When you’re struggling with a life change, or making a transition — feeling confused and discouraged and disheartened — I’ve found five principles that can really transform challenging experiences into something meaningful.
1. Time and time again, old core beliefs can defeat the best efforts to move forward.
Hearing what you’ve been telling yourself about what is and isn’t possible, what’s been happening (or not), what you deserve, or not, opens the door even wider, onto the landscape of what’s been waiting for you.
How to begin hearing those deep core beliefs that can keep you stumbling along, going nowhere fast?
2. Mindfulness, and mindful attention to your own sweet self.
Gentle, non-judging, non-shaming attention to your own internal stories invites you to hear what remains hidden within your subconscious. Those very powerful stories are often the things holding you hostage, preventing you from making good, positive, life-affirming changes.
And what happens as you begin slowing down, and paying attention to the old, worn-out, self-sabotaging mind stories? You realize that …
3. It’s actually really do-able to expand the edges, and boundaries of possibilities.
Everything becomes possible once you befriend the edges of your fears. I’m telling you, this is such a profound realization! No matter what you were taught as a child, no matter how scared you’ve been, no matter how high you want to fly … once you learn how to face your own dragons, you are free.
4. Curiosity and creativity are powerful tools for transformation.
This work of making changes — whether they’ve shown up as a most unwelcome guest or something you’re embracing with all your heart — can be such a rich time of magic and miracles.
Using your curiosity, and weaving in creativity in its infinite forms, begins to produce remarkable results. And guess what? It’s fun!
5. Creative action taken with conscious awareness of what’s possible is the path forward.
Because finally, when all the cows have come home, success or failure is about the action you take on behalf of your own sweet self and your sacred longings and desires.
It isn’t enough to write your new story, the one filled with true experiences of fighting beasties, and being an upstanding member of your tribe, and finding lasting, true love.
You need to begin to live it. That’s how you end up in happiness land. Start small, but start you must.
Here’s a Secret
Long-term success in your career, money, and/or that great relationship is founded on happiness. Those things emanate from happiness, not the other way around.
“Happiness is the cause of success, not the byproduct of it,” says researcher Vanessa Van Edwards.
Why happiness and transformative changes?
Because research shows that happy people earn more income, have less disease and illness, enjoy life satisfaction and purpose and meaning that make all of it worthwhile.
Because you’re not here to suffer and struggle and slog through a tedious, boring life.
Because no one, not one person, ever says at the end, “Gee I wish I’d worried more, and suffered even more deeply.”
How The Santa Fe Therapist Can Help You Find Happiness Again
I’m Melanie, the Santa Fe Therapist. Over the years, I’ve helped so many women who are struggling to find themselves after experiencing a loss, or making a big life change. One thing I’ve learned is that profoundly positive things begin happening when you understand how to manage your emotions and learn how to calm down your nervous system.
And when you’re experiencing dark times in your life, it can seem hopeless. I know.
But it isn’t, I promise. 
Together, we’ll figure out what’s going on and what you need to begin feeling more in control and have developed the neuroscience strategies to help you find your joy again.
Your Emotions, Thoughts, and Actions are Connected
One of the most powerful ways to do that is to understand how your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors are connected. When you learn how to …
- make friends with your feelings,
- manage your thoughts,
- gently explore where to find your joy again,
- your life will begin changing in positive, healthy ways.
The dark times won’t feel so dark and isolating, and you’ll start believing in life again.
In balancing the science of therapy with the art of healing, I’ll create an innovative program for you that sets you on a path of success from the very first session.
You can learn to not be afraid of how you’re feeling, and how to begin feeling satisfied with life and looking forward to your future.
Neuroscience, Eastern Wisdom, & Earth-based Practices
My compassionate, creative approach weaves together my ability to hear below the surface of the words with advanced degrees, years of specialized training, professional experience, and my own personal healing around grief.
One of my specialities is giving women the tools to cope with intense emotions. I use the latest neuroscience findings, and combine Western systems, Eastern wisdom, gentle Earth-based practices, as well as creative, innovative ideas to help you feel better as quickly as possible.
My clients usually work with me weekly for 8 to 12 months. As we work together, you’ll be getting tools for long-term success and learning and using strategies and techniques to serve you for many years.
You’ll work hard for sure. But won’t all be horrible and terrible! I love sharing ideas about good books and films and laughing together once in a while.
My hope for you is that you’ll feel safe every step of the way.
How to Get Help in Santa Fe, NM
When you reach out for professional help, you’re making an investment in yourself that can change in your life in the best of ways.
When you strengthen your self-esteem and build your self-confidence, you’ll begin feeling safe in this sometimes chaotic world. You’ll be able to be in the world on your terms … to work, and love, and live from the parts of you who know it’s possible.
All you have to do is send me an email to schedule a free, 15-minute phone consultation: melanie@melanieharth.com. Let’s get you feeling better as quickly as possible.
The Santa Fe Therapist Offers Online Counseling in New Mexico
Online therapy helps busy women find the time away from day-to-day pressures to calm their nervous systems. It also makes it easy and convenient to process emotions and learn new neuroscience techniques to cope with challenges, heal the past, and begin building your future.
I strongly believe in the power of online counseling. Along with the research that proves its effectiveness, I see the positive benefits for clients every week. Click here if you’ve got questions about online therapy.
Online counseling from anywhere in New Mexico, including Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Taos, Los Alamos, Pecos, Las Vegas, Tesuque and El Dorado.
Other Services From The Santa Fe Therapist
The Santa Fe Therapist specializes in several areas of health, wellbeing, healing and recovery. I know that one size never fits all. My services are individualized to each client, and are based on your values, your needs and desires, and your goals. 
I offer individual adult counseling and guidance in Santa Fe NM for:
- dealing with overwhelming angst and despair
- anxiety help
- depression help
- emotional and spiritual healing
- processing grief
- overcoming low self-esteem
- learning how to make peace with the present
- PTSD and CPTSD/trauma
- helping you manage stress
- online therapy
