Therapist’s Blog

What is Dungeons, Dragons, and Therapy?
Maggie Malone Maggie Malone

What is Dungeons, Dragons, and Therapy?

Imagine a different way of doing therapy - less sitting on a couch and talking and more adventuring with a group of friends through a fantasy landscape…

Dungeons, Dragons, & Therapy
(oh my!) is a unique group experience that blends fantasy role-playing with real-world emotional work. It's part game, part narrative, part process group—and it just might help you access new parts of yourself that traditional therapy hasn’t quite reached.

If you’re intrigued but not sure what to expect—or wondering what dragons have to do with boundaries, anxiety, or self-worth—then read on! This blog post is for you.

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Burnout Recovery Plan for High-Achieving Women
Maggie Malone Maggie Malone

Burnout Recovery Plan for High-Achieving Women

Burnout is more than just stress. It’s the body and mind’s way of signaling that you’ve been operating beyond your limits for too long—often without rest, support, or space to process what you’re carrying.

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5 Scripts to Say No at Work Without Guilt
Maggie Malone Maggie Malone

5 Scripts to Say No at Work Without Guilt

I work with women who are excellent at taking care of others and exhausted from doing it all. This post offers a few practical, therapist-crafted scripts to help you say no without guilt—and without losing your job or your sense of self.

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10 Everyday Dialectics (both/and) to Practice for a More Balanced Life
Maggie Malone Maggie Malone

10 Everyday Dialectics (both/and) to Practice for a More Balanced Life

Have you ever felt stuck between two choices or emotions — like you had to pick one side, even though both felt true? Maybe you’ve said something like:

  • “I want to set boundaries, but I feel too guilty.”

  • “I’m overwhelmed, but I don’t want to let anyone down.”

  • “I should be grateful, so why do I feel unhappy?”

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When Helping Becomes Self-Destruction: The Hidden Cost of Being “The Reliable One”
Maggie Malone Maggie Malone

When Helping Becomes Self-Destruction: The Hidden Cost of Being “The Reliable One”

For many people-pleasing women, being the reliable one isn’t just a habit — it’s a survival strategy. You may have learned early on that it wasn’t safe to have needs. That being helpful, agreeable, or selfless kept the peace, got your basic needs met, or made you lovable. Over time, that turns into a default setting: I’ll be easy, I’ll be dependable, I’ll be good.

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Why Some Therapists (including me) Don’t Take Insurance
Maggie Malone Maggie Malone

Why Some Therapists (including me) Don’t Take Insurance

Choosing private-pay therapy means investing in care that prioritizes your goals, privacy, and the quality of the therapeutic relationship. For many clients, it’s a worthwhile choice that allows for a more personalized and effective therapy experience.

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Setting Boundaries with Family: Holiday Edition
Maggie Malone Maggie Malone

Setting Boundaries with Family: Holiday Edition

This time of year comes with heightened expectations, emotional triggers, financial stress, and an overwhelming sense of obligation. If you’ve ever found yourself dreading a family gathering or saying "yes" to something you don’t want to do, this blog is for you.

Here’s how to set—and stick to—boundaries with your family this holiday season.

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How to Set Boundaries with Family
Maggie Malone Maggie Malone

How to Set Boundaries with Family

Do you feel like you’re always the one saying yes to family obligations, even when it drains you? Are you the one everyone turns to when they need help, but no one seems to ask if you’re okay? If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many women, especially those who are high-achieving and deeply empathetic, struggle to set boundaries with their families.

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Compassion vs. Compliance: Learning to Care Without Losing Yourself
Maggie Malone Maggie Malone

Compassion vs. Compliance: Learning to Care Without Losing Yourself

As someone who cares deeply about the people in your life, you might often find yourself caught in the delicate dance between showing compassion and falling into the trap of compliance or people-pleasing. While both compassion and compliance can look similar on the surface, their emotional roots and long-term effects are quite different. Learning how to extend care and kindness to others while setting healthy boundaries for yourself is key to maintaining fulfilling relationships and preserving your own well-being.

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