In this week’s group, Julie dives into integration: the ability to hold multiple experiences at once instead of flipping into splitting (black-and-white thinking, all anger or all empathy, all “they’re bad” or all “they’re good”). She explains how splitting often happens outside of conscious awareness as a nervous system safety strategy, especially when you feel threatened, overwhelmed, blamed, or emotionally flooded.

Julie breaks down what integration looks like in real life: feeling mad at someone and still caring about them, noticing red flags and acknowledging someone’s pain, or seeing several perspectives while still making a grounded decision. She also connects integration to attachment patterns and negative cycles, showing how a lack of integration can create rigidity punctuated by blowups, or chaotic swings in mood and meaning.

If you’ve ever felt emotional whiplash, gotten stuck in “I’m right, you’re wrong,” or struggled to validate someone without losing yourself, this session will help you slow down, regulate, and find the “both/and” that creates more stability and connection.