Snow day

Sunday, January 25th, 2026. The country is enveloped in a snow and ice storm that spans from the middle of the US to the east coast. We have been warned that this storm could be historic, sparking memories of the famous Blizzard of ‘96. I’ve seen images of empty grocery store shelves, I've heard people complain that they cannot find road salt, I’ve seen social media posts advertising snow shoveling. Schools will most likely be shut down on Monday.  

Like many others, I find myself struggling to just be present in this moment. Sunday, for me, has always been a busy day: food shopping, meal prepping, laundry, house cleaning, and the occasional workout all jammed in. As I sit here in my home office, I have a wonderful view of the snow, and it reminds me to take a breath.  

Winter is a time for inner work. Many people use this time to heal their inner child. I found myself thinking of this today when I felt pressure to be busy. I even thought, “if I shovel now, I can get to the grocery store,” despite the state of emergency. Yes, there will be shoveling in my future today, and there will be tasks done like laundry, cleaning, and cooking.  

But I have everything I need right here. I don’t need to go anywhere. I don’t need to do anything. And yet I still feel that pressure to remain productive.  

What can I do today while I’m stuck inside? Maybe some writing, maybe a blog post? I can do things I put off like watering all the indoor plants. I can bake, make a huge dinner that will last a few days, so I won’t have to worry about going to the store. I can do hobbies, listen to music, and walk on the treadmill. Even last night as I was falling asleep, I thought to myself, “I will make a list tomorrow and try to get as much done as I can.”  

WOAH, let’s relax.  

Does this sound familiar? I bet it does. We are so programed to remain productive in this society. And sure, it can be helpful at times. But it can be unhelpful too. It affects our fight or flight. It raises our blood pressure. Take this cue from mother nature. What is she doing right now? She is blanketing us in a thick layer of snow. Snow literally stops us in our tracks. You even have to shovel it slowly or you could have a heart attack (seriously, be careful shoveling).  

Why do we feel so uncomfortable when we allow ourselves to take a break? This is where that inner work comes into play. Maybe when you were a kid your parents wouldn’t let you to rest, maybe other people in your life were always busy and you felt guilty. Maybe you’re using productivity as a coping skill: The more productive you are, the better you feel about yourself. But the less productive you are, the worse you feel about yourself. Maybe you use productivity as an escape from uncomfortable emotions. Maybe all of these things are true.  

What is productivity?  

This is a huge part of the puzzle, especially if you get a sense of self-worth from productivity. What does being productive mean to you? If all you did today was sit on the couch, eat your favorite foods, and watch your favorite show, would you count that as productive? Probably not. I would have a hard time with that too!  

What if you thought about it differently?  

• I am resting my body and my mind.

• A few hours of rest will not hurt me.  

• I am engaging in self-care.  

• I am allotting this time for myself to just.. be.  

• If uncomfortable feelings arise, I will notice them and let them pass through me without judgement, without pressure, without wanting to fix or distract myself.  

• My self-worth is not defined by the number of tasks I can complete in a day.  

Sometimes, I find it helpful to think of my body as something that exists separately from me. Like a car. I need to take care of my car. I have to give it gas, clean it, give it fresh tires, make sure the inside is tidy, and smells good. The same can be said about our body and our mind. We need to care for our physical body, of course, and we need to give it rest and relaxation as well. As well as our minds. Our brain likes to move quickly, especially if we are avoiding uncomfortable feelings.  

Now, this habit is difficult to break. I struggle with it too. I’m going to do chores today and tomorrow, but I am also giving myself time to rest and face that productivity pressure. I am giving my fight or flight response a cleansing breath of this snowy air.  

“Well, I can’t rot all day. I have kids, I have to take care of people, I need to get to work, etc.”  

Sure, yes, very valid. We cannot be All or Nothing. Balance is what we need. For your health, you must find it. I hope it's not buried in the snow.   

-Be safe.

Rachel Tice, LPC

www.NewMoonCounseling.LLC               

Heated Rivalry- A therapist’s review

Still from Heated Rivalry S1 E1: Rookies

Slight spoilers ahead. 

Heated Rivalry. We’ve all heard about this show by now. A six-episode Canadian series streaming on HBO Max. It is based on a novel series, Game Changers by Rachel Reid and was developed for TV by Jacob Tierney.  

The show has been dominating pop culture since its release in the US in late 2025. It is all over social media. If you’re like me, you’ve probably seen tiktoks or reels referencing how this show has awoken something in people. People are obsessed with this show. People want to talk about this show. People are consumed by this show. After all, art is meant to invoke feelings, questions, and even obsession.  

I won’t break down each episode, but I do want to address the feelings of obsession that some people, including myself, feel about this show. I can speak from experience that this show caused me to have a sleepless night after finishing the series. I found myself consumed with what the characters were going through.  

As a counselor, I am naturally empathetic, and the feelings in this show were very intense. The eroticism aside, the mental health of these characters was extremely fascinating to view from a therapist lens.  

The show prompted one important issue that is often missed in our society:  

The sexuality of male professional athletes.  

Can you think of any fully out, gay male professional athletes that are not retired? Maybe there are a few, but I can guarantee that many are closeted due to sports culture and toxic masculinity that thrives in our country. I am sure there are many male athletes that are in the exact same circumstances as the show’s main characters: 

Having to hide their sexuality from everyone including themselves, masking, dealing with intense shame, fear, isolation, secrets, and most of all, not being able to be themselves and to experience love in a public manner. The topic of closeted gayness in Canada and the USA compared to Russia is poignant and worth mentioning. The series cannot even be shown in Russia due to their anti LGBTQ laws.  

This is what gave me a sleepless night. The thought that there are people in professional sports that cannot truly be themselves. Am I saying that these athletes need to or should publicly come out? No absolutely not, that is a personal choice impacted by many variables. How the characters in the show portrayed their intense feelings surrounding coming out was eye opening for me, and probably for many others, and we a society need this reminder.  

I see many LGBTQ+ clients in my practice. I can absolutely understand the struggles of coming out, but I will admit I did not think about how this process must be for professional athletes.  

I focus on male athletes here because I think there is more acceptance of female professional athletes being gay. This is my perception, and it could very well be wrong. Of course, I do not downplay any struggles that gay, female athletes face. This is a prime example of covert toxic masculinity in our culture. Lesbians are perceived to be more accepted in sports and maybe even expected to be gay.  

But gay, male athletes are not.  

I invite you to think of this question: What would it mean if more male professional athletes came out?  

Would they receive hate? Most certainly. Would it impact their career? It might. Would it force some people to face their cognitive dissonance regarding men and sports? Absolutely.  

Being able to love freely and openly without judgement is the core of this sadness for me. We live in a heteronormative society, whether we like it or not. This show smashes that point in.  

Overall, the series and actors portrayed (excellently, I might add) the nuances and struggles of coming out in an environment where it could be destructive. The range of emotions we are meant to feel can be overwhelming and over stimulating. Those of us who are empaths feel it even stronger.  

Seeing how the characters felt pressure to hide, isolate, and deprive themselves of happiness and love was absolutely heartbreaking, and I am certain this a regular occurrence. Male athlete or not this is something that can affect anyone who is LGBTQ+ and struggling to accept themselves or fearful to come out.  

This is not new. This is not unusual and we need to be reminded of this. So, keep talking about it. Keep sharing with others. Keep challenging social norms.  

And when it comes down to the final buzzer, our main goal is love.  

Rachel Tice, LPC www.NewMoonCounseling.LLC             

Journal prompts

Journaling can be a great coping skill to add to your daily routine. Read further for prompts.

Journaling is wonderful and one of the easiest coping skills to implement in your life for better overall mental health. There is no wrong way to do it. You can use prompts or write a stream of consciousness. I recommend starting once a day and you can choose what time of day works best for you. I prefer writing at night as a summation of events, thoughts, and feelings I had throughout the day.

Below I have written journal prompts that I find to be most effective when focusing on mental health. I also have included prompts based on the seasons and moon cycles. When we are searching for writing inspiration, it can be helpful to look up the moon phase or use the current season to point us in a direction of focus. Good luck on your journaling journey!    

Basic Prompts:

1. What are your intentions for the day?  

2. What are you grateful for now that the day is done?  

3. What are your goals for the week ahead?  

4. What emotions were you feeling throughout the day?  

   (Break it down by hour if you need to).

5. Did something stressful happen today? Write about it.

6. Did something amazing happen today? Write about it.   

7. What would your adult self say to your child self?  

8. What would your younger self say to your present self?  

Using the moon phases as inspiration: Short term goals  

New Moon: The sky is dark. This is a time for transformation, setting goals, and making a fresh start for the month ahead. 

Waning Moon: The moon’s visibly is intensifying. A great time to focus on setting goals for abundance.  

Full Moon: The moon is bright! A time for celebration and gratitude! How can you practice self care right now?    

Waxing Moon: The moon grows darker. A time to release things and emotions that are no longer serving you.   

Using the seasons as inspiration: Long term goals 

Spring: A time for rebirth and renewal. What goals do you have? What do you want to see happen this year? Release the darkness of winter. Spring clean your life and plant seeds of growth!    

Summer: Days lengthen and we have more energy to set our goals in motion. What goals did you write down in Spring? Now is the time to execute them! How will you tend to the seeds you planted?    

Autumn: A time to celebrate the fruits of our labor. You’ve set goals, and you’ve made efforts to accomplish them. Now is the time to harvest them. Practice gratitude and enjoy the fruits of your labor.   

Winter: Nights grow longer and the time for inner work begins. Look back on the past year and review your experiences, both good and bad. What will you take with you into the new year and what will you leave behind? 

Rachel Tice, LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor in NJ and Florida

www.NewMoonCounseling.LLC  

Bold Journey interview

Some of my book collection you might be familiar on video sessions

Recently I was nominated to be interviewed by Bold Journey, an online magazine that focuses on sharing authentic stories, experiences, and insights. It was a great opportunity to share about my purpose and passion.

Find the link below and check out the article.

Thanks for stopping by!

https://boldjourney.com/meet-rachel-tice

Hello and Welcome

First of all, thanks for being here! My first ever blog post is on Samhain 2024. How cool is that?! My plan for this blog is to make once monthly posts about anything that strikes my interest. Each post will focus on mental health and the topics will vary greatly.

Considering my specialties include ADHD, neuro diversity, chronic health issues, queerness, and spirituality, you can assume that I will start there. I have a lot of thoughts and a lot to say. One or two of my hyperfixation du jours might also make an appearance.

Stay on the lookout, and sign up for my newsletter! They will mostly be about my blog posts and I wont spam anyone, I promise. Writing is one of my favorite coping skills so thanks for reading this and I hope to continue to create interesting and helpful content. Oh, and you’ll get an inside peek at my personality here!

-Your millennial, woo-woo therapist