Reflections From The Therapy Room

A blog about therapy, healing, personal growth, & being human

Bountiful Health
East Bay Therapy & Counseling in Orinda, CA

Body Image Therapy & Self-Esteem Therapy

Body Image Therapy & Self-Esteem Therapy

Body image struggles often go deeper than appearance, shaping self-esteem and self-worth. In this first part of our Healing Beyond the Mirror series, discover how body image therapy and self-esteem therapy can help you untangle old shame stories and begin seeing yourself with greater compassion.

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Feeling Out of Alignment? How East Bay Therapy Can Support Life Transitions and Identity Shifts
Life Transitions, Therapy Insights Anita Bardsley, MA, LMFT Life Transitions, Therapy Insights Anita Bardsley, MA, LMFT

Feeling Out of Alignment? How East Bay Therapy Can Support Life Transitions and Identity Shifts

Have you ever built the life you thought you wanted, only to find it no longer feels like yours?

When your outer life stops reflecting your inner truth, it can leave you with an uneasy feeling, a sense of being out of step with yourself. This blog explores why that misalignment, known as self-incongruence, feels so unsettling, how life transitions bring it into focus, and how our East Bay therapy practice, specializing in life transitions and identity support, can help you reconnect with a life that truly feels like home.

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The Roots of Perfectionism: How Early Life Experiences Shape Your Inner Critic

The Roots of Perfectionism: How Early Life Experiences Shape Your Inner Critic

Perfectionism often looks like success on the outside, but inside, it can feel like constant pressure, shame, and never feeling good enough. In this post, we explore how early life experiences shape the inner critic, and how psychodynamic therapy helps you understand the roots of perfectionism, quiet self-doubt, and begin to feel worthy without having to earn it.

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Always on Edge, Never at Ease: Anxiety, Perfectionism, and the Inner Critic
Perfectionism, Shame, & Self-Worth, Therapy Insights Anita Bardsley, MA, LMFT Perfectionism, Shame, & Self-Worth, Therapy Insights Anita Bardsley, MA, LMFT

Always on Edge, Never at Ease: Anxiety, Perfectionism, and the Inner Critic

Many people live with anxiety without realizing it, because it hides behind perfectionism, over-responsibility, and an inner critic that never rests. This post explores how these patterns develop, why they’re so hard to break, and how anxiety therapy can help you reconnect with yourself and begin to feel safe in your own body again.

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When You’re Functioning, But Not Really Living: How Depression Therapy Helps Uncover Hidden Struggles
Depression Therapy, Therapy Insights Anita Bardsley, MA, LMFT Depression Therapy, Therapy Insights Anita Bardsley, MA, LMFT

When You’re Functioning, But Not Really Living: How Depression Therapy Helps Uncover Hidden Struggles

You may be getting through the day, showing up, doing the work, holding it all together, but inside, something feels off. High-functioning depression often hides behind competence and composure, making it hard to name and even harder to talk about. This post explores the quiet signs of high-functioning depression and how compassionate, relational depression therapy in the East Bay can help you reconnect with what’s been missing.

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East Bay Therapy: Healing Through Connection With Relational, Integrative Therapy

East Bay Therapy: Healing Through Connection With Relational, Integrative Therapy

Healing takes more than quick fixes; it takes safety, connection, and care that meets you where you are. In this post, explore how relational, integrative, trauma-informed, and depth therapy support lasting change for anxiety, trauma, and disconnection. Learn how East Bay therapy in Orinda and across California can help you reclaim clarity, self-trust, and emotional well-being.

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Top Myths About Counseling and Therapy: What East Bay Therapy Clients Should Know
East Bay Therapy, Getting Started, Therapy Insights Anita Bardsley, MA, LMFT East Bay Therapy, Getting Started, Therapy Insights Anita Bardsley, MA, LMFT

Top Myths About Counseling and Therapy: What East Bay Therapy Clients Should Know

Wondering if therapy is right for you? This post breaks down the top myths about counseling and shares the real truth behind them. Whether you're exploring East Bay therapy, looking for mental health services, or seeking Orinda therapy for yourself or a teen, this guide offers clarity, encouragement, and insight to help you take the next step.

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Feeling Safe in Therapy: Why It Matters and What It Can Mean for You | Relational, Integrative East Bay Therapy in Orinda, CA.
Getting Started, Therapy Insights, East Bay Therapy Anita Bardsley, MA, LMFT Getting Started, Therapy Insights, East Bay Therapy Anita Bardsley, MA, LMFT

Feeling Safe in Therapy: Why It Matters and What It Can Mean for You | Relational, Integrative East Bay Therapy in Orinda, CA.

What does it really mean to feel safe in therapy? At Bountiful Health, we offer relational, integrative therapy in Orinda, Lafayette, Walnut Creek, and online across California. This post explores why emotional safety matters and how the right therapist can support real healing and connection.

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Getting Started: FAQs About Counseling, Psychotherapy, and Therapy for Depression.
Getting Started, East Bay Therapy, Therapy Insights Anita Bardsley, MA, LMFT Getting Started, East Bay Therapy, Therapy Insights Anita Bardsley, MA, LMFT

Getting Started: FAQs About Counseling, Psychotherapy, and Therapy for Depression.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, stuck in old patterns, or struggling with depression, you’re not alone. Many people in Orinda and across the East Bay are seeking support to find a way forward. Whether you’re new to therapy or considering returning, this FAQ guide is here to answer your questions about counseling, psychotherapy, and therapy for depression. Let’s break it down together in a conversational, approachable way.

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Getting Started: East Bay Therapist Consultation
Getting Started, East Bay Therapy, Therapy Insights Anita Bardsley, MA, LMFT Getting Started, East Bay Therapy, Therapy Insights Anita Bardsley, MA, LMFT

Getting Started: East Bay Therapist Consultation

Looking for an Orinda therapist? This guide shares 9 thoughtful questions to ask during a free consultation call, so you can find relational, trauma-informed therapy that fits your needs. Learn how to choose a therapist for anxiety, depression, trauma, or life transitions with clarity and confidence.

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