InPowered Therapy + Yoga

09/08/2026

Labor Day is the day we count labor. Here's the labor that never gets counted: the noticing, planning, and remembering that runs a household, most of it done by mothers, most of it invisible until it doesn't get done. Dr. Jen Schroeder wrote about this invisible labor a year ago, about what the mental load costs mothers and how it shapes everything at home.
https://www.inpoweredtherapy.com/blog/mental-load-motherhood-labor-day

Two weeks into the school year, that load is at its peak. The kids who held it together in August start to come apart in weeks four to six. The honeymoon phase ends, and the parent carrying everything is the one who sees it first. That's when the invisible work becomes impossible to ignore.

If your house is already there, we have room now. Audrey Adams works with kids, teens, and with parents and children together. Matthew Sooby works with teens, especially the boys who've gone quiet. Both are in network with BCBS, and both have openings this month in a way that won't be true in October.
https://www.inpoweredtherapy.com/contact-us-therapy

InPowered Therapy + Yoga

Discover why career moms are burning out from invisible mental load. Licensed psychologist shares research-backed strategies to reclaim your energy and time.

08/19/2026

Most back-to-school advice is about the first day. But if you're raising an anxious or neurodivergent kid, you may already know the first day isn't the hard part.

Clinicians call the first stretch the honeymoon period. Adrenaline and novelty carry kids through the first weeks, and then somewhere around week four to six, the fuel runs out. That's when the calls start, and by then, every therapist who works with kids is full.

I wrote about why the crash happens, what helps in the days before the first bell, and the permission slips I have to give myself every August too.

Anxious and neurodivergent kids often hold it together at first, then fall apart in weeks 4-6. A psychologist and mom on why, and what actually helps.

05/31/2026

Most men don’t call a therapist. They don’t call a doctor. They don’t call a friend.

Research has shown for years that men avoid help-seeking at higher rates than women. Recent work, including research presented by our newest clinician Matthew Sooby at the Midwestern Psychological Association last spring, points to two specific patterns that predict whether a man will reach out for support:

- Self-reliance: the belief that he should handle this on his own.
- Emotional control: the practice of keeping it together no matter what.

Both are sold to boys early. Both keep men alive in cultures and families that punish vulnerability. And both, eventually, stop working. The man who learned to push through gets to a place where pushing through is the thing making him miserable. The man who learned to stay composed loses the ability to access what he actually feels.

If you have spent a lifetime trying to suck it up or push it down, and it is not working anymore, you are not broken. You are encountering the end of a strategy that got you this far.

What helps:

• A therapist who does not ask you to start by talking about your feelings.
• A therapy that gives you something to do, not just something to think about.
• A clinician who has read the research and knows that the way men ask for help is different, and that meeting men where they are IS the work.

Matt joined InPowered Therapy last week. He brings research, clinical training, and his own non-traditional path into the room.

Curious? Reach out for your free 20-min consult. Link in the comments.

05/31/2026

Most men don’t call a therapist, they don’t call a doctor, they don’t call a friend.

Research has shown for years that men avoid help-seeking at higher rates than women. Recent work, including research presented by our newest clinician Matthew Sooby at the Midwestern Psychological Association last spring, points to two specific patterns that predict whether a man will reach out for support:

-Self-reliance: the belief that he should handle this on his own.

- Emotional control: the practice of keeping it together no matter what.

Both are sold to boys early. Both keep men alive in cultures and families that punish vulnerability. And both, eventually, stop working.

The man who learned to push through gets to a place where pushing through is the thing making him miserable. The man who learned to stay composed loses the ability to access what he actually feels.

If you have spent a lifetime trying to suck it up or push it down, and it is not working anymore, you are not broken. You are encountering the end of a strategy that got you this far.

What helps:

•A therapist who does not ask you to start by talking about your feelings.

•A therapy that gives you something to do, not just something to think about.

•A clinician who has read the research and knows that the way men ask for help is different, and that meeting men where they are IS the work.

Matthew joined InPowered Therapy last week. He brings research, clinical training, and his own non-traditional path into the room. Schedule you free 20 Min consult. Link in the comments.

05/22/2026

🌿 Immediate openings. Welcome Matt Sooby (he/him) to InPowered Therapy.

Matt knows what feeling lost is like. He came back to school after losing a few of his own battles, and he knows what feeling lost is like.

Before grad school, Matt spent a year on the national Su***de and Crisis Lifeline, six years in service work, time as a peace activist in Philadelphia, and an 8-week deep dive into mindfulness practice that shaped how he understands his own mind. He came back to school later than most with a passion for the work developed through his own journey. That winding path shows up in how he sits with people: grounded, curious, unhurried, and unafraid of what's hard.

Matt brings Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, mindfulness, and body-based practices into his work. He has experience leading mindful art and meditation groups, and his research focuses on men's mental health and what gets in the way of asking for help.

He's accepting new clients now. Adults, teens, and parents of teens are all welcome.

To book a consultation, click the link in our bio.

02/03/2026

2 days left for $50 off.

Dr. Victoria Doobay's "Examining the Impact of Colonization on Mental Health Practices" is February 13th in Chicago.

This is reflective, experiential work examining how colonization operates in mental health systems and in our own practice. We'll explore what we've internalized and practice uprooting what doesn't serve our clients.

Discount code Decolonize expires Thursday night.

📍 2220 W Lawrence Ave | 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM | 5 CEs
Come be in community with other therapists doing this work. Link in comments.

01/01/2026

Start 2025 committed to your own growth and sustainability.

We are excited to announce two opportunities to deepen starting this February!

Because sustainable practice requires practitioners who are resourced, grounded, and doing their own work.

🌱 LIVING IFS FROM THE INSIDE OUT
5-month practice & consult group for IFS therapists
Wednesdays, Feb 11-June 11 | 11am-1pm CT | Virtual
Move beyond theory into embodied practice through case consultation, peer support, and self-exploration
Investment: $250

🔍 EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF COLONIZATION ON MENTAL HEALTH PRACTICES
Full-day CE training with Dr. Victoria Doobay
Friday, Feb 13 | 9:30am-3:30pm | In-person, Chicago
Sold out in 2024. Participants left saying: "The presenter and CE was so impactful I left wanting more conversation and engagement."
5 CE credits | Small group format | Investment: $250

💫 SPECIAL NEW YEAR OFFER
Save $50 on either training with code GROWTH26 through Sunday, January 11th
This is your invitation to invest in yourself first—so you can show up sustainable, aligned, and effective for the work that matters.

Registration link in comments!

11/28/2025

If "review my insurance benefits" has been on your to-do list for weeks, this long weekend is your chance.

Many employer open enrollment periods close in early December—some as soon as next week. With premiums rising and mental health coverage getting more complex, understanding what you're actually signing up for matters.

We've put together a comprehensive guide to help you:

✓ Find out if your plan is self-funded (and what that means for telehealth access)
✓ Understand insurance carve-outs that separate mental health coverage
✓ Navigate high-deductible plans strategically
✓ Maximize HSA/FSA benefits you might already have
✓ Know exactly what questions to ask your insurance company

Whether you're making last-minute open enrollment decisions or your deadline already passed, you have more options than you think.

Link in comments.

10/08/2025

Constantly exhausted? Modern motherhood involves managing complex schedules, handling most household mental labor, economic pressure, and often inadequate sleep. Add pandemic disruptions that still haven't normalized, and it's no wonder you're drained.

Quick reality check:

Are you getting actual sleep, or just lying down?
When did you last eat a real meal?
Could you name three tasks someone else could fully take over?

These aren't small questions—they're where change starts.

The truth: You're not failing. You're dealing with genuinely demanding circumstances that often lack adequate support systems.

👉 Ready to understand what's really draining you? Read the full breakdown of maternal exhaustion and discover practical steps toward real relief in my most recent blog. 🔗Link in comments.

What resonates with you? Share below.

10/02/2025

As a therapist, I’ve worked with many people who’ve felt the weight of expectations, holding shame from pursuing needs outside of their family’s.

If this resonates with you, know this: It’s okay to prioritize yourself. It’s okay to say, ‘This isn’t for me,’ and seek a path that aligns with who you are at your core.

Let’s start a conversation: How do you navigate identity and self-worth in a world that often tries to define you?

Share your thoughts or experiences below—I’d love to hear from you. 💬