Have you ever felt like part of you wants one thing, but another part of you resists? Maybe you’re excited about a new opportunity, yet another part of you feels anxious or hesitant. This inner push-and-pull isn’t random—it’s your internal system at work.

EMDR therapy can sound intimidating, especially if you’re not sure what to expect. Here’s a trauma-informed breakdown of what really happens during EMDR.

You’re accomplished—but exhausted. At Lisa Chen & Associates, we help high-achieving professionals slow down without losing their edge.

Anxious and avoidant partners often feel drawn to each other—only to end up stuck in the same painful cycle. One pulls close, the other pulls away. In this blog, therapist Lisa Chen explains why this pattern happens, how it forms from early attachment experiences, and what couples can do to finally break the loop and build secure connection.

You love your partner, but lately, it feels like you're reaching out into silence. Read more about why your partner might shut down.

Being in a relationship when you have avoidant attachment can feel like walking a tightrope. You care deeply—but the closer someone gets, the more you may feel the urge to pull away.

Feeling burned out or stuck in negative loops? Your brain may be craving novelty. Learn how new experiences increase dopamine, improve mood, and help break unhelpful emotional patterns—plus 5 simple ways to add novelty to your life starting today.

Not all overachievers are driven by ambition. For many, overworking is a trauma response rooted in childhood emotional neglect or unmet needs. This blog explains how trauma hides beneath high performance—and how therapy helps you feel safe enough to rest.

Think workaholism is just about 80-hour weeks and never taking vacations? Think again. Many high-functioning professionals are caught in work addiction without realizing it—because their behavior doesn’t look like overwork.

You’re not broken—and neither is your partner. But your attachment styles might be clashing in a way that makes conflict harder and connection feel out of reach.

Finding a couples therapist in Los Angeles can be daunting. This guide helps you cut through the noise with expert-backed questions, red flags to avoid, and a free downloadable checklist—so you and your partner can feel confident in your next step toward connection.

If you’re successful but still anxious, burnt out, or disconnected—you’re not broken. Many high-functioning adults grew up with hidden trauma they’ve never named. This blog explains why.

Alexithymia often begins as a survival response to trauma. Learn how EMDR therapy helps you reconnect with your emotions—gently and safely—in Hermosa Beach, CA, and St. Augustine, FL

For Highly Sensitive People (HSPs), relationships can be both deeply rewarding and emotionally overwhelming. Whether it’s emotional intensity, too much closeness, or sensory overload, your nervous system may feel constantly overstimulated. With support from an HSP therapist in Los Angeles or Hermosa Beach, you can learn to set healthy boundaries.

Looking for sensory-friendly self-care ideas? Our HSP therapists share their go-to products—from calming earplugs to cozy weighted blankets—that support nervous system regulation, restful sleep, and emotional reset.

You finally take the step to start couples therapy, hoping to break free from the same exhausting arguments. But instead of feeling closer, you leave each session feeling even more frustrated.

Does this mean therapy isn’t working? Not at all.

Stuck in the same exhausting arguments with your partner? Intimacy from the Inside Out (IFIO) therapy helps couples break reactive cycles by fostering self-awareness and emotional regulation. Learn how IFIO transforms relationships—helping you shift from blame to lasting connection.

Have you ever walked away from an argument feeling completely confused—like maybe you’re the problem?

Or maybe you’ve poured your heart out to your partner, only to be met with silence, eye-rolls, or a cold shoulder?

If so, you’re not alone. Gaslighting and stonewalling are two of the most damaging relationship behaviors, yet many people don’t even realize they’re happening.

You’re the one everyone counts on. And yet… you feel stretched thin. No matter how much you accomplish, you tell yourself, I just need to push through. But deep down, you wonder—why does success feel so draining?