Etikett: personal development

Calm autumn morning by the lake with soft light over still water – a moment of reflection and serenity, symbolising talk therapy in Sweden and inner growth.

In pace with the darkness settling over autumn

As the darkness settles over autumn, I find stillness in the soft mornings.
It is also now that I want to invite you to talk therapy in Sweden – an opportunity to meet yourself with warmth, respect, and presence.
In our conversations, you will have time to pause, feel, and let your words become a light in the dark.

Read this post in Swedish →Samtalsterapi i Sverige – när mörkret kommer med sitt ljus

When Darkness Comes with Its Light

Morning again. Wintertime is here, and we’ve returned to our ordinary rhythm.
It will be lighter in the mornings, but the afternoons will darken earlier.
Welcome, little winter, and your quiet season of darkness.

You are here again, surrounding us in your calm shadows – where we light candles, not to curse the dark, but to soften it.
Or do we?

I light candles because they make me feel softer.
Because the little girl inside me enjoys watching the flickering beams.
I don’t think I’ve ever cursed the dark; it’s nothing I can control – it simply is.
Every moment holds its own beauty, and even darkness carries rest, a pause from everything that dazzles.

Candlelight in the dark – a symbol of inner warmth, reflection, and talk therapy in Sweden.

A light in the dark. Sometimes, that’s all it takes to meet yourself – with stillness and warmth.

Soon, we’ll move closer to the light again.
In just a couple of months, I’ll be sowing my seeds and planning the greenhouse once more.
By then, we’ll have celebrated Lucia, birthdays, Christmas, and New Year’s.

No, I don’t curse the darkness. I live with it.
I feel how the moments grow softer, how the warmth of the house feels more tangible.
The contrasts to summer are simply that – contrasts – and they are meant to be lived.

The words wanted to go there, though it wasn’t what I planned to write about.
They just arrived, as they often do when the heart leads the way.

Talk Therapy in Sweden – Looking for Clients

In the middle of this dark and quiet time, I want to invite you to something that also has to do with light.
I am currently training to become a certified talk therapist and am now looking for practice clients.

Sessions are free of charge during my education period and are primarily held via Teams, but phone sessions are also possible.
This offer applies to those who live in Sweden or speak Swedish – so that we can truly understand one another.

This is an opportunity to speak, in peace and safety, about what matters to you – stress, relationships, grief, life choices, or simply a longing for change.

What I Offer in Talk Therapy in Sweden

Talk therapy in Sweden gives you the chance to see new perspectives and meet yourself more deeply.
I offer personally tailored sessions based on your life situation, your emotions, and what you wish to explore.
I listen without judgment and without ready-made solutions – but with presence, warmth, and respect.
Through our conversations, you can begin to understand yourself more clearly and find your own way forward.

Entering talk therapy can be a beautiful investment in yourself – an opportunity to meet yourself gently, at your own pace.
It gives you space to land, to grow, and to reconnect with your own center.

I work with several therapeutic approaches that I have used throughout my career and am now deepening through my education:
a client-centered approach built on respect, trust, and genuine listening, where every meeting takes its own shape.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) – strengthening your own motivation for change
Cognitive Behavioral-inspired methods (CBT) – understanding the links between thoughts, feelings, and behavior
Low-Affective Approach – creating calm and safety in communication
Mindfulness and Self-Compassion – finding peace in the moment and becoming a friend to yourself

Why Talk Therapy in Sweden with Me

I have spent many years working with people in difficult life situations and with young individuals who have struggled to find their way.
I know how important it is to be seen – not for what you do, but for who you are.

I don’t claim to always listen perfectly, but I always strive to listen deeply.
For me, it’s not about giving advice but about giving space.
It’s about daring to stay with what feels difficult without rushing toward a solution.
When I listen, I try to understand – not to respond, but so that you can truly be heard.

I believe in the power of conversation – that it can heal, change, and offer new hope.

Would You Like to Be My Practice Client?

You are warmly welcome to reach out via email: carina@malix.se
Sessions are scheduled individually and are held in confidence.

A Thought for Nature

When we grow on the inside, it can feel meaningful to let something grow outside too.
That’s why today I encourage you to support Vi Agroforestry (Vi-skogen) – an organization that plants trees and strengthens both the climate and people’s livelihoods.
Together, we can help create more greenery, oxygen, and hope for the future.

Learn more or donate here: https://viskogen.se

Misty morning by the lake with still water and distant trees – nature’s calm and reflection, connected to Vi Agroforestry and talk therapy in Sweden.

Nature reminds us of the connection between growth, stillness, and care. When we let something grow out there, something grows within us too.

Support My Writing

If you wish to support my ongoing work on this blog, you can contribute here:
PayPal – malix.se

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Between the Lines

In darkness, I often find the quiet, the raw, and the honest.
It’s there I realize how much light truly lives in the conversation, in the meeting, in the presence.
To face yourself isn’t always easy – but that’s where growth begins.

Stöd mitt skrivande:
PayPal – malix.se971

Prenumerera:
Prenumerera på malix.se

Yesterday has already settled into history.
Tomorrow waits somewhere ahead.
But right now – this is where life happens.

vinterbad Ragnerudssjön — Carina Ikonen Nilsson

AHA – Between the Lines

As I write about darkness and light, I realize it’s the same as in talk therapy.
It’s about daring to stay with what is, without rushing toward something new.
That’s where the light truly lives – not beyond the dark, but within it.

Reflection

Just like in talk therapy in Sweden, understanding grows in the silence between words.
When someone truly listens, something within us begins to breathe more freely.
It’s in those moments that I’m reminded why I do what I do.

A Question for You

How do you meet yourself in the darker season – do you flee from it, or do you let it show you something new?

Frequently Asked Questions about Talk Therapy

What does it cost to be a practice client?
The sessions are completely free during my training period.

How are the sessions conducted?
Sessions within talk therapy in Sweden take place via Teams or by phone. You decide what you want to talk about, and the space is calm and safe.

How long does a session last?
Each session lasts about 50 minutes. Together, we plan how many sessions feel right for you.

Who can participate?
The offer is open to those who live in Sweden or speak Swedish – so that we can truly understand each other.

Do I need to have a specific problem to book?
No. Conversations can also be a way to get to know yourself, reflect on life, or discover new perspectives.

Between the Lines – My Voice

In the stillness of conversation and reflection, growth begins.
Light doesn’t come after darkness – it appears within it.

Oskar Series – Understanding

Av Carina Ikonen Nilsson

den 10 oktober 2025

i ADHD och neurodivergens, Oskar-serien – NPF & Skola, Personlig utveckling & tankar, Reflektion & självläkning

Morning

Morning again, and with my coffee beside me come thoughts of the Oskar Series understanding – how we meet, learn, and grow as adults.
The two lamps that once belonged to my grandmother cast a warm light in the darkness. The cat is outside, the house still asleep, and the morning is calm.

Read this in Swedish ->Oskar serien bemötande och vuxenansvar i vardagen

Today I will wrap the Christmas gifts my daughter and I bought in Ullared – a day filled with laughter, bargains, and reflection.
At the same time, my thoughts wander to the Oskar Series understanding and adult responsibility – how we, as adults, can meet children with empathy and help them grow in their abilities.

Coffee cup in morning light – reflection on the Oskar Series, understanding, and adult responsibility

This post is a personal reflection, inspired by experiences and thoughts about adult responsibility and the way we meet others.
It is not about a specific event, but about the inner process that awakens when we want to protect – and then realize how important it is to meet with calm and understanding.

A Day in Ullared

The trip to Ullared became more than just shopping. We found shoes, clothes, boots, and gifts – almost everything ready for December.
I even made a real find: a pair of Sketchers boots that usually cost around 1,500 SEK, but there – only 800.
They were so comfortable that it was impossible not to buy them.

My little boy got new pajamas, clothes, and a cap that made him happy.
My little girl received a few small Christmas gifts and a pair of cool boots.
It was a long day – we left home at seven in the morning and didn’t return until nine in the evening.
But now almost all the gifts are wrapped, and the feeling of being prepared brings a quiet peace.

Have you ever felt that mix of exhaustion and gratitude after a long, good day?

When the Tiger in Me Awoke – a Thought on the Oskar Series and Adult Responsibility

In the middle of everyday joy, something unexpected happened.
An email, not particularly kind, awakened something inside me – the tiger.
Suddenly, all the children I’ve ever met stood before me.
Not only my own, but also the young people I’ve had the privilege to work with over the years.

It was about understanding and adult responsibility.
About how adults sometimes put the blame on children – as if they alone carried the weight of what went wrong.
I felt my whole being rise up.
For me, it’s clear that when we work with children, we adults always carry the greatest responsibility.
We are the ones who must see, listen, and understand.

Children don’t misbehave out of malice. They act in the only way they can – based on their experiences, their capacities, and the safety or uncertainty that adults have created around them.
Do you recognize that feeling, when your concern for a child wakes the lion within you?

Afterward – Oskar Series, Understanding, and Adult Responsibility

In hindsight, I regret my own behavior.
I let the tiger take over and, for a moment, forgot my responsibility as an adult.
I should have stood firmer in myself and spoken about what really matters – the adult responsibility.
To create conditions for children to grow in their ability, not to remind them of what they cannot yet do.

In reflection, I see how I would rather have met the situation with a calm, soft voice.
I wish I had said:

“I want us to find solutions. How can we, together, help, see, and allow the child to grow? What can I do to make things easier? What is my responsibility?”

I wish I had offered to come, to explain what works and what doesn’t.
I wish I had said:

“We’re doing this together. I am in my role and you in yours – is there something we can do to make the path easier?”

Being an adult means carrying the ultimate responsibility: to meet children with respect, patience, and belief in their potential.

At the same time, I believe reflection is something we all need – even the other adult in that situation.
Sometimes we are so busy defending our own perspective that we forget to pause, breathe, and see the child together.
I should have invited the other person into the dance of reflection – that quiet movement where curiosity replaces defense.
But I didn’t. Perhaps it’s because I haven’t yet learned to dance, and that’s exactly what I need to practice.

When I read that email, I suddenly saw all the children I’ve met – those who struggled, those who carried heavy things.
I could almost feel them standing behind me, whispering: Don’t forget us. Keep speaking for us.
That’s what the Oskar Series, understanding, and adult responsibility is really about – seeing the child behind each reaction and realizing that we all have something to learn.

Oskar Knocks Again! Oskar Series, Understanding, and Adult Responsibility in Everyday Life

All these words – they’re really about little Oskar.
You know, Oskar from the NPF & School series, now resting for a while.
Maybe it’s him knocking again?
Perhaps it’s time to continue writing – about how important it is that we adults take our responsibility, dare to see the child behind the behavior, and stay present in the meeting.

How often do your own “Oskar moments” knock at the door? Those moments when your heart says: See the child behind the words.

AHA

Sometimes our strongest reactions don’t come from anger but from love – from the wish to protect.
Yet the way back to calm reminds me of something even more important: even adults, just like in the Oskar Series, understanding, and adult responsibility, must keep practicing how to grow.

Between the Lines

When calm returns and the tiger within me rests, I see that it’s not about winning a war, but about understanding why we react as we do – and what that reveals about what we care to protect.
It also reminds me that my own reaction must remain calm.
For all the children who once stood before me, hoping I would keep fighting for them – I need that calm.
Because it’s in calmness that the real work can be done, it’s there that change begins.

Reflection

Now the coffee stands beside me again. The soft glow from my grandmother’s lamps fills the room.
The day lies untouched before me, with wrapping paper and ribbons waiting.
Outside, the sky begins to brighten.

Maybe it’s Oskar whispering: See me, understand me – I’m just trying to make it through another day.
And I whisper back: I’ll keep practicing being the adult – the one who helps you grow.
That’s part of the Oskar Series, understanding, and adult responsibility – a daily exercise in seeing, understanding, and growing together.

What This Taught Me

This meeting – between emotion and responsibility – became a reminder that calm isn’t always there from the start, but it can always be found again.
I learned that adults, too, need to keep practicing how to grow, to face their own reactions, and to choose presence instead of defense.
Perhaps it’s right there, in the stillness after the storm, that real learning happens – for both the children and for us adults.

Live today, right now.
The day before yesterday was the tiger, yesterday the reflection, today the action, and tomorrow will be the rest.
Maybe I’ve already learned something – perhaps even right now.

– Carina Ikonen Nilsson

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This text is a personal reflection, not a description of any specific person, place, or situation. Its purpose is to inspire understanding and shared responsibility in how we meet children.