Making Waves Counseling & Wellness

08/26/2026

I’m incredibly proud to share that Making Waves Counseling & Wellness is partnering with Canines for Service as a sponsor of Zoomies for a Cause 5K + 1-Mile Walk! 🐾💙

Supporting the military and Veteran community has always held a special place in both my heart and my work. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside Veterans, service members, and their families and seeing firsthand the sacrifices they make—not only during their time in service, but long after.

One of the things I’ve always wanted Making Waves to be about is more than what happens inside the therapy room. I want this practice to be connected to our community, to give back, and to support organizations doing meaningful work for the people we serve.

That’s why partnering with Canines for Service feels so special. Their work helps provide highly trained service dogs to Veterans at no cost to them, creating opportunities for greater independence, connection, and quality of life.

On October 11th, we’ll come together for Zoomies for a Cause, a dog-friendly 5K + 1-Mile Walk in recognition of World Mental Health Day and in support of this incredible mission.

I’m honored that Making Waves gets to play even a small part in supporting the work Canines for Service is doing—and I’d love to see our community show up for them. 🐕🌊

🐾 October 11, 2026
🏃 5K + 1-Mile Walk
🐕 Dog-friendly
💙 Benefiting Canines for Service

Register here: https://www.caninesforservice.org/events/zoomies-for-a-cause/

08/24/2026

I’m grateful to partner with Canines for Service in bringing awareness to the very real impact of mental health stigma.

Conversations like these matter. Mental health challenges don’t always look the way we expect them to, and reducing stigma starts with creating spaces where people feel safe asking for help, talking about what they’re experiencing, and accessing support without shame.

Making Waves Counseling & Wellness is also proud to sponsor this year’s Zoomies for a Cause, supporting the incredible work Canines for Service does for Veterans in our community. 🐾

I’m honored to play a small part in a mission that brings together two things I care deeply about: mental health and supporting our Veteran community.

07/29/2026

We’re excited to share that our owner and therapist, Kara Tolman, MSW, LCSW, has officially become a Certified Basic Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) Practitioner!

At Making Waves Counseling and Wellness, we believe that ongoing education and advanced training are essential to providing the highest quality care. This certification allows us to expand our trauma-focused services with another evidence-based approach to help individuals process distressing experiences, reduce emotional distress, and move toward lasting healing.

We’re proud to continue investing in innovative, research-supported treatments so we can better serve our clients, including veterans, first responders, and individuals navigating trauma, anxiety, and life’s most challenging moments.

Please join us in congratulating Kara on this professional milestone as we continue our commitment to bringing compassionate, specialized care to our community.

ProfessionalDevelopment EvidenceBasedPractice WilmingtonNC

07/28/2026

There’s nothing better than giving back to the community that has supported my small business. ❤️

I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to sponsor the John T. Hoggard Vikings Football program for the 2026–2027 season. Seeing these shirts come to life and knowing they’ll be tossed into the crowd on Friday nights makes it even more exciting!

Supporting our local schools, student-athletes, and families is something I truly believe in. Community is at the heart of everything I do, and being able to give back in a meaningful way is an honor.

I can’t wait to see everyone proudly wearing these shirts this season. Here’s to an amazing year for the Vikings—Go Hoggard! 💙🏈

07/28/2026

Do you keep finding yourself attracted to emotionally unavailable partners, even when you know you deserve more?

It might not be bad luck—and it definitely doesn't mean you're broken. Sometimes the patterns we repeat are rooted in old survival strategies our nervous system learned long ago.

In my newest blog, I explore why this happens, how trauma and attachment can influence who we choose, and what healing can actually look like.

💙 Read the full blog and let me know what resonates with you.

https://www.makingwavescounselingwellness.com/post/why-do-i-keep-choosing-emotionally-unavailable-partners-the-trauma-response-you-may-not-recognize

Why do you keep choosing emotionally unavailable partners? It may not be about bad luck or poor judgment. Learn how your nervous system, attachment patterns, and past experiences can quietly influence who you're drawn to—and how healing can help you choose differently.

07/23/2026

Looking for a trauma therapist in Wilmington, NC? Wondering what it's really like to work with me?

I believe therapy should feel genuine, collaborative, and empowering—not clinical or one-size-fits-all.

In my newest blog, I'm sharing the story behind Making Waves Counseling & Wellness, the approach I take to trauma therapy, and how I help clients navigate anxiety, PTSD, life transitions, and emotional overwhelm.

If you've been thinking about starting therapy, this is a great place to get to know me before reaching out. 💙

✨ Read the blog here: https://www.makingwavescounselingwellness.com/post/meet-the-trauma-therapist-behind-making-waves-counseling-and-wellness

A Psychology Today profile can only tell you so much. If you've ever wondered what it's really like to work with me, this is a more personal look at the therapist behind Making Waves Counseling & Wellness and the heart behind my approach to healing.

07/06/2026

Accepting new clients 🌻🍉

We currently accept most major insurances!

Inquire now through our contact form on our website, through text/phone, or psychology today.

📲910.541.8928

07/02/2026

What if the way you speak to yourself today isn't really your voice?

So many of us carry an inner critic that tells us we're not enough, that we should have done better, or that we somehow keep falling short. But those thoughts often have roots that go much deeper than the present moment.

In my newest blog, I share how I help clients explore negative self-talk, uncover the beliefs underneath it, and begin practicing compassion toward the younger version of themselves. One of my favorite exercises is surprisingly simple—but it can be incredibly powerful.

Healing doesn't begin by becoming perfect. It begins by speaking to ourselves with the same kindness we would offer a child.

I'd love to know—what's one thing your younger self needed to hear that you can remind yourself of today? 💛

Do you constantly second-guess yourself or feel like you're never enough? Negative self-talk often develops from early life experiences and the beliefs we carry into adulthood. Learn how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and self-compassion can help you quiet your in...

06/16/2026

Maybe healing isn't found in forgetting.

Maybe healing is when the memory remains, but the ache softens.
When the story stays the same, but your nervous system no longer lives inside it.
When what once felt like a wound becomes a chapter.

While writing my latest blog post, I kept coming back to the themes of Eternal Sunshine—the longing to erase pain and start over. It's a longing I hear often from trauma survivors. Yet some of the most profound healing I've witnessed doesn't come from deleting the past.

It comes from changing our relationship to it.

This piece is part reflection, part therapist perspective, and part love letter to the resilience of people who continue choosing healing, even when the past feels heavy.

Because brighter days ahead aren't about having no scars.

They're about discovering that your scars no longer determine where you're going.

Can trauma therapy feel like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind? In this personal and professional reflection, a therapist explores the connection between Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine, the desire to forget painful experiences, and the reality of trauma healing through Accelerated Resolution...

06/16/2026

Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month serves as an important reminder that prioritizing mental health is a sign of strength, self-awareness, and resilience.