Life


The 3 Core Skills Every Person Needs for Romantic Competence

Romantic competence is not a phrase that has yet reached mainstream culture, but I suspect it will soon enough. Romantic competence includes three core skills: insight, mutuality, and emotional regulation. These skills affect all our relationships, not just romantic relationships. I have reflected on the three skills of romantic competence, wanting to discern if any of the three are necessary. I feel clear that they are all valuable and essential to improving our relationships, especially romantic relationships. I am interested in what you learn from this fascinating article about the work of  Joanne Davila on romantic competence! ...

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Advanced Reiki Training May 23!

First Degree Reiki Training - Providence Life Coaching Reiki Counseling
Advanced Reiki Training May 23 from 1:00-5:00! This is a zoom training. Third Degree Advanced Reiki Training (ART) is a one-day Traditional Usui Reiki Training. This degree in Reiki Training is for increasing the intensity of Reiki energy, advanced Reiki Counseling Training and a Reiki Attunement to raise the overall Reiki vibration of Reiki Practitioners. Advanced Reiki Training is the least structured of all the Reiki Trainings in the Usui system. It is an opportunity for students to explore where they can strengthen their practice and expand what they are already ...

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First Degree Reiki Training June 19 & 20!

First Degree Reiki Training at Providence Zen Center - Providence Life Coaching Reiki Counseling - Woman receiving reiki treatment.
A Special First Degree Reiki Training Saturday & Sunday June 19 & 20 from 1:00-6:00. First Degree Traditional Usui Reiki Training is where all new Reiki students begin their Reiki Training. In this class, students receive all four First Degree Reiki Attunements, practice sharing and receiving Reiki and be ready to share Reiki with friends, family and emergency situations. First Degree Traditional Usui Reiki Training is offered as a two-day Training. The fee for the two-day training is $175. Location to be determined based on class size.  

First Degree Reiki Training - Providence Holistic Counselor, Coach and Reiki - Michael Swerdloff

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Great Relationships Are Not Accidents

Tantra Is NOT Love - Tantra And Sacred Sex - Providence Holistic Counseling Services
Great relationships are not accidents. It sounds so simple and obvious that it almost feels like it cannot actually be true. I can almost see a pink and purple bumper sticker on an old Volkswagen Bug written in cute letters. How can something as complicated as relationships be so simple, you ask? Great question! The answer to great relationships is equally simple and obvious: trust. Simple and obvious, yes, easy, not so much. When we speak about trust, most people nod their heads in agreement. If we take a closer look at what trust entails, most of us want to curl up in a little ball under the covers....

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Green Flags For Your Relationship

We are all familiar with the "red flags" to be aware of when starting a new relationship. The green flags, however, do not get as much attention. We have possibly spent too much time making sure everyone knows what to avoid in relationships and perhaps not enough focus on what to embrace in relationships. The list of green flags is an attempt to offer another lens to view and assess what is productive and necessary to thrive and prosper in relationships. Of the 6 Little Green Flags That You've Found A Keeper shared below, I would like to focus on just a few of them. Beginning with being your authentic self around them is key. If you feel safe enough around them to not feel like you have to look, sound and/or be different in their presence than you do with your inner circle, it is essential. Or, from the reverse perspective, why would you want to be with someone who does not feel like being yourself is enough or acceptable? ...

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Red Flags For Your Relationships

We have all been there, the red flags in a new relationship. When launching a new relationship, we see these little signs that our instincts tell us to "RUN," but we don't listen. They are attractive, fun, or funny; maybe they have a good job or career, or maybe they are just so different than the last relationship that ANYTHING feels like an upgrade. These red flags are not always obvious to us when oxytocin is released in our bodies, and everything feels magical.

"Oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin are often referred to as our “happy hormones.” When you’re attracted to another person, your brain releases dopamine, your serotonin levels increase, and oxytocin is produced. This causes you to feel a surge of positive emotion." Adrienne Santos-Longhurst  on Healthline.

When these hormones are released, we are not always able to make intelligent, thoughtful decisions. We tend to act impulsively and jump into a relationship based on the experiences that these hormones produce in us. We tend to attach good feelings to the person and assume that they are the cause of this newfound sense of joy and vitality. Sometimes they are the reasons we feel the way we do early in the relationship, sometimes it is just these specific hormones are doing what they are supposed to do, create offspring. This is why paying attention to red flags in a new relationship is so vital to its sustainable success and our well-being....

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Cultural Competency & 7 Things You Should Expect from a Mental Health Professional

I Am NOT Black, You are NOT White. - Labels - Providence Holistic Counseling Services - connection-confection-world-peace-in-our-hands

I am incredibly grateful for the experience of working with the Urban League for several years. The National Urban League works to provide economic empowerment, educational opportunities, and the guarantee of civil rights for the underserved in America. I had the opportunity to work with and be supervised by many excellent social workers, community organizers, and counselors who trained me in cultural competency as a mental health professional and social worker. Of course,  there is always more to learn. There are so many different cultures, religions, and sub-cultures both here in the United States and around the world that it is impossible to truly achieve cultural competency. However, we can continue to learn and grow to support our communities to the best of our ability. Cultural competency is a process. not a static destination.

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