You’re Allowed to Grieve During the Holidays

The holiday season often arrives wrapped in expectations of joy, celebration, and togetherness. But for many, it’s a season of grief—grief for people who have died, identities we’ve left behind, families that aren’t safe, or versions of life we hoped to have. If this time of year brings more ache than cheer, you’re not broken. You’re human.

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How to Protect Your Peace This Holiday Season (Even When the Darkness Creeps In)

The holidays are supposed to be joyful, cozy, and connected. But for many people, this time of year brings more stress than celebration—especially when paired with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), social pressure, and complex family dynamics. At Sprout Therapy PDX, we want you to know: you’re not alone if you’re dreading the holiday season. You deserve to protect your peace.

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Caring for Everyone But Yourself? Mental Health for Caregivers

If you're the one everyone turns to—the fixer, the emotional anchor, the reliable one—you might also be the one most at risk for burnout. November is National Family Caregivers Month, and at Sprout Therapy PDX, we want to recognize the often invisible labor of caregiving. Whether you’re supporting a child, partner, parent, or chosen family member, your mental health matters too.

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The Parts of You That Feel 'Too Much' Deserve Care Too

As we move through October—into colder nights, longer shadows, and Halloween imagery everywhere—it can bring up parts of ourselves that we usually keep hidden. The sensitive ones. The intense ones. The grieving, angry, or loud ones we’ve been told are “too much.” But at Sprout Therapy PDX, we believe those parts deserve care—not containment.

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Emelie Douglas
You Don’t Have to Wait Until It’s Bad: Why Mental Health Screenings Matter

You don’t need to hit rock bottom to ask for support. In fact, one of the most powerful things you can do for your mental health is check in before things feel overwhelming. October is National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month—a reminder that early support is not only valid, it’s essential. At Sprout Therapy PDX, we believe mental health screenings are acts of care, not crisis.

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Emelie Douglas
Mental Illness Is More Common Than You Think—And You’re Not Alone

If you’ve ever felt like you’re the only one struggling—or that something must be wrong with you for needing support—you’re not alone. Mental illness is far more common than most people realize. And during Mental Illness Awareness Week (Oct 6–12), we’re reminded that sharing our experiences and breaking the silence can be a powerful step toward healing.

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Emelie Douglas
What Suicide Prevention Looks Like Beyond Hotlines

When we talk about suicide prevention, the conversation often stops at crisis hotlines. While those resources are important, they are only one piece of a much bigger picture. At Sprout Therapy PDX, we believe that suicide prevention is not just about emergency responses—it’s about building sustainable care, connection, and community that make life feel livable long before someone reaches a crisis point.

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Emelie Douglas
You Don’t Need to Have It All Figured Out to Start Therapy

If you’ve been putting off starting therapy because you don’t know what your “goals” are—that’s okay. Really. At Sprout Therapy PDX, we often hear from clients who worry that they need to have a clear plan, a specific issue, or a perfectly worded reason to begin. But the truth is, therapy is the place where you can figure that out, and can be a place for brainstorming and idea generation.

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Emelie Douglas
Your Politics Are Welcome in Therapy: Why Mental Health Isn’t Separate from the World

If you've ever been told to "leave politics out of it," you're not alone. Many people—especially LGBTQ+, BIPOC, disabled, or neurodivergent folks—have been made to feel like their lived experience is too political, too intense, or too much for traditional therapy spaces. At Sprout Therapy PDX, we reject that separation. Your politics are welcome here because they are part of your reality.

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Emelie Douglas