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Cindy L. McGinley, MHC, CCTP, CHt

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Cindy McGinley

August 1, 2022 by Cindy McGinley Leave a Comment

Overcoming Generational Trauma

You know you got your hairline from your Dad’s side of the family and your eye color from your mom. You know diabetes runs in your family, as does heart disease and Parkinson’s.

But do you know that many families also pass down trauma to their loved ones? It’s not just our physical makeup and risk of disease that we inherit from our family, it is also the emotional wounds as well.

What is Transgenerational Trauma?

Before you were born you were in your mother’s womb and very susceptible to her emotions. As your mother felt joy, her body released hormones that made you feel joy.

When she felt sad, scared, or angry, her body released hormones that made you experience these same emotions.

Eventually, you were born and raised in a house that may not have always been happy or harmonious. Your parents may have been emotionally distant or even abusive because they may have been brought up by parents who had their own reasons for being emotionally absent or abusive.

Many families have unresolved trauma that works its way through one generation to the next. Those families who have dealt with addiction, depression, anxiety, terror, racism, and the like often continue to pass on negative emotions, poor behaviors, low self-esteem, and maladaptive coping strategies. These not only lead to a painful and hard life, but they can also lead to chronic health conditions.

It Can Stop With You!

If you have a history of family conflict or trauma, you can be the individual who puts an end to the cycle. You can be the one who begins a new cycle, one of passing down loving communication and positive self-images. 

Of course, it will take work on your part to overcome the pain of your family history. That’s why it’s a good idea to work with a mental health professional who can offer you the right tools and coping strategies that you can then pass down to your own children.

If you’re interested in exploring therapy, please get in touch with me! I’d love to help you end the cycle of trauma in your family.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

July 1, 2022 by Cindy McGinley Leave a Comment

How Your Self-Esteem Affects Your Mental Health

Having a low self-esteem is something many people of all ages deal with. While a low self-esteem is not considered a mental health condition itself, the way we think about ourselves directly impacts our mental health and overall well-being.

What is Self-Esteem?

Self-esteem refers to the way people feel about themselves. Someone with a healthy or high self-esteem thinks positively about themselves and their abilities. They believe they are deserving of respect and have no problems setting healthy boundaries.

Individuals with low self-esteem do not feel very good about themselves. They constantly measure themselves against others and always come up short. They may not think they are worthy of love and respect and will typically not set healthy boundaries, allowing others to take advantage of them.

How Does a Low Self-Esteem Affect Mental Health?

The following are some ways a low self-esteem can impact a person’s mental health:

Poor Relationships 

Human beings are wired for connections. But when we have low self-esteem, we tend to not put ourselves “out there” socially and even tend to isolate, which can lead to poor relationships and loneliness.

Addiction

Studies have indicated low self-esteem in childhood can lead to addictions later in life. Many addicts use alcohol and other substances as a way to cope with negative feelings about themselves.

Depression and Anxiety

Living with low self-esteem day after day, week after week, can very much take its toll and eventually lead to the development of depression and anxiety.

How to Build Your Self-Esteem

Building self-esteem is important for mental health and to live a happy life. But it’s not necessarily easy to do it. It’s not like losing weight where you can say I am going to eat less and move more.

That is why I recommend working with a trained therapist who specializes in helping people build their self-esteem. A therapist can help you identify your core negative beliefs and determine where they came from. He or she can then help you develop a new, realistic self-esteem that reflects who you truly are.

If you or someone you know is suffering with low self-esteem and would like to explore treatment options, please get in touch with me.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

May 21, 2022 by Cindy McGinley Leave a Comment

Gratitude Journal: 05.21.22

Grateful to have seen the sunrise this morning, and watched as the mist burned away in the pasture. There is such simple beauty in the world, still. There is such wonder for those with eyes to see and the courage to open their hearts to it. Grateful for my expansive heart; it was hard-earned over this lifetime and I am proud to wear it on my sleeve. Grateful for my life.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

March 28, 2022 by Cindy McGinley Leave a Comment

Gratitude Journal: 03.27.2022

Gratitude Journal: Grateful for good people who “get” me. Life would be very lonely without them — my friends, colleagues, and confidantes. Grateful for the natural world, because I find peace and tranquility there. Grateful for horses and goats and guinea fowl and dogs and cats and deer; they bring me unconditional love and also teach me acceptance. Grateful for my husband, who loves me and teaches me patience, too. Grateful for water, to bathe, to wash, to swim, to float, to drink, to sit beside and absorb good vibes. Water is life. Grateful for the “travel taco” (burrito). Grateful for the ability to start learning about many cultures through partaking of their delicious food (watching David Chang lately). Grateful that I am not being bombed or displaced by war, and wish everyone in the world could say that. Grateful for my sadness, because it helps me honor and cherish what I have lost. Grateful for my anger, because it helps show me what needs to be changed and gives me the impetus to work toward changing it. Grateful for my fascinating and precious life.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

March 7, 2022 by Cindy McGinley Leave a Comment

Gratitude Journal 03.07.2022

Gratitude Journal: Grateful for some time to read the news and catch up on some paperwork today. Grateful for my relative privilege and the ability/desire to use it to give a hand up to others who are not so lucky. Grateful for a platform to talk/write/share about things that are important to me. Grateful for the beautiful weather yesterday (I got a lot of things done outside). Grateful for a roof over my head, no bombs going off around me, and no one shooting at me (but I wish it was like that for everyone). Grateful for my comparatively easy life.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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Contact Cindy

Cindy L. McGinley, MS, CHt, CCTP, MHC-LP

6221 NY-31, Suite 106
Cicero, NY 13039

and at the farm in
Chittenango, NY 13037

All hours by appointment only

(315) 289-2030
info@blackhorsespirit.com

Recent Blog Posts

  • Overcoming Generational Trauma
  • How Your Self-Esteem Affects Your Mental Health
  • Gratitude Journal: 05.21.22
  • Gratitude Journal: 03.27.2022
  • Gratitude Journal 03.07.2022

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