensation of butterflies, or your throat feeling like it is tightening up. Be curious about this. Check in with yourself, and ask ... ”is this my anxiety or hers/his? ” Here's what you can do: Feel you feet connected to the earth, start doing four count breathing. Bend your knees slightly. Picture sending that anxiety out of your body and anchor it into the... - Published: 2020-01-12 - Modified: 2020-01-27 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/2020-self-care-self-compassion/ There are so many New Years Resolutions that make us feel hopeful at first, and then like a failure, when we don't keep up with our own expectations after February 1! Being human, we struggle with perfectionism and the flip-side of it, shame. When we strive to attain our Goals, it can be healthy, unless we expect ourselves to be perfect at it; this is a set up for failure. Developmentally, perfection and shame begins around 1-3 years old. If our parents have unrealistic expectations for what a child should or can do, and then blame us for not being "good enough," we often make an agreement over our life for perfectionism. We adopt the false belief that we have to be perfect in order to be loved. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Awkward Yeti (@theawkwardyeti) on Jan 13, 2020 at 6:19am PST So when it comes to New Years Resolutions, this is either an opportunity for self-compassionate growth, or self-judgement when we inevitably fail to reach our goals. The Inner Critic or Enemy beats us up with the inner dialogue that sounds like this... . "You never succeed. You are hopeless. Look at all the people on Facebook who have better lives than you... . " I hear this all the time in my counseling office. Instead of setting unrealistic expectations or higher hurdles for ourselves to jump over, why don't we consider developing skills that help us learn self-compassion, self-care and nurturance, which... > We have a busyness epidemic on our hands, and so many of us rely on coping mechanisms to combat (or bury) feelings that are telling us something isn’t right. Read more about how to balance the busyness. - Published: 2019-11-20 - Modified: 2019-11-26 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/the-busyness-epidemic-coping-mechanisms/ We have a busyness epidemic on our hands, and so many of us rely on coping mechanisms to combat (or bury) feelings that are telling us something isn’t right. [vc_empty_space height="10px"] How many of you wake up at six or seven in the morning, only to keep going constantly until nine or ten that night and fall into bed exhausted? Brené Brown - a prominent researcher and author on shame - says, “in our culture, busyness is seen as a status symbol. ” To contribute to the busyness epidemic, we have added constant connectivity to all of our digital devices: cell phones, computers, iPads, video games, email, social media... and the list is endless. Our brains have no time to rest and recuperate, and it leads us to seek out coping mechanisms in the name of “relaxation. ” In reality, busyness is an addiction, usually modeled by one or both parents while we are growing up. It will lead to a lack of self care, and contribute to burn out in the long term. When our minds are constantly busy, frazzled, and never given a break, it can also contribute to dementia later in life. If our neurons are constantly firing, they don’t get any time to recuperate and we end up with a frazzled nervous system and an unsettled mind. Because of all of the traumas - big and small - that we go through in life, the computer system in our brain starts running on default, which is... > Who is looking forward to the holidays? Dealing with holiday stress is no joke. Learn techniques to navigate family relationships and manage holiday stress. - Published: 2019-11-08 - Modified: 2019-11-24 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/holiday-humbugs-dealing-with-holiday-stress/ Dealing with holiday stress is no joke. Who is looking forward to the holidays? They are quickly encroaching... I mean, approaching. Who is looking forward to seeing family? If you are, you are one of the lucky few. And you’re probably not in my counseling office (at least for that reason! ). Many people have developmental trauma from their childhoods. Growing up is not an easy task, especially if your parents or family were abusive, emotionally neglectful, or if there was physical abuse, sexual abuse, or divorces, remarriages, or new partners and half siblings. There are so many different types of family situations and none of them are easy, which can make the holidays a stressful period of time. Many of our parents also grew up in different generations where their parents were principally concerned with survival. In psychology, this is the lowest level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: basic survival (food, clothing, and shelter). Based on Maslow’s hierarchy, once you can provide for your basic survival, you can move on to security and social needs, belongingness and esteem needs, and finally to self-actualization. Most of our families didn’t have the “luxury” of working on themselves or pursuing their own emotional growth to arrive at self-actualization. Therefore, many of us are in therapy now to undo trauma like agreements and strongholds from many generations back. Not quite sure what I mean about generational trauma? Here’s an example. Did you know that in the study of epigenetics, scientists have studied WORMS... > Learn more about the benefits of therapy dogs in counseling. For fellow dog-lovers, therapy dogs and emotional support animals help clients feel more comfortable in new situations. - Published: 2019-11-08 - Modified: 2020-01-15 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/the-dog-blog-therapy-dogs/ In my practice, I use my two therapy dogs as emotional support animals with clients. I have two working dogs, Oscar and Olive, that are both lab mixes. Olive is a healthy 80 lbs and Oscar is a tiny dachshund-lab mix. They love coming with me to work to comfort and help my clients! There are many reasons I subscribe to the idea of dogs in the therapy room. When new clients first reach out, they tend to be anxious. They know they are meeting someone new for the first time and will have to share their whole life story, which is usually quite nerve-wracking! I usually encourage people to breathe deeply and tell their story more slowly (we can re-traumatize ourselves by retelling tales of trauma). For fellow dog-lovers, having emotional support animals in the room can make them comfortable in a new situation, and can also help new patients stay mentally present during our initial appointment instead of slipping into fight, flight, or freeze mode. One of the benefits of therapy dogs is that they will often come and comfort clients, bringing a smile to their faces. Oscar likes to sit on people’s laps, while Olive brings a toy and begs to be petted (typical lab style). My therapy dogs can sense peoples’ emotions - especially when they’re feeling sad or anxious. Olive and Oscar want to come help them in the way they know best, by encouraging people to pet them, sitting on their lap, or leaning... > Introjects heard in early childhood form the voice of the inner critic - the voice that tells you you're not enough. Learn more and contact me for help. - Published: 2019-01-07 - Modified: 2019-11-20 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/relationship-between-introjects-inner-critic/ The inner dialogue going on inside a persons mind, can be both positive and negative. The negative internal dialogue we coin, “the inner critic. " We all have one and it ranges from mildly annoying to very destructive. A person can become suicidal if their inner critic gets a strong enough hold. In spiritual circles, some people may label this voice “the accuser. ” Whatever you call it, the inner critic is a big problem for most of us. Most of the time, people have no idea how to get control over their negative self-talk, tame the inner critic, and become the master of their own minds. In EMDR therapy, clients' negative beliefs mirror the voice of the inner critic. They often identify with one of these negative core beliefs: “I am powerless, I am out of control, I am not good enough. ” Even as you read this, you may identify with one of those negative beliefs and the ways in which it impacts your life, relationships, or career. These beliefs are often frustrating and overwhelming, and fuel the inner critic. Counseling allows you to change your negative beliefs with guidance from a safe, objective source, and to learn new ways of coping with negative thoughts and beliefs. We can work together to turn this inner dialogue around, and help it become a voice of encouragement and self-compassion. Here are some questions we will work through. When did these voices begin? How do they get their intensity and momentum?... - Published: 2019-01-05 - Modified: 2019-11-20 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/how-to-set-2019-personal-growth-goals/ Happy new year! It's time to set some personal goals that involve self-care and personal growth. Many of us go to coffee shops every day or get expensive haircuts, and these costs can add up quickly in the long run. With the start of the new year, now is a perfect time to reflect on how much you invest in your personal growth, compared to other daily expenses. Personal growth isn’t cheap, but neither is a good haircut. Here are some questions to ask yourself. How much do you invest in your own mind? How much is it worth to understand your own thoughts, inner critic, and the voices that control your behavior? Would you like more self-awareness, help with setting goals, or accountability to stick with your goals for the year? Investing time and money into personal growth can impact the outcome of your entire life. Remember that you are worth the investment. We need safe relationships to heal, and we need to talk and be heard in order to create lasting change in our lives. Let’s look at one common problem. Let’s say you grew up in a household where one parent had a drinking and/or an anger management problem. They would get angry, passive aggressive, yell, or storm through the house. Everyone could tell when they were angry. Sometimes this parent would get out of control. The whole family coped with and adjusted to this behavior, learning unhealthy life skills or patterns in the process. Common examples... > Trauma symptoms and solutions - Published: 2018-11-12 - Modified: 2019-11-20 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/trauma-definition-what-is-trauma-and-how-do-i-know-if-i-have-it/ How do you define trauma? In this blog, we talk about what trauma is and how to know if you've experienced it. Trauma is defined as "a deeply distressing or disturbing experience. " The Center for Treatment of Anxiety and Mood disorders defines trauma as "a psychological, emotional response to an event or an experience that is deeply distressing or disturbing. " When loosely applied, this trauma definition can refer to something upsetting, such as being involved in an accident, having an illness or injury, losing a loved one, or going through a divorce. However, it can also encompass the far extreme and include experiences that are severely disturbing such as rape or torture. Because events are viewed subjectively, this broad trauma definition is more of a guideline. Everyone processes traumatic events differently because we all face them through the lens of prior experiences in our lives. As an example, one person may be upset or fearful after going through a hurricane, but someone else may have lost family in Hurricane Katrina, which can bring up traumatic flashbacks of their terrifying experience. There are also different categories of trauma. Complex trauma happens repetitively, and its effects are cumulative to the individual. Any future events that happen can retrieve the previous layers of trauma. Therapies like EMDR and Splankna can address and heal the root causes of complex trauma. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can develop when a person is exposed to a traumatic event, such as the recent fires in... - Published: 2018-07-13 - Modified: 2019-11-24 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/infidelity-affairs-of-the-heart-and-the-web-of-shame/ Equal Opportunity Affairs: Infidelity and the Web of Shame. Infidelity & affairs contribute to shame, and the inner critic. The Inner Critic For most of my clients, affairs start innocently enough. They are equal opportunity affairs --These situations happen to both men and women in equal proportions. Many clients tell me, "I can't believe this happened to me. " These situations often begin innocently enough at work. For instance, you might find yourself talking to a co-worker about his/her unhappy marriage, dilemmas with parenting, and soon you develop a relationship. They seem easy to talk to. In these intimate conversations, you feel listened to, heard, valued & understood. For the first time in a long time. Your spouse may have checked out emotionally, or sexually, a long time ago. The intimacy in your marriage is lacking and talking to your coworker fills this void. Pretty soon, you can't wait to see this person at work. You start to notice feelings and excitement that you haven't felt in a long time at home. Instead of nurturing your relationship with your wife/ husband, it becomes more energizing to talk to your "work wife" or "work husband. " Affairs seem to happen frequently these days, and are equal opportunity -- men and women cheat on their spouses, in order to fill a need for intimacy that isn't being filled. Often, it seems "easier" to start another relationship than to patch up the existing one at home. This way, you don't have to deal... - Published: 2018-06-14 - Modified: 2019-11-20 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/the-inner-critic-perfectionism-and-shame/ THE INNER CRITIC, SHAME and PERFECTIONISM Perfectionism and shame sometimes take the shape of an Inner Critic. You know that voice? The one inside your head that tells you that "You're not good enough. " The one that tries to make you do everything perfectly and never make mistakes? The one who insisted that getting a few B's or C's in college would be your downfall? The voice that contributes to your anxiety, fear, depression & shame? Often, this voice starts in childhood. It can sound like the voice of a critical parent, or a relative. As an adult, you don't have to believe "the voice. " You can become aware of this critical voice every time it makes an appearance in your mind. You can even engage with it, "What are you trying to tell me? " Maybe you can even give it a name, and try to befriend this critical, worried, fearful part of yourself. You can talk back to it. You don't have to believe its' lies. Instead of trying to get this critical voice to "go away," you want to offer it compassion. It is trying to help or protect us in some way. Often it served a useful function when you were a child. The Inner Critic can inspire us to do better; it serves a purpose & it can be helpful at times. Other times, it can lead to depression, shame, even suicide & despair. If you feel this way, please contact me for... - Published: 2018-06-14 - Modified: 2023-05-10 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/supportive-counseling-vs-going-it-solo/ COUNSELING & SUPPORT VS. "THE LONE RANGER" Our stubbornly independent "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" culture in the US, can help us grow to be self-sufficient, successful human beings. However, it can also lead to our downfall. "We stumble over our strengths, not our weaknesses. " We aren't supposed to figure out everything on our own & be a Lone Ranger. Have you ever been through some kind of trauma in your life, like a divorce, difficult relationships, losing a parent, or maybe even the death of a child... . ? Did you reach out for support? To whom? When you encounter life's difficult seasons -- The Valleys of Despair -- sometimes you can isolate, get discouraged, and shut down. Depression, despair and suicidal thoughts can creep in. You may feel alone, disconnected, like you are the only one who has ever felt this pain. Have you felt this way? Do you feel this way now? If so, I would like to encourage you to reach out for support. Use the coupon on this page to contact me and receive a free counseling consultation. You do not have to go through this season alone. Sometimes you can't just "snap out of it. " Often, friends try to support you, but you end up feeling judged, criticized, or receive poor guidance. While friends typically have the best intentions, difficult situations call for specialized training & counseling techniques to process the emotions arising from traumatic situations. Reach out for local support... - Published: 2017-07-12 - Modified: 2019-11-20 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/an-empath-and-a-narcissist/ Are you an empath? Do you find yourself in the same types of unhealthy relationships? Let's take a look at what's really going on... . . "Give, give, give some more & then give up. " Does this sound familiar? Often, empaths stumble on their own strengths. Kindness, generosity, helpfulness & compassion can become depleting & detrimental to the empath's emotional health and well-being. What needs to be added to this equation to bring balance? Boundaries, self-care, and learning to speak up for our own needs. Naturally gifted at taking care of others, empathic people border on co-dependency. The empaths self-sacrifice leads to decreased motivation, energy, and joy. The empath's pattern of caregiving brews the perfect storm; fatal attraction to a narcissist. The narcissist has the same developmental wounds as the empath, but expresses themself in the opposite manner. They take everything the empath can give... . and much, more more. They require a never-ending narcissistic supply of attention, compliments & praise to feed their inexhaustible ego. A good metaphor is to view the narcissist as an energy vampire. They suck energy out of empaths because they can't produce it themselves. The empath winds up feeling exhausted, ungrounded, depleted, and drained. Resentment follows. What can you do to break out of this sticky cycle? Pema Chodron says, "Nothing ever goes away until it teaches us what we need to know. " We get what we tolerate... determine what you will tolerate in relationships. When the empath hits wits end, and... > Psychologist Jayma Jamieson discusses New Year's Resolutions and how to make them actually attainable in 2015. Be kind and gentle with yourself. - Published: 2015-01-12 - Modified: 2019-11-20 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/new-years-resolutions/ It seems to me that the New Year's Resolutions so eagerly made on January 1st, and quickly forgotten and broken, leaving their owners feeling guilty... . . like a failure... . something we use to "beat ourself up" instead of the intended, constructive purpose. If we must make a resolution, how about we reverse the damage, and learn to be okay with our brokenness, inability to be perfect, accept our mistakes and failures. To have fewer expectations for ourself, and more self-compassion, is a more productive beginning for the New Year: A New Year's De-Resolution! If we learn to be more compassionate and loving towards ourselves, we can then be more gentle towards others. Some ideas are: to soften, to move more slowly through life, to be more mindful. This may involve more time spent in meditation, silence, prayer... whatever you practice. Maybe it is just solitary time spent outdoors; hiking, skiing, or walking. We can learn to move towards our difficult emotions, like anger, sadness, fear, and anxiety. We can learn to accept these emotions, rather than judging them. We can learn to offer ourself the support we didn't get in the past -- from parents, family, friends, and to develop constructive, safe relationships. How do we go about making these changes, you might ask? ! Start by noticing your thoughts about stressful events, relationships, circumstances in your life. Our thoughts about the circumstances create 99% of the suffering we experience. Start to untangle what happened, from the associated... > Self-love & compassion are critical for our well-being! We must learn to love and forgive ourselves before we can love and forgive others. - Published: 2014-08-30 - Modified: 2019-11-20 - URL: https://jaymajamieson.com/self-love-compassion/ Loving others, loving myself, loving God. We can't offer others what we first haven't offered to ourself. It is critical to demonstrate self-love & compassion. As Kahlil Gibran eloquently state, "And God said, Love your Enemy. And I obeyed and loved myself. " Often, we don't learn to love ourself well, in our family of origin. Learning to love ourself as an adult is the beginning of true freedom. Carl Jung, the famous psychiatrist who specialized in dream work and archetypes, said, "That I feed the hungry, forgive an insult, and love my enemy -- these are great virtues. But what if I should discover that the poorest of beggars and most impudent of offenders are all within me, and that I stand in need of all the alms of my own kindness; that I myself am the enemy who must be loved -- what then? " You deserve self-compassion! Life is difficult and we must own the adult role of facilitating our own healing, through self-love. Oftentimes, I find that we are our own worst enemy -- that instead of offering ourselves compassion, we judge and condemn parts of our self. This creates a split within our mind, body and spirit. Instead of being fully integrated, loving, authentic human beings, we wear masks, trying to hide what we fear and judge. This stands in opposition to self-love! Judgement of self and others is crippling. It is based in fear. If we can learn to focus our minds, hearts, spirits,...