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Free Zoom Yoga!

Join me for breathwork, yoga, and meditation on the third Saturday of the month from 10:00am - 11:30am. There will be a rotating cast of teachers and styles, but all classes will be accessible to beginners.

Props not required, but a blanket or thick bath towel is recommended :)

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/NRmLprQ2Q4inREGkvuGTUQ

Theoretical Orientations and Me

How choosing your theory can enhance your counselor identity Some theories choose the counselors, but most counselors choose the theory....

Bellamy Linneman

May 22, 20232 min read

Why people hate (and love) theoretical orientations

And how we can live with them Raise your hand if you also went to a counseling program that made you choose one theoretical orientation!...

Bellamy Linneman

May 14, 20233 min read

Why you should start attending self-help workshops

And how they can make you a better therapist I'm not sure if this is a controversial opinion, but self-help workshops can be just as...

Bellamy Linneman

May 10, 20232 min read

Why you shouldn't offer your clients a tissue

Sometimes it *is* that deep This may sound a little extreme, but bear with me... Picture this You and your client are in the room....

Bellamy Linneman

Apr 30, 20232 min read

About Me

I'm a queer LAPC therapist and 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher.

I work for a group private practice in Philadelphia that accepts most private insurance and has a sliding scale for private pay clients.

I train mental health providers on LGBTQ+-affirming care

I sub yoga classes at Studio 34, teach yoga workshops, and lead yoga for private events. I also teach one-on-one yoga privates for folks looking for individual instruction.

All of my work is liberation-focused. We exist in a system that doesn't care about our well-being or our rights. I won't tell you to self-care your way into happiness. We'll explore the messiness of being embodied, of being human in 2025, to find what makes life worth living for you.

I'm hosting a FREE workshop @studio34philly on Thursday, January 22nd from 7-8pm

Whether you're new to yoga, or have been suffering through down dog for years, this workshop has tips and tricks for everyone!

We'll workshop a few poses, get more familiar with our props, and share a few laughs along the way ✨

Whether you're spending the holiday alone by distance or by choice, this guide will help you navigate the messiness.

What has helped you spend a major holiday alone?

#mentalhealthmatters #therapistsofinstagram #copingskills

Is anyone else tired of hearing about estrangement 😭 I had some thoughts as a queer mental health therapist that I thought I'd share 🐸

To everyone out there who's struggling, you're not alone! Here are some simple ideas to make this holiday season more bearable 🐻

What do you do to manage the holiday blues?

I've had conversations with friends about ~bad therapists~ a lot lately, so I wanted to make a post about it!

All of these are things I have experienced in sessions with licensed therapists 🤡

The hard part about finding a good therapist is that you don't really know what a good therapist is until you've found it. I hope these slides can help people identify what a bad therapist (or bad fit) is so they can move on to find a good one.

The MAJOR caveat here is that even good therapists make mistakes! Even the best therapist won't be the right fit for everyone. I have certainly made mistakes, and I'm grateful for the grace I have received to correct them.

I really REALLY encourage folks to bring issues up to their therapists when they happen and before finding someone new. If they don't respond well, or they continue to do the same thing, then that's an indication that you might need to switch.

The other caveat here is that if a therapist is acting unethically or is making you feel unsafe, you don't need to give them multiple chances. Therapy is a sacred space, and you don't need to expose yourself to bigoted or harmful behavior for the sake of giving them a chance.

A good therapist will challenge you and encourage you to feel uncomfortable. But we are working WITH you, not AGAINST you. You are the expert on you, we're just paving the way for you to know you better.

What are some of your red flags for bad therapists? Or how do you know someone might not be a good fit for you, even if they're one of the good ones?

Things are hard right now. So much feels out of our control. I don't have a miracle solution, and certainly not one that will cure you through an Instagram post.

But I have found that, for myself, connecting to community through small acts has made a difference.

Community is a buzzword that's thrown around in a lot of spaces (for good reason, community is important!). But how do we curate community? Is community having friends? Being on a first-name basis with your local pizza dude?

There are many different ways of experiencing community, and different areas of the country offer unique challenges and advantages to community development.

So, at the risk of oversimplifying this very nuanced topic, I've provided a list of small things we can do to connect with our community ✨

I would love to hear how others have been able to connect with community in the comments! Or comment how someone else's attempts at connection have benefited you.

I'm on a panel of speakers for this lovely community event in Haddonfield, NJ on September 24th. Come support your community and learn about PTSD in all its shapes and sizes

Do you ever have moments where you want to punch the next person to ask for your opinion on something?? Decision-fatigue (DF) is a state of exhaustion that has many causes and many solutions.

The best solutions are preventative - but these aren't necessarily simple! Add systemic disenfranchisement and capitalism to this and... Yeah, it's complicated!

We all experience DF, and that doesn't mean we're doing something wrong. But if you find that you experience chronic DF, have difficulty implementing positive changes to reduce DF, or don't even know where to start, it might be time to call in the big guns (metaphorical therapy guns, of course!).

Head to the link in my bio to book a free 15-minute consultation today!

A huge thanks to Michele Saffier from La Salle for inviting Stefan Baungartner to guest lecture on LGBTQ+ Human Sexuality! (And thanks to Stefan for asking me to co-facilitate 😊)

We had so much fun putting together these materials and speaking to the class. We're very impressed with the new wave of marriage and family therapists entering the field 😊

I'm excited to continue to educate folks on the very important nuances of queer and trans counseling ✨

I've heard a lot of people say they feel like summer is already almost over! In my opinion, we have months of swelteringly hot weather left, so summer is still here for a while longer yet 🥵

Find rest and connection this summer with self-care bingo (I'm almost positive I saw this concept on another account that I can't remember the name of). Most of these might not be "Instagram-worthy", but they're definitely worthy of your time 😉

Real self-care rarely makes for a good photo, and sometimes involves doing things that aren't fun. It's about taking steps to create a life that's meaningful, sustainable, and connected.

Self-care summer, let's fucking goooooooo!!!!!

I made an unofficial Pennsylvania LAPC licensing guide for anyone who is applying for their LAPC. I found the process frustrating and confusing, so I put this together to make it less so for others!

It includes the Supervision Plan template I made and used for my application!

DM me/comment for a link to the PDF and share with whoever may benefit ✨

I'm hosting a FREE yoga class on Zoom on the third Saturday of the month, EVERY MONTH! 🧘🏻‍♂️

The first one will be taught by me on Saturday, July 19th at 10am. To attend, you must register at bit.ly/40ywhov (you can also DM for the link)

Future classes will have a rotating cast of teachers. Classes are mixed-levels but beginner-friendly ✨ you're welcome to skip the meditation at the end (but why not give it a try???)

I'll stick around after class is over in case folks have questions about the practice or modifications that they couldn't get answered during class

If demand is high enough, I'd love to add a second day that could have more niche classes, such as kids yoga, beginner classes, or chair yoga, so stay tuned!

See you there!!!

#yoga #mentalhealthmatters

Wow, I am transitioning to a new chapter in my life and therapy journey!! I quit my job at Merakey after working with them for two and a half years, including internship. I feel many different emotions, but mostly am feeling deeply grateful for my clients and coworkers. I'm also feeling deeply grateful to have more opportunities for rest and relaxation at my new job.

I meant to take photos of my office before I took everything down, but alas, ADHD reigns supreme. Instead, here is a picture of the cake I baked to celebrate my transition (and a picture of Kenobi post yoga nidra practice - proof of the increased rest and relaxation this transition promised).

With a little more free time, I hope to start a monthly free online yoga class and to offer more yoga in general. Stay tuned as I work out the details!

Coloring, yoga, feelings, what more could you ask for on a cozy Tuesday night? We had so much fun at the yoga self-care workshop!!

Everyone learned something new about real self-care and received adorable handmade booklets (art by @artiocus) to take home and continue their self-care work.

Check out the last slide for a list of resources to further your self-care journey 🐸✨

Here is a sneak peak of the workbook I made for the upcoming workshop! Each participant will receive their own workbook to use during the workshop. It also has prompts and pages for you to continue working after the workshop is over!

@artiocus helped me bring my vision to life, it's SO STINKING CUTE!

How to stay sane when it seems like someone adds 87 bags of garbage to the dumpster fire every day:

Pretend you're a cat.

Bean doesn't know what a president is.
Noodle has never heard of tariffs.
Kenobi has one brain cell and it is solely interested in obtaining delicious food that will upset his delicate GI biome.

Be a cat.

Come support a queer and trans West Phillian! I'll be co-teaching this class on February 2nd from 1pm-2:30pm at Studio 34. Even if you can't make it, please consider donating! They are a wonderful human going through a very hard time ♥️

Society makes a big deal about New Year's, so I've made my own meaning of it over the years. This year, I wanted to reflect on my growth with qualitative rather than quantitative data.

I have done a lot of cool things, like finishing a yoga teacher training, going to Toronto with my bestie, etc. but I'd rather focus on what those things have represented and cultivated in my life.

How do you feel about the New Year? What's one thing you've learned, developed, continued, manifested, in 2024?

I brushed my teeth AND flossed before bed tonight which is a huge accomplishment for me 🤙🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻 it is so hard for me to consistently keep up this habit even though I know it's so important for my future self. I typically feel a lot of shame around this because it's something that seemingly everyone does except for me (I know this isn't true, but most people aren't out here admitting that their dental hygiene sucks!). But a recent change in perspective has helped me be more kind to myself.

After a conversation with a recent friend, I've been thinking about what it means to have ADHD in 2024. It isn't natural for my body to sit at a desk for 8 hours a day. It isn't natural for me to work 40 hours a week, cook, clean, etc. all by myself. Heck, humans didn't even live long enough to make good dental hygiene worth doing 🤣 Evolutionarily, our brains and bodies literally aren't naturally suited to our modern way of life.

I'm not saying that things aren't improved from the stone age. I love my cats and vaccines and bubble tea, but this perspective shift has helped me feel less ashamed about my struggles with executive functioning.

Taking this a step further, I wonder how many people are struggling with their mental health due to the demands of our modern society rather than because they have an innate chemical imbalance in their brains. If folks were able to rest, rely on and support their communities, experience safety and equity, would they still meet the criteria for Major Depressive Disorder?

This isn't meant to discredit anyone's diagnosis! Just a different perspective (that many smarter people than me have conceived) to reduce the shame that often comes with mental health struggles.

Would love to hear people's thoughts in the comments! Also recommendations for accounts, podcasts, books, etc. that talk about this!

It's the final day of #adventselfcare , so I decided to do something special: I recorded a 15 minute gentle flow to guide you on this last day!

I'm posting late bc of tech issues, but I'm so proud of myself for keeping up with this project! Check out my reels for the companion video to this. (It won't let me upload the video, so check out my tiktok for the companion guided practice).

Let me know if you'd like me to post more stuff like this, or maybe upload it to YouTube???

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays, etc.!

One more day!!! I have a very special post tomorrow to finish off this series 👀👀👀

Prompts for journaling:
♥️ How am I feeling right now?
📑 What did I do today?
🧠 Write any thoughts that come to your mind
🐊 What animal would you be for a day and why?

#adventselfcare #selfcare #therapistsofinstagram #journaling

TWO MORE DAYS HOLY COW!

An oldie but a goodie! What are you grateful for?

I'm grateful for...

1️⃣ My newfound community
2️⃣ My body's ability to move 🧘🏻
3️⃣ Good health insurance!
4️⃣ Living next door to my bestie
5️⃣ Christmas music (my ultimate playlist in particular)
6️⃣ My cats 🐈🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛
7️⃣ My cooking skills (I used to be SO bad at cooking)
8️⃣ Pho 🍜
9️⃣ New friends
🔟 Having a fully developed brain 🧠

#adventselfcare #selfcare #therapistsofinstagram #gratitude

Wow, just three days left til Christmas!

Today, say something kind / neutral to yourself in the mirror. A kind thought might be "My outfit slays" or "I am courageous".

However, sometimes it's hard to be nice to ourselves. If you're struggling to say something kind to yourself, a neutral comment might feel better. Try something like "I am a human" or "I'm having a hard time right now."

Many people struggle with negative self-talk (myself included). Doing this one time won't fix your problems. It won't end systemic injustice, and it won't make your family any less shitty over the holidays. BUT it is a small thing you can do to start replacing the automatic negative thoughts you have about yourself.

It might (okay, it will definitely) feel weird at first, but making this a daily practice can literally retrain your brain to have fewer negative automatic thoughts. This can have a compounding effect over time.

Even if you only do it once because of an Instagram post, it's still a moment where you can give yourself a break 😊

#adventselfcare #therapistsofinstagram #selfcare

Get some sunlight! Sit in a sunny window, sit outside, or go out for a walk. Even 5 minutes of sunlight/outdoors time does wonders for our mental health. If you're not able to get outside, you could open a window for 5 minutes and feel the breeze.

How does nature affect your mood?

#therapistsofinstagram #adventselfcare #selfcare

6 days til Christmas!!! Spend some time thinking about a cherished memory. See if you can close your eyes and really envision yourself in this memory. Who is with you? What do you see? What do you hear? What do you smell? Spend some time exploring here.

Notice how you feel in your body when you visit with this memory. Do you feel warmth in your chest? Tingling in your hands? Loose in your shoulders?

Bring your awareness to these body sensations, and maybe offer yourself some gentle touch in areas that call to you. You might place your hands over your heart, give yourself a hug, or cup your cheeks (this last one is from @neffselfcompassion ).

Breathe in deeply. Exhale completely. Inhale into this memory. Sigh it out. Inhale a final time, sending your breath to the place that your hands touch, and hum out your exhale.

Blink open your eyes and reorient yourself to your environment. Notice how your body feels. Know that you can return to this memory at any point.

Happy self care!

#adventselfcare #therapistsofinstagram #selfcare

The way I actually felt my heart lurch when I saw TIME IS RUNNING OUT...

Companies use fear-based marketing because it fucks with our brain's ability to make conscious, well thought out decisions. Triggering fear can activate our sympathetic nervous system (fight, flight, freeze, fawn). This increases our heart rate, our breath becomes shallow and fast, and we might feel the urge to dump it to krumpit 💩🎄 When we're in this state, the thinking part of the brain is less active so our lizard brain (responsible for base survival) can take over.

This advertisement didn't trigger a full-blown sympathetic response in me, but it definitely activated something! This is your reminder to pause before purchasing. Check in with your body. Notice the quality of your breath - is it fast or slow? Shallow or deep? Is your chest moving when you inhale or your belly? Take some deep belly breaths to force your body into a parasympathetic response. You'll feel calmer and will be better able to think logically about the purchase rather than acting on impulse!

Check out my video on the three-part breath for one exercise to practice belly breathing 🫁

#therapistsofinstagram

The Internet can be good! Watch some cute animal videos and let yourself smile 😊 swipe to see a video of Bean crawling up my headboard like a demon. Whose your favorite Internet animal?

#adventselfcare #therapistsofinstagram #catsofinstagram #selfcare

I didn't miss a day, YOU DID! Jk, I definitely forgot to upload yesterday 😭

Well today, we have 5 minutes of belly breathing. Check out my reels for a quick video explaining how to do one type of breath practice.

This breathing exercise really calms the nervous system, and can help us expand our breath to its fullest extent. It breaks down each part of the body that's involved when we inhale, giving us a greater capacity to fill up our lungs to entirety.

This is a great breath to do for a minute, or for several minutes! Try it with yourself, with your clients, with your partners, and your friends!

Bonus points if you do a quick check-in to see how you feel before and after this exercise!

#adventselfcare #selfcare #yoga #breathe #therapistsofinstagram

Here's the reel to accompany today's #adventselfcare! Today's self care advent task is 5 minutes of belly breathing. This is one type of breath practice you can try out that I recorded in honor of graduating from my yoga teacher training this past weekend.

This breathing exercise really calms the nervous system, and can help us expand our breath to its fullest extent. It breaks down each part of the body that's involved when we inhale, giving us a greater capacity to fill up our lungs to entirety.

This is a great breath to do for a minute, or for several minutes! Try it with yourself, with your clients, with your partners, and your friends!

Bonus points if you do a quick check-in to see how you feel before and after this exercise.

P.S. let me know if you'd like a full five-minute guided video on this. I didn't think most people would watch a five-minute video and didn't want to spend time on it unless folks actually want more detailed, guided instruction!

#therapistsofinstagram #selfcare #yoga #breathe

I graduated from yoga teacher training today, so I'll keep this short and sweet. What local places have you been eyeing? 👀👀👀👀

#therapistsofinstagram #adventcalendar #adventselfcare #selfcare

Turn your phone off for 30 minutes today (or do not disturb if you're not up to a full shut down). Turning our phone off does a few things.

1️⃣ It forces us to be present with ourselves. Instead of mindlessly scrolling or playing games, we must ask "What do I want to do right now? What do I need?"

2️⃣ It gives us privacy. We don't always need to be available to others. Turning off our phones is a great boundary we can set to not be relied on at all times.

3️⃣ It allows boredom. If we're never bored, we're probably never going to feel compelled to read that book, paint that picture, or play that board game.

What did you do with your 30 minutes today??

#adventcalendar #adventselfcare #therapistsofinstagram

Self-care isn't always fun. Honestly, most of my self-care doesn't feel like fun. I don't love brushing my teeth, I really hate meal prepping, and doing the dishes is the bane of my existence. However, doing this stuff keeps my body healthy, my mind easeful, and enables me to have days of rest.

It depends on what you need in the moment, in your day, in your week. Rest is incredibly valuable, and sometimes the answer is to not fold the laundry.

Are you team fold or not fold today??

#selfcareadvent #selfcare #therapistsofinstagram

On today's #adventselfcare, wash your face before bed! I'm posting this at 12am my time, so some of you may have missed it 🥲 but that just means you get to do two self-cares tomorrow 😊

What's your face wash routine??

#therapistsofinstagram #selfcare #adventcalendar

I almost forgot to post today's #adventselfcare!

Today, I researched anatomy bc it's something I'm currently really interested in for my yoga teacher training. My topics of research may also include: bananas, the history of different pies, Scooby Doo lore, basset hounds, and more!

This one is also appealing to me bc I get to still use my devices to do it 😭 yes, I need less screentime, but also, sometimes I need a banana fact.

What are you researching today??

#therapistsofinstagram #adventcalendar #selfcare

#adventselfcare day 5! Dance like nobody's watching!! It may help to close your blinds so you can really let yourself loose

#therapistsofinstagram #adventcalendar #selfcare

Day 4 of #selfcareadvent is from @therapyforwomen 's book Not Drinking Tonight under financial self-care. I absolutely love this one, especially around the holidays, as I am constantly inundated with sales emails. The Eagles sent me five emails in one day on Cyber Monday 🙀

Michael's (the craft store, not the person lol) emails were the hardest for me to resist. They ALWAYS have sales and it was so hard for me to see them and not partake! Part of it was FOMO, worrying that I would miss a good sale and have to spend more money on an item later. Another part was that I love to craft, so buying when things were on sale was a way for me to justify my spending (even when it wasn't in my budget or I didn't need a new craft supply).

It was also exhausting to resist the temptation to spend all day everyday. Sure, it felt good when I could say, "Wow I didn't buy it, go me!" But in the long run, I found that it wasn't worth the mental energy that would, inevitably, wear down. It was basically setting myself up for failure.

Not to mention the fact that my Gmail storage is routinely full. I don't need 50 promotional emails a week that clog up my storage and clutter my inbox so I miss important emails.

Today, I pledge to unsubscribe from the Eagles Pro Shop emails. They send SO MANY and I don't have the money to spend on merch right now anyway.

What company will you unsubscribe from today??

#therapistsofinstagram #selfcare #adventcalendar

advent day 3! ask someone for a hug or give yourself one 😊 you could also ask for a different kind of physical comfort. what does your body need today? how can you get that need met?

i actually already did this as part of my yoga teacher training today, so i got a head start 🤭

#adventcalendar #adventselfcare #therapistsofinstagram

day 2! drink an extra glass of water than you normally do 💧 (it's okay if your normal is zero!)

#therapistsofinstagram #adventcalendar #selfcare #selfcareadvent

I had the idea to make myself a self-care advent calendar and thought I would share with you all! All of these ideas are 100% free and (relatively) simple. It's not self care if it's beyond our budget or it isn't feasible.

The idea to post one each day is from @downsizeupgrade who is doing 25 days of decluttering. It's great, so you should follow her!

I started late, so it will be 19 days of self care 😭 let me know what self-care you'd like to see on this social media advent calendar! Good luck brushing your teeth tonight 🪥🫡

#selfcare #therapistsofinstagram #christmascountdown #adventcalendar

A colleague's client gave me this Psyduck artwork last night and I love it so much 😭 it's my second Psyduck decor.

Psyduck has become my favorite Pokemon as I've learned that my days-long debilitating"headaches" are actually migraines! If only they gave me psychic powers 😮‍💨

Who's your favorite Pokemon?

#psyduckslays #therapistsofinstagram

this past weekend, a teacher shared that her dad meditates by watching an incense stick burn out each day.

i decided to try this out myself! i light a stick and watch it burn for 10 minutes, and it's been a lovely way to play around with my meditation practice. bean even joined me in her sunshine bed 🌞

meditation isn't for everyone, and it certainly wasn't for me for a long time. however, it has become a staple in maintaining my sense of peace (even if i don't do it everyday) over the last few months.

what are y'all's experiences with meditation? what are unconventional ways that you find silence and peace in your day?

#selfcare #therapistsofinstagram #meditation #catsofinstagram

happy halloween, friends! i found some gay skeletons 🦴

have fun, be merry, and play it safe on halloween (iykyk)

#therapistsofinstagram #halloween #queer

after months of hard work and nerdy conversations, we presented at pennsylvania's counseling conference (PCA) on how fanfiction can be used as a counseling intervention

Our presentation did include a diagram of maleimpregnation and sexy shadow (though, of course, sexy is already implied)

thank you to samantha fickling, my co-presenter, who graduates this december! and to all the friends i made, keep slaying!!! and thanks to PSAIGE for putting all of this together! 🏳️‍🌈

#pcaconference #therapistsofinstagram #slaying #gaysthrowthebestparties

so excited for this new series! posting about this is important to me bc i want to help ppl learn how they can use self help books but also to hold me accountable to actually doing the workbook 😭

I'm so thrilled to get a featured slot for our presentation! We have been working so hard on this, and it's amazing that we have a full 90 minutes to let the material breathe.

I am feeling a TAD overcommitted professionally 😅 but this presentation has been so cool to explore. This feels like my debut into the professional world ✨💃🏻 it will be Very Gay

am i perhaps several several months late to this trend? 🐸 the answer is no, bc a wizard is never late (nor is he early) he arrives PRECISELY when he means to 🧙🏻‍♂️✨

jokes aside, this is your friendly reminder that meals don't have to look a certain way. even therapists eat (and sometimes prefer 👀) girl dinner

#therapistsofinstagram #girldinner #adhd

would you keep or throw away an item... if it had shit on it

#therapistsofinstagram #minimalist #pooptest

I'm doing Intentional Spend August ( inspired by @downsizeupgrade ) to help bring more, well, intention into how I spend my money.

Money is hard. Capitalism and ADHD are really out here conspiring against me 😭 For me, it's not sustainable or realistic (or fun) to manage finances through restriction. But without a guiding philosophy, that kind of leaves me running wild.

Enter: Intentional Spend August ✨

I love that this approach gets me in touch with my values and promotes intention rather than restriction. I'm tracking how much I save by not impulse buying (this is from another Instagram account that I can't remember the name of!), and so far, I've saved over $50 I would have normally spent without a thought since August 1st.

I'm curious to know how other folks have approached managing finances in similarly non-shaming ways.

For more info on Intentional Spend August, check out downsizeupgrade's page!

(I'm not affiliated with her or her account at all, I have just personally benefited from her content and want to share with my 7 followers!)

#therapistsofinstagram #money #intentionalspendaugust #adhd

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Free Zoom Yoga!

Theoretical Orientations and Me

Why people hate (and love) theoretical orientations

Why you should start attending self-help workshops

Why you shouldn't offer your clients a tissue

About Me

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