Author: Dr. Gloria K Vanderhorst

Celebrating Culture, Community, and the Seven Principles

Kwanzaa is more than a holiday, it is a cultural affirmation. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores the origins of Kwanzaa, its principles, and how it continues to inspire unity, creativity, and purpose in African American communities.

Do you remember the Watts Riots? The celebration of Kwanzaa started in 1966 as a response to these riots. The goal was to create an African American holiday that was not associated with the Watts Riots and that distinguished the Black community from the predominantly white celebration of Christmas.

The holiday runs from December 26 to January 1. The celebration ends with a communal feast. Maulana Karenga, activist, author, and professor of African Studies, started the holiday. His history has been a patchwork of activism, imprisonment, and recognition. The holiday has roots in African first fruits celebrations, which honor the value of the harvest. The original goal was to challenge Christmas as a white tradition. However, over time, the holiday has become more secular, and many people now celebrate both Christmas and Kwanzaa.

Kwanzaa has come to celebrate culture rather than religion. The end of the holiday is marked by a large feast called Karamu, commemorating the harvest. Each year since its inception, the number of African Americans celebrating the festival has grown. Current estimates suggest that about two million African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa.

The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa

• Umoja (Unity): within the family, community, and nation.
• Kujichagulia (Self-determination): To speak for ourselves.
• Ujima (Collective work and responsibility): To build and maintain our community.
• Ujamaa (Cooperative economics): To build and maintain our businesses.
• Nia (Purpose): To come together to build community.
• Kuumba (Creativity): To do what we can to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
• Imani (Faith): To believe in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

Want to explore more about the meaning and practice of Kwanzaa? Visit Psychology Today’s article on the meaning of Kwanzaa and Greater Good’s guide to how Kwanzaa builds community and connection.

If you’re reflecting on cultural traditions, family rituals, or community connection, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support clarity, belonging, and emotional growth.

THE WIGGLY TREE

Kinesthetic Memory, Childhood Wonder, and the Wisdom of Twists

Some memories don’t speak—they move. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how kinesthetic memory and childhood imagery shape emotional insight, resilience, and the metaphors we carry into adulthood.

Childhood can sometimes be magical. We have so many little movies stored in our brains. This morning was a clear reminder of this to me. I was starting to draw a tree, and my brain suddenly reminded me of the Wiggly Tree from my childhood. I have capitalized it to note the importance of it from my childhood and not because it deserves it separately. Though it might. I will tell you that I have not thought about that tree for at least 6 decades. What in the world triggered this memory? If I had to guess, I would report that it is a kinesthetic memory: a memory stored in motion and action and not in language. As my hand began to form an upright tree on the page, the Wiggly Tree jumped into my hand and was recognized by my brain, leading to a tumble of childhood memories.

The Wiggly Tree stood or wandered along the alley next to my childhood home and across from the garage. It was an ancient tree, and I have no idea what type of tree it was, but it sat there for a long time. And perhaps its size is distorted by my size as a child. However, I can compare it to the garage across the alley. The top of the tree was clearly above the roof peak of the garage. The garage housed the family Buick and a boat with an outboard motor.

Imagine a trunk rising out of the ground with its extensive roots, looking like arms spread along the ground as if to hug the ground and keep the tree from flying away. The base of the trunk is old, as evidenced by the gaping hole that rises in an inverted V shape and rips the trunk open from the ground to the point where the trunk does a 90-degree turn. As the trunk runs parallel to the ground, one wonders why the whole thing does not topple. The run was long enough for my sister and me to sit on the trunk and swing our legs. Then, as you might have guessed, the trunk turned upward and headed for the sky.

What could have bent this tree like this? A gale-force wind sustained for months would be the necessary conditions to create such a turn. If we lived in Antarctica, this would be plausible as the wind can reach 150mph and be sustained long-term. However, we lived in a working-class neighborhood in Indiana. One can only imagine the early life of this tree. The same is true for people. Early experiences, even from infancy, can create gale-force trauma coded in one’s brain in terms of light, sound, motion, and touch. These “kinesthetic movies” tend to lie dormant as we focus on language only and recall things we can report in terms of language. Long before language, we had tons and tons of kinesthetic memories.

The Wiggly Tree was one of those for me. Of course, I flesh it out with language, but the memory is in my soul in terms of movement, images, and kinesthetic stimulation. These are important memories. In addition, I believe that memories pop into the present for very good reasons. The Wiggly Tree has been presented to me to cause me to reflect on early childhood experiences and character. I need to be curious about the significance of these characteristics as I face the present. The Wiggly Tree wants my attention. Perhaps I am facing some twists and turns in the present and need to give them more attention. Possibly there is a strong wind of resistance in my future, and I need to trust that things will eventually right themselves.

Want to explore how childhood memories and kinesthetic recall shape emotional resilience? Visit Psychology Today’s reflections on trees and childhood memory, NeuroLaunch’s guide to emotional attachment and memory, and Listickle’s insights on nostalgia and personal growth.

If you’re reflecting on memory, emotional connection, or personal transformation, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support insight, healing, and emotional clarity.

Organization, End of the Year Reflection, and New Beginnings

The end of the year is both a closing and an opening. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how organization, family rituals, and personal growth set the stage for renewal.

The traditional way to end the year is to get organized. It is time to pull your finances together and file your taxes on time. Collecting data, organizing receipts, pulling out the insurance forms to be sure you claim all the medical deductions, and on we go. If you are like me, you have licensing requirements, and those forms need to be completed. If you are really efficient, you will review your insurance plans, both medical and personal, to check on whether you are getting good service for your money. I am changing my car insurance to a plan that provides better service. Since I drive around Washington, DC, I have to plan to be hit every other year, and this year the smash up happened while the car was parked on the street.

The end of the year also brings families together for ritualized celebrations. December is a good time to take a personal survey and come to decisions about the future. Look at your individual choices as you have an opportunity to change some lifestyle experiences that will benefit you and your family. Perhaps alcohol should be reduced, or eliminated. Maybe you could exercise in a way that will extend your life so you can play with your grandchildren or great grandchildren. Perhaps it is time to revamp your spiritual life and find ways to use your resources that give you pleasure as well as benefit the community. We live longer when we have successful relationships. How are you doing in this area? Where could you go to build new relationships?

You may also be looking at your space and deciding to reorganize and declutter. Remember all of those things you have taken to the attic? Each trip, you said to yourself that you would get to that next year. Well, next year has come and gone and come and gone. The attic is jammed, and donation trucks regularly pass through your neighborhood, so it is time.

Making plans for the new year can be fun. Think of the places you would like to visit and the people you would like to see. Whether you have devoted time to travel or are the one who enjoys the recliner in the TV room, you can reflect on the people and places you would like to experience. Making plans is a part of holding ourselves accountable. Maybe you have a cousin you have been meaning to visit for years and have just put it off. Perhaps you talk of seeing a place in the world, but never make those plans. Challenge yourself to take action in the coming year. Maybe there is something you said you want to learn but have never taken the risk. Why not? Go for it. Stretching yourself can be very satisfying.

So, it is the end of the year. Or the beginning of the new one.

Want to explore more about year-end reflection and renewal? Visit Psychology Today’s article on why year-end reflection matters and Greater Good’s guide to how year-end reflection builds resilience.

If you’re reflecting on organization, relationships, or personal growth this season, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support clarity, resilience, and emotional growth.

The Power, Complexity, and Quiet Lessons of Going Home for The Holidays

Family shapes us in ways we often don’t see coming. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores why returning home can feel like stepping back in time—and how integrity, humor, and self-awareness help us navigate it.

The holidays are here, and families can be hard. A client of mine, years ago, noted that going home for the holidays was a remarkable experience. He said that no matter his insight or intent, when he stepped into his childhood home, he crossed a magic twanger and turned into a petulant 12-year-old.

No matter his brilliance—he was brilliant. No matter his talent—he was super talented. The force was strong, and no amount of awareness was sufficient to stop it from transforming him into a 12-year-old boy.

I love reflecting on his experience. Families are powerful.

I have also heard that the sales of marijuana and alcohol spike at this time of year. Apparently, we need significant support to face our families. I favor long walks, even in the snow, or getting lost in a football game. Long walks were necessary when my mother-in-law cooked spaghetti. To this day, no one knows the ingredient that sent everyone out the door to take a walk while the sauce was cooking. Really, it smelled like vomit. But when served, it was delicious. May she rest in peace. Probably killed by spaghetti sauce.

I remember being mesmerized by the Green Bay Packers on Christmas Day and glad of the distraction. With the house full of relatives and friends, the escape to the television was welcome. To this day, I am a Packer fan thanks to Vince Lombardi. His team seemed to be winning all the time when I was a kid or teen. The other remarkable thing about him was that he never had a losing season in the NFL. Imagine that. Not many people can mark each year as a winner. Also, he seemed to do this with integrity and earn the loyalty of his players.

Families often work to instill integrity in their members. Integrity is a complicated concept. Of course, the basis is honesty, but the real meaning goes deeper. Having a strong sense of moral principles is the foundation of integrity. Moral principles are hard to find. Being ethical is complicated. To be ethical, one must be honest. Honesty requires not only knowledge of the culture but also knowledge of the self. We are capable of fooling ourselves and distorting our senses. That makes honesty a true challenge. Being ethical also means being fair, and that is another complication. How can we consider different perspectives and give each its due weight?

Integrity can also be silent. Doing the right thing when no one is watching, and no one will ever know, is a challenge. This is truly a concept of you relating to you.

Even though we are born connected and raised in the context of others, we still must stand alone and decide for ourselves who we will be.

Want to explore more about family dynamics and emotional growth? Visit Psychology Today’s article on how family shapes emotional life and Greater Good’s guide to how families build integrity and resilience.

If you’re reflecting on family, identity, or emotional patterns this season, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support clarity, resilience, and grounded self-understanding.

Christmas

A Season of Hope, Tradition, and Giving

Christmas is more than a holiday, it is a story of faith, tradition, and kindness. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores the origins of Christmas, the traditions it has gathered over centuries, and the ways it inspires generosity and hope today.

The Bible reports a census called by the Romans. Maybe it happened. As the story unfolds, a pregnant woman arrives to be counted, cannot find lodging, and gives birth to a boy in a stable among the animals. That is the start of a drama that only grows more intense as the story goes on.

Christians celebrate this birth as the birth of a savior who has come to rescue the world from evil forces. As the story continues, this boy teaches, builds a community of faith, and sacrifices himself so that his community may thrive. And his community has indeed been thriving. The Christian faith has spread across the world.

In December, Christians celebrate this birth and the miracles associated with it. Over time, traditions related to this story were added that were clearly not part of the original experience. Cutting down a fir tree and decorating it comes from ancient pagan rituals. The Norse Yule added gift giving, decorating with fir trees, and feasting. Romans contributed gift giving and elaborate food displays. In some ways, Christmas seems like a tumbleweed, picking up traditions as the years go by.

We are polluting our waters and oceans. We are overpopulating to the point of extinction. We are damaging our environment to the point that we may not be able to breathe in the near future. Clearly, a savior is a good idea.

Christmas is a season of hope. For this moment, we pause to celebrate each other and to be kind. We bake cookies and take them to neighbors. We sort through old clothes and provide warm coats and hats for the homeless. We donate more to the food pantry and the soup kitchen. We feed the hungry and look for ways to support others. Christmas is a time of giving and a time of thinking about how to be available to our fellow man in ways that will improve his level of comfort and competence.

As you decorate your Christmas tree and place presents underneath it, you are grateful for the simple and the complex. You reflect on the neighbor who smiles and says hello each morning as you pass by on your way to walk your dogs. You are excited to make a bag of goodies for each of the teachers who guide your children day after day and encourage them to accept challenges and improve their skills. You are grateful for the volunteers at the Christmas Bazaar at your church who stay late to help you clean up.

Want to explore more about the traditions and meaning of Christmas? Visit Psychology Today’s article on the meaning of Christmas and Greater Good’s guide to how Christmas fosters generosity and connection.

If you’re reflecting on traditions, gratitude, or ways to deepen connection this season, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support clarity, compassion, and emotional growth.

Holidays, Farms, and the Joy of Family Gatherings

Family traditions shape our memories and remind us of what matters most. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores the rhythms of farm life, holiday gatherings, and the timeless joy of connection.

This is the time of year when families become the focus. I have recently learned that this is also the high purchase time for alcohol and marijuana products. Apparently, most of us need help spending time with our families.

My extended family was rooted in the ground, making the need for alcohol much less critical. What I mean is that they were farmers. That means that there are really no days off. Each farmer must ensure that his cows are milked twice a day, regardless of the celebration. Do not get me wrong. Farmers have elaborate celebrations with tons of food, games, conversation, and teasing. However, the cows, pigs, and chickens take priority. They have no awareness of holidays. This also meant that the city folk had to travel to the farm for these holidays. If you were a child, this was fun because you could get lost in the hayloft or build forts in the corn crib, and being dirty was acceptable. If you were an adult, there would be complaints about keeping the casserole warm or ensuring that the pie did not fall off the ledge above the back seat. There was also the inevitable story about Uncle Ernest, and I hoped that he did not bring his most recent girlfriend, as they were always ridiculous creatures.

A fascinating thing for a kid is that farm families tend to be big. You have cousins from all over, and the excitement of seeing them on holidays never faded. Competitions of all kinds would be mounted. Tug of war, fastest across the pond, first to sight an eagle, fewest pumps to get the well to work, relay races, and who could down the most yeast rolls inside of a minute. Rummaging in the attic or the hayloft was another fun thing to do. Farmers tend to keep everything. The hayloft held a horse-drawn plow, and the attic room held handmade soap flakes that Grandma had made decades ago. Why would you keep this stuff?

Of course, food was the focus of the day. Everyone had brought something, and the hostess was responsible for the turkey. A giant, giant turkey was required for this group. Beef was also provided, as you could not have a meal on the farm without meat. Someone always made macaroni and cheese. Others brought side dishes and desserts of all varieties. Needless to say, the table was groaning. The conversation was fast and furious. Stories from past generations were always told, and you learned to look forward to the same tales each year.

Want to explore more about family traditions and connection? Visit Psychology Today’s article on the importance of family traditions and Greater Good’s guide to how family rituals build connection.

If you’re reflecting on family, tradition, or ways to deepen connection this season, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support clarity, compassion, and emotional growth.

NEUROSCIENCE YOU CAN USE!

Sleep, Cleansing, and the Brain’s Built-In Dishwasher

Sleep isn’t just rest—it’s repair. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how neuroscience reveals the brain’s nightly cleaning cycle, and why sleep is essential for emotional and cognitive health.

Does anyone know Maiken Nedergaard? Well, you should. Maiken Nedergaard, M.D., D.M.Sc., is fascinated with sleep. How many of you also focus on sleep because you have trouble getting there? Dr. Nedergaard, a researcher at the University of Rochester Medical Center, studies sleep.

Here are some reports from my clients about their sleep:

• I cannot fall asleep until about 3 a.m. I do not know why, but no matter what I do, I cannot seem to change it.
• I sleep for 2 hours and then am up for two hours, just like when I was on guard duty in the military. It is driving me up the wall.
• My sleep pattern is crazy. I wake up at about the same time in the middle of the night about every night.

Sleep is critical for our physical and mental health. Sleep is like a dishwasher for the brain. Many of us turn the dishwasher on before bed and wake up to clean dishes in the morning. Your brain wants to do the same thing. At night, your brain wants to flush out the waste matter that has accumulated during the day. That is fascinating. My brain discerns the junk I have picked up during the day and flushes it out! Yes, we collect junk and stuff during the day and do not need to keep it. Our brains can do a clean sweep for us if we just let them.

When we fall asleep, our brains work, just like the dishwasher. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid team up to do the work. This is a marvelous system. Here is the process in a nutshell (no pun intended). As we sleep, the blood vessels in the brain constrict. They tighten up. Cerebrospinal fluid rushes into the space, removing the bad stuff. Then the fluid retreats, and the blood vessels expand. Then, the whole thing repeats over and over, cleansing the brain. You can think of it as a form of breathing with fluid. Your brain becomes a washing machine to remove the waste or junk accumulated during the day.

Sleep becomes an especially important part of brain health. Do you know those pills that are advertised for brain health? Guess what? You came into the world with a brain health maintenance system. But you must get good sleep for the system to work. What is good sleep? You must get a chunk of non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) for your brain’s washing machine to work. NREM sleep is the part of sleep where you are not dreaming. In this sleep phase, your brain can be in either deep sleep or in the stage of light sleep as you are falling asleep or just waking up. Our brains need this stage of sleep to maintain health.

You must get there naturally. Your brain can do this for you. Sleeping pills will interfere with this process, leaving your brain to struggle to “self-clean.” Developing a sleep routine is critical. As humans, we like and benefit from routines. Look at how you approach sleep. Repeat the same sequence and process every night, and your brain will thank you!

Want to explore how sleep supports brain health and emotional resilience? Visit Neuroscience News’ guide to sleep and brain health, Medical News Today’s breakdown of sleep stages and memory, and NeuronUP’s insights on sleep and cognitive performance.

If you’re reflecting on sleep, emotional clarity, or brain health, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support insight, healing, and restorative living.

Emotional growth starts with safety and understanding.

For individuals in Maryland and DC, this conversation explores how boys learn to express themselves and how parents, especially moms, can nurture emotional fluency through everyday connection.

Good to see you,

Why do boys sometimes shut down, act out, or struggle to express what they feel?

This week, I joined the Mothers of Boys Survival Guide Podcast to share insights from my years of work with young boys and their families. We talked about how boys develop emotional awareness, why they often communicate differently than girls, and what parents can do to help them turn frustration into connection.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Encouraging boys to express feelings instead of acting out
• Turning meltdowns into meaningful moments of understanding
• Supporting emotional development through safety and play
• How movement and physical space help boys learn and communicate
• Why moms play such a vital role in modeling emotional openness

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering how to help your son “use his words,” this conversation offers empathy, research-based tools, and simple, real-life strategies for nurturing emotional growth.

🎧 Watch the full episode: Helping Boys Grow Emotionally | Mothers of Boys Survival Guide

Want to explore how boys develop emotional intelligence and resilience? Visit Psychology Today’s article on helping boys develop emotional awareness and Greater Good’s guide to supporting emotional growth in boys.

If you’re navigating parenting challenges or seeking tools to support your son’s emotional development, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support clarity, connection, and emotional growth.

The Festival of Lights and the Miracle of Connection

Hanukkah is more than a holiday, it is a reminder of resilience, light, and the miracle of human connection. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores the deep tradition of Hanukkah and how its lessons extend into everyday life.

Eight days of celebration bring family and friends together. This celebration honors the Second Temple in Jerusalem, and it dates from the second century BC. That is a deep tradition. Hanukkah is called the “Festival of Lights.”

One day’s supply of oil for the lamp lasted for eight days. The people celebrate this miracle as a sign of their own longevity. This miracle of light is clearly a sign of value. G-d looks down on His people and announces their value through the continuation of light.

Valuing each other and celebrating the miracle of life is available to all of us. Each of us is uniquely made. If you set up a workshop to accomplish this, you would not have enough staff to complete the task. We celebrate the birth of a child because we are amazed. How is this person created? How complicated is a single baby? How many parts are there?

We are born connected to another person. We have lived inside another person for over nine months, and at birth, we have all the cells necessary to enter the world fully formed and capable of life. Of course, we will need help. That is why it takes two others to create us. We will be cared for, loved, and supported as we grow into unique individuals. Even if I have an identical twin who enters the world at approximately the same time, I am unique. The fact that I come first or second will affect me forever.

Hanukkah is eight days of celebration and giving thanks for a place of worship, the growth of a people, and the miracle of being sustained by forces beyond our control. No matter how much science, invention, or exploration we do in the universe, we will never catch up to the miracle of our existence.

As the holidays unfold and celebrations are planned, let us be grateful for life. I know that life is not easy. I know that surprises cause you to change course, injuries limit your next steps, and people get in the way of progress. No matter. Each of us will hit roadblocks, disappointments, and complex curves. We have been given resilience to adjust and to try new ways. We have been given signs that cannot be easily explained so that we will experience wonder and know that power exists beyond ourselves. We have been given family, friends, acquaintances, and strangers to remind us that we are not alone and that we were born connected to another.

We spend the rest of our lives seeking connection, enjoying company, and holding each other. As you light a candle this holiday, remember that connection is the key to life.

Want to explore more about the meaning of Hanukkah? Visit Psychology Today’s article on the meaning of Hanukkah and Greater Good’s guide to how Hanukkah fosters resilience and connection.

If you’re reflecting on traditions, resilience, or ways to deepen connection this season, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support clarity, compassion, and emotional growth.

MARTHA STEWART TO THE RESCUE

Garlic, Grit, and the Art of Reinvention

From kitchen hacks to cultural comebacks, Martha Stewart reminds us that resilience is a recipe worth mastering. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how everyday frustrations and life’s deeper setbacks call for community, courage, and a little creative flair.

Whatever you may think of Martha Stewart, you must agree that she is resilient. She seems to have nine lives, just like your favorite cat. And she has all kinds of tips for the cook, the gardener, the hostess, and the guests.

Sometimes, she must be a horticulturalist. She seems to know how to grow everything from fruits to finances. But today, I am interested in her little tricks for success in the kitchen. Today’s tip is getting that awful garlic smell off your fingers. Of course, you are good to go if you use a garlic press and never touch the stuff. But if you are a purist and insist on chopping your garlic, your fingers will forever be stinky. Surely, you do not want to shake hands with your special guests and leave them smelling like garlic. Martha to the rescue. Run warm water in your sink, place your chopping knife under the faucet so the entire blade is covered with flowing water, and run your garlic fingers across the blade’s entire length. Voila! The scent is gone. I guess you could say it gets transferred to the blade.

What other stinky things can we think of that can be magically transferred to safety if we know the right recipe? What can wash away the sense of rejection when your friend neglects you? When the article you have poured over and revised multiple times is not accepted for publication, what can wash away the feeling of futility? When the job you were so excited about suddenly gets cut from the budget, what can ease the fear that you will not be able to support yourself or your family?

Where is the Martha Stewart solution when you need it?

Tragedy is honest and always surprising. Given this truth, one must ask if there is a way to prepare for tragedy. Yes and No. We must realize that we prepare for daily tragedy in how we live our lives. Tragedy requires community, resilience, and fortitude. Take out a piece of paper and put a circle in the middle. That is you! Now position others on the page using distance from you to note your relationship with others. That is your network of support. That is your community. Nurture them. Now, look at your history and the struggles that have naturally come your way. Every one of us has a history of struggles. They hurt us, test us, and grow us. Your struggles build your resilience. Reflect on those and remember how you have changed and grown. And now for fortitude. What the heck is that? Fortitude is courage used to face pain. Pain is inevitable. Sometimes, I think of it as a honing tool. Much like Martha would sharpen a knife, we, too, get sharpened by the rough parts of life. As we experience pain and let it run through us, we change. Our struggles make us sharper and stronger. Even when they stink, we can use their challenge to strengthen our resolve or change our direction. Life will always call us to rescue ourselves and hone different parts of our personality. Just remember to remove the stink.

Want to explore how Martha Stewart’s story reflects resilience and reinvention? Visit Dr. Anna Cabeca’s reflections on Martha’s journey, WebMD’s guide to emotional resilience, and Mint Arrow’s podcast on Martha’s inspiring comeback.

If you’re reflecting on resilience, emotional growth, or personal reinvention, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support insight, healing, and strength.