the question isn’t “What‘s wrong with you?” but “What happened to you?” The American Psychological Association defines a traumatic event as “one that threatens injury, death, or the physical integrity of self or others and also causes horror, terror, or helplessness at the time it occurs.” The SAMHSA’s National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative has reported…
addiction/substance abuse defined Addiction and substance abuse of alcohol, prescription medications, or illicit drugs are not the same things, but they are closely related. Addiction is the compulsive use of a substance regardless of the consequences to yourself or others. Substance Abuse is the overuse of a substance or using it in the wrong way,…
Regardless of how old we are when it happens, there is nothing like losing a parent. For younger children, it is essential to remember that they are not processing what happened with the same brain we are as adults. If the death is sudden, a child may feel bewildered, lost, in shock, angry, anxious, or…
Grief is our natural response to losing someone or something very important to us. You may feel sad, angry, depressed, heartbroken, or have other grief-related feelings. Grieving is the process of emotional and life adjustment you go through after a loss. Beyond losing a loved one or even a cherished pet, grief can come from…
once is too many! The statistics of the trauma of sexual abuse and violence against children and women are astounding by any measure. One in six women (roughly 17% of the female population) has experienced rape or attempted rape at some point in their lives. Women who have experienced sexual or physical abuse as a…
I’m just going to put this out there – I have received Botox® treatments to alleviate some fine lines and wrinkles I wasn’t super excited about. I’m not ashamed of having done it, and I liked how it minimized the lines and wrinkles I was targeting. I also liked how I felt when I looked…
what is mental health? Mental health is the emotional, psychological, and well-being that makes us human. It affects how we think, feel, and act toward ourselves and others and directly impacts our positive and negative choices. Mental health issues can affect thinking, mood, behavior, self-esteem, and even our physical health. factors that often contribute to…
We know from experience that women battling poor mental health often do so in silence. Women often feel stigmatized when they experience a mental health issue. Seeking help is frequently avoided for fear of the stigma and judgment of being “not normal.” Besides, women are supposed to be strong, right? Many also feel the root…
Life Happens…When it does, Brief CBT May Be Exactly What You Need Different life events we encounter, like losing a parent, receiving a medical diagnosis, gaining weight, or adjusting to a new job or kids flying the nest. Any one of these types of life events can create a sense of anxiety, depression, and other…
In the past five to seven years, ketamine as a treatment for treatment-resent depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, OCD, and PTSD has exploded around the world. Ketamine clinics have sprung up across the country, and more and more patients are discovering its benefits every day. Ketamine has been used as an anesthetic since the early 1960s,…