Author Archives: Katrina Mondragon, Licensed Professional Counselor

Twisted Thinking

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If I don’t talk about it, it didn’t happen and if it didn’t happen I cannot feel the pain.

Sound familiar? This twisted logic when someone wants to heal can lead to conflicting internal dialogue. “I want to be happy” and “I don’t want to feel bad” are not possible to sustain. With the delights of life we must also experience the pain. A movie I enjoy is Inside Out, which is a children’s movie that illustrates the importance of the full range of emotions. Sadness is equally important as joy.  Continue reading

Taking it Personally

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Taking things personally means perceiving something to be an insult or that someone doesn’t like you. Sometimes a comment or criticism is intended to be a personal attack. Other times, well actually most of the time, we simply perceive something as being negative when the intent was either neutral or even positive.

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4 Basic Boundaries, Bitch

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You hear it in therapy all the time, “you need better boundaries.” Okay now…what’s that mean? To put it vaguely, it is where one thing ends and the other begins.
A doorway without an actual door, is still a boundary. People poke their head or knock before coming from my lobby into my office. An emotional boundary is the same concept but to protect our own well being. Here are four boundaries we can all benefit from enforcing: Continue reading

Let’s Clean House!

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Cleanliness is like happiness…it’s relative! I live with my fiancé and we both work all day. Not a lot happens to create a mess or dirt or chaos. The minute you have kids, guests, pets or whatever the standard of what is “clean” may change. Toys and laundry piled high does not necessarily mean your home is a mess or “dirty”. Continue reading

We Compare We Fail

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If all we did was look as similarities and differences without judgement, comparing would not be so bad. Most of us, myself included, are guilty of seeing how others are different and wanting what they have. A small amount of this can encourage ambition. Too much can lead to jealousy and resentment. As with most things in life, moderation is key.  Continue reading

Be Nice To Yourself Today

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I ask people in my office if they talk to themselves. People sometimes sit back and wonder if it is a trick question…am I crazy if I tell her yes? Am I supposed to or not supposed to talk to myself? When I get a yes, I say good! It is important to talk to ourselves. How we talk to ourselves is crucial to maintaining our sanity. One of the first steps in therapy is recognizing how you talk to yourself and if it is nice or not so nice.  Continue reading

5 Ways To Be Productive

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Last week I wrote about not setting New Years resolutions. That seems to be a reoccurring theme for many writers lately. We are catching on that those big goals in one giant leap are not realistic. Many want to be more efficient in their daily lives so today’s post is a about setting out on ways to be more productive in our everyday lives. Here are 5 tips to being more productive this week: Continue reading

NO New Year’s Resolutions!

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The start of a new year might seem like the perfect excuse to procrastinate your goals and make it a promise for next year. Common resolutions include weight loss, smoking cessation, better time-management, or other big life changes. The problem is, when the clock strikes midnight, you get that kiss, and cheers to another rotation around the sun…you are still the same person. Goals take planning, determination, and cannot be accomplished with the flip of a switch. Below are some roadblocks to those new year’s resolutions: Continue reading

All Meat Chili

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Trying to please all the mouths in a home can prove challenging or even impossible. For a meat lovers family, this recipe is a life saver. It is very easy to prep and throw in the crock pot and forget about until dinner time. This recipe is a favorite of mine because of the simplicity and being a comfort food by the fire on a below freezing day.  Continue reading