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Emotional Shutdown in Relationships: Understanding Shame Collapse in Men Written by: Ashley Kirkpatrick, LAC Working with men in therapy has made something unmistakably clear: men feel deeply, often far deeper than anyone realizes. Many carry heavy burdens and intense emotions, yet they don’t feel safe, permitted, or equipped to talk about them. For some, even […]

Emotional Shutdown in Relationships: Understanding Shame Collapse in Men

Trauma therapist seated in a calm office space, representing work with men experiencing emotional shutdown, shame collapse, and the effects of religious trauma.

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Leaving Mormonism: What Wicked’s “Bubble” Song Teaches About Faith Transitions In Wicked, the song “Thank Goodness” includes a moment where Glinda reflects on life inside the “bubble.” It’s meant to sound light and celebratory, but the metaphor underneath is more complex. The bubble represents safety, certainty, and insulation from conflict or doubt. For many people […]

Leaving Mormonism: What Wicked’s “Bubble” Song Teaches About Faith Transitions

A calm therapy space used to support individuals navigating a Mormon faith transition, faith crisis, and the emotional impact of leaving the LDS church.

Mellissa grew up in Southern California in a large family, heavily involved in high control conservative religion. She went on to attend college at Brigham Young University-Idaho where she studied sociology and family studies. She then spent 10 years as a stay at home parent. Life pivoted for Mellissa when she experienced a divorce and faith transition and began her own work in therapy.

She spent 5 years as an educator while obtaining her masters degree in professional counseling. She has spent the last 4 years specializing her practice to help others going through major unexpected life transitions, finding healing in the present moment and creating futures that align with their core values. Mellissa’s personal experiences, combined with her specialized expertise and focused study, create a uniquely supportive and effective clinical practice for individuals navigating major life transitions.

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