"Life is what happens to us when we're too busy making other plans."
- John Lennon
Welcome!
Thank you for visiting our website. Whether you are exploring options for therapy or just browsing, we are
happy you have taken the time to get to know us. Searching for therapists in Decatur and the Atlanta area
can be overwhelming. We hope you find the information and resources on this site to be helpful in getting
through a difficult time or deciding on a therapist who best meets your present needs.
Believe it, or not, we all have strengths and wisdom that can bring us the happiness for which we strive.
One experience can impact your whole life. One person can impact a family or relationship. Imagine a
strand of pearls. One pearl being lost or damaged can impact the entire strand, but we don't throw them
away. They're too valuable. We make necessary changes to bring the strand back to its full beauty. If we
think of our lives in this way, we see that sometimes, we just need to polish the tarnished or blemished
areas that hold us back, so we can be who we know ourselves to be.
MINDFULNESS l BALANCE l CONNECTION
The Peaceful Place is a person-centered, mindfulness-based psychotherapy practice where our clinicians strive to understand and respect where our clients are in their lives. We join you on your journey of growth and development, helping you move through the uncomfortable spaces, rather than avoid them. Whether you no longer recognize who you've become, are struggling in a relationship, mental or emotional distress, or you want guidance and support in self-exploration, we recognize our clients, as, first and foremost, people with real lives, real jobs, real relationships, and real personal truths. Our work is based in three primary principles: mindfulness, balance, and connection.
Simply put, mindfulness is paying attention to the here-and-now, with respect to what is happening within ourselves and in our surroundings. Through mindfulness, we shift our focus from judgments and inhibiting shame to curiosity; having courage to explore and see things as they actually are, rather than the stories we create from past experience and future predictions, to which we avoid and/or react.
When we pay attention with purpose and intention, we are more aware of and receptive to information. Judgment and shame assign value to identity without understanding what is actually happening, or what is getting in the way of goals.
Balance refers to "ego-strength" - a healthy relationship between instinctual needs or desires and restrictive guidelines pulling toward perfection. One can strive for greatness without the pursuit of perfection. If perfection is the goal, one may find themselves avoiding discomfort out of fear of failure. Through the lens of perfection, we are less tolerant of patience or delaying gratification, which is a breeding ground for unrealistic expectations, shame, and limiting assumptions about identity.
By leaning into vulnerability, we see challenges for what they are, and more realistic expectations become clearer.
At the root of human experience is connection. As humans, we thrive in connection, and seek it through conscious and unconscious processes. Many of us feel our best when we have the confidence and security of healthy connection with others. Whether with a partner, family member, friend, or pet, those who have felt truly connected tend to feel more grounded and purposeful.
Some people have never felt this connection, while others are trying to mend it. Others still, may be living in such fear of losing it that they may sabotage it, often not understanding why they can't seem to find someone who cares.