Cecilia Ding

I am a licensed professional counselor, associate marriage and family therapist and a certified self-growth coach. I am passionate about empowering people to grow and heal through life's transitions. I work with individuals and couples to overcome unhealthy patterns and expand their potentials.

From tummy to heart, to head, and back.

Being Born: the body leads.

The minute we exit our mommy’s bodies, we relate to the world through primarily our tummies.  We will respond to anyone who will feed us and not cause us bodily pain.   Most of the time we have little choice.  We are slaves to our bodies ‘ survival instincts.

As we develop, we begin to recognize our primary attachment figures.  We still are driven by hunger, however, it is moderated by recognition of the person who is feeding us and the feeling we have about them.  If the heart doesn’t feel the security with them, we will hesitate to take their offerings if not refuse altogether.  We are attuned to the physical and emotional needs of our bodies.

From tummy to heart, to head, and back. Read More »

Emotional Activation, is it for everyone?

Emotionally-Focused Therapy

In various forms of family and couple therapy, emotional activation is greatly emphasized.  Emotional awareness transforms and heals individuals and relationships.  It is a powerful change agent.  It potentiates any impact insights through traditional psychoanalysis can provide.  We are a holistic being with emotional, physical, and intellectual capacities.  Emotional activation engages all the aspects of our body, so we are not just generating abstract words as the traditional stereotype of talk therapy might be.   A holistic experience during therapy can generate the greatest amount of impact. It takes lots of skills and energy from the therapist, but it can be done.

Emotionally Shut Down?

While I am a big believer and practitioner in emotional healing, I catch myself wondering if emotional activation is always a good thing.

Emotional Activation, is it for everyone? Read More »