Permission to Feel (And finally move on from difficult emotions...)


Weekly Newsletter 5.8.25

Permission to Feel (And finally move on from difficult emotions...)

Hi Reader,

I recently read Permission to Feel by Mark Brackett, Ph.D., and I highly recommend it. In the book, he emphasizes the importance of allowing ourselves to fully experience our emotions. He introduces the RULER framework—Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating emotions—which offers a powerful structure for emotional awareness and management.

Reading it helped me realize just how many emotions we navigate throughout life, and how becoming aware of them is the first step toward releasing them, moving forward, and ultimately feeling better. Brackett shares that emotional intelligence is a skill that can be learned and developed, not just a natural gift.

If you're interested in exploring how to express your emotions through songwriting, click the button above to book a free 20-minute one-on-one online mini-session with me—let’s get started today! Don’t wait too long though, these complimentary sessions are only available for a limited time!

To your continued happiness and success,

~Andrea of BLB ✨💜🎶

P.S. No musical experience is required and all skill levels of musicians are welcome to book a free mini-session to learn more!

The Next Octave

As an award-winning singer/songwriter, I’ll show you how to turn your struggles into songs and rise above life’s challenges with the healing power of music.🎶🎸🎹🎤🎧✨

Read more from The Next Octave
Woman waving during a video call on her laptop.

Weekly Newsletter 7.24.25 A Lesson Learned in Graduate School (Why do we keep telling the same story?!) Hi Reader, How many times have you told the same story in your life?But more importantly—have you ever thought about why you keep telling it? I’ll admit, I’ve told some stories more than once (okay, more than a few times!), sometimes even to the same person—who kindly reminds me, “You already told me that!” 😂 I still remember something a professor in graduate school once said that stuck...

A woman is working on her laptop headphones on writing music.

Weekly Newsletter 7.18.25 ✨ Discover the Healing Power of Your Voice ✨ Hi Reader, Have you ever felt like something inside you is ready to be released—but you’re not sure how? Trying something new can feel a little scary. But it can also be exactly what your soul needs. That’s where Songwriting for Healing comes in. You don’t need to play an instrument or have a music degree.Just bring your feelings, your story, and a willingness to explore something new. In a private 1:1 session, I'll guide...

A black cat peeks out from behind a curtain.

Weekly Newsletter 7.10.25 🎶 What Happens in an Online Songwriting Session? (Let’s pull back the curtain…) Hi Reader, Have you ever wondered what it’s really like to write a song during an online session? Whether you're brand new to songwriting or you're looking to sharpen your skills, I want to give you a sneak peek into what happens when we meet on Zoom to create music together. Here’s what you can expect from our time together: 🎧 1. We Start with YouWe’ll drop into the space with a brief...