Childhood defenses like perfectionism, people-pleasing, shutting down, or emotional avoidance once kept you safe but can restrict adult relationships, vulnerability, and growth. Recognizing these automatic patterns creates space for healthier connection, resilience, and identity beyond trauma-driven habits.
Brian Granneman, LMHC, CAP, CCTP
Naples Integrated Recovery

Explore Stoic principles like amor fati, embracing what you can control, valuing time, and reflecting on mortality. This guide covers 23 Stoic practices to build resilience, improve relationships, and cultivate inner peace by focusing on what matters and letting go of what doesn’t. Brian Granneman LMHC CAP CCTP Naples Integrated Recovery

Explore how growing up with an impaired parent can shape emotional and relational dynamics in adulthood. This blog post delves into the lasting effects of unmet childhood needs, such as feelings of invisibility and insecurity, and offers practical steps for healing. Learn to recognize patterns in your relationships, embrace vulnerability, and reclaim your emotional autonomy for healthier, more fulfilling connections. Start your journey toward emotional well-being today.

In a world where we often seek control and validation from others, many struggle with anxiety and fear stemming from past experiences of powerlessness. This article explores how to cultivate internal security by shifting focus from external reassurance to self-love and self-care. By recognizing old patterns and learning to trust ourselves, we can navigate relationships and life’s uncertainties with resilience and confidence. Brian Granneman LMHC CAP CCTP Naples Integrated Recovery

We often project our fears, hopes, and insecurities onto others, creating fantasies that eventually collapse. This piece explores how projection forms, why it breaks down, and how reclaiming what we project leads to clarity, boundaries, and real growth. Includes a real example of projection in a toxic workplace.

Brian Granneman, LMHC, CAP — Naples Integrated Recovery, LLC

Discover key insights from Ryan Holiday's The Obstacle is the Way, a modern guide to turning life's challenges into opportunities for growth. Learn how perception, action, and will can help you overcome adversity, build resilience, and find success. Transform setbacks into stepping stones with the Stoic mindset.

Discover the key differences between guilt and shame and how they impact personal growth, relationships, and behavior. Guilt, a helpful emotion, aligns actions with values, promoting change and accountability. In contrast, shame attacks self-worth, leading to disconnection and destructive patterns. Learn why ditching shame and embracing guilt can unlock healthier relationships and emotional resilience. Brian Granneman, MA, LMHC, CAP, CCTP — Naples Integrated Recovery.

Discover why "I'm sorry" isn't enough and how genuine apologies require more than words. Learn to move beyond excuses, embrace real change, and prioritize healing. Explore how true accountability transforms relationships and fosters deeper connections by addressing emotional wounds with lasting action. Brian Granneman, MA, LMHC, CAP, CCTP — Naples Integrated Recovery.

Most conversations are filtered through our own biases and ego, preventing genuine connection. By shifting focus from self-centered listening to truly hearing others, we can deepen our relationships. Learn how to quiet your ego and foster meaningful, authentic communication with those around you. Brian Granneman, MA, LMHC, CAP, CCTP — Naples Integrated Recovery.