I quit playing the viola after 7th grade. After years of playing, I loosened the bow, covered the instrument with its velvet and satin cover, and locked the case. Everyone told me not to. I didn’t listen. After 6 months, I missed it and wanted to play in the high school orchestra. But I wasn’t […]

Shuffling papers, walking from the desk to the kitchen table to the counter, and muttering to myself, I was a whirlwind of activity. More like I was circling the drain. Michael said, “Babe, do one thing at a time.” Didn’t he just diagnose that situation? Have you ever been there, spinning your wheels and going […]

“Be nice.”  “Don’t make a fuss.” “You’re so bossy.” Ever heard any of these? Uh, yeah. Me, too. Our culture has pushed several limiting beliefs about confrontation—and mostly to women. The message—well, the lie really—is confrontation is mean, aggressive, and not nice. That lie has turned into quite the monster in our culture. Sharon Hodde […]

I help people live peaceful and whole lives by equipping them with communication and conflict resolution skills. And right now, that work is intense. Because justice and anti-racism work is personal AND systemic. And if you’re new to this work, it often feels completely overwhelming. I’ve found the Enneagram a useful tool in examining my […]

Sometimes blindspots just keep surprising us. Kind friends show you behaviors that are problematic for you and others, yet you can’t seem to shake the patterns that creep up from time to time. Or even worse, you get with your family around the holiday table, and you’re right back in childhood, poking your cousin because […]