Entries by Cody Humston

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The Healing Power of Light Stream Meditation

Imagine above you a beautiful, radiant light—akin to sunlight delicately filtered through a soft canopy of clouds. This light is warm, comforting, and entirely safe. It shines down upon you, glowing with an inviting brilliance that fills your surroundings with a serene glow. As you take a moment to imagine this light filling your space, you can feel its gentle warmth washing over you, bringing a deep sense of peace and well-being. This is the essence of light stream meditation—a practice that invites relaxation and healing into your body, mind, and spirit.

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone: There’s Compassionate Help for Hoarding

If you’re struggling with hoarding, I want you to know something really important: you don’t have to do this alone. I know it can feel like you’re stuck in a never-ending cycle of clutter and guilt, and that maybe no one would understand what you’re going through. But the truth is, compassionate, judgment-free help is out there, and you deserve support—without feeling ashamed.

The Benefits of Working with a Clinical Intern: Expert Care at a Lower Cost

When seeking therapy, many people are unaware of the valuable option of working with a clinical intern. These are therapists-in-training, often in the final stages of their graduate or postgraduate programs, who provide high-quality care at a reduced cost. What makes this option even more appealing is that clinical interns are closely supervised by experienced and licensed professionals, ensuring that you receive expert guidance and care. Let’s explore some of the key benefits of working with a clinical intern and how this could be a great fit for you.

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How to Protect Yourself from Gaslighting

Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse where the abuser tries to sow seeds of doubt, making their victim question their own memory, perception, or judgment.
The term originates from the 1944 film Gaslight, where a husband manipulates small elements of their home environment (including turning down the gaslights) and insists his wife is mistaken or remembering things incorrectly, causing her to question her sanity.

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I Want My Partner to Change. Do You?

One of the most frequent issues that brings people to couples therapy is, ironically, something that therapy can’t resolve. It’s the wish for their partner to change or to be different than they are.

Let’s be honest; most of us in relationships wish our partner would change in some way. Even if you are not currently in a romantic partnership, you may relate to wanting a past partner to improve themselves for you.

Using the 5 Senses Grounding Exercise to Calm Down Quickly

Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed or just need a moment of peace, this exercise can help you find your center.
Grounding exercises are powerful tools for managing anxiety and stress because they help anchor you in the present moment. When anxiety strikes, it often pulls you into a spiral of racing thoughts, worries, or fears about the future. This mental state can feel overwhelming and disorienting, making it difficult to focus, find calm or even orient to your surroundings.

How to Stop Ruminating and Fall Asleep: 2 Mindful Tools to Usher in Relaxation and Sleep

How did you sleep last night? If you’re one of the lucky ones who hit the pillow and slept through the night, you know how great it feels to awake, rested and energized, ready to tackle your day.

But data shows that almost 15% of U.S. adults have trouble falling asleep and 19% of the U.S. population had trouble maintaining sleep, both indicators of insomnia. Rumination may play an important role in insomnia. A Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine article reports that sleep difficulties and rumination often go hand in hand.

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How To Immediately Stop a Conflict From Turning Into a Full-Blown Fight

A conflict is starting to simmer between you and your partner. Your voice takes on a sharper edge, each word tinged with irritation. You’re not loving that tone your partner is using either. The tension is becoming a palpable force in the room. You make a point which you feel should put an end to this back and forth, but it doesn’t land the way you had hoped, and now your partner is now staring at you with crossed arms.

Reclaiming Body Acceptance: Defying Toxic Beauty Standards Through Self-Compassion

There’s a reason you criticize your body. We live in a society that places immense value on external appearances, often leading us to scrutinize and criticize our own bodies. This is not a personal flaw, but rather a reflection of the toxic messaging we’ve absorbed over time. From media portrayals to social pressures, we’re bombarded with images and ideals that tell us how we should look. These unrealistic and often unhealthy beauty standards create a narrow definition of what is considered “beautiful,” leading to feelings of inadequacy when we don’t measure up.

Meditation for Letting Go: If You Don’t Need It, Put It Down

In Buddhist-informed therapy, much of our suffering is understood as arising from attachment—our attachment to thoughts, emotions, stories, and expectations. These attachments weigh us down, creating emotional and psychological burdens that can lead to anxiety, stress, and physical discomfort. Meditation, a core practice in Buddhist tradition, offers a pathway to release these burdens by fostering awareness, cultivating compassion, and nurturing the ability to let go.