Marquita Bolden

Beyond ‘Just Think Positive’: Why Childhood Trauma Requires More Than Mindset Work

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), IFS (Internal Family Systems), Trauma /

You’ve tried the affirmations. You’ve practiced gratitude. You’ve followed all the “good vibes only” accounts. And yet, you’re still anxious, still triggered, still feeling like maybe you’re the problem because you can’t seem to “just think positive” your way out of the patterns that keep showing up.

Here’s the truth: You’re not failing at healing. The approach is failing you.

Childhood trauma doesn’t live in your thoughts—it lives in your nervous system. And no amount of positive thinking can rewire what your body learned to do to keep you safe when you were young. This post explores why trauma survivors need more than mindset work, how EMDR and IFS therapy address healing at the nervous system level, and why real integration means honoring all the pieces of your experience—not just the “positive” ones.

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Why Your New Year’s Goals Keep Failing (And What Your Nervous System Has to Do With It)

Managing Stress, Self Care /

When New Year’s goals consistently fail, it’s not about willpower or discipline—it’s often a trauma response. Learn how unresolved trauma keeps your nervous system in survival mode, why traditional goal-setting backfires, and what your body actually needs to move forward. A trauma-informed approach to making changes that last.

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New Year, Heavy Heart: Holding Space for Grief and Hope Together

Black Mental Health, IFS (Internal Family Systems), Managing Stress, Trauma, Women's Mental Health /

Standing at the threshold of 2026 with a heavy heart? You’re not doing this wrong. For trauma survivors—especially BIPOC folks, queer and trans people—the pressure to feel optimistic can feel impossible when the world itself feels unsafe. This New Year, what if you gave yourself permission to grieve AND hope? Trauma therapist Marquita Bolden explores how to honor all your parts, hold space for collective grief, and move into the new year exactly as you are—without forcing toxic positivity or performing wellness you don’t feel. EMDR and IFS therapy perspectives on navigating New Year expectations with compassion.

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Holiday Boundaries & Inner Parts: An IFS Approach to Family Gatherings

IFS (Internal Family Systems), Managing Stress /

Family gatherings are coming, and if dread is creeping in alongside the anticipation, you’re not alone. In this post, we explore how Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy can help you understand why certain relatives trigger protective responses—and how to set boundaries that honor all parts of yourself. Whether you’re navigating complicated family dynamics, identity differences, or unspoken trauma at the dinner table, discover practical tools for staying grounded and integrated this holiday season.

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The Mosaic of Healing: Why Your ‘Broken’ Pieces Are Actually Beautiful

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), IFS (Internal Family Systems), Managing Stress, Self Care, Trauma, Women's Mental Health /

You Are Not Broken. You Are a Masterpiece in Progress.
Trauma can make you feel fragmented, like a collection of disconnected pieces. But what if those pieces are actually the beautiful components of a powerful, resilient mosaic? At Mosaic Bloom Counseling, we don’t just help you survive – we celebrate the unique, intricate artwork of your healing journey.

Your experiences aren’t flaws to be fixed. They are evidence of your strength, survival, and remarkable capacity to adapt. Every challenge, every protective mechanism, every moment of resilience is a vibrant piece of your story.

We approach healing through a lens of radical compassion – honoring your full identity, recognizing the impact of systemic challenges, and supporting you in weaving your fragments into a breathtaking whole.

Your story matters. Your healing matters. You are not broken – you are a masterpiece.

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More Than Surviving: Healing from Gender-Related Trauma

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Trauma, Women's Mental Health /

There’s a kind of trauma that doesn’t make headlines or fit neatly into diagnostic categories, yet it shapes countless lives in profound ways. Gender-related trauma is woven into the everyday experiences of those who face discrimination, invalidation, or harm because of their gender identity or expression.

Unlike other types of trauma that happen at specific moments, gender-related trauma is often chronic and ongoing—the accumulation of being dismissed, invalidated, or told that who you are is somehow wrong. It targets your core identity, making you feel unsafe simply existing as yourself.

At Mosaic Bloom Counseling, we understand that healing from gender-related trauma requires specialized, affirming care. Through approaches like EMDR and Internal Family Systems, we help you process these experiences while honoring all parts of your story. Your experiences are valid, your feelings make sense, and your healing journey matters.

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The Myth of ‘Getting Over It’: Why Healing Isn’t Linear

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Trauma /

“Just get over it already.” “That was so long ago—why are you still stuck on that?” Sound familiar?

Our culture loves the myth that healing should happen on a timeline, like checking off boxes on a to-do list. But here’s the truth: your healing journey looks more like a spiral than a straight line—and that’s exactly how it’s supposed to be.

In this post, I explore why the pressure to “move on” hits especially hard for marginalized communities, how your internal family system heals at its own pace, and why going “backward” in healing is actually a sign you’re ready to heal at a deeper level.

Your trauma didn’t happen to a timeline, and your healing doesn’t have to either. Every piece of your story—even the difficult ones—has a place in your beautiful mosaic.

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Depression Isn’t Just Sadness: Understanding Mental Health Conditions

Depression /

# Blog Post Excerpt

Depression manifests differently for each person, and sadness may not even be the primary symptom. Many people describe feeling emotionally numb, physically exhausted, or struggling with concentration and motivation. Understanding depression as a complex medical condition—rather than just prolonged sadness—helps reduce stigma and encourages people to seek the professional support they deserve.

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Gentle Reminders for Hard Days: Self-Compassion When You’re Struggling

Black Mental Health, Self Care, Women's Mental Health /

Some days feel heavier than others. When you’re in the thick of struggle, self-compassion isn’t about toxic positivity or forcing yourself to feel better—it’s about offering yourself the same kindness you’d give a dear friend. You don’t have to earn gentleness. You deserve it simply because you’re human, doing your best in a world that isn’t always gentle back.

We all have those days. You know the ones—when getting out of bed feels like climbing a mountain, when your inner critic is louder than usual, when everything feels overwhelming and you’re running on empty. Maybe today is one of those days for you.

If you’re struggling right now, I want you to know something: you’re not broken, you’re not failing, and you’re not alone. What you’re experiencing is deeply human, and you deserve compassion—especially from yourself.

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Therapy That Sees All of You: Why Identity-Affirming Care Matters

Black Mental Health, Women's Mental Health /

Have you ever sat in a room and felt like you had to hide parts of yourself? Your identity isn’t something to overcome in therapy—it’s something to celebrate as you heal. True healing happens when you can show up as your complete, authentic self, where every piece of who you are is not just accepted, but celebrated as part of the beautiful, diverse tapestry of human experience.

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