Holly Buhler

Using Chakra Awareness to Identify Feelings

For a long time, I struggled to identify how I was feeling in the moment. I remember working a pretty easy job at a small local boutique. The work itself was light, sometimes even fun. But the owner was often unregulated and constantly under stress. Every shift, I would leave feeling overwhelmed and tense, even…

What Can I Do with the Range Embedded in My Story?: Using Art for Processing Narrative

Each of us carries a wide emotional range embedded in our personal story. Joy, grief, fear, curiosity, longing…none of it exists in isolation. The question isn’t whether this range exists, but what we choose to do with it once we begin to notice it. Art gives us options and opportunities to move in our story…

Learning to Sit with Our Feelings: A Path to Healing

Feeling emotions fully is a courageous act, especially when we’ve learned to avoid discomfort. In my own hurt, my impulses are to distract myself with shopping. While enjoyable in themselves, these activities became shields against feeling anger and sadness. What if instead, I pause and allow myself to feel? Taking a few deep breaths, shifting…

When Old Patterns Take Over: Recognizing the Spiral

Sometimes, even a small comment from someone we love can trigger a cascade of emotions and old coping patterns. Recently, I found myself hurt by a family member’s words. Instead of facing my feelings, I retreated into a familiar distraction…shopping. This is not inherently a bad activity, but when used to avoid feelings, they become…