Noticing everyday positive moments can help shift these feelings. Perhaps you spot a volunteer group gathering supplies for those in need or a friend raising local issues with elected officials. Recognizing these acts doesn’t deny that struggle exists. Rather, it affirms our ability to notice genuine care instead of being pulled into despair, as highlighted in our previous post.
Author: Roque Neto
Hope is a Stand Against Despair
Many of us are experiencing it right now with the chaotic rollout of policies aimed at inflicting pain on the most vulnerable in our society. When dark moments like this loom, choosing hope is an act of resistance. It is a stance against despair.
Hope is More Than a Feeling
Hope acknowledges that success is not guaranteed, yet insists that effort and resilience are meaningful in themselves. In this view, hope becomes an act of courage, requiring a willingness to embrace uncertainty without being overwhelmed by it. It also relies on consistent engagement with reality, confronting setbacks head-on and learning from what does not work.
Blog Series: Hope is a Moral Obligation
Hope demands more than passive optimism. It requires us to face painful moments, like the one we are living right now, while imagining a future we have a hand in shaping. Hope compels us to reclaim our sense of agency.
Transactional Living: How Consumerism Distorts Our Relationships
This mindset isolates us, transforming the world into a series of transactions and eroding the bonds that make life meaningful. Recognizing the grip of this mindset allows us to refocus on our humanity, which is a shared space where connections are built not on what we pay, but on who we are.
Welcoming 2025: Winter Quarter and Beyond
The year 2025 also holds two other key markers on my path to licensure: Residency II in the spring and Practicum in the fall. Although the fall start date feels distant, the search for Practicum sites starts now. I am currently reaching out to potential locations and will soon begin the application process.
Taking a Brief Break
During this time, in addition to completing the CBT trainings, I will also revise my resume. This task is more than just updating a document. Somehow, it is about recalibrating how I present my professional journey. Transitioning from a career in higher education to one in counseling requires a shift in emphasis...
CBT Trainings with the Beck Institute
In a previous blog post, I shared my intention to explore Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as my first theoretical orientation in preparation for Practicum and Internship in 2025. As the fall quarter concludes, I have enrolled in a few specialized CBT trainings through the prestigious Beck Institute.
Two Must-See Eye-Openers for the Holidays
This weekend, I watched two compelling pieces that I believe are must-sees: Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin. and Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy. Though different in genre and focus, both offer eye-opening perspectives that challenge our habitual ways of thinking.
Bonus Post: Hyperacquisitive Wealth Obsession Disorder (HWOD)
Have a laugh or don’t!
Roque Neto 