What Does It Mean to Be Present?

What Does It Mean to Be Present?

Written by Maria Gregg, MSW, LCSW, EMDR

Words can be wonderfully complex, and "present" is a perfect example—functioning as an adjective, noun, and verb all at once. During the holiday season, we're familiar with presents: those tangible gifts we exchange. Yet a true gift is something offered freely, often without expectation of return. While I appreciate material presents, they can sometimes feel transactional and fleeting. A gift without meaning is just another object. What if the most valuable present is actually our presence—the quality of our attention when we truly connect with others?

Consider how our brains are time-traveling machines. We constantly drift away from the current moment—backwards into a landscape of regret and loss, or forwards into territories of anxiety and anticipated threats. These mental journeys are guided by narratives we unconsciously construct about past experiences and potential futures. Often, we're not even aware of how these internal stories create autopilot patterns in our relationships, preventing us from experiencing the richness of now.

Mindfulness offers a pathway back to the present. In "Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics," Dan Harris defines it beautifully: the ability to observe our thoughts without being swept away by them. As we cultivate mindfulness, we expand our capacity for genuine attention. Before social gatherings, I recommend simple grounding practices—engaging your five senses, then practicing deliberate, paced breathing. This creates a crucial space between stimulus and response, allowing us to choose how we show up.

Being truly present is an act of profound respect. It means seeing others completely—not as projections of our needs, past wounds, or current frustrations, but as whole, autonomous beings. When we stop treating people as objects or means to an end, we open the door to real connection. Mutuality emerges when we say, through our full attention, "I see you—not who I want you to be, or what I need from you, but who you are right now."

Sometimes the most radical act is simply to pay attention—to ourselves and to others. In a world of constant distraction, presence becomes a gift more meaningful than any wrapped package. It's an invitation to truly meet each other, to recognize our shared humanity in this moment.

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Maria Gregg is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Texas. She received her Master’s of Social Work in 2005 and has worked in various roles within the field of mental health and social work the past 20 years. Maria is certified in Somatic Attachment EMDR and uses Internal Family Systems and Acceptance Commitment Therapy in her approach.

Holding Tension: How Politics, Paradox, and Contradictions Impact Your Mental Health

Holding Tension

How Politics, Paradox, and Contradictions Impact Your Mental Health

By: Lina Guerrero, MPA, LMSW, LCDC-I

Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend an annual restorative justice practitioners retreat. It was located at a gorgeous resort in the Hill Country, where the hustle and bustle of city life diffused into sounds of cicadas, birds, crickets, and the swishing of large Texas oak tree leaves. I was able to see friends and colleagues who I haven’t seen in awhile, and the warm embrace of community care that enveloped us all was the balm we craved after working tirelessly in our respective fields. The motto that was deemed for this retreat was “A Place to Breathe,” and yes, it was much easier to breathe in the quiet of nature and care of restorative practitioners. However, the weight of political chaos was entirely on our minds, as only two days prior was the attempted assassination of the former president, and all of us were *feeling* the tensions, emotions, implications, and impacts of the moment.

Now, please don’t stop reading because I mentioned something political. I want to state that I have no power, answers, or authority on anything I’m writing. I am just a human being, who happens to be a therapist, deeply cares about how we navigate living in a world where life inevitably gets life-ey and people are going to do people-ey things regardless of what *I* think about it. This includes how we all navigate the current political climate in the United States, which in turn very much impacts our mental health. 

One of my favorite commentators on social media is Benjamin Faye, who constantly iterates: “You’re not crazy, everything else is.” On my retreat that week, I kept repeating this statement in my head, as it was quite obvious that we were navigating a wild moment in history where political stress and trauma were amplified, visible, and tangible in our bodies. Simultaneously, I also held the reality that political stress and trauma exists in blatant and subtle ways in our everyday lives. 

To understand this a little better, one of the most popular definitions of ‘politics’ states that it’s “who gets what, when, and how.” Currently, the political landscape is very preoccupied with who, when, and how people get what rights, freedoms, resources, safety, and access to necessities for survival. When the rights and necessities for survival are threatened here and abroad, our nervous systems activate stress responses that can be excessively overwhelming, both physically and emotionally. It’s imperative to state that these political times, along with the stressors we experience from them, ARE NOT normal. However, your anxieties, feelings, fears, hopes, and tensions in response ARE NORMAL. They are normal responses to the abnormal contexts that threaten your sense of self, values, and livelihoods. 

In many everyday circumstances (but in election seasons in particular), you may hear very polarizing rhetoric, arguments, and debates that try to place complex beings and issues into neatly categorized boxes or binaries: we are “good and bad,” Democrat and Republican, rich and poor, citizen and non-citizen, legal and illegal, safe and unsafe, White and non-White, abled and disabled, young and old, religious and non-religious, healthy and unhealthy, man or woman, parent and non-parent, “right and wrong” and so on. The truth is, as you may have felt while reading those, is that no one is completely one or the other. Everyone, regardless of who they are, holds multitudes of truths, identities, complexities, and histories, which can oftentimes be contradictory and paradoxical. 

I write all of this as a compassionate invitation, that when the stressors of the current political landscape arise, to particularly notice the various parts of yourself that come up. There could be parts that want to fight, fear, worry, or get angry. There may be parts that are more open to love, hope, protect, and defend. There may be parts that yearn for “right and wrong,” or you may want to put yourself in a position to “find where you stand.” You may find that one issue or value that is not important to you in your world can mean the world to someone else. You can take a stand for what you believe is right, and also know that someone will probably take their stand against yours. Yes, there is absolutely right and wrong, AND, there’s many right and wrongs in-between. All of these truths can exist together at the same time, and it further shows the reality that we all stand in multitudes. When we hold our multitudes with tenderness, care and compassion, we are able to hear, hold, and care for the multitudes of others. This is a beautiful thing.  

Therapy and mental health support can be a space where you can explore the themes of this blog post, particularly in this overwhelming and tumultuous political landscape. We at Colors of Austin Counseling are here to support you on that journey, no matter what multitudes you bring to the table. 

I leave you with the following quote from Pema Chodron: 

“As human beings, not only do we seek resolution, but we also feel that we deserve resolution. However, not only do we not deserve resolution, we suffer from resolution. We don't deserve resolution; we deserve something better than that. We deserve our birthright, which is the middle way, an open state of mind that can relax with paradox and ambiguity.”

Mindful Living: Prioritizing Your Needs in Busy Seasons

Mindful Living: Prioritizing Your Needs in Busy Seasons

Written by: Alyssa Ray, LCSW

As the summer months have been in full swing, I have felt the weight of nonstop plans, summer projects, vacations, and time with family. The summer months can be full of fun and exciting adventures, but can also lead to a sense of overwhelment and exhaustion. So how do we balance all of our summer plans while keeping ourselves grounded and centered? This is where the idea of mindful living can be crucial. For me, mindful living consists of four main components: awareness, intentionality, gratitude, and sustainability. 

When thinking about awareness in the terms of mindful living, I like to think about it in two ways: awareness of the here and now and self-awareness. Awareness of the here and now is all about being present in the moment you are in. It can be hard when we are busy to not think about the next thing we have planned or the tasks we want to accomplish and that is where self-awareness is important. When we are able to practice self-awareness we can get a sense of what our minds and bodies need in that moment in order to stay present. Practicing compassionate self-awareness is allowing yourself to tune into your thinking patterns and body sensations in a nonjudgmental way. It allows you to meet yourself with curiosity and self-acceptance. The more aware we are of our environments and ourselves the more we are able to recognize when we are feeling centered versus dysregulated.

Once we are able to recognize when our minds and bodies are no longer centered, we can incorporate daily practices to help us become grounded. When we are intentional with how we spend our time and give our energy, we can live in a way that fosters calmness and connection. When thinking about mindful living, we need both awareness and intentionality. Intentionality without awareness can lead us to frustration if we are not attuned to what our bodies and minds need in a given moment. Intentionality moves us from awareness to action. It empowers us to use the information we gleaned from tuning into ourselves and our environments to make deliberate decisions about how to spend our time in a way that will honor our mind and body’s needs. When thinking about mindful living, intentionality is about creating balance in your life. During busy seasons it can feel very difficult to incorporate intentional slowness in your time because there can be a pull to “go, go, go.” I know for myself I have to be very intentional about planning moments of stillness into my day in order to keep myself centered during the busy summer months. 

One way I am intentional about keeping myself centered is by practicing gratitude. Practicing gratitude as a part of mindful living has many benefits. A daily gratitude practice has been shown to decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety, help build deeper connections, and lead to more positive outlooks on life. Gratitude can also help us to be more present and increase our awareness. A daily gratitude practice can look as simple as naming five things you are thankful for each morning. Just this small act can lead to a more mindful life and help us stay grounded among the business of our summers.

The last component of mindful living is sustainability. Sustainability is the reason we practice awareness, intentionality, and gratitude. It can be helpful to think in terms of sustainability when we are tuning into ourselves and practicing self-awareness. When we think about the busy summer months it helps to be mindful of our capacity. I know for myself it can be easy to start planning all these activities and I don’t stop to think about how filling my schedule with activities is not sustainable for me. The more self-aware I am, the more I will be able to know at that moment that I do not have capacity for what I may have planned. I can then be intentional about giving my mind and body what it needs in order to sustain my lifestyle. It can be helpful to think about what you are going to intentionally incorporate in your life to sustain you during busy seasons. 

Mindful living is all about knowing your needs and prioritizing them in the midst of business. I know that in some seasons it can feel nearly impossible to prioritize your needs. Whether it is because you have kids who are out of school during the summer and you now are responsible for entertaining them, you are working a demanding job, you’re being pulled multiple directions by different summer plans, or a different stressful situation; prioritizing your needs will allow you to be more grounded and centered. Prioritizing mindful living will allow you to be more connected to those around you and to yourself. As it is about time to transition into the new school year, I hope we can encourage each other in our journeys of mindful living.

Embracing Diversity and Intersectionality in BIPOC Mental Health: A Path to Resilience

Embracing Diversity and Intersectionality in BIPOC Mental Health: A Path to Resilience

Written by: Vanessa Newton, LCSW-S, Owner of COAC

At Colors of Austin Counseling, we are dedicated to fostering a therapeutic environment that celebrates our unique experiences, acknowledges the challenges faced by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities, and empowers individuals through the process of storytelling, connection and developing a sense of belonging to oneself first. Our commitment to these values is rooted in the belief that every person, regardless of their background, deserves access to compassionate, culturally competent mental health care.

Healing in the Therapy Room for Communities of Color

Diversity in therapy goes beyond recognizing differences in race, ethnicity, and culture. It encompasses a broad spectrum of identities, including gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, religion, and more. Each of these factors contributes to an individual's unique experience and perspective and our team of clinicians strive to create a safe and inclusive space where all clients feel seen, heard, and respected.

Celebrating diversity in the therapy room means acknowledging the systemic inequities that affect mental health. For instance, BIPOC individuals often face racial discrimination, cultural stigmas, and socio-economic challenges that can exacerbate mental health issues. By understanding these factors, our therapists are better equipped to provide empathetic and effective support. Beyond that, we understand that healing is not linear and does not only happen in the therapy room. It happens over the dinner table, in community, at the library and so on. It’s important to acknowledge that the act of developing a sense of belonging must extend into the spaces that you frequent allowing you practice courage and vulnerability. 

We support that process. We honor that process and if that doesn’t exist for you yet, we will help you in creating it.

The Importance of BIPOC Mental Health

Mental health within BIPOC communities requires particular attention to historical and ongoing injustices. Disparities in access to mental health care, cultural stigmas, and a lack of culturally competent providers contribute to these challenges. At Colors of Austin Counseling, we recognize the importance of addressing these barriers and advocating for mental health equity.

Intersectionality in Therapy

Intersectionality is a critical framework in understanding how overlapping identities—such as race, gender, sexuality, and class—interact to shape an individual’s experiences and challenges. This concept, coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, helps us recognize that the struggles faced by individuals are not just additive but intersecting, creating unique and complex dynamics.

In therapeutic practice, applying an intersectional lens means:

• Holistic Assessment: Taking into account the various facets of a client’s identity to understand how they collectively impact mental health.

• Personalized Treatment: Developing individualized treatment plans that address the specific needs arising from a client’s intersecting identities.

• Advocacy: Empowering clients to navigate systems of oppression and advocating for broader societal changes that promote equality and justice.

Building Resilience

Resilience is the ability to adapt and thrive despite adversity. For BIPOC individuals, resilience often involves navigating systemic barriers and societal prejudices while maintaining mental and emotional well-being. At Colors of Austin Counseling, we believe in fostering resilience through:

• Strength-Based Approaches: Highlighting and building upon clients' inherent strengths and coping strategies.

• Cultural Affirmation: Validating clients' cultural identities and experiences as sources of strength and pride.

• Community Support: Encouraging the development of supportive networks within and outside of therapy, including family, friends, and community resources.

By embracing diversity, integrating an intersectional approach, and fostering resilience, Colors of Austin Counseling is committed to providing exceptional mental health care that honors the rich tapestry of human experiences. We believe that through understanding, compassion, and empowerment, every individual can achieve mental well-being and lead a fulfilling life.

For more information on our services or to schedule an appointment, please visit our contact page or email us directly at connect@colorsofaustincounseling.com. Together, we can navigate the path to healing and growth.

Art Journaling: What Is It?

Art Journaling: What Is It?

Have you ever wondered, "What is art journaling? How do you use it in therapy?" Let me walk you through a therapeutic activity that I frequently use with clients and in my groups. 

And, if you're interested in joining our Spring 2018 Art Journaling group, click HERE to sign up! 

Warmly, 

Vanessa

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