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In the Writing
You'll read my passion and pursuit of all things mental health. I love to share thoughts and ideas on this blog. Most times, I have a corresponding podcast. Make sure you check out both, and welcome!
The Tyranny of Choice
AI Generated Image We live in a culture that celebrates options. From careers to relationships, from what to stream on Netflix to how to...
Piper Harris, LPC
Sep 22, 20254 min read
When Tragedy Strikes: Understanding the Psychological Impact of Trauma
In the past weeks, headlines have once again reminded us how fragile life can be. When innocent lives are taken, whether through...
Piper Harris, LPC
Sep 15, 20255 min read
What Makes Counseling Work? Here’s My Answer.
What makes counseling actually work? It’s a question clients often carry into their first session, and one I’ve asked myself for years as...
Piper Harris, LPC
Sep 8, 20254 min read
When Contradictions in Care Leave Clients Unsafe: Why Termination Was the Only Option
As counselors, our first responsibility is always the well-being of the client. That commitment can sometimes place us in uncomfortable...
Piper Harris, LPC
Aug 28, 20259 min read
Steering the Ship: Standards, Boundaries, and Expectations in Relationships
Every relationship is like a ship. Some sail steadily toward their destination, while others drift off course or sink under pressure....
Piper Harris, LPC
Aug 25, 20254 min read
Unfinished Business and the Power of the Unsent Letter
The Gestalt Concept of Unfinished Business Fritz Perls, the founder of Gestalt therapy, often spoke of “unfinished business”: the...
Piper Harris, LPC
Aug 18, 20253 min read
Why “Resolved” Matters: The Missing Goalposts in Therapy
Most therapy models encourage clients to set goals , but too often, those goals are vague. “I want to feel better.” “I want less...
Piper Harris, LPC
Aug 11, 20253 min read
Food Is Memories: The Tangerine
In her short piece Borderland , found in The Art of Eating , M.F.K. Fisher captures something that neuroscience would later confirm: food...
Piper Harris, LPC
Aug 3, 20253 min read
What a 17th-Century Philosopher Got Wrong About Trauma (and What We Know Now)
Image: Lin Health In the 1600s, René Descartes famously wrote, “Cogito, ergo sum” ," I think, therefore I am . With that phrase, he drew...
Piper Harris, LPC
Jul 27, 20252 min read
Chasing Happy
A few weeks ago, I gave myself space for a practice I use quarterly: free association. Originally a psychoanalytic tool, free association...
Piper Harris, LPC
Jul 21, 20253 min read
You’re Not Too Much—You’re Just in the Wrong Room
There’s a lie that creeps into too many minds, especially the ones I work with. It doesn’t usually sound like “I’m worthless.”It sounds...
Piper Harris, LPC
Jul 14, 20252 min read
Truth Over Comfort: What I Say as Your Therapist Without Sugarcoating It
There’s a trending reel format circulating on Instagram: “What I’d say as your therapist if I wasn’t worried about your feelings.” But...
Piper Harris, LPC
Jul 7, 20252 min read
All I Need to Know If We Could Work Together Comes Down to a Shopping Cart
Small acts reveal big truths. The parking lot of a home goods store gave me all the data I needed. A mother and her teenage daughter...
Piper Harris, LPC
Jun 30, 20253 min read
When Talking Helps—And When It Doesn’t:
When Conversation Becomes a Loop, Real Progress Stalls Therapy is a space where people often expect to “just talk”—and there’s a reason...
Piper Harris, LPC
Jun 23, 20252 min read
5 Brutal Truths About Suffering Well
You can’t become who you’re meant to be without the burn. We live in a world obsessed with avoiding pain. Grief? Numb it. Sadness?...
Piper Harris, LPC
Jun 16, 20252 min read
7 Truths Men Need to Hear About Mental Health & PTSD
June marks both Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month and PTSD Awareness Month . While these campaigns may show up as hashtags or...
Piper Harris, LPC
Jun 9, 20254 min read
When Feedback Feels Unsafe: The Attachment Wounds Behind Resistance
It happens more often than people admit: they walk into therapy or coaching seeking clarity and growth, only to find themselves bristling...
Piper Harris, LPC
Jun 2, 20253 min read
Burnout Before Summer Even Starts? It Might Be Decisional Fatigue
It’s not even officially summer, and I already feel like I’m running on fumes. The past few months have been a whirlwind—balancing client...
Piper Harris, LPC
May 27, 20253 min read
Coaching or Counseling? Why the Lines Are Getting Blurred—and Why That’s a Problem and How I'm the Answer.
There’s a growing crisis in the coaching world—and not enough people are talking about it. Every day, I encounter individuals who come...
Piper Harris, LPC
May 22, 20254 min read
The Power to Pivot: Why Mental Flexibility Is a Strength You Can Build
You cannot control the wind, but you can adjust the sails. Life rarely asks permission before it shifts. A diagnosis. A layoff. A...
Piper Harris, LPC
May 12, 20252 min read
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