Davorka Marovic Ph.D., LPC

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Davorka Marovic Ph.D., LPC Psychotherapy; Consultations; Clinical Supervision; Training

What if recharging your energy starts with choosing the right kind of connection?Some of us are especially motivated by ...
10/20/2026

What if recharging your energy starts with choosing the right kind of connection?

Some of us are especially motivated by relationships, belonging, and shared experiences. For people with a relational temperament, connection isn’t simply something we enjoy. It’s an important source of meaning, motivation, and emotional nourishment.

That’s why I’m always looking for relational activities that allow me to connect with people while doing something that feels good for my mind and body.

This past Sunday, I signed up for a hike and Reiki event through Joy of Yoga. It was such a lovely experience — rejuvenating, grounding, and recharging. 🌳

As I shared in my previous post, spending time in nature can support our mental health and influence our body’s immune functioning, including the activity of natural killer (NK) cells, which play an important role in our immune defense.

And when we combine nature with movement, mindfulness, and opportunities for connection, we’re creating space to nourish ourselves on multiple levels.

We don’t all recharge in the same way. Some of us need solitude; others feel most alive when sharing experiences with people. The important thing is learning what genuinely restores you.

So, on that note, what relational activity will you choose this season?

Will it be a hiking group, a yoga class, a dance lesson, a walking club, a volunteer opportunity, or simply inviting someone to take a walk with you?

Choose something that brings you joy, creates an opportunity for connection, and leaves you feeling more alive.

Sometimes, recharging isn’t about doing more. It’s about choosing experiences that help us feel more connected — to ourselves, to others, and to the world around us. ❤️🌳

10/10/2026

My colleague and I are creating couples workshops that bring together evidence-informed relationship approaches, including the Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy skills, Imago, and insights from my own research in relational neuroscience.

Participants will also receive several complimentary e-workbooks to help them continue practicing these skills long after the workshop.

More details coming soon. Stay tuned!

How couples handle conflict matters—how they repair, and what they model for their children.When parents fight, children...
10/10/2026

How couples handle conflict matters—how they repair, and what they model for their children.

When parents fight, children feel it.

Children can experience intense parental conflict as a threat to their sense of safety—even when they are not physically harmed.

Research shows that frequent, intense, and poorly resolved interparental conflict is associated with changes in children’s emotional, behavioral, physiological, and neurobiological stress responses.

Neurobiological research also suggests that children exposed to parental violence or intense conflict can show altered threat processing and heightened vigilance.

And this response can occur even during relatively low-level parental conflict, particularly in children who have previously experienced aggression.

A child may not understand the content of the argument.

But their developing nervous system is still responding to the emotional environment around them. That doesn’t mean parents should never disagree.

Children also learn from watching parents regulate, reconnect, and repair after conflict.

That is why how couples handle conflict matters—not only for the relationship, but for the child who is watching.

When you’re emotionally attached to someone, try asking yourself a different set of questions.Psychologist Arthur Aron s...
10/10/2026

When you’re emotionally attached to someone, try asking yourself a different set of questions.

Psychologist Arthur Aron studied how personal, reciprocal conversations can foster closeness between people. But what if we used intentional questions to examine the relationships we’re already attached to?

• What concrete actions—not promises—demonstrate that this person values me?

• If someone I love described this exact relationship to me, what would I want them to consider?

• Am I attached to who this person consistently is, or to who I hope they will become?

• If nothing changed, would I choose this relationship again?

• If I set aside what I feel and look only at the evidence, what does this relationship consistently show me?

• Am I interpreting this person’s behavior objectively, or making excuses for it because I’m emotionally attached?

Sometimes, the questions we avoid are the ones that help us see most clearly.

What if the more you try to force change, the harder it becomes?Imagine planting a seed. Every day, you dig it up to che...
10/10/2026

What if the more you try to force change, the harder it becomes?

Imagine planting a seed. Every day, you dig it up to check whether it’s growing. You interfere so much that you prevent it from taking root.

We sometimes do the same thing with ourselves.

We analyze every thought, question every feeling, and constantly check whether we’re making progress. Instead of moving forward, we get caught in a loop of monitoring, analyzing, and second-guessing.

In physics, the Quantum Zeno Effect describes how repeated measurements can slow the evolution of certain quantum systems. While the science doesn’t directly explain human behavior, it offers an interesting metaphor for reflection.

🧠 Are you allowing yourself to experience something new, or are you repeatedly revisiting the same thoughts, hoping they will lead to a different outcome?

Sometimes, the shift we’re looking for begins when we stop rehearsing the old pattern and start creating space for a new one.

I was so excited to attend the Webster University Community Convening at the Webster Institute for Clinical Scholarship,...
10/09/2026

I was so excited to attend the Webster University Community Convening at the Webster Institute for Clinical Scholarship, especially because the keynote speaker was Dr. Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Perry is a psychiatrist, neuroscientist, researcher, and internationally recognized expert in childhood trauma and developmental adversity. His work has fundamentally influenced the way many clinicians understand the relationship between trauma, brain development, relationships, and healing.

One of his most important contributions is the Neurosequential Model—a developmentally sensitive, neuroscience-informed approach that helps clinicians understand how experiences such as neglect, abuse, chronic stress, and healthy relationships can shape the developing brain and influence emotional, behavioral, social, and physiological functioning.

What I particularly appreciate about Dr. Perry’s work is that he reminds us that healing is not simply about asking, “What is wrong with you?”

It is about asking:

“What happened to you?”

His work highlights the profound role that relationships, safety, connection, regulation, and repeated positive experiences can play in supporting resilience and healthy development.

It was a privilege to hear him speak and to have the opportunity to meet him and have my copy of What Happened to You? signed.

As a clinician whose work integrates relational neuroscience, attachment, trauma-informed approaches, Brainspotting, and HeartMath, this was a particularly meaningful experience for me.

Always grateful for opportunities to learn from the people whose work continues to shape the field. ❤️

🧠 DID YOU KNOW?Your brain has its own “feel-good” chemistry—and you can support it through everyday experiences.We often...
09/20/2026

🧠 DID YOU KNOW?

Your brain has its own “feel-good” chemistry—and you can support it through everyday experiences.

We often hear dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins called our “happy hormones.” But they actually play much more complex roles in motivation, mood, reward, connection, stress regulation, and pain.

And the good news? You don’t always need medication to support these systems.

🏃‍♀️Move your body — supports mood, reward, and stress-regulation pathways.

☀️ Get natural light — helps regulate your circadian rhythm and can support mood.

🌳 Spend time in nature — can reduce stress and support psychological well-being.

🥗 Nourish your body — a balanced, nutrient-rich diet supports brain and overall health.

🤗 Connect with someone you trust — safe relationships engage biological systems involved in bonding and stress regulation.

🎶 Listen to music — can activate brain networks involved in reward and emotion.

😂 Laugh & play — positive experiences can activate reward pathways and help shift our attention away from threat.

🫁 Slow your breathing — intentional breathing can help regulate autonomic nervous-system activity.

❤️ Give and receive safe touch — affectionate touch can support connection, bonding, and physiological regulation.

And perhaps one of the most important ones…

❤️ Cultivate relationships where your nervous system feels safe.

Our brains are social organs. We are constantly influenced by the people, environments, and experiences around us.

So when you’re not feeling your best, pause and ask yourself:

“What do I need right now?”

Maybe it’s movement.
Maybe it’s rest.
Maybe it’s nature.
Maybe it’s nourishment.
Maybe it’s connection.
Maybe it’s simply a little more kindness toward yourself.

Your brain and body are constantly communicating with you. Learning to listen is part of taking care of yourself. ❤️

🌸 What if simply looking at flowers could help your nervous system shift toward a more regulated state?Researchers studi...
09/15/2026

🌸 What if simply looking at flowers could help your nervous system shift toward a more regulated state?

Researchers studied what happened when people looked at flowers for only four minutes. They found increased parasympathetic nervous-system activity—the branch of the autonomic nervous system associated with rest, recovery, and regulation. The participants also showed physiological signs consistent with relaxation.

Even more interestingly, a later study with 214 participants found that viewing fresh roses produced a physiological adjustment: people who started with higher sympathetic nervous-system activity showed a reduction after viewing the roses.

Another 2020 study examined what happened after people experienced a psychological stressor and then viewed an image of flowers. Viewing the flower image was associated with:

• reduced negative emotion
• lower blood pressure
• lower cortisol
• reduced activation in the right amygdala–hippocampus region

The researchers proposed that flowers may naturally draw our attention away from a stressor, giving the nervous system an opportunity to begin recovering.

And the evidence extends beyond flowers.

A systematic review of 37 studies found that viewing nature—including flowers and green plants—was associated with positive effects on cerebral and autonomic nervous-system activity.

Another systematic review found that nature exposure was associated with reductions in both perceived and physiological stress across the studies reviewed.

So, if you’ve had a challenging day, feel stressed, or notice yourself becoming reactive, step outside. Take a walk. Look at the trees, flowers, or whatever beauty nature is offering you. Notice what happens in your body and mind.

From a more regulated state, it can be easier to make thoughtful decisions, have more productive conversations, and show up differently in your relationships.

Sometimes, a little time in nature is exactly what our nervous system needs. 🌳🌳🌳
Photo credit Lindsey Molina ❤️

Did you know that your relationships can actually shape the way your brain responds to connection?Harvard-trained psychi...
09/15/2026

Did you know that your relationships can actually shape the way your brain responds to connection?

Harvard-trained psychiatrist Dr. Amy Banks identified four neural pathways involved in our capacity for healthy connection. She developed the C.A.R.E. Program to help us understand and strengthen these pathways.

C — Calm
Do I feel safe enough in this relationship to relax my nervous system? Can I experience conflict without feeling threatened or unsafe?

A — Accepted
Can I be myself here? Do I feel valued, respected, and able to express my needs and differences without losing connection?

R — Resonant
Do we get each other? Can we sense one another’s emotions and feel emotionally understood?

E — Energetic
Does this relationship give me energy rather than continually depleting me? Do I experience joy, vitality, playfulness, and a sense of being more alive when we connect?

Dr. Banks connects these four qualities with relational neuroscience and neuroplasticity—the brain’s capacity to change through experience. The relationships we repeatedly experience can strengthen or weaken our capacity for connection over time.

So, what do your relationships feel like in your nervous system?

Do they leave you feeling calm, accepted, resonant, and energized—or something else?

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