Strong emotions like stress, anger, fear, frustration and feeling stuck sabotage our sense of well-being. But they are important information, these feelings. They tell us something needs to change! Working with a therapist can offer a different perspective and skills we may need to turn things around. Whether the problem is within ourselves or in our important relationships, lots of healthy tools are available to create ease, build self-confidence, and help you clarify your values. Addictions, anxiety, depression, and other negative behavior patterns are our body's way of trying to cope, though we know they create more distress. Learning to breathe, observe, and shift to healthier choices in coping with problems is not only possible, it is transforming. Sometimes I do this skill-building outdoors in nature. The Japanese call this "forest bathing". I often meet clients at Wild Basin Preserve or on paddle boards in Austin area lakes.