Anxiety can feel like proof something is wrong with you, especially during prolonged stress or uncertainty. This piece explores anxiety as a response rather than a personal failing and outlines a more compassionate way to understand and work with it.

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Protecting your self-worth during difficult times isn't about staying positive. It's about treating yourself with compassion when life makes that feel impossible. Discover four ways to maintain your sense of worth when circumstances threaten to shake it.

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woman walking alone on beach in orange pants at sunset reflecting on self-worth during difficult times

We don’t accept tips at Healing Arts Center. Here’s why we’ve chosen an approach that removes pressure and guesswork so clients can focus fully on their experience.

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Not all conflict deserves your energy. Learn how to choose your battles wisely, set boundaries that protect your peace, and recognize when walking away is the stronger choice. Peace isn't passive—it's an active decision made in small moments every day.

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Your child doesn't need you to stay calm during meltdowns. They need you to stay connected. Learn why authenticity matters more than composure.

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Mark and Victoria founded Healing Arts Center in Virginia Beach to provide holistic support that honors the mind-body connection. Through art-based coaching and somatic practices, they empower clients to make choices that serve their happiness and cultivate inner peace.

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This post explores silent panic attacks, nervous system shutdown, and how these states are often misread as avoidance or disengagement. Drawing from somatic perspectives and a recent podcast conversation, it explains how panic can occur without visible distress and why regulation matters before communication.

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Podcast episode cover for Raving Coaches featuring Victoria Duarte, titled “Is Anxiety Making Your Life and Business Decisions,” discussing body-based approaches to anxiety and nervous system regulation.

Fear blocks people from pursuing what matters in multiple ways and shows up in different forms. Here are a few patterns I've noticed throughout my 15 plus years as a mindfulness coach - from fear of failure to past disappointments that keep us stuck. Learn practical strategies to break through fear and start living more fully.

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Somatic breathwork is a practice centered on intentional control and awareness of your breath to enhance overall wellbeing. Conscious breathing becomes a tool for connecting your body and mind.

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A grounded look at how breathwork supports stress and anxiety, with practical techniques that fit real life rather than idealized routines.

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was once a Reiki client who was taken advantage of by my Reiki practitioner. I know what it's like to trust someone with your healing and have that trust violated. Here are five warning signs to watch for when choosing a Reiki practitioner in Virginia Beach.

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Chronic stress and grief can trap your nervous system in survival mode. Learn how practical mindfulness techniques help you manage stress, process grief, and reconnect with your body in safe, grounded ways. Support available for individuals and military families.

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Serene lake with mountains reflected in still water at sunset, representing the calm and grounding found through mindfulness practices for stress and grief

Change often happens through small, deliberate shifts rather than dramatic overhauls. By noticing patterns and responding differently in key moments, it becomes possible to move forward without abandoning what already exists.

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Illustrated image of a person standing in an open landscape between rows of abstract pink heart-shaped forms, facing a glowing heart outline in the distance. The scene conveys reflection, self-awareness, and emotional patterns.

Anger does not disappear when it is ignored. When expression is blocked, the body carries the activation through tension, pain, and nervous system strain. This article explores where anger is held in the body, how suppression affects physical health, and how somatic approaches support safe release.

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You know that voice that says "I shouldn't feel this way"? That voice is the problem, not the feeling itself. When you judge your emotions, you intensify the pain and keep yourself stuck. Learn how to stop the cycle and actually help yourself feel better.

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The quiet pressure of “should” shapes how we work, rest, travel, and relate to ourselves. This piece explores where those expectations come from—and how to sort real obligations from imagined ones.

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:You wake up already tired. The demands pile up without relief. Learn to recognize midlife burnout and discover practices that create space for recovery.

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Exhausted woman with head in hands at workspace showing signs of midlife burnout, with laptop and coffee cup on desk

People leave themselves out of their own decisions. Self-compassion creates room for real choice, especially for those in military and service communities.

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Retro-style microphone on golden background for The SoapBox podcast featuring Victoria Duarte discussing self-compassion

Writing can interrupt overthinking, reveal patterns, and create space when everything feels stuck. This piece explores journaling, creative writing, and poetry as practical ways to work through what you’re carrying.

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When the mind and body feel out of sync, stress and anxiety often follow.

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Person practicing somatic movement on the floor to support body awareness, emotional regulation, and mindful presence