As we wind down the 2021 year, it has become more important that we as a people reach out to one another more

The Organization Empowering Women

Empowerment Women is a global movement that has been growing since 2013, with the goal of connecting women with financial services and resources to meet their economic potential and improve the welfare of their families.

About the organization

Dedicated to empowering women to achieve their full economic potential by inspiring both women and men to become advocates, change makers and leaders in their community. We equip them with resources, opportunities and a global platform that facilitates networking, learning and sharing of experiences.
By doing so, they help women break through barriers and bring about systemic change for themselves, their families and communities. We are convinced that when women have greater access to resources and opportunity, everyone is more empowered to reach their full potential.

With their Vision as A world where every woman is able to use her voice, make her own decisions, and engage in economic opportunities.: They are taking positive steps that will help women all over grow within their communities by sharing knowledge and giving them ways to be more involved with all sorts of industries. As Economic potential thrives throughout a community so does wealth distribution, financial empowerment and personal success; hence why we support such an organization because without women being financially successful how can families progress or even stay afloat economically.

Why economic empowerment?

For those who work full-time in America, women still only earn 81 percent of what men do; while there are more female CEOs than ever before, that number remains incredibly low. While there is not one reason for these issues, a common contributing factor is financial literacy. With more money in her pocket every month, a woman has a greater ability to achieve equality between genders. By teaching women how to properly manage their money, we can help them make smarter financial decisions and ultimately receive equal pay. This will encourage corporations across industries to open their doors wider for females and teach younger generations about financial empowerment at an early age—to ensure gender equality at all levels of society continues in our great nation.

How financial empowerment can help women?

Financial empowerment is a necessary precursor to economic empowerment. With that in mind, here are three ways financial empowerment can help women break down barriers: 1) Financial education helps provide resources for opportunities that otherwise might not have been possible and 2) Making strides toward financial freedom makes them feel more empowered in all areas of their lives and 3) Having a steady stream of income enables women to set aside money for savings, whether it’s a college fund or their own business.

Help for women around the world

While women make up 51% of a global population, they are underrepresented in economic and political power. A woman working full-time typically earns less than 60 cents for every dollar a man earns. In many countries, women can’t vote or own property or even open a bank account. The United Nations declared 2015 to be the year of empowering women, but there is still much work to be done around the world—and that’s where Empowerment Women Organization comes in. Their goal is to help women learn new skills so they have better economic opportunities and also get involved in global issues like climate change, education, social justice, sustainable agriculture/farming/ranching, health and peace building.

The organization hosts webinars on topics such as safety tips while traveling abroad (or just walking down your street), overcoming cultural barriers while living or doing business overseas or starting a business from home with very little overhead costs. They also offer mentorship programs to help grow women’s businesses and encourage them to work together for a common goal: helping women thrive economically, politically and socially around the world.

To learn more about how you can get involved, visit their website at empowermentwomenorg .com, where you can sign up for newsletters and daily blogs covering everything from empowering female leaders around our planet to breaking news items affecting women in countries around our world.

If we all do that together, perhaps one day we will live in a society where each of us understands why we all deserve an equal opportunity—regardless of gender.

Now that is the best way to ring in a New Year!!!

Stay safe and may your 2022 be full of prosperity…Happy New Year!!!

3 Ways to Develop a Lifetime of Empowerment


One of the most important things in life is your relationships with other people, because no one can make it through life alone. Your relationships are what give you strength and comfort, and give your life meaning and purpose, leading to lifelong empowerment . These three ways to develop a lifetime of empowerment will help you build better relationships and create your best self, so that you can live the life you’ve always wanted.

1) Understand Your Relationships

The more you understand yourself and your relationship with others, including your partner and children, parents and extended family, friends and other associates, colleagues at work, neighbors in your community and so on—the better equipped you are to deal with whatever comes your way. Be open-minded, empathetic and accepting of others’ beliefs or circumstances. Remember too that how you treat others reflects back on you; if you want healthy relationships filled with trust, love and respect—treat those around you accordingly. And find someone trustworthy to confide in about problems or issues that may be affecting your outlook on life, either professionally or personally. You may not always get what you want but by being self-aware, putting yourself first and striving for empathy will only benefit you (and everyone around you) down the road.

2) Develop Your Purpose Through Meaningful Work

Believe it or not, your sense of identity can be developed through meaningful work. When you feel like you’re working toward something bigger than yourself—that is, helping someone else or working toward some larger goal—it feels fulfilling in a way that can be uniquely empowering. If you have a deep-seated desire to make an impact on others, consider finding employment within an organization that enables you to do so and facilitates your personal growth.

Pay Attention to How You Spend Your Time: Time with loved ones provides us with valuable support during times of stress or worry, giving us much-needed balance when things aren’t going as we expected them to at work. It can also help us develop skills that are necessary for effective leadership and project management, such as being able to be flexible in uncertain situations and being able to effectively handle conflicts within interpersonal relationships. If you have limited time on your hands due to work responsibilities, make an effort to prioritize spending time with your closest friends and family members—you may be surprised by how empowering it feels in stressful situations!

3) Build Self-Esteem

Self-esteem is based on how we feel about ourselves, and it impacts every area of our lives. Low self-esteem can lead to mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety. Our emotional health directly influences our physical health—so you might be surprised by just how much low self-esteem affects your body! By learning how to cultivate high self-esteem, you can strengthen your relationships with friends and family, develop your sense of identity, and live a purposeful life.

Building self-esteem can be challenging, especially if you have negative self-talk going on in your head. To build self-esteem, start by being honest with yourself about your identity. Consider all aspects of who you are and take pride in what makes you unique. Your sense of identity doesn’t have to match society’s idea of success; it can simply reflect what makes you proud and excited about life. Once you establish a strong sense of identity, building self-esteem is simple. Just acknowledge your successes and compliment yourself whenever possible!

The more you embrace positive feedback from others, too, the easier it will be to feel good about who you are.

When working with couple’s towards conflict resolution. The first question I ask them is: “what is one step you can take to work towards a solution?” Being able to work towards healing and restoration in a relationship means creating a mental shift from focusing on all the areas the other partner is lacking, and begin to focus on what steps are needed on order to make your partner comfortable in working together as a team. It is easy to fall into a “tug of war” battle where each partner refuses to let go of their own personal perceptions, opinions, and truths.

While it is important to acknowledge your own thoughts and feelings, it is also important to show empathy and understanding towards the other partner. Taking accountability of your own actions and coming together to fight against the problem versus each other creates a sense of “partnership”. Partnership means you are no longer on opposite sides of the playing field but working together as a team. What does team work in a relationship look like?

1. Willingness to Compromise: In a team, compromise is asking yourself 2 essential questions: “What am I willing to accept?” and “What am I not willing to accept?” A good team player will be honest, flexible, and open to working through emotions when something has to be given up.
2. Focuses on the Positives: A good team player will choose to redirect any negative thoughts towards their partner and choose to focus on the positive qualities they possess. If energy being released is negative, the other partner will feel this and begin to feel negatively. Being able to have open communication about the things you love and things you are having a hard time with is vital in maintaining a healthy relationship.
3. Awareness of One Another’s Feelings: Mind-reading and jumping to conclusions is a challenge I observe many couples encounter. A good team player does not assume they know what the other person is thinking or feeling but takes a moment to ask and listen to understand. Asking and active listening are two very important skills to ensure healthy communication. Being aware of what the other person is feeling and thinking helps to see things from their perspective.

Although there may not be a concrete manual on “how to’s” for a healthy relationship. Working together through learning and practice is a great way to invest in your relationship and develop a “teamwork” mentality.

Written by Jessica Sagastume, LMHC, NCC

Being an authentic person is something you may hear said from time to time. Many people do not know the answer to the question “how do I be my authentic self?”, because they don’t understand the question. It wasn’t until I became much older, after hearing this question, that I understood it. What do you mean my “authentic” self? My thoughts are my thoughts, and my words are my thoughts; how is that not my authentic self? To better understand what the question is asking, you must first analyze your own behaviors. How much of what you are doing is done because you genuinely wanted to do it? How much of what you are doing is done to fill a societal expectation of you? Familial expectation? 

A prime example of this can be one from my own personal experience. When I was in high school, everything on the outside of me told me that, in order to have fun, I would need to be at some kid’s house with a red solo cup in my hand yelling “woooooooo!!”. And so, that’s what I did. And I told myself I was having fun. It wasn’t until much later when I realized one night that I wanted no part in it. I didn’t like loud music or large groups of people that I didn’t know. It made me uncomfortable going to a party where I didn’t know the host. I much rather preferred being in a familiar environment with a few close friends watching a movie or talking. It was at this point that I realized that although it had been my idea to attend these parties in my youth, it was not a genuine part of me. If I had been completely honest with myself from the start, I would have known that I wanted nothing to do with these occasions. 

How much of your life consists of fulfilling societal expectations, satisfying an ego, or doing what you think is expected of you? When you are being genuine in your thoughts, words, and actions you know it immediately. I know when I’m saying something that I truly believe in because I say it with complete confidence. I don’t question for a second whether it is real. I simply know that it is. 

Small talk is an excellent example for this. Most people can’t quite put it into words, but they simply know when someone is being disingenuous toward them. It’s a feeling that you have, because you can sense that the person does not believe in what they are saying. If you are forced into an interaction with a person you have had a history of conflict with, they may say things like “it’s so great to see you”. Even though you know that it isn’t, everybody plays pretend to avoid the unpleasant honesty of the situation: the truth, that if you were being completely honest, you would say something like “it is extremely unfortunate that you are here, and if it were up to me I would never have the displeasure of seeing you again”. It is rude but also exactly what you feel at the time. This is the reason people learn to hide from their genuine selves. The comfort of normalcy. Of fitting into the middle of the pack. Of not being uncomfortable even for a moment. 

I can’t tell you a simple rule to follow in all situations to stay genuine to yourself, because in all honesty you shouldn’t. There are times when the best course of action is to put on a mask and say “hi how are you”. The distinction you have to make for yourself is when to take the mask off. When is it time to truly say what’s on your mind, or when is it time to stop attending things you do because it is expected of you. What I can say from experience is that when you start to make these distinctions, you will naturally have more confidence in your voice when you speak because you believe in what you say. You have spent time separating the fake and the real, and now you know for certain what the “real” is. You will enjoy things more because you know you absolutely want to do them. 

Written by: 

Bryce Miller, M.S., Ed.S.

Supervisor: Dr. April Brown, Ph.D., LMFT

WTB Therapy, LLC.

Tallahassee, FL 32301

Phone:  (850) 204-7973

If you are in an emergency, please call 911. If you are feeling suicidal or feeling you want to hurt yourself or someone else, please call one of the following numbers:

National Suicide Hotline:

1-800-273-8255

2-1-1 Big Bend: 850-617-6333

Although mental health is something that we are all touched by, many choose to be silent about the impact of mental health on our daily lives.   While there has been more awareness with famous athletes being open about their struggles; many people often choose to struggle on their own.  This week we celebrated World Mental Health Day to bring more awareness to the issue. COVID19 has also brought more awareness, because the struggle became more open.  It is less of a taboo to say you are struggling with depression or anxiety.   

Mental health problems are the results of a combination of age, genetic and environmental factors.  We do not have the ability to change our age or genetics.  We have some control over environmental factors.  We can reduce some of the environmental effects by being more mindful of the products we consume.  For example, we can use natural or organic cleaning products.  We can also choose natural or organic personal hygiene products.  We can be proactive when it comes to the food we eat.

Nutrition is an important factor that is often overlooked when it comes to mental health. There is a growing field of research linking food and the development, treatment, and prevention of mental health disorders.  The link between diet and mental health suggests we need to shift our thinking.  We need to be choosy about what we eat.  We need to think about how food makes us think, feel, and behave.

Many of us at some points have experienced the effects of food on our mood.  Think about it.   When we are depressed, we find foods that change our mood.  Have you ever had a breakup and reached for comfort foods?  Because you felt sad and the food made you feel better.  How about when you eat something that brought a fond (or sad) childhood memory.

Good health means taking a holistic approach.  When we have cancer or diabetes or hypothyroidism, we eat foods that promote our physical health.  When we feed our bodies, we have to think deeper about the impact of food not only on our physical health but our mental and spiritual health as well.

Lately we have been hearing about the Gut Brain connection.  Our gastrointestinal (GI) tract has even been called our second brain.  That is no accident when we consider that the GI tract is home to billions of bacteria that influence the production of neurotransmitters.  Yes, the same neurotransmitters that affect our mood.  These neurotransmitters send chemical messages from the gut to the brain all day long.  

Now consider the effects of the food we eat on the production of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine levels. These neurotransmitters play a major role in mood regulation.  For example, low norepinephrine causes fatigue and brain fog. Norepinephrine is link to depression Serotonin is also known as the happy hormone.  Up 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut, the rest is produced in the brain.  Serotonin is responsible for our quality of sleep; serotonin is converted into melatonin in the brain.   Optimal serotonin levels help to promote a deep peaceful sleep so awake recharged.  Low serotonin means low mood and depression.  Dopamine is produced in many areas of the brain.  It is responsible for things like movement, goal setting, motivation, and personality.  Low dopamine levels cause food cravings, procrastination, mood swings, feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness.  Dopamine is also associated with Parkinson’s disease.  Lifestyle changes can help to promote optimal levels of dopamine including meditating, deep breathing, and nutrition. 

We all know that sugar is bad for us.  It causes inflammation in the body.  It feeds cancer cells.  It spikes our blood sugar levels.  Parents are often concerned about their kids having a sugar high.  But have you ever thought about the impact of food on the gut brain connection?  Health foods or nutrient dense foods help with the production of good bacteria that promotes the production of neurotransmitters.  Foods that lack nutrients hinder the production of neurotransmitters. Sugar is one of those foods.  Sugar may initially spike dopamine levels, so you feel good but then there is a drop in dopamine you feel down for hours.  Healthy foods maintain dopamine levels and help to keep our mood stable.

There are simple changes that you can make in your diet to promote your mental health.  One of the best things to do for your mental health is to eat whole foods.  These foods are minimally processed and have only a few ingredients.  Eat plant-based foods, they contain fiber that absorb sugar.  Think whole grains, fruits and vegetables.  Foods that promote dopamine levels include selenium, blueberry extract, beta-phenylethylamine (meats, eggs, cheese, chocolate, and oats).  Foods that promote serotonin levels include tryptophane rich foods (shrimp, turkey, spinach).  You can also take supplements like P5P (active ingredient in vitamin B6), methyl B12, folic acid, magnesium, and niacinamide.  To promote norepinephrine, eat whole foods like fruits vegetables, eggs, meat, poultry, seafood, nuts, healthy fats (olive oil, coconut oil, etc.) herbs and spices.  

We are what we eat.  Diet has a significant effect on mental and physical health.  So eat real foods.  Eat to nourish your brain.

Written by Chemenda Sawyer

Why am I here? Ok, so not the deep philosophical question of “Why am I here?” but more the “What is my role here?”.  Going a step further, let’s take a look at why I, April Daniel am here but also why you are here. 

First, I can tell you why I am here with great certainty.  I am here because I enjoy helping others.  Because we have all been through difficult times on our journey and none of us are perfect.  Because sometimes, we need that extra something to get us back on track or ready to continue to the next step, whatever that step is.  I am here to listen, to help, to assist, to encourage, to comfort, and sometimes, even to challenge you.  As a therapist, observing someone enter a therapy session full of confusion or despair and then leave having gained insight or having found some relief or hope is very rewarding.  

This brings me to why you are here.  If here is reading this blog or here is considering therapy for the first time or the first time in a long time, I can only imagine why you are here.  There is a world full of reasons to seek therapy.  A lifetime of reasons to seek therapy.  And all are valid reasons.  If you think you could benefit from a therapeutic experience, then you’re right!  You can!

I have two favorite quotes.  Ok, make it three. The first, is “Growth and comfort cannot coexist”.  I will attribute this to an unnamed instructor at some point in my educational journey when I needed to hear it.  This simply embodies the notion that if you are uncomfortable in yourself, your relationship, your life, your job, or in your own home then you are being challenged to an opportunity for growth!  When we are comfortable, we can become very stagnant and complacent in our lives and most likely we are not growing.  Whenever I am being challenged in some way, I try to wade through those negative thoughts that might tell me “I can’t” or “I shouldn’t” or “This is too hard” and focus on this opportunity to grow as a person, which is empowering.

This leads me to my second favorite quote which comes from Alice Walker.  She said, “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any”.   Just take a second to think about that.  Feeling empowered comes from within and it begins with how we think about ourselves.  We think we’re powerless, so we are.  Not to say we can control all situations.  Instead, saying we can gain control of ourselves by tapping into inner strengths and available resources.  As a counselor, I am also an advocate for my clients in all aspects of their lives.  The goal is to lift the lid on those fears, negative thoughts, and anxious moods to learn more about ourselves and how we think.  This is what allows us to move beyond that powerlessness and into a more empowered life.

My third and final favorite quote is, “Worry is like a rocking chair, it will give you something to do but you won’t get anywhere doing it”.  Some variation of that quote has been attributed to several different people, but this version is my favorite.  We have all spent too much time at some point worrying about or avoiding situations, other people, or eventualities.  At this moment, we could all pinpoint some part of our lives where we are stuck and would like to actually get somewhere.  Somewhere better.

So, there you have it. Answering the big questions. If you think therapy is something you could benefit from or are curious and would like to know more, make the phone call, send the email, submit the request.  Even if it’s not with me, if you would rather see another therapist for any other reason – that is ok.  As a matter of fact, scientific research has proven success in therapy is largely based on the relationship between the therapist and the client(s).  If it doesn’t work the first time, try again.  You’ll know when you feel safe enough, comfortable enough, “insert-your-needs-here” enough to continue with the therapist that fits with YOU.  Who knows? You may gain additional insight into why you are here, or you may just learn more about where you want to be and start setting goals to get there.

written by April Daniel