Blog

What to Expect in an EMDR Intensive (And How to Know If You’re Ready)
Raisa Luther Raisa Luther

What to Expect in an EMDR Intensive (And How to Know If You’re Ready)

If you’re considering an EMDR intensive, you may be looking for two things at once: meaningful progress and a process that feels clinically sound. Many people are drawn to intensives because they want therapy to be effective and contained—without it becoming an open-ended commitment that stretches on for months.

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ADHD in High-Functioning Adults: When “Coping” Still Feels Like Struggling
Raisa Luther Raisa Luther

ADHD in High-Functioning Adults: When “Coping” Still Feels Like Struggling

ADHD in high-functioning adults often looks like coping on the outside while struggling privately with procrastination, overwhelm, time-blindness, and burnout. Many professionals succeed through masking and compensation—using perfectionism, overworking, or last-minute pressure to meet deadlines—yet feel exhausted by the effort it takes to stay on track. An adult ADHD assessment can help clarify whether these patterns reflect ADHD, identify strengths and challenges, and offer practical recommendations for work, relationships, and day-to-day life.

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Healing from PTSD and flashbacks | Therapy for trauma
Raisa Luther Raisa Luther

Healing from PTSD and flashbacks | Therapy for trauma

For many people living with PTSD, flashbacks can feel like being pulled back into the very moment of trauma—vivid, overwhelming, and distressingly real. Clients often tell me that no matter how much time has passed, these memories still intrude, leaving them exhausted and on edge.

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Finding Connection: How Family Therapy Strengthens Parent-Child Relationships
Raisa Luther Raisa Luther

Finding Connection: How Family Therapy Strengthens Parent-Child Relationships

Many high-achieving individuals know what it feels like to “have it all together” on the outside while quietly struggling on the inside. You may have reached milestones in education, career, or life goals—yet still feel a sense of disconnection or uncertainty about who you are.

Often, these feelings can be traced back to early family dynamics. Our closest relationships shape how we see ourselves, how we communicate, and how safe we feel expressing our true identity. When parent-child relationships are marked by misunderstanding or unspoken expectations, it can leave lasting emotional effects.

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How People-Pleasing Affects Relationships | Therapy for Conflict Avoidance
Raisa Luther Raisa Luther

How People-Pleasing Affects Relationships | Therapy for Conflict Avoidance

Have you ever felt like you're walking on eggshells in your relationships—afraid to express your needs, speak your truth, or disappoint someone? If you grew up in a family where you were taught not to “rock the boat,” these patterns don’t just disappear when you grow up. They follow you—often in ways that feel familiar but confusing.

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How Intergenerational Expectations Impact Couples Therapy
Raisa Luther Raisa Luther

How Intergenerational Expectations Impact Couples Therapy

If you’ve ever felt torn between honouring your family's values and embracing your own identity, you’re not alone. Many high-achieving individuals carry silent pressures inherited from their family’s cultural, emotional, and survival legacies. These expectations can deeply influence how we show up in intimate relationships—often without us even realizing it.

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Love After Trauma | What Secure Relationships Really Feel Like
Raisa Luther Raisa Luther

Love After Trauma | What Secure Relationships Really Feel Like

Clients often ask: “Will I know what a healthy relationship feels like?” The answer is yes. But secure love can feel unfamiliar at first- not because it’s wrong, but because it’s different from what your nervous system has known. Let’s look at what secure relationships actually feel like, especially after trauma, and how to recognise them when they arrive.

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Dealing with Toxic Guilt and Shame – why setting boundaries can feel impossible
Raisa Luther Raisa Luther

Dealing with Toxic Guilt and Shame – why setting boundaries can feel impossible

Growing up in a collectivistic culture and society can feel like a delicate balancing act. On one hand, there’s a deep sense of loyalty to family and community. On the other, there’s pressure to succeed, be independent, and fit into the broader world around you. This balancing act can create powerful feelings of toxic guilt and shame-especially when it comes to setting boundaries.

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How to Handle Critical In-Laws | Boundaries & Emotional Triggers in Therapy
Raisa Luther Raisa Luther

How to Handle Critical In-Laws | Boundaries & Emotional Triggers in Therapy

Navigating relationships with in-laws can be challenging—especially when cultural expectations and family dynamics add extra layers of complexity. These tensions can feel deeply personal and often stir up questions about belonging, identity, and loyalty. As a therapist, I often work with high-achieving individuals who find themselves caught between their own needs and family expectations.

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When Your Parents Don’t Approve of Your Partner | Navigating Family Conflict
Raisa Luther Raisa Luther

When Your Parents Don’t Approve of Your Partner | Navigating Family Conflict

A lot of clients I work with struggle with this problem. Navigating the disapproval of your parents can be incredibly difficult—especially when you deeply care about your partner and want to honor your family’s wishes. If you’re someone who has always valued family ties but also craves a life that feels true to you, this tension can be especially painful.

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Trauma Bond or Real Connection? | Recognising Healthy vs Toxic Attachment
Raisa Luther Raisa Luther

Trauma Bond or Real Connection? | Recognising Healthy vs Toxic Attachment

You meet someone, and it feels electric. Familiar. Like you’ve known them forever. You open up quickly. The highs are intoxicating, the lows destabilising. Something in you feels deeply drawn to them—even when you're not sure it's safe to stay. This might not be love. It might be a trauma bond.

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Coping with Anxious Attachment | A Guide for Relationship Anxiety
Raisa Luther Raisa Luther

Coping with Anxious Attachment | A Guide for Relationship Anxiety

You want closeness. You want security. You want to stop overthinking every text, every silence, every shift in tone. This isn’t because you’re broken. It’s likely because you’ve developed an anxious attachment style—often rooted in early emotional experiences.

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4 Signs Therapy Is Working | How to Know You're Healing
Raisa Luther Raisa Luther

4 Signs Therapy Is Working | How to Know You're Healing

Starting therapy can feel like a big leap—especially if you’ve spent years holding it all together, saying “I’m fine,” and putting others first. For high-functioning, people-pleasing South Asian women, it can take time to trust that this space is for you.

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The ‘Good Girl’ Blueprint: Unlearning Who You Were Told to Be
Raisa Luther Raisa Luther

The ‘Good Girl’ Blueprint: Unlearning Who You Were Told to Be

If you’re a South Asian woman, you may know this role well. The “good girl” blueprint is one many of us were raised with—taught to stay quiet, avoid conflict, and put others first. It’s not just cultural. It’s generational. It’s gendered. And it’s exhausting.

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