Juliana Mott Fabio LCSW 
Therapist

By Juliana Mott Fabio, LCSW As the new year approaches, many people find themselves thinking about resolutions—what they want to change, improve, or finally accomplish. I genuinely believe there is value in wanting to bring healthier habits into our lives. Wanting growth, ease, or alignment is a very human impulse. But I also see, both personally and professionally, how quickly traditional New Year’s resolutions can become sources of pressure, disappointment, or self-criticis

By Juliana Mott Fabio, LCSW Grief after the end of a long-term relationship can be one of the most painful experiences of a person’s life. While it may not always be recognized in the same way as other losses, the grief is real and deeply destabilizing. You are not only grieving a person—you are mourning shared routines, inside jokes, a sense of identity, and a future you once imagined together. This kind of loss can feel all-consuming. It may show up as sadness, anger, shock

By Juliana Mott Fabio, LCSW For the past eight months, I’ve been riding my bike to work nearly every day. It wasn’t initially a grand lifestyle decision—my car died, and this became the most practical solution. But sometimes life hands us an unexpected transition that turns out to be a gift. What began as necessity has become one of the most grounding, joyful parts of my day. Each morning, as I get on my bike, I feel something awaken in me that feels both familiar and forgott

By Juliana Mott Fabio, LCSW Recently, I read an article that’s stayed with me: adults between the ages of 45 and 55 are more lonely than ever before. Not because they lack relationships, but because the demands of this particular life stage are heavier and more complex than we often acknowledge. Many of us in this age range are juggling long work hours, launching children into adulthood, caring for aging parents, managing financial pressure, and navigating major emotional tra

By Juliana Mott Fabio, LCSW This morning, before the sun rose, my husband and I laced up our shoes and headed out for a familiar hike in the mountains behind our home. We’ve had our share of stressors lately—the kind that take up too much mental space, pile on top of each other, and begin to feel larger than they truly are. I see this often in my work as a therapist: stress has a way of narrowing our vision, tightening our bodies, and shrinking our capacity to see the bigger

By Juliana Mott Fabio, LCSW We all have moments when the first step feels like the hardest one — going for a run, beginning a challenging project, having a difficult conversation, or even simply getting out the door. Motivation is often misunderstood as something we “wait for,” but in reality, motivation grows once we begin. As a therapist and somatic practitioner, I see how emotional blocks, physical tension, and self-doubt can make that initial step feel bigger than it is.

by Juliana Fabio, LCSW When you stand beneath a Coast Live Oak—especially the old oaks that anchor the hillsides of Santa Barbara—there’s a feeling of steadiness that you can almost sense in your bones. Oaks don’t rush. They don’t force their growth. They stretch slowly, adapt to their environment, weather storms, and remain deeply rooted through seasons of drought, wind, and change. In many ways, the journey of emotional healing mirrors the life of an oak tree. As a therapis

by Juliana Fabio, LCSW We all want to feel hopeful and connected in this world, and most of us genuinely long for positive interactions. Yet it’s surprisingly easy to slip into noticing only the negative. One harsh comment, being cut off in traffic, feeling left out of a gathering, or having a tense conversation with a family member can send our mood spiraling. These experiences are real, and our hurt is valid. But when we become hyper-focused on what went wrong, our nervous

by Juliana Fabio, LCSW In our culture, we are taught to measure healing by momentum. Forward movement. Breakthroughs. “Doing better.” But anyone who has lived through profound grief or a major life transition knows that healing doesn’t always follow a linear trajectory. Sometimes, true healing looks nothing like progress—at least, not the kind we’re taught to recognize. As a bereavement counselor and therapist who sits with individuals and families navigating loss, I’ve witne

by Juliana Fabio, LCSW The holidays can be a tender time. What once brought warmth and connection can suddenly feel heavy with absence. The lights, the music, the traditions—each can stir memories that remind us of who is missing. If you’ve lost someone you love, this season can feel complicated. You might find yourself torn between wanting to participate in the rituals you’ve always loved and needing quiet space to simply breathe. Both are okay. There is no one “right” way t

by Juliana Fabio, LCSW If you’ve ever grieved, you know it doesn’t move in straight lines. There’s no tidy progression from sadness to acceptance, no single moment where everything suddenly feels “better.” Grief is more like the ocean—calm one day, crashing the next. It comes in waves, often when we least expect it. As a bereavement counselor and therapist, I’ve sat with countless individuals and families navigating profound loss. The one truth I return to, again and again, i

By Juliana Fabio, LCSW Change often sneaks up on us. Sometimes it looks like a new beginning — a move, a relationship shift, or a career change. Other times, it arrives quietly after loss, aging, or a deep inner knowing that life can’t stay the same. As a therapist who works with people in seasons of change — from grief and identity shifts to midlife transitions — I’ve learned that transitions aren’t something to “get through.” They’re an invitation to slow down, listen inwar

We’ve all been there—our heart starts racing, our breath shortens, our mind goes blank, or we suddenly find ourselves over-accommodating...

As a therapist, I often remind my clients that our breath is one of the simplest and most powerful tools we carry with us. When we feel...

As you step into the weekend, take a moment to notice how your body feels when you slow down. Do you carry tension in your shoulders,...

Loss can manifest in a multitude of forms, each with its own unique emotional weight and implications. One particularly profound and...

Effective communication is an essential skill that plays a crucial role in our daily interactions and relationships. It serves as the...

A few days ago, as I made my way to my gardening class at the local city college, I found myself walking alongside a gentleman who...

In this fast-paced world we live in, it is all too easy to fall into the relentless cycle of "just keep going." The endless to-do lists...

Stop - Breathe - Beauty! This is my mantra when I feel overwhelmed or find myself spiraling down a rabbit hole of anxious thoughts. In...