Category: writing

• The F-Word Was Father’s Day: A Poem of Reclamation

  

  A healing poem about reclaiming Father’s Day from trauma through self-love, fatherhood, and inner reparenting. A tribute to self-fathering and growth.

  Forest Benedict, LMFT

  June 14, 2025

  Addiction, Attachment, Change, children, Codependency, Connection, CPTSD, Fun, Grief, IFS, Inspiration, Parenting, Poetry, Recovery, Religious trauma, self-compassion, Self-Connection, Sexual Addiction, Shame, trauma, writing

  breaking generational cycles, compassionate self-love, emotional healing, father wound, father’s day, fatherhood journey, forest benedict, grief and growth, healing, healing from childhood trauma, healing poem, IFS, IFS therapy, inner child healing, Internal Family Systems, LMFT blog, men’s healing, mental health, parenting and trauma, poetry for healing, recovery, Religious trauma, reparenting, self-compassion, self-connection, self-fathering, trauma, trauma recovery

• Oh Mother, My Self! – A Dr. Seuss-Style Poem on Self-Mothering

  

  A heartfelt Dr. Seuss-style poem honoring all forms of motherhood—offering healing, validation, and a powerful reminder that the love we longed for can still be given by the one who knows us best: our Self.

  Forest Benedict, LMFT

  May 11, 2025

  Attachment, Connection, CPTSD, IFS, Inspiration, Parenting, Poetry, self-compassion, Self-Connection, Shame, writing

  Attachment Repair, Dr. Seuss Style Poem, emotional healing, Gentle Parenting Yourself, Healing from Childhood Wounds, Healing Through Poetry, IFS, inner child healing, Inner Nurturing, mental health, Mother’s Day Healing, Motherhood and Self-Compassion, Reparenting Yourself, self-compassion, Self-Compassion Poem, self-connection, Self-Love Practices, Self-Mothering, trauma, trauma recovery

• Black Swan, Shadow Work & Self-Reclamation: A Fierce Invitation to Embrace Your Hidden Parts

  

  What if the parts of you you’ve been taught to fear—your rage, desire, wildness—were actually the keys to your freedom? This cinematic blog explores Black Swan through a trauma-informed, IFS lens, inviting you into a powerful story of healing, shadow integration, and unapologetic self-expression.

  Forest Benedict, LMFT

  April 17, 2025

  IFS, Religious trauma, Self-Connection, Shame, trauma, writing

  authentic self, authenticity, black swan, healing, IFS, mental health, perfectionism, Religious trauma, self-connection, Sexual shame, sexuality, shadow, white swan

• The Flame Within: A Hope Ritual for Troubled Times

  

  A powerful, non-religious IFS ritual to awaken hope, reclaim power, and stay grounded through the chaos of today’s political climate. We are not alone.

  Forest Benedict, LMFT

  April 14, 2025

  Change, Faith, Grief, IFS, Inspiration, Politics, Religious trauma, self-compassion, Self-Connection, trauma, writing

  hope, IFS, inner compass, inner flame, inner power, inner strength, innercompass, inspiration, mental health, political anxiety, politics, power, Religious trauma, ritual, self-compassion, self-connection, trauma

• The Invitation (An IFS-Inspired Poem)

  

  Experience “The Invitation,” a heartfelt poem inspired by an IFS healing journey. Explore themes of self-discovery, courage, and embracing authenticity. Connect with your true self and let healing begin.

  Forest Benedict, LMFT

  November 2, 2024

  IFS, Inspiration, Poetry, Self-Connection, Shame, trauma, writing

  healing, IFS, poetry, self-connection, trauma

• What Do You Want to Read? Should We Dig Deeper or Break New Ground?

  

  Discover meaningful topics that matter most to you. Explore personal growth, childhood trauma, codependency, IFS, ADHD, religious trauma, and more in this reflective blog post. Share your thoughts and help shape the conversation.

  Forest Benedict, LMFT

  September 12, 2024

  Addiction, Connection, IFS, Inspiration, Recovery, Religious trauma, self-compassion, Sexual Addiction, Sexual shame, Shame, trauma, writing

  ADHD, BreakNewGround, ChildhoodTrauma, codependency, CompulsiveBehavior, ConnectionAndHealing, DigDeeper, EmotionalHealing, FindingPurpose, HealingJourney, IFS, InnerWork, MentalHealth, Neurodivergence, PersonalGrowth, ReligiousTrauma, SelfCompassion, SelfDiscovery, SexualShame, TraumaRecovery

• We Need to Be Noticed

  

  Social media is a weird world, isn’t it? There we show what we’re proud of. We share our perspectives. We invite others to see the sometimes minuscule details of our life. We express our need to be noticed. There is no shame in that. The questions I ask about my need to be noticed is…

  Forest Benedict, LMFT

  June 25, 2021

  Connection, IFS, Inspiration, Recovery, trauma, writing

  attention, facebook, IFS, inspiration, recovery, social media, trauma

• Triggers Are Teachers

  

  Triggers teach us what needs our attention inside

  Forest Benedict, LMFT

  October 13, 2020

  Addiction, IFS, Inspiration, partners, Recovery, self-compassion, Self-Connection, Sexual Addiction, trauma, writing

  covid, dick schwartz, healing, IFS, pandemic, politics, recovery, tormentor, trauma, trigger

• Running on Empty No More: Transform Your Relationships With Your Partner, Your Parents and Your Children (Book Recommendation)

  I just finished a wonderful book I can’t wait to tell you about called Running on Empty No More: Transform Your Relationships With Your Partner, Your Parents and Your Children, by Dr Jonice Webb. Running on Empty No More is an excellent book for anyone seeking healing in their most important relationships. The book is…

  Forest Benedict, LMFT

  January 9, 2018

  children, Connection, Parenting, partners, writing

  running on empty