The 3 Steps That Lead to Wisdom
Have you ever noticed that the moments of deepest insight in life rarely come from solving a problem, but from staying with it long enough to understand what it’s really asking of you?
Spiritual Bypassing: What Do Ethics Have to Do With It?
In my therapy practice, I often hear phrases like “I’m focusing on the positive,” or “I’m staying in my light.” It’s a beautiful intention to hold peace, to stay centered, to not get lost in the noise of the world. But sometimes, beneath that language, I sense something quieter but more concerning: an avoidance of discomfort that looks like spirituality, yet moves us away from responsibility.
Walking a Two Eyed Approach: Silence and Guidance in Healing
I remember one session where I had to break therapy training that says “do not direct”, meaning to avoid leading, interpreting, or offering solutions. This is the model promoted by modern day clinical therapy, that the therapist provides empathy, authenticity, and unconditional positive regard, allowing the client’s own inner resources to guide the process.
Ceremony in an Age of AI
Screens organize more of our day than they used to, and AI now assists with everything from scheduling to songwriting. Helpful, yes, yet many people still describe feeling odd about it; productive, connected, yet not quite here. In my work, when life starts to feel two-dimensional, we return to a very old, very human technology: ceremony.
Why It Is So Hard to Make Decisions
There’s a quiet ache that many of us carry, such as the struggle of not knowing which way to turn. We sit with decisions, big and small, and feel the weight of them pressing into our chest. Do I take this job or that one? Do I stay in this relationship or step away? Do I speak my truth, or do I swallow it for the sake of peace?
A Discernment Framework for Digital Spirituality
Most of us were never taught how to vet a teacher, guide, or program. Here’s a practical, therapist-friendly framework you can use. You don’t need all green lights, but you should know where the yellows and reds are.
Eldership matters. This is not about ageism, it’s about ‘seasoning’. Who mentored them? How many years of practice and service? What do their peers say privately? and most importantly, are they humble about their path?
Two-Eyed Seeing: A Way to Hold the Tension
I do my best to follow the principle of “two-eyed seeing”: honoring multiple ways of knowing without collapsing one into the other. One eye values Indigenous and ancestral wisdoms, relationality with land and community, ritual, and reverence.
Integration: Where The Real Change Happens
After any powerful experience whether it be a retreat, a ceremony, or a sudden clarity during a walk, your nervous system needs time and structure to weave the new understanding into daily life.
Beyond the Algorithm: Discernment in the Digital Age of Spirituality
Spirituality has never been more clickable. Midnight TikTok rituals, bite-sized meditation apps, Instagram reels that remix timeless wisdom with modern hustle, this buffet is endless and tailored for our tastes.
