Chronic stress can change how the brain functions, particularly systems involved in memory, attention, decision-making, and emotional regulation. When the stress response remains activated for long periods, ongoing exposure to stress hormones can affect communication among brain regions including the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. This can contribute to difficulty concentrating, increased emotional reactivity, sleep…
One could say we received a Biblical amount of rain on Sunday. The creek behind my own house turned much of my yard into an aimless, raging river. Our swimming pool overflowed until the distinction between the pool and said river (formerly-known-as-yard) became largely theoretical. My nine-year-old woke me up to ask whether there was…
A teen may need an intensive outpatient program (IOP) or partial hospitalization program (PHP) when mental health symptoms are significantly disrupting school, relationships, eating, safety, or everyday functioning and weekly therapy is no longer providing enough support. IOP provides structured treatment several times per week, while PHP generally offers a higher level of daily care…
EMDR therapy helps people process trauma by briefly focusing on distressing memories while engaging in bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements, alternating sounds, or tapping. The goal is not to erase the memory, but to reduce its emotional intensity and help the brain integrate the experience so reminders of the trauma become less disruptive….
By Mary Dobson, LMFT, CEDS The very public Lindsay Clancy case is extraordinarily difficult to discuss responsibly. Unfathomably, a mother killed her three children. Worse, she had also been actively engaged in psychiatric care. The legal system is now deciding whether Clancy was criminally responsible for those killings. For behavioral health clinicians, the gutting question…
Unresolved trauma can affect romantic relationships by making trust, emotional intimacy, communication, and conflict resolution more difficult. Past trauma can cause a person’s nervous system to respond to present-day relationship situations as if danger is still occurring, leading to withdrawal, hypervigilance, defensiveness, emotional numbness, or fear of abandonment. With trauma informed care and appropriate therapy,…
Mental health symptoms are often misunderstood because they rarely look the way people expect. Anxiety can appear as irritability, depression can feel like exhaustion instead of sadness, and trauma can resemble anger or withdrawal. Without a professional evaluation, these symptoms are frequently mistaken for personality traits, stress, or physical health problems, delaying effective treatment and…
It’s the summer of Sombr, and his new single, “My Body Isn’t Ready,” has the internet in its chest for a reason: the twenty-year-old singer has said the song comes from his own history of feeling different, uncomfortable in his skin, and not good enough to show up for someone he actually wanted to be…
The mind and body constantly influence each other. Stress, anxiety, trauma, and depression can contribute to physical symptoms like fatigue, headaches, digestive issues, and chronic pain, while physical health challenges can also affect emotional well-being. Supporting both mental and physical health through evidence-based therapy and healthy lifestyle habits often leads to better overall wellness. Mental…
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