Boldly Grow Blog

A resource for anyone facing the CPA exam, EPPP, Bar exam, PE/FE, ARE, MLE, or any other high-stakes test in your career. In this post I discuss different concepts from the psychology and neuroscience of learning, memory, performance, and stress that you can apply towards your exam strategy, studying, and test taking. We'll talk about perspective and mindset, how anxiety can impact your learning and test taking (and what to do about it), tips from performance psychology, and evidence-based study techniques. This is a long one - but also a useful resource for anyone approaching the "Big Exam."

This post discussed ICE raids from the perspective of a trauma psychologist. I'll talk about what people are feeling and experiencing, why this moment feels so traumatic from a psychological perspective, and offer grounded ways to reclaim power and connection right now.

In this post I explore the unique strengths of AuDHD, from creative problem-solving to deep empathy and others.

Ditch hustle culture and instead let's talk about self-care for entrepreneurs. Discover four sustainable self-care habits to reclaim balance, foster creative communities, and protect your well-being.

Especially lately, there are a number of myths and misconceptions about autism, ADHD and AuDHD. These can cause harm, lead to people being misdiagnosed or dismissed, and people feeling confused and misunderstood. So let's talk about some common misconceptions, what we actually see in the field of psychology, and why these differences matter. Time to debunk a few myths!

These are our thoughts about sharing our personal pronouns (e.g., she/her, he/him/ they/them). Here's why we do it and why this matters to us, some information about this for those wanting to learn more, and additional resources we think could be helpful. We care deeply about creating spaces where everyone feels seen, safe, and respected. And we think sharing pronouns can be a small but meaningful way to do that. Let's talk about it!

Thoughts from a psychologist and survivor about how Kpop Demon Hunters reveals the power of overcoming shame, finding true belonging, and embracing authenticity.

This is a letter where I share my thoughts as a trauma psychologist about how trauma therapy has felt lately as we have faced harm, abuses, and violence in our communities and from our own government and institutions. I talk about what I'm seeing in sessions, how that feels, and also ways we can practice radical hope.

Learn what AuDHD means and how its traits show up socially, emotionally, and behaviorally for people who have both ADHD and autism. AuDHD Meaning & Traits Explained.

This is a personal letter and reflection by Dr. Layton about how upsetting, unjust and wrong it is that we have to parent the way we do under capitalism. This isn't the usual post with actionable tips per se. I wanted to point to things that should not be normalized and express my dissent. I also want to send warmth and empathy to fellow working parents and fellow parents who are among the working class in this country. Parenting under capitalism is hard. And we don't have to accept it as it is.

Discover how to embrace daily magic, rest, and community by practicing enoughness and redefining what it means to have “made it.” This post explores what it really means to “make it” beyond capitalism’s endless chase for more. Instead of measuring our worth by productivity or possessions, we can practice enoughness by noticing the magic of daily life, reclaiming rest, and caring for ourselves with intention. Through reflection and actionable steps, you’ll learn how to review your time, shift patterns, and root your sense of safety in relationships, creativity, and presence - so you can live with more contentment, joy, and contentment even now.

This post explores the hidden connection between being an “empath” and living in a state of social hypervigilance—a common but often overlooked trauma response. Drawing from personal experience and psychological insight, it examines how patterns like over-explaining, people-pleasing, and perfectionism can develop as survival strategies, and offers self-check questions to help readers reflect on their own experiences. Discover how “empath” traits can mask trauma responses like hypervigilance, over-explaining & perfectionism, and how to heal.

This is an article discussing what is people pleasing, how do I know if I'm people pleasing, why do we people please, and what does not people pleasing look like? We talk about the origin and experience of people pleasing to build understanding about this learned response.

A brief note welcoming folks to Boldly Grow blog and outlining the purpose of this blog. I hope we can all boldly grow together!