Unveiling the Truth: Is Shadow Work Dangerous?

Unveiling the Truth: Is Shadow Work Dangerous?

Unveiling the Truth: Is Shadow Work Dangerous?   Over the years, I've had several people come to me asking, "Is shadow work dangerous?" Today, let's explore this topic. Shadow work is a term that has gained popularity in recent years, but what exactly does it...

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Morning Affirmations For Anxiety And Depression

Morning Affirmations For Anxiety And Depression

Morning Affirmations For Anxiety And Depression: You Can Get Better!     Throughout much of my life, I've battled anxiety and low-grade depression. These unwelcome guests have woven their threads into the fabric of my everyday existence, casting shadows over...

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Understanding Repressed Emotions: Healing the Past

Understanding Repressed Emotions: Healing the Past

Understanding Repressed Emotions: Healing the Past     When I was growing up, I had no idea that I’d been learning from a young age to repress negative emotions. I was simply living my life, oblivious to what was going on under the surface. I grew up in an...

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Fear of Abandonment: Tips To Overcome

Fear of Abandonment: Tips To Overcome

Overcome The Fear of Abandonment     The fear of abandonment is a psychological phenomenon that affects many people around the world. This fear can originate from a variety of sources, including childhood experiences, past traumas, or unresolved relationship...

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Powerful Affirmations and Prayers For Addiction

Powerful Affirmations and Prayers For Addiction

Powerful Affirmations and Prayers For Addiction Welcome to a transformative journey of hope and healing through prayers for addiction. In this guide, we will explore the profound impact of prayers in supporting individuals struggling with addiction, providing solace,...

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12 Warning Signs of Emotional Abuse and How to Seek Help

12 Warning Signs of Emotional Abuse and How to Seek Help

12 Warning Signs of Emotional Abuse and How to Seek Help     If there’s one thing I’d love to see everyone understand better, it’s emotional abuse. As someone who has experienced it firsthand years ago, I can't stress enough how important it is to recognize...

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What Is A Mystic And 10 Signs That You Are One?

What Is A Mystic And 10 Signs That You Are One?

What Is A Mystic And 10 Signs That You Are One?   For many years, the topic of mysticism has been a source of fascination for me, as I have always been intrigued by the idea that there is more to life than what can be seen on the surface. The study of mysticism...

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Heal Negative Emotions with Shadow Work

Heal Negative Emotions with Shadow Work

Heal Negative Emotions with Shadow Work     I wish I’d have known about shadow work when I was in my teens or twenties. Had I started the inner healing work back then, maybe I would have avoided some deep emotional suffering. Still, I know that timing...

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40 Being Single Quotes That Will Empower You

40 Being Single Quotes That Will Empower You

40 Being Single Quotes That Will Empower You: Embrace Your Independence     I used to think being single was horrible. I felt shame around it and like if people knew I was single, they'd think I was a failure. Everywhere I looked, it seemed like society was...

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What Does It Mean To Be “Whole”?

What Does It Mean To Be “Whole”?

What Does It Mean To Feel Whole?     “I feel broken. Like someone took a sledgehammer and delivered blow after blow, shattering me into a thousand pieces.” Maybe you haven’t felt that broken, but chances are you’ve dealt with some feelings of brokenness in...

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10 Self-Awareness Books You Must Read For More Peace

10 Self-Awareness Books You Must Read For More Peace

10 Self-Awareness Books You Must Read For More Peace     I went much of my life not understanding what "self-awareness" meant. Even getting a degree in psychology didn't open my eyes to the importance of awareness of self. It wasn't until just a decade ago I...

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55 Mental Health Journal Prompts To Boost Wellness

55 Mental Health Journal Prompts To Boost Wellness

55 Journaling Prompts for Mental Health     Mental health journal prompts are becoming an increasingly popular tool for managing mental health and well-being. It is highly effective in reducing stress and improving emotional regulation, as well as providing...

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Spiritual Awakening: 17 Signs and Symptoms

Spiritual Awakening: 17 Signs and Symptoms

  Spiritual Awakening: 17 Signs and Symptoms     Spiritual awakening has become a hot topic in recent years, with more and more people becoming interested in exploring their spirituality and discovering the meaning of life beyond the material world. As...

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Shadow Work and Self-Discovery: Overcoming Common Obstacles

Shadow Work and Self-Discovery: Overcoming Common Obstacles

Shadow Work and Self-Discovery: Overcoming Common Obstacles   Shadow work is a common technique for finding and dealing with various inner “shadows” that may be holding us back in some form or fashion.  It involves delving into our unconscious mind to explore...

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The ER Visit That Broke My Heart Open

The ER Visit That Broke My Heart Open

  The ER Visit That Broke My Heart Open: A Story of Overcoming The Fear of the Unknown By Dominica Applegate   As I lay in the back of the ambulance, oscillating between paralyzing fear and numbness, little did I know that this one trip to the Emergency Room...

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Inner Healing Work: What Is It & Why Do People Fear It?

Inner Healing Work: What Is It & Why Do People Fear It?

Inner Healing Work: What Is It & Why Do People Fear It?   If you spend time with me, you’ll most likely hear me talk about doing your “inner healing work” or shadow work. But many people don’t really understand what it means to do inner work.  Sure, they know...

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The Myth of Normal & Why I’m Not

The Myth of Normal & Why I’m Not

The Myth of Normal & Why I'm Not     I recently watched a talk by Dr. Gabor Mate, physician and addictions expert, about what he calls, “The myth of normal”, a concept that divides people into normal and abnormal based on pathological traits. What I...

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Want A Better Relationship? Learn Your Attachment Style

Want A Better Relationship? Learn Your Attachment Style

We want secure, fulfilling relationships, right? But many certainly don’t turn out the way we want, and we end up heartbroken, ashamed, frustrated, angry, and lonely. On a brighter note, what if we can come to understand ourselves and our partner better by looking at...

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Inner Childhood Wounds: Healing Using Shadow Work

Inner Childhood Wounds: Healing Using Shadow Work

Inner Childhood Wounds: Healing Using Shadow Work     Inner childhood wounds can be a significant source of emotional pain and trauma that can continue to impact our lives well into adulthood. Shadow work is a powerful approach to healing that involves...

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Shadow Work Journaling: Unlock Your True Potential

Shadow Work Journaling: Unlock Your True Potential

Shadow Work Journaling: Unlock Your True Potential     Do you ever feel like there's more to you than what you're currently tapping into? That there are aspects of your personality that are hidden, just waiting to be explored? If so, shadow work journaling may be...

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Ego Death & Spiritual Awakening: What’s It All About?

Ego Death & Spiritual Awakening: What’s It All About?

Ego death = is a term used to describe the collapse of an individual's sense of self. It can involve a loss of identity, a feeling of being disconnected from reality, and a dissolution of previously held beliefs or ideals. This experience can be both positive and...

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Overcoming Individual + Epidemic Fear: It’s A Process

Overcoming Individual + Epidemic Fear: It’s A Process

Overcoming Individual + Epidemic Fear: It’s A Process     Fear has always been my biggest inner shadow. Fear of losing control. Fear of not being enough. Fear of suffering. Losing a loved one, and so much more. Then Covid hits and the world goes into panic...

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Riddled With Anxiety? Get Excited Instead!

Riddled With Anxiety? Get Excited Instead!

Riddled With Anxiety? Get Excited Instead! I have struggled with anxiety/nervousness far more than I like to admit. However, there are several things over the years that have really helped me reduce the intensity. I watched a short video by Mel Robbins today about her...

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Christian Shadow Work: How to Do Shadow Work as a Christian

Christian Shadow Work: How to Do Shadow Work as a Christian

How to Do Shadow Work as a Christian   Sometimes I’ll get comments from Christians that shadow work is not biblical and should be avoided. While I agree that technically, “shadow work” is not in the Bible, many Christian mental health therapists use the technique...

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What Is A Guided Journal?

What Is A Guided Journal?

  What Is A Guided Journal?   Welcome to our blog post answering the question: What is a guided journal? Here is an outline of what we’ll cover. What Is A Guided Journal? Introduction to Guided Journaling Why Use Guided Journals? Different Types of Guided...

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I Just Want To Feel Happy

I Just Want To Feel Happy

I just want to feel happy. Is that too much to ask? After spending most of my life searching for happiness (sometimes in some really strange ways), the “giving up” felt so good. But I’m not talking about giving up the way you might think. I mean giving up my belief in...

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Effective Ways To Model Self-Care for Your Kids

Effective Ways To Model Self-Care for Your Kids

Written by Anya Willis Did you know only 6.6% of American adults actively participate in daily self-care? Yet 41.5% of those same adults have suffered anxiety disorders or depression symptoms since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since children learn best from the...

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Survival: The Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn Response

Survival: The Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn Response

Survival: The Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn Response   If a bear were heading your way, do you think you'd try to fight the bear, run away, or freeze in fear? Your response may depend on what you experienced and learned growing up. While we don't typically run into...

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High Anxiety? 5 Things You Can Do To Find Relief

High Anxiety? 5 Things You Can Do To Find Relief

Most of my life I was plagued with high levels of anxiety. I understand how it feels to live in chronic survival mode, looking at people and life as threats. I also understand what it’s like to find some relief and healing. To work through traumatic situations and...

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Trauma Survivor? Why Body-Based Therapy Is Essential

Trauma Survivor? Why Body-Based Therapy Is Essential

{Note: I wrote this post for Daily Motivation. Here is the introduction, but to finish reading the post, click the "Read More" link below.} When many people think of “trauma survivors”, they think of combat veterans, victims of abuse, sexual violence, physical injury,...

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Ego: What Is It & Why Should I Care?

Ego: What Is It & Why Should I Care?

“Kill the ego! It’s a monster!” I’ve heard this a lot over the years, but is the ego a monster that needs killed? What exactly is the ego? Why should we care? Let’s dive into the world of ego a bit today, because when you come to understand the concept and structure...

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Rewiring The Anxious Brain In A World That Seems Unsafe

No doubt many people have been feeling unsafe in a world of uncertainty the past year.  With the invisible threat of COVID-19 swirling the planet, it’s safe to say even those who typically feel secure have been on edge. This brings me to the topic of anxiety, which is...

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Not Feeling Seen Or Heard? Here’s What You Can Do

Not Feeling Seen Or Heard? Here’s What You Can Do

Relationships are important. From the moment we're born, forming secure connections with others is of primary importance based on survival, but also based on preference. From infants to children to adults, we all desire to feel seen and heard. By seen and heard, I...

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11 Things Your Inner Child Wants To Hear From You

Dan is stuck in life.  He gets up every morning and puts a smile on for his work peers, but inside, he’s depressed and angry. He’s 28 and thought by now, his life would be a lot different. He thought he’d be married with children, have a nice house in the suburbs, and...

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How To Create A Sacred Altar For Prayer & Worship

How To Create A Sacred Altar For Prayer & Worship

If you've been wondering how to build an altar, here is a practice guide that will help you out. “The energy in here is so inviting. It’s peaceful, so soothing.” It’s not uncommon to hear this when someone comes to visit. They immediately sense good, peaceful vibes in...

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Attachment Styles: How Do You Attach To Others?

Attachment Styles: How Do You Attach To Others?

Attachment Styles: How Do You Attach To Others?     Have you ever wondered why we act the way we do in relationships? Why our partners do? How some relationships last the long haul and others split after weeks or months? Just how do people end up practicing...

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What Does It Mean To Be A Highly Sensitive Person?

What Does It Mean To Be A Highly Sensitive Person?

You’re too sensitive! You feel way too much!” If you’ve ever heard that from someone, then you may be interested in learning what it really means to be a highly sensitive person (HSP). Let me start by saying being sensitive is not a negative trait. If others have...

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I’m Sad. Ok, Ok, I’m Depressed. What Can I Do?

I’m Sad. Ok, Ok, I’m Depressed. What Can I Do?

Come mighty breakdown, break me wide open.Carve your name in the caverns of my hollow heart.Rip off the blinders & cut the shadow’s cord.I can’t take one more day of this pitch black.This sandpaper love has rubbed me raw. That’s a poem I wrote quite a few years...

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Moving Beyond Codependency: 8 Key Recovery Principles

Moving Beyond Codependency: 8 Key Recovery Principles

In working with people who struggle with codependency characteristics (anxious attachment style), and navigating my emotional healing journey, I have compiled 8 Key Concepts working toward healing from such characteristics that form my understanding of a foundation...

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5 Exercises To Help You Honor & Heal Your Inner Child

5 Exercises To Help You Honor & Heal Your Inner Child

While it’s every child's right to feel safe and secure, no one has the luxury of a perfect childhood. Parents have the responsibility to create a physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually safe space for their kids. While I do think most parents do a...

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Imagine A World Marked With Peace & Love

Imagine A World Marked With Peace & Love

Imagine A World Marked With Peace & Love At the onset of the Industrial Revolution around 1700, there were about 670 million people around the world. This was before we started using fossil fuels like crazy, extracting more and more resources from our precious...

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In Chaos, There Is Fertility

In Chaos, There Is Fertility

In Chaos, There Is Fertility “In chaos, there is fertility.” ~ Anaïs NinI love this wisdom by Anais Nin.  In a time of obvious chaos around the world, perhaps it can spark some hope in those needing it.No doubt globally we’re at a turning point in history, with many...

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Aha Moments & Why I’m Writing Again

Aha Moments & Why I’m Writing Again2020 has been intense in various ways for me. Actually, I think we can all agree globally, there’s a lot of chaos going on. There’s no doubt at this time in our conscious evolution as a collective that we’re experiencing many...

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There Is A New, Higher Consciousness on the Earth.  

There Is A New, Higher Consciousness on the Earth.  

There Is A New, Higher Consciousness on the Earth  In a relatively short time, I’ve gone from isolating in my bedroom under the guise that I’m an introvert to wanting to stand on rooftops and shout, “You are not who you think you are. We are not who we think we are!...

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Those In Pain Need More Love; Not Less

Those In Pain Need More Love; Not Less

Those In Pain Need More Love, Not Less I think it was Matt Kahn who said that. “Those in pain need more love; not less.” It hit me like a ton of bricks at the time.  I thought, “What about those that are being horrible? The haters? Those that harm others?” I heard,...

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Is Divine or Supernatural Healing For Today?

Is Divine or Supernatural Healing For Today?

Is divine or supernatural healing for today?  Are we to just accept that we’re going to come down with illnesses, aches, and/or diseases? Or, can we actively be doing something to prevent and/or heal such? Are we powerless or powerful? Do our thoughts or beliefs make...

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Addiction & Neuroplasticity: What’s The Deal?

Addiction & Neuroplasticity: What's The Deal?   With millions struggling with addiction globally, something’s got to break treatment wise. Sure, some progress is being made, but not nearly enough.  There’s a lot of theories as to what needs to happen, and...

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Faith Is Passive And Active – Resist Being Lazy

Faith Is Passive And Active – Resist Being LazyAsk, believe, and receive. We hear this a lot in faith or spiritual circles, and it sounds great, right? Ask for something, conjure up the feelings that you indeed have it already, and bam. You’ll get it. But it doesn’t...

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Are We Already Healed? What’s The Truth?

Are We Already Healed? What’s The Truth?

In the few healing modalities I’ve been studying lately, I’m seeing more and more that healing is basically acknowledging or returning to TRUTH. Surely, we all think at times and wonder, “What is real? What is truth? What is Truth?”I know I have, and it always spurs...

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Hello. How Is Your Spirit Doing?

Hello. How Is Your Spirit Doing?

Are You Growing Spiritually?   My hope is that if you’re reading this, you’re already on the spiritual awakening path. (If you’re not, hop on.) You’re waking up. Shaking up all that is not spiritual and embracing more of what is. You’re becoming more concerned...

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The Spirituality of Powerlessness

I’ve worked in the addiction field plenty over the years and am quite familiar with the 12 Step addiction recovery groups like Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous.I’ve worked my own 12 Step program too – Codependents Anonymous and Adult Children of Alcoholics.I can say...

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Parenting Adult Children: Think Progress, Not Perfection

Parenting Adult Children: Think Progress, Not Perfection

“Mom, can I share something with you?”This, coming from my 25-year-old daughter who seems quite upset about something.“Of course, darling. What is it?”Meanwhile, my heart starts to beat a bit faster. I tense up. My mind starts wondering if she’s pregnant or lost her...

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5 Must Read Books For Loved Ones Of Addicts/Alcoholics

5 Must Read Books For Loved Ones Of Addicts/Alcoholics

5 Must Read Books For Loved Ones Of Addicts/Alcoholics If you've got a loved one struggling with alcoholism or addiction, chances are you're wondering how you can best support them and take care of you.  It's not easy being on the opposite end of an addict, that's for...

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Darling, You’re Not Broken

Darling, You’re Not Broken

Darling, You're Not Broken But my heart is broken. How the heck do you expect me to get up and smile every day?We hear this a lot. We see it a lot. Just scroll through Facebook or check Instagram quotes and you’ll see heartache splattered all over the place.Maybe your...

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I Love My Aging Body – Really, I Do

I Love My Aging Body – Really, I Do

I Love My Aging Body – Really, I DoI remember seeing a woman in her mid to late 70’s lounging at the beach in an old, worn out pink bikini. As I walked by her, I smiled, noticing how peaceful she looked gazing out over the ocean.It was obvious she could give a lick...

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How To Tell If My Husband (Or Wife) Is Using Drugs

How To Tell If My Husband (Or Wife) Is Using Drugs Not knowing if your spouse is using drugs or not can cause so much anxiety.  Maybe they’ve got a history of drug use or maybe you’re seeing some sketchy behaviors.  Have you caught him in a lie? Is he slurring his...

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The Call For Peaceful Change

The Call For Peaceful Change

The Call For Peaceful Change Violence stems from the illusion of feeling separate from God. Separate from others. And, separate from oneself. Peace comes when there is a union with God, which results in an abundance of love too. This is to be our aim – a strong,...

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