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Andrea Anderson Polk’s Blog
Clinically Practiced, Biblically Informed
Most Recent Blog Post
My Greatest Ambition
Leading a Quiet Life in a Noisy World As you know, I often write about redefining success. I came across this striking quote earlier this...
Sep 215 min read
My Greatest Ambition
Leading a Quiet Life in a Noisy World As you know, I often write about redefining success. I came across this striking quote earlier this...
Sep 215 min read
The Dream I Forgot I Prayed For
As a therapist—and a human being—who’s a recovering (and sometimes relapsing) control-freak-perfectionist, many of my writings keep...
Sep 194 min read
10 Signs You're Overthinking (and What to Do About it)
Ever feel like your brain just won’t quit? You’re lying in bed, caught in an endless loop — planning for things that might never happen,...
Aug 224 min read
My Marriage Meltdown Moment + the Power of a Praying Mantis
Early in my marriage, a therapist friend told me, “Dan is a crockpot. You’re a deep fryer.” I had just shared how hard it is when things...
Aug 76 min read
A Hidden Anxiety
The quiet anxiety no one talks about, but many carry We all get anxious—it’s part of being human. But how we respond to it and what we...
Jul 18 min read
What I Learned From a Robin About Calming Anxiety
We don’t always need a breakthrough to find peace. Sometimes, all it takes is a quiet moment outside. In this reflection, I share a...
May 54 min read
Do You Need More Alone Time? 10 Signs You Do
From a Therapist Who Gets It I have to be alone often. I need a lot of personal space. I say no—a lot. And I’m socially selective— not...
Apr 1710 min read
Who or What is Your Source of Success?
The greatest indicator that I have given my power away to someone or something outside of myself is reaching a point where I have no joy...
Mar 86 min read
I Discovered My Secret to Success + You Can Too
I recently watched the Netflix documentary, “Martha,” and found it inspiring and validating because of the life lessons I’ve learned over...
Feb 115 min read
Boutique Intimate Retreats + When God Moves Suddenly
I’m thrilled to announce I am now offering Boutique Intimate Retreats for women! Specifically, for you and your close friends. I’ll come...
Jan 710 min read
Wearing Men's Boxers + My Worry Brain
I wear men’s boxers as pjs. When I got married, I confiscated Dan’s boxers. I’ve never been the cute matching pajama set kinda girl....
Oct 26, 20248 min read
My Rage Meltdown + My Beet Juice Breakdown
Helpful tools from a therapist on dealing with rage. Mom rage. Marriage rage. God rage. Career rage. PMS Rage.
Oct 5, 202412 min read
My Experience + Therapy Thoughts on Sleep Anxiety
Helpful tools from a therapist on overcoming sleep anxiety.
Aug 11, 20245 min read
A Day Date With My Husband + Balancing Priorities
Everything for me these days is about energy. What things drain me and what things excite me...
Jul 10, 202411 min read
What I Learned About Feeling Embarrassed
Take some time to think about who you are and what you really want for yourself without feeling embarrassed.
Jun 15, 20246 min read
When Jesus Had a Firm Boundary + So Can You
Sometimes when I’m feeling overwhelmed with the demands of the day or I need a word of encouragement, I pull out my Bible and randomly...
Jun 15, 20245 min read
My Hidden Season
Helping you embrace seasons of quiet, rest, and reflection when you're an ambitious woman who wants to write and create.
May 5, 20247 min read
25 Helpful Boundaries for the Holidays + All Year Round
Are you dealing with the stress of navigating difficult friends and family members this holiday season? You are not alone. All year round...
Dec 9, 20238 min read
The Need-To-Know-Syndrome
Do you need to know, right NOW? I call this the Need-To-Know-Syndrome. When a solution to a problem is not obvious or knowing the answer...
Sep 10, 20232 min read
Do You Have an Egyptian Mindset?
God answered your prayer: You got that promotion, new opportunity, new home, new business endeavor, new baby, or new relationship… But...
Aug 14, 20232 min read
How Anger Helped Julie Overcome Anxiety
This is the final post in the series on anger. Read the first three posts here: When Anger is a Gift, Ways You Avoid Anger and Why, How...
Jul 23, 20236 min read
How to Deal with Anger and Set Boundaries
Learn practical ways to from an experienced therapist on how set boundaries and stick with it! Including how to practice self-care.
Jul 9, 202315 min read
Ways You Avoid Anger and Why
Did you know anger is a gift and serves to protect you? In the last post, we looked at Kate’s story and how avoiding anger can cause you...
Jun 13, 202315 min read
When Anger is a Gift
Did you know that anger is a gift and serves to protect you? Kate has been consumed by her work as the CEO of an organization she is very...
May 16, 20238 min read
5 Things I'm Loving Right Now
For those of you who have been with me for a while know that my blog posts are about the integration of mental health and faith where I...
May 1, 202310 min read
My Gratitude Journal Changed My Life
When I first started my gratitude journal, I felt silly because what made me grateful seemed insignificant, frivolous, and maybe even weird.
Apr 11, 20239 min read
Overcoming Your Fantasy Friend
When you feel hurt, lonely, rejected, abandoned, ashamed, anxious, jealous, inadequate, or like an imposter, your Fantasy Friend makes you
Mar 27, 20237 min read
Rachel and Her Fantasy Friend
We all have a Fantasy Friend we turn to that keeps us feeling safe, needed, loved, special, and important. Your "Fantasy Friend" can look...
Mar 13, 20235 min read
Who's Your Fantasy Friend?
We’ve all been hurt and we’ve all experienced painful situations and relationships such as heartbreak, the loss of a dream or a loved...
Feb 21, 20237 min read
Sadness to Joy: The Paradox of Grief, Part 2
In the previous blog post, I shared my story of loss. As a young girl, when my home life became unstable, I sought refuge at my...
Feb 6, 20236 min read
My Story: The Paradox of Grief, Part 1
We all experience loss. Loss of a loved one. Loss of a career. Loss of a dream. Loss of a relationship. Loss of ourselves. Grief is a...
Jan 30, 20237 min read
Struggling With the Winter Blues or Feeling Down and Dreary?
The holiday season has come to a close and the Christmas decorations are put away. The house seems bare which has a somberness that...
Jan 16, 20237 min read
Do You Have a Toxic Relationship with Yourself? 10 Ways We Self-Sabotage
In a previous post, I created 10 questions designed to help you identify if you are in a toxic relationship. The toxic relationship in...
Jan 3, 20236 min read
Christine's Story of Setting Boundaries with a Difficult Family Member
So far in this series on toxic relationships, I created 10 questions designed to help you identify if you are in a toxic relationship in...
Dec 4, 20226 min read
5 Steps to Dealing with Toxic Relationships
So far in this series on toxic relationships, I created 10 questions designed to help you identify if you are in a toxic relationship. I...
Nov 20, 20228 min read
7 Warning Signs of Your Partner’s Toxic Behavior in Therapy
In the previous post, I identified 13 warning signs of toxic therapy designed to help you know when a therapist is displaying harmful...
Nov 14, 20223 min read
What is the Purpose of Therapy and Do You Need It?
The previous post, identified 13 warning signs of toxic therapy designed to help you know when a therapist is displaying harmful behavior...
Nov 7, 20225 min read
What Makes a Therapist a Good Therapist?
In the previous post, we identified 13 warning signs of toxic therapy designed to help you know when a therapist is displaying harmful...
Oct 10, 20224 min read
13 Warning Signs of Toxic Therapy
As a licensed therapist, with over fifteen years of clinical experience counseling people, it saddens my heart to state the reality that...
Oct 3, 20223 min read
Should I Stay or Leave the Relationship? Part two.
In the previous post, we began to address the question: Should I stay or leave the relationship? The answer is neither straightforward...
Sep 26, 20225 min read
Should I Stay or Leave the Relationship? Part one.
You might be wondering, Should I stay or leave the relationship? The answer is neither straightforward nor black and white. It is complex...
Sep 10, 20225 min read
TV Interview on 100 Huntley Street
In a recent interview on the tv show, 100 Huntley Street, Andrea has an inspiring, deep, and meaningful conversation with Cheryl Weber...
Sep 8, 20221 min read
Andrea Published in The Science of Personality Magazine
In a recent interview with Karen Asp and published by Centennial Media, "The Highest Bar: If striving for perfection is making you...
Sep 1, 20222 min read
My Migraine Miracle: The Defense of Projectizing, Part 5
Thus far in this series about projectizing , a deeper form of perfectionism, showing up in a tendency to anxiously fix ourselves, we...
Aug 29, 20227 min read
Do you want to be fixed or be free? The Defense of Projectizing, Part 4
Thus far in this series about projectizing, a deeper form of perfectionism, showing up in a tendency to anxiously fix ourselves, we...
Aug 10, 20225 min read
Are You a Chronic Overthinker? The Defense of Projectizing, Part 3
Thus far in this series about projectizing, a deeper form of perfectionism, showing up in a tendency to anxiously fix ourselves, we...
Aug 4, 20224 min read
Andrea's Interview on 700 Club Interactive
Break Away from Self-Sabotaging Patterns and Mindsets In a recent interview on the tv show, the 700 Club Interactive, Andrea has a...
Jul 28, 20221 min read
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