So, I love Zumba. There’s nothing like dancing to Shakira for an hour and getting to call that exercise. The thing is, I have a lot of physical limitations, and that gets really frustrating because I end up giving a lousy Zumba performance that makes me feel like I’ve dishonored Shakira herself. Add on this micro-aggressive voice in my head that tells me that I should be naturally good at Zumba because I’m Latina (and half Colombian to boot), and I can struggle to stay in the

This blogpost was originally published in my weekly newsletter. To have more musings like this delivered straight to your inbox, click this link to sign up ! Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD) are TRASH diagnoses. I resent them so much that I wouldn’t be surprised if my loved ones paid tribute to me one day with a tombstone that reads: “Here lies Dr. Stephanie Olarte, beloved wife, friend, angry child whisperer, and hater of

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If you haven’t watched Netflix’s Adolescence  yet, consider this your spoiler warning—but trust me, these spoilers might be worth it. If...

The way forward isn’t through fear; it’s through love, curiosity, and being willing to show up, even when it’s hard.

When I first started Slow Down Psychology, my vision was to offer a unique, semi-intensive healing experience.  In this vision, families...

This blogpost was originally published in my weekly newsletter. To have more musings like this delivered straight to your inbox, click...

Can I be real with you? If I had $1 (okay, it's 2023…$5) for every time a parent asked me this question, I would have enough money to pay...

This blogpost was originally published in my weekly newsletter. To have more musings like this delivered straight to your inbox, click...

This blogpost was originally published in my weekly newsletter. To have more musings like this delivered straight to your inbox, click...

I'm about to share something super vulnerable about myself: I am currently in the process of writing the book that I have fantasized...

This blogpost was originally published in my weekly newsletter. To have more musings like this delivered straight to your inbox, click...

I'll never forget a conversation that my father and I had recently after healing from a sizeable rift that happened in our relationship....

Parenting a tween or teen is often a delicate balance between letting kids learn from life's adversity without letting them drown in the...

Prior to launching my online private practice, I worked for a popular, low cost, online therapy site. I'll let you guess which one, but...

Folks, I'm half Cuban, half Colombian...being a coffee lover is practically in my DNA. Don't let the mellow website décor and penchant...

A teen therapist gets personal about suicide

Self care doesn't have to be expensive or time consuming. But it does need to be a non-negotiable as a parent of a teen in 2021. A large...

In a world full of quick fixes, let's slow down for some deep emotional well-being

A therapist gets real about being in therapy as a client