Rooted Wellness Therapy / Erin Weme, LCSW

start-of-summer photo dump. ☀️
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favorite things, summer edition:
〰️sleeping to the sound of a fan
〰️the breeze of summer nights blowing through the windows
〰️the sound of neighbors mowing lawns in the distance
〰️sipping my coffee outside on an early but slow morning
〰️waking up to bird song
〰️weekly farm runs for fresh raw milk
〰️being on a boat with a cold drink + no agenda
〰️an afternoon popsicle
〰️trying to grow things in my yard
〰️biker shorts + my husband’s t shirt
〰️morning sun on my skin
〰️my kids’ dirty feet + extra freckles

What’s yours? 🌊 ☀️ 🏊‍♀️

Some thoughts this Mother’s Day, and a very unflattering photo of me in one of my favorite gifts to date (though who am I kidding, I love all my gifts from my kids): personalized gardening overalls 🌸
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I know Mother’s Day can be emotional for many & for many reasons — sending my love 🤍

✨weekend meme dump…you’re welcome

a thread on rest for your Saturday ✨

Let’s chat potassium. Potassium is one of the four macro minerals (alongside sodium, magnesium, & calcium) and it’s also an electrolyte, making it very important for cellular hydration. Focusing on adequate potassium will likely have a myriad of benefits, and can impact other mineral statuses as well.

Potassium plays a role in lots of different bodily functions & systems in one way or another, including but not limited to the stress response, digestion, blood sugar, thyroid & adrenal function, detox, and blood pressure.

Potassium is in close relationship to sodium — in fact, many times when someone is experiencing fluid retention & is told it’s due to too much sodium, the real culprit is too little potassium. On a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis, the sodium to potassium ratio is considered the vitality ratio — when this ratio is off you are going to feel it in your stress response & energy levels, among other things.

Good sources of potassium include fruit, root vegetables, salmon, chicken, beans, beef, cottage cheese, coconut water & pure aloe vera juice.

Interested in getting an HTMA for more personalized info? DM me & let’s chat! 😊

Disclaimer: Content discussed here is for informational purposes only & it might not apply to your individual situation. I cannot give individual medical advice & this is not a replacement for your own personal therapy/treatment.

Did you know potassium had such an impact?

Let’s share some basic info on sodium. Sodium is one of the first minerals to be impacted by stress, making it useful in supporting your body’s stress response. If you find yourself reacting poorly to stress, it may be a sodium regulation issue. It is a vital nutrient to the adrenals, and is needed (in right relation to potassium) for the adrenals to function properly (and proper function of the adrenals is needed for healthy sodium levels — so it’s a feedback loop). One of the main functions of the adrenals is to produce the hormones that regulate the stress response, blood pressure, immune system, & other metabolic functions.

But it’s not as simple as reducing or increasing sodium. For instance, sodium & potassium regulate one another, and the correct balance of each must be considered when looking at & addressing levels. On a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis, the sodium to potassium ratio is considered the vitality ratio — when this ratio is off you are going to feel it in your stress response & energy levels, among other things. Contrary to many western approaches, often times when individuals have symptoms of high sodium, the solution isn’t to drastically reduce or avoid sodium altogether (remember, we still need sodium to function), but it’s instead to increase potassium-rich foods to better regulate the sodium - though it’s never a bad idea to reduce consumption of processed foods, which tend to be high in sodium but lack potassium & other minerals. Good sources of potassium include fruit, root vegetables, coconut water & pure aloe vera juice.

Interested in getting an HTMA for more personalized info? DM me & let’s chat! 😊

Disclaimer: Content discussed here is for informational purposes only & it might not apply to your individual situation. I cannot give individual medical advice & this is not a replacement for your own personal therapy/treatment.

Happy Friday!✨I am excited to announce a new service opportunity: In addition to mental health therapy, I now offer hair tissue mineral analyses (HTMA). An HTMA utilizes a small amount of hair to determine your tissue mineral status over the last 90 days.

This information can play a significant role in assessing your nervous system state & determining your individual needs to further improve your health + mental health.

This service is not limited to my individual therapy clients & can be done remotely with an additional postage fee.

Check out my website (linked in my bio) for more info. And feel free to comment with any questions!

Disclaimer: Content discussed here is for informational purposes only & it might not apply to your individual situation. I cannot give individual medical advice & this is not a replacement for your own personal therapy/treatment.

Happy Friday! I’ve launched my first downloadable guide & I’d love for you to check it out!

@wellwitherin Get My Guide Now!

None of these are ground-breaking, but my hope is that this serves as a good reminder to intentionally do some of these things to support your stress resilience + nervous system health. Better yet, go for a sunset walk in the woods and you will be ✨t h r i v i n g✨

Fatigue is a symptom of….basically anything that could be wrong 🤪 Swipe through for some basic insight, and comment below if you’d be interested in a part 2.

With clients I often discuss how trauma can leave us feeling like we are approaching life with debt vs. an inheritance.
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Beyond the psychological & biological impacts of the trauma (examples of ‘the debt’), survivors are also left with the voids that result from the trauma. For example, someone who grew up in a physically abusive home is not only dealing with the trauma from the abuse, but likely also struggles with not having the memories, skills, judgment, boundaries, trust, etc. that a person who grew up in a healthy household has. These are additional ‘debts.’ And this is why trauma is so much more complex than an event.
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What would you add?

There can be a large gap between knowing & doing. This isn’t for lack of desire or effort; but when faced with a perceived threat or stressor, we will default to what’s familiar because that requires less energy — and at its core, managing stress is all about energy-conservation.
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So, comment below with what’s been helpful to you with changing behavioral patterns when triggered or stressed.

Swipe through for some reasons why your circadian rhythm might be off. And this post isn’t a technology diss (I am posting this from my smartphone after all, and I enjoy the benefits that technology has to offer), but I do think it’s important to talk about some of the unintended consequences of technology, such as its impact on our circadian rhythm.
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Have you considered how any of these could be impacting you & the way your body works?

We live in a day & age where it’s become quite common to struggle with sleep issues. We could get into the different theories on this, but I generally believe we live in a society that has become out of touch with a healthy circadian rhythm — and I think we underestimate the impact that can have on our minds & bodies, especially over time.
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This post isn’t a technology diss (I am posting this from my smartphone after all), but I do think it’s important to talk about some of the unintended consequences of technology, such as its impact on our circadian rhythm. Let’s look at the progression: A century+ ago people’s schedules were naturally in sync with the sun because they had to be: there wasn’t electricity to allow for otherwise. And even when there was electricity, it wasn’t until decades ago that we had television (a form of blue light) to watch into the evening. The nature of work has also led to people spending way more time indoors than in the past. And most recently, the addition of smartphones allows for 24/7 access to blue light — leading to a confused internal clock if someone isn’t intentional about it. In order to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm, your internal environment should mimic the external one, aka minimal artificial/blue light once the sun has set. There’s really no way around it! In addition to technology, we have also been taught to fear the sun, while overlooking how needed + nurturing it is. I am not suggesting unlimited sun exposure, but avoiding the sun altogether also isn’t doing you any favors. I’ll leave it at that for now.
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So, here are some basic tips to be intentional about cultivating a healthy circadian rhythm. And I know for many people, avoiding blue light in the evening feels overwhelming or impossible, so if that’s the case I suggest start with ADDING morning sunlight + sunlight throughout the day (the sun doesn’t need to be shining). A lot of people don’t realize how little sun exposure they are getting, and increasing this could be the key to improving your sleep & circadian rhythm.

EDIT: I know it should be “affects” for point #3… I’m not going to change it, but trust me, it’s driving me crazy 🤦🏼‍♀️

Swipe through for 5 things you might not have known about your circadian rhythm. And stay tuned for more info on your circadian rhythm & its role in your health/mental health.
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Did you learn anything new?

Here is a basic run down of intellectualizing your feelings. Truthfully, it can be a bit tricky to put into clear & concise words but I hope this is helpful.
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Intellectualizing can sneak up on you because it can actually require a lot of self-awareness, which can trick people into thinking they’ve “worked through” a problem. Plus, the behaviors associated with intellectualizing are not necessarily bad — in fact, many are healthy & helpful; it’s when they are done for a prolonged period of time to prevent feeling that’s the problem. And culturally, a lot of the behaviors are praised or associated with “being strong,” while showing feelings/being emotional can be associated with weakness or regression.

This list isn’t exhaustive, but I think it’s important to note the unpleasant signs of healing that can occur. Sometimes this can be confusing because a person may wonder if they are regressing or doing something wrong. And while each person’s situation is different and cannot be assessed via an Instagram post, I do think it’s valuable to be curious about your symptoms vs. just assuming anything unpleasant is “bad.”
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For example, if a person grew up in a home where happiness was the only accepted emotion, then she may view sadness & crying as bad or wrong; though in reality, a part of her healing is learning to sit with & move through those unpleasant feelings vs. avoid + stifle them. So she will likely be crying more often than she was before starting to heal.
What would you add or what have you experienced?

This list is by no means exhaustive AND it cites ‘pleasant’ changes (sometimes you can seemingly regress), but I wanted to share some indicators of healing that might not be on everyone’s radar. For many of us, we started out with some sort of goal or idea that triggered us onto a healing journey (ie, becoming a parent and realizing you need + want to heal your own trauma for your kids, or receiving a diagnosis of an autoimmune disease + wanting to address it holistically, etc.) For some of us the original healing goal is emotional, and for others it’s physical, though we soon realize the two aren’t so distinct.
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I want to share a personal example: I have been taking a holistic approach to my own healing for about 3 years now (longer, but not holistically). My original goal had been trying to improve my depressive symptoms so I could be a more present, patient mother. After 3 years, I sometimes I have days when I ask myself: “Am I improving?” I’ll feel more fatigued or irritable or triggered than I think I “should.” I sometimes fall into the trap of thinking I should feel like some sort of super human or I should “arrive” at a fully healed state, even though I logically know those things aren’t true. But the other day I had a realization that was a good reminder that a lot of improvement has been made, despite how I feel on my hard days: It dawned on me that my immune system has been great, I’ve had no recent digestive issues, I sit with my emotions more, & the way I view the goals for my general lifestyle + my physical body have totally shifted in a way that feels much healthier for me - though those weren’t goals I originally even considered. I share this not to impose my goals or markers onto you, but to give a practical example of how my own healing might not always look like I thought it should (I thought I’d be the queen of calm), but it’s happening. And if you’ve been making changes & intentionally pursuing wellness, then it’s probably happening for you too, even if it doesn’t always feel like it or you aren’t sure.

Some basics for your Saturday! These won’t fix everything for everyone, but I’d say they are the foundations everyone + anyone would benefit from.
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I often encourage clients to focus their energy on starting habits they want to include instead of focusing their energy on ending habits they want to stop — addition tends to be more motivating than subtracting. And these are the basics I’d suggest.
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Do you notice a connection between these habits and how you feel? holistichealth

I think many of us understand there is a link between stress + digestion. But did you know there is a link between trauma & persistent digestive issues (health issues in general)? Swipe through for a bit of info on what’s going on and why there is a connection!
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Have you noticed if your digestive health suffers during stressful times? If this info is helpful to you, please save + share with someone else who could benefit!

This is why trying to “think” yourself into happiness (which is a fleeting feeling) & contentment (more of a general state) may not be working. There is a time & a place for cognitive techniques, but if your body isn’t communicating that you’re safe, then you can’t “out-think” that. And struggling isn’t a sign that you’re missing something intellectually; it’s likely a sign that you need to focus on nervous-system work to teach your body that it is actually safe.
🧠 Here’s an example - I will call the woman in my example “Kate.” Kate is 33 years old + married to a loyal man who loves her + is committed to her. Intellectually, Kate knows this. She tells herself all the time that she has a partner who is helpful + hard-working + kind. She even intellectually understands that her partner is more helpful than most of her friends’ partners and makes lists of the reasons why she is grateful for him. However, as any human, Kate’s husband isn’t perfect. He struggles with timeliness, organization, & follow through, which signals unreliability to Kate; And she regularly feels disappointed in + critical of him when he messes up. Kate understands her reactions are often disproportionate; she understands he is a human with his own struggles; she understands he has many other strengths; she understands that she needs to love him as he is; and she even understands that many of the behaviors that trigger her stem from his own mental health struggles that he is insecure about. But no matter what Kate intellectually understands, she continues to be triggered. This results in a cycle: triggered —> critical + verbally aggressive behavior —> shame + judgment of herself for that behavior because she “knows” better —> discouragement that she can’t change.
🧠But Kate grew up in a home where she couldn’t rely on her caregivers (primary attachments) to meet her emotional needs; because of their own traumas, they weren’t able to be who little girl Kate needed them to be. In order to stay safe + protected, she learned important people in her life aren’t reliable & that her needs are “too much.”
🧠Fast forward to marriage when Kate’s husband takes the place of her primary attachment figure. Kate’s primary defense mechanism is to assume people are not reliable. She likely even subconsciously looks for evidence of that in others (hence being easily critical) in order to “prove her point” and “keep herself safe.” This plays out the most overtly in her marriage relationship since it’s now her primary attachment. When Kate perceives unreliability from her husband, she does not feel emotionally safe; her brain goes into protection mode and “logic” goes offline. Not because she’s not smart or because she doesn’t “know better,” but because she is in fight or flight. In those moments, Kate is learning to somatically signal to the brain that she is safe through body work, so that she can move out of fight or flight. She is learning to reflect what is going on to her husband afterwards so that, even when he messes up in the future, he can sit with her + show her she isn’t too much, and that vulnerability & trust do not have to equal a threat.
🧠PS. I may know a thing or 2 about being “Kate.” You aren’t alone ❤️

There are a lot of techniques to learn + try when you’re first understanding the nervous system & how to regulate. But, there are also things you already know how to do that are tools. And doing more of these things can be a great place to start, plus they can be done by people of all ages & they’re enjoyable!
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One of the reasons that people today seem to be more easily dysregulated is that many calming leisurely activities have been replaced with screens + scrolling. All you need to do is go to the comments section of a post to see how dysregulated people are. Trauma aside, we have slowly + unknowingly moved towards a more dysregulated state of existence. In the name of making things faster & easier w| technology, we have moved away from the slow & simple. And we need the slow & simple in order to connect + regulate.
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This list is not exhaustive. What would you add?

Some Saturday thoughts.
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I also want to add that remembering isn’t a pre-requisite for healing, but I am simply stating that for some, healing may allow your body + mind to feel safe enough to remember.

Swipe through for a basic breakdown of what the MTHFR gene mutation is. I tried to keep this as least filled with super scientific terms as possible, but for those wondering, MTHFR is short for methlenetetrahydrofolate reductase; though many like to consider it short for “mother f-er” because this mutation can really mess with you if you don’t know you have it. 🤪
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I want to note that the stance on avoiding folic acid is “controversial.” Some providers + medical sources will say that folic acid (which is synthetic folate) does not need to be avoided if you have this gene mutation. However, based on the insight of my trusted medical provider(s), research, and my own experience, folic acid is a no-no. Personally, I can always tell when I’ve consumed something with folic acid by mistake — I become groggy, sluggish, depressed, + experience digestive issues. I know this to be true for many others with this mutation, too. In fact, for some, what they thought was a gluten intolerance was actually a reaction to the folic acid that’s in many non-organic flour products; or their multivitamin was making them feel worse because of the folic acid. However, I know my experience doesn’t dictate yours + perhaps the degree of the mutation matters and should be considered. But just something to keep in mind!
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I have more to share about this mutation — specifically regarding symptoms & how it pertains to mental health, so follow for future posts if this interests you. And please share with someone this may help! 🤍

…and all of this added to the daily things that don’t stop just because Santa is coming 🎅🏼 (laundry, regular meal prep, grocery shopping, tidying, work, school, etc.)
🎄It’s important to recognize that the tasks themselves hold no moral value. It is great to enjoy these things, and you aren’t better or worse for sending Christmas cards, or wrapping gifts a certain way. What works for someone, might not work for someone else; what worked for you one year might not work for you this year.
🎄Try viewing your body’s capacity as a bank: some years/months/days there’s more in the bank than others; the expectations we (or others) place on ourselves might try to tell us otherwise, but once you can accept that it’s okay to budget your time + energy — and that it will likely look different year to year — you can start to challenge those expectations and examine where they come from. And/or you can use this knowledge to help plan accordingly, so that you aren’t left feeling completely spent.

Feeling grateful for everyone here ✨ Swipe for a (hopefully) helpful guide for today + the holiday season!

Have you considered stress in terms of energy before? Do you notice a correlation between your energy level + your ability to deal with stress? Or notice how a symptom of basically anything is lack of energy? When we think of stress + symptoms in terms of energy input and output, it can deepen our understanding of holistic wellness + how everything is interconnected.

https://www.erinwemelcsw.com/post/what-does-a-therapist-do-when-she-s-struggling

What does a therapist do when she's struggling? Over the last two to three months I’ve noticed myself feeling stuck in an anxious/depressed state. From a nervous system perspective, I’ve more easily + frequently moved into fight/flight/freeze. As a therapist, I thought it might be helpful to walk you through what I’ve been doing to strength...

🎃Happy Halloween 🎃
“It’s a haunted house but…” mental health edition.
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What would you add?