Compass Rose Counseling - Kari Malone, LPC

05/01/2026

“What happened to you?” is only part of the story. The deeper question is: “How is your body still holding onto it?” 💭

If you’ve ever felt like your reactions don’t quite make sense—or like you know you’re safe, but your body doesn’t believe it—you’re not alone. This is something many people experience after trauma.

A book I often recommend is What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo. It’s not just a memoir—it’s an honest, deeply relatable exploration of living with complex PTSD and figuring out how to heal when the path isn’t clear.

Foo shares her real, messy journey through therapy, relationships, and self-discovery, while also breaking down what’s happening in the brain and body. It’s validating, eye-opening, and a reminder that healing isn’t linear—and it doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s version.

✨ Takeaway: Healing isn’t about “fixing” yourself—it’s about learning to understand your patterns, listen to your body, and create safety from the inside out. Corrective experiences through the right type of therapy and with the support of safe people are also part of the healing process.

If you’re doing this kind of work (or thinking about starting), this book can feel like a companion along the way.

📖 *What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma*

04/27/2026

Sense of safety shapes attachment.❤️‍🩹

04/03/2026

Emotionally Immature Parents (EIPs) often lack the emotional tools needed to support their children’s development. They may be reactive, dismissive, low/no effort, or self-centered, which leaves children feeling emotionally neglected—even if basic needs were met.

You might recognize EIPs through patterns like:

🔥 Overreacting to stress or criticism
❄️ Emotionally distant or unavailable
🎭 Using guilt, blame, or manipulation
🚫 Struggling to validate your emotions

EIPs and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
Although they may not seem abusive, emotionally immature parenting often falls under hidden ACE categories, such as:

💔 Emotional neglect
🏚️ Household dysfunction
🗣️ Verbal or emotional abuse

These experiences create instability, confusion, and long-term emotional stress—often without a clear “label” until adulthood.

Long-Term Impact of EIPs
Adults raised by emotionally immature parents often experience:

Difficulty setting boundaries
Low self-worth or people-pleasing
Fear of conflict or emotional intimacy
Emotional shutdown under stress
These are not personality flaws—they’re protective responses to childhood environments.

How Therapy Can Help

🔍 Make sense of your upbringing
❤️ Reconnect with your authentic self
🧱 Build healthier emotional boundaries
🕊️ Grieve unmet needs and create lasting change

You don’t need to stay stuck in survival mode. Healing is possible. Realizing the emotional impact of your childhood is a powerful and courageous step. If you’re ready to break free from old patterns and build healthier emotional relationships, we’re here to support you.

📞 Contact me today to schedule a consultation and begin your healing journey.

03/01/2026

🧠 Do neurons know your story?

I came across this article and it beautifully explains something I talk about in my EMDR sessions all the time…

Our brains don’t store trauma as a “story” the way we tell it. What gets stored are neural patterns shaped by emotional intensity — the way your nervous system learned to respond to overwhelming experiences. So your body may still react even when your mind knows you’re safe.

That’s exactly why I use Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). We’re not trying to rewrite your past or make you think happy thoughts. We help your nervous system update old patterns so those intense reactions can finally lose their charge.

When the brain shifts, people often say, “It doesn’t feel the same anymore.” That’s not just a feeling — it’s real change happening at a neural level.

💛 Curious about the neuroscience behind all of this?

👉 Read the article here: [https://compassionworks.com/do-neurons-know-your-story/?mc_cid=30216dd072&mc_eid=d2f4467cdf]

If this resonates or you’ve ever wondered about EMDR, I’d love to talk with you about how it can support your healing.

02/07/2026

Radical idea for your Saturday

02/04/2026

Grief isn’t only about death.
It’s about the quiet losses, too.
The version of yourself you had to leave behind.
The relationship that has changed.
The future you thought you were walking toward.

Grief shows up when something meaningful is gone — even if no one else can see it, even if you’re told you should be “over it.”

Subtle losses still deserve space.
Unnamed grief still deserves care.

01/29/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CCYyrKn8z/?mibextid=wwXIfr

It’s unsettling how often the behaviours we praise in children
become the patterns adults spend years trying to undo.

Being easy.
Being agreeable.
Being quiet when something doesn’t feel right.

What looks like “good behaviour” early on
can turn into self-abandonment later.

Not because something went wrong —
but because something was learned.

And maybe the question isn’t
“How do we fix this as adults?”
but
“What are we rewarding in children now?” ❤️

01/23/2026

For many of us, this wasn’t said with care—it was a message.
A message that our feelings were too much, inconvenient, or unwelcome.

So we learned to hide this part of ourselves.
To tuck away our tears, our intuition, our tenderness—because it didn’t feel safe to be seen.

Unlearning that shame takes time.
But sensitivity isn’t a flaw—it’s awareness, depth, and connection.

If you were taught to make yourself smaller to be accepted, let this be your reminder:
Your sensitivity was never the problem. 🌱

01/19/2026

Healing doesn’t have to be done alone. 🌱
Whether you’re carrying trauma, navigating family boundaries, managing anxiety, or holding space for grief — support is here.

At Compass Rose Counseling, I walk alongside my clients with compassion, evidence-based care, and respect for your story.

You deserve support that meets you where you are. 🤍

01/14/2026

There’s something quietly radical about deciding you’re done letting every feeling steer the car. Not numbing yourself. Not becoming cold. Just finally letting discernment sit in the front seat. This isn’t about becoming less emotional—it’s about becoming less chaotic. Choosing peace over adrenaline. Choosing long-term calm over short-term comfort. 2026 isn’t louder. It’s steadier. And honestly? That’s the glow-up nobody talks about enough.