My Blog
The Boyhood That Didn’t Happen: Moving Through Developmental Grief
Have you ever been walking through a park and seen a group of young boys just being… well, boys? Maybe they’re covered in dirt, arguing over the rules of a game they just made up, or pushing each other around in that specific way that says, “I like you, but I don’t...
The Unspoken Language: Communication Beyond the Norm in Queer & Neurodivergent Spaces
You know that specific feeling when you walk into a room and you don’t have to explain your existence? It’s like a physical weight lifting off your shoulders. You don’t have to define your pronouns for the tenth time, you don’t have to explain why you’re fidgeting...
The Practice I Needed: Why Lived Experience Matters in Therapy
I spent years in the "client" chair before I ever sat in the "therapist" chair. And let me tell you, those years were... interesting. Mostly frustrating, occasionally helpful, but often deeply exhausting. If you’re a member of the LGBTQ+ community,...
Beyond ‘Just a Bad Day’: Why Counseling for Depression is a Game-Changer
Welcome back to Part 2 of our series, "The 'Why' Behind the Work." If you caught the last post, we talked about high-functioning anxiety and that frantic "internal hamster wheel" feeling. Today, we’re slowing things down, maybe a little too...
The ‘Story I Claim’: Honoring Your Unique Journey This Trans Day of Visibility
Hey everyone, Tristan here. As we approach Tuesday, March 31st, my inbox and social feeds are starting to fill up with the usual Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) posts. You know the ones: lots of flags, lots of "be proud," and a whole lot of emphasis on...
Do You Really Need Therapy for Anxiety? Understanding ‘High-Functioning’ Stress
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re the "reliable" one. You’re the person who never misses a deadline, whose house is (mostly) tidy, and who everyone assumes has their life completely together. You might even feel a little bit like a fraud...
More Than Just ‘Lazy’: Why Neurodivergent Adults Deserve Better Support
If you’ve been thinking about an adult ADHD diagnosis, you’re not alone—especially among neurodivergent adults who grew up internalizing ADHD stigma and learning to explain real struggles with one brutal word: “lazy.” If I had a nickel for every time a client sat...
Is it Focus or Fuel? Inattentive vs. Hyperactive ADHD
If you’re here because you’re exploring an adult ADHD diagnosis and trying to understand inattentive ADHD vs hyperactive traits, you’re in the right place. If you’ve spent any time on the internet lately, you’ve probably seen the memes. One minute you’re looking up...
Beyond the Bounce: Understanding Inattentive vs. Hyperactive ADHD in Adults
If I had a nickel for every time someone told me, "But Tristan, you’re not bouncing off the walls, how can you have ADHD?" I’d probably have enough nickels to buy a very fancy, very unnecessary espresso machine that I’d use twice and then forget to clean for...
