Tiana Leeds, LMFT

Hi, I see clients across California via video and phone therapy. I invite you to reach out for a free consultation.

I stand in solidarity with all those impacted by racism and systemic oppression. I will continue to support all who are speaking out against societal injustices. As a therapist, I reaffirm my commitment to creating a safe space for healing from pain and repeated trauma. As a fellow human, I reaffirm my devotion to contributing meaningfully to humanity in ways that lift us all up.

We know that dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins are the quartet of chemicals responsible for our happiness. Each of these neurotransmitters plays a distinct role, and by paying attention to how we’re feeling and matching it to what we're needing, a little self-care can go a long way. Here’s what you need to know. When you’re experiencing procrastination, self-doubt, and lack of enthusiasm, you need more dopamine. When you want to feel more intimacy and connection, oxytocin is your best go-to. When you’re feeling lonely, unimportant, or depressed, you need serotonin. And to alleviate anxiety and pain, you can look to endorphins. Here’s how to increase each of these four key players. Image By: @sumbu.official

Let's go back to school just for a few minutes. Part of being antiracist is knowing in what ways we are prejudiced - both the conscious, explicit ways and the subconscious biases we hold implicitly. Consciously, we may think that we're completely unprejudiced, but usually, this is far from the case, even when we don't want it to be. Racism runs deep - it's a systemic issue and one that we are steeped in our whole lives; the water we swim in, so to speak. Taking an honest inve...ntory of ourselves, including our more hidden, ugly sides, can increase our conscious awareness of attitudes that contribute to the problem rather than to the solution. Uncovering these implicitly held beliefs isn't always easy. Even Harvard couldn't do it - https://www.vox.com//1463/implicit-association-test-racism! But it's worth looking inward to work towards discovering these parts of ourselves anyway. Inner work is part of how we dismantle that within us which brings others harm. See more

A great upcoming opportunity with my colleague, Patricia Young, designed for Highly Sensitive People looking for extra support during these intense times. To show up the way we want to right now, particularly as HSPs, means learning how to be with and care for our sensitive side. This course does just that.

For the big feelers and deep thinkers among us, activism might look differently. We all have our role to play and it's by using our strengths that we will get the farthest - and oh what a far way we need to go indeed. As sensitive people, we have a great capacity to listen and to see the big picture. We observe first and then take deliberate action, and that's okay. #blacklivesmatter #justiceforgeorgefloyd