Judy Herman

10/08/2026

A little exciting news from my corner of the world! ❤️

After more than 20 years of listening to people's stories in the counseling room, I'm finding myself increasingly drawn to sharing those lessons with larger audiences.

And one message keeps rising to the surface:

Conflict isn't the enemy. Disconnection is.

We've all experienced those moments when keeping the peace seems easier than having an honest conversation. But sometimes the very things we do to avoid conflict create more distance.

I'm excited that CB Herald has published the announcement of my new keynote, “Conflict Isn't the Enemy.”

It's part of a new chapter for me, and I'm grateful for the people who have encouraged me along the way.

The announcement is in the comments below if you'd like to read it. https://bit.ly/4hAIsZn

And I'm curious: Have you ever avoided a difficult conversation, only to realize that the silence created even more distance?

Here's to better relationships and a better life!

09/21/2026

Chattanooga friends, this one is for you!

I've been thinking lately about how careful we are when traveling to keep up with our own luggage.

But emotionally? Sometimes we carry all kinds of things that don't belong to us.

Other people's moods.
Expectations.
Problems.
Even responsibility for keeping everyone happy.

And sometimes we call it love, loyalty, or simply “being the strong one.”

This Saturday, I'll be speaking at Beneath the Surface Women's Summit on:

Why High-Functioning Women Burn Out Quietly

I'll be sharing my C.A.L.M. Method and exploring some of the hidden relationship patterns that leave capable women exhausted while looking perfectly fine on the outside.

I'm delighted to be part of this lineup of speakers exploring The Many Faces of Burnout from so many different perspectives.

If you're in or around Chattanooga, come join us September 26. I'd love to see some familiar faces in the room!

And whether you come or not, here's a question worth sitting with:

QUESTION: What's something you've finally learned to put down?

09/14/2026

I went to Boston excited to be in Oprah's podcast audience.
I came home with a pit in my stomach.

I didn't know beforehand that the conversation would be about the Lindsay Clancy case.

And even after years of sitting with people in some very dark places as a mental health therapist, this one was tough.

We want difficult things to make sense. We want to process them, understand them, and somehow put them into a neat package.

But sometimes we can't.

Sometimes processing is simply learning to hold the tension of opposites.

Light and darkness.
Love and anger.
Compassion and accountability.
Gratitude and grief.

It's learning to respond rather than react. To breathe without rushing to fix something. To allow two very different feelings to exist without one canceling out the other.

I'm still practicing that.

And I came home even more convinced of something I believe deeply:

Conflict Isn't the Enemy. Disconnection Is

We need each other in the hard places.

We need relationships where we can feel what we feel without fixing, judging, or carrying it all alone.

I went to Boston excited to be in Oprah's presence.

I came home reminded why this message matters to me even more.

I'm curious: When life feels heavy, what helps you stay grounded?

08/29/2026

Caring for our loved ones is not the problem. Losing ourselves in the caring is the warning signal. Kind of like the flashing "check engine" lights on your dashboard. It's time to look under the hood.

This story hits close to home on many levels. And I'm compelled to share it because that's what Dolly continues to inspire in me.



https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1JMmmUzyU3/

Tennessee psychotherapist, Judy K. Herman LPC-MHSP, NCC, highlights how caregiver burnout can lead to self-neglect and disconnection from one's own well-being.

07/23/2026

I'm excited that my "Therapy Thursday" interview is being re-aired on WUTC 88.1 tonight at 7:00.