The AWE Blog

Sometimes relationships do not collapse because love disappeared. Sometimes they collapse because emotional safety, trust, and groundedness slowly eroded underneath the surface. Few phrases hit harder than this one: “I love you, but I’m not in love with you anymore.” For many men, hearing those words feels like emotional whiplash. One moment they think the relationship is struggling but salvageable. The next moment, they feel like they are standing outside the wreckage of a l

Before the world taught me to start feeling not good enough… I was just me. No comparison. No pressure. Just presence. If you’ve been stuck feeling not good enough, you’re not alone. A lot of people quietly carry this weight—questioning themselves, second-guessing decisions, and wondering why things feel harder than they should. But here’s the truth most people miss: Feeling not good enough is often not about who you are. It’s about how you’re interpreting stress. And when t

Your next chapter doesn’t have to be survival mode. Step into Counseling Time —a Choose Your Own AWEventure where exploring your story might just change your life. There’s a moment most people don’t talk about. It happens before someone starts therapy. Before they send the message. Before they even search “Do I need therapy?” It’s quieter than that. It’s the moment where something inside you says: “This isn’t working anymore.” And then almost immediately… something else answe

Like building a fire, real change takes intention. Counseling helps you use what life gives you to create something stronger. If you’ve been searching for counseling in Erie, PA , there’s a good chance something in your life feels heavier than it should. Not necessarily a crisis. Not necessarily a breaking point. Just… a weight. Stress that doesn’t shut off. Relationship tension that keeps repeating. A sense that you should feel better—but don’t. Here’s the truth most people

When communication breaks down, stress and frustration take over—learning to “fight fair” can change everything. If you’ve ever searched for “couples counseling near me ” or "couples counseling Erie PA" or wondered whether your relationship needs help, you’re not alone. Most couples don’t struggle because they disagree. They struggle because they don’t know how to disagree. The same argument keeps showing up: One person raises their voice The other shuts down Past issues ge

General McLane High School’s Broadway Dinner showcases the power of local theatre in Erie—where stories of stress, struggle, and triumph come to life on stage, reminding us what’s possible when we build the capacity to handle it in real life. Why I Love Local Theatre in Erie This past weekend reminded me of something simple—but powerful: I genuinely love local theatre in Erie. I had the chance to attend: Cathedral Prep High School’s Les Misérables General McLane High School’s

Dr. Curtis Taylor with Authentic Wellness & Empowerment Board Chairman Randy Veccia, celebrating Randy’s wedding day—a reminder that strong relationships, community, and shared vision are at the heart of everything we build. Introduction What if the biggest challenge in mental health today isn’t a lack of services—but a lack of sustainable, well-trained, and truly well counselors ? That question sits at the heart of my work—and it’s the driving force behind my upcoming presen

Sometimes relationship conversations feel like opening a box of yellow jackets. Have you ever asked a simple question in a relationship—something like: “Hey… can we talk about what just happened?” —and somehow the conversation turned into you defending yourself for asking the question at all? In many relationships, accountability can suddenly feel like an attack. One communication pattern that helps explain this experience is known as DARVO in relationships . Many people reco

Even counselors are just normal people navigating life. Here I am with actor and comedian Hal Sparks during a visit to Erie. Counseling isn’t about “fixing broken people.” It’s about helping normal people handle life’s stress and move forward with clarity. One of the biggest misunderstandings about mental health counseling is the idea that therapy is only for counseling-in-erie-pa-why-therapy-is-for-normal-people-living-in-a-stressful-worldpeople who are “crazy” or deeply br

After biking the Oil City Trail with friends — right around the moment a leg cramp decided to remind me that progress sometimes comes with a little discomfort. One of the things I explain early in counseling is something that can sound a little strange at first. When new clients review informed consent, we go over the legal limits of confidentiality. That’s the standard ethical requirement in counseling. But I also make sure to talk about something just as important: Sometime

Erie-based licensed counselor Curtis Taylor speaks virtually to a committee about the drawbacks of using AI chatbots as mental health providers. (Screenshot from livestream) This week's blog is a public summary of testimony I delivered yesterday before the Pennsylvania House Democratic Policy Committee regarding artificial intelligence and mental health care. I shared my perspective not as a technophobe — but as a licensed professional counselor, educator, and nonprofit execu

Just a kid and the sand, with no credentials yet and the same worth as today. There’s a version of you that already exists. Not in a mystical sense. Not in a manifestation-board kind of way. I mean a real version — shaped by your values, your choices, your discipline, and your willingness to face uncomfortable truths. Most people feel it quietly. They sense who they could be. They imagine a healthier body. Clearer thinking. Stronger relationships. More meaningful work. Greate

Real relationships are complex. Sometimes we bare our teeth. Growth begins when we learn to pause instead of react. There will always be something to be offended by. Someone will gossip. Someone will say it wrong. Someone won’t respond fast enough. Someone will disappoint you. Someone will write a blog about their counseling practice and somehow manage to offend you. That part is unavoidable. We are nervous systems walking around in a world full of other nervous systems. Bu

A snapshot from years ago in Ocean City, NJ—friends, laughter, and connection. A reminder that being “not alone” has always meant more than romance. Most conversations about relationships begin with a quiet assumption: that partnership is the destination, that singleness is a waiting room, that being chosen is proof of worth. Whether spoken aloud or not, many of us absorb the idea that life becomes good only once someone else commits to sharing it. That belief places too muc

Pressing in instead of falling back—especially when it’s uncomfortable. Most problems in systems do not start with bad people. They start when good people stop asking questions. Over time, silence becomes normal. Rules stop being examined. Phrases like “That’s just how it is” or “We have to follow the rules” take over. At first, this feels calm and responsible. But sometimes, that calm turns into something harmful. I have come to think of this as toxic acceptance . Toxic ac

Beach night, sunrise, and then IHOP. The food always hits different after sleeping under the stars. Most people don’t fail to change because they lack insight. They fail because change threatens the balance they’ve built, often unconsciously, between themselves and the people around them. We talk a lot about wanting change: better habits, better relationships, better emotional regulation, better boundaries. But wanting change and being able to change are not the same thing. C

First day of kindergarten — Fall 1989.Outside Wright Street School with friends and neighbors Stephanie Migliaccio and Robbie Henderson. Before plans, before pressure — just the beginning. You’ve been doing a lot of the right things — and still, something doesn’t feel quite right. You’re showing up. You’re handling responsibilities. You’re getting through the days. And yet… there’s this quiet friction inside. Not a crisis. Not a breakdown. Just a feeling that you’re capable o

Christmas 1986. Me and my robot. When men seem emotionally distant, it’s often not a lack of care —it’s a missing skill. Before we go any further, let me say this clearly. I’m not writing this to criticize anyone. I’m not writing this to shame men or blame women. I’m writing this the same way I would talk to someone I care about. More like: “Hey man, do you mind if I share something that might help?” This is coaching. This is counseling. This is encouragement. Not: “Hey, you

Life is hard. Even a helmet can’t fully protect the heart and mind the way we wish it could. People often want life to feel better before they change. But personal responsibility for mental health works the other way around. People might say: “But Curtis, I didn’t sleep because I’m stressed.” “But Curtis, I eat poorly because I’m busy.” “But Curtis, my past messed me up.” “But Curtis, people hurt me.” All of that may be true. But it does not change how life works. Personal Gr

A staged proposal, a good laugh, and a reminder that real commitment is built quietly, not theatrically. Most relationships don’t end because of one dramatic argument. They end because attachment quietly outpaces clarity. By the time a relationship officially ends, the real ending often happened much earlier—through skipped steps, unasked questions, untested trust, and assumptions that were never examined. What makes this painful is that most people involved genuinely care. T