How to Tell If Someone Is a Narcissist: Seeing the Signs
Learn how to spot narcissistic traits and behaviors, understand different types of narcissism, and how to navigate relationships with narcissists
What Is Fawning? Understanding the Trauma Response
Learn what fawning is, how it develops as a trauma response, its signs, how it affects relationships, and how trauma-informed care supports healing
Types of Mania: Signs, Causes, Duration, and Treatment Options
Mania involves periods of abnormally elevated mood, energy, or activity levels. Most commonly, this is associated with bipolar disorder and related conditions. Mania is a very serious mental health condition and requires prompt medical attention to diagnose and treat. But it is treatable. Read on to learn more. What Is Mania? A manic episode can […]
Dealing with Anxiety: How to Get Out of Freeze Response
Learn how to get out of the freeze response caused by anxiety. Understand why it happens, coping mechanisms, and how your nervous system can heal
What Is Epigenetics? How Gene Expression Shapes Mental Health
The complex relationship between our genes and mental health shapes who we are, yet doesn’t define who we can become. Epigenetics is an exciting emerging field that studies how behaviors, life experiences, and environment shape gene activity without changing DNA. Chemical “tags” on genes turn the genes on or off, influencing mental health. Stress, diet, […]
PGX Testing in Mental Health: Personalized Treatment Insights
Pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing is emerging as a promising tool in mental health care, using genetic insights to tailor antidepressant and antipsychotic treatments. PGx testing is a precision (also called personalized) medicine technology that examines genetic variation in the way medication is metabolized or broken down for processing by the body. By analyzing an individual’s unique […]
How Are Neurodivergent Disorders Treated?
Approximately 15% of the global population is neurodivergent, often experiencing multiple conditions simultaneously. Neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and ADHD, are often summarized as any condition in which someone develops atypical cognitive processes early in life. With advocacy from the expanding neurodiversity movement, neurodevelopmental disorders are no longer viewed as illnesses that need to be cured, […]
How Accurate Is Genetic Testing for Mental Health? What the Science Says
Genetic testing is a hot topic these days as it is enabling the rise of personalized, or precision medicine. The study of how a person’s unique genetic makeup influences their body’s response to medications is called pharmacogenomics or PGx. A genetic test involves testing a simple cheek swab or blood sample to pinpoint changes in […]
How Long Does Ketamine Work for Depression?
What Is Ketamine Therapy for Depression? Ketamine therapy is a new treatment for depression. It offers rapid relief, particularly for those with treatment-resistant depression. Used for many years as a surgical anesthetic, it was later discovered to have fast-acting anti-depressant and anti-anxiety effects [1]. Read on to learn more about how it works, how long […]
Is Behavioral Health the Same as Mental Health?
It’s easy to be confused by these terms because there is no single way of using them among medical, mental health, and substance abuse professionals. In fact, organizations such as the American Psychological Association and American Psychiatric Association don’t have formal positions on the difference between these terms. In this article I’ll provide a clear […]
Can You Have Trauma Without PTSD?
PTSD always implies having trauma experiences but trauma does not always mean you may have PTSD. But both are the result of shocking, scary, or dangerous events. While they are similar, it’s helpful to understand the differences between these two terms, which can be confusing. Read on to learn more. The Basics of Trauma and […]
PTSD Fatigue: Why It Happens and How to Actually Recover
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary or dangerous event. There are many symptoms of PTSD, but one of the most common, yet often overlooked, is fatigue that goes beyond ordinary tiredness. Read on to learn more about symptoms and causes, types of fatigue and how to cope […]
What Does A PTSD Episode Look Like?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event, series of events or set of circumstances. This might be a natural disaster, car accident, physical assault, rape, serious injury or childhood abuse, among others. Not everyone who has these experiences develops PTSD, but for those who do, episodes […]
11 Signs of Unhealed Trauma and How to Recover From It
Trauma can be one-time, multiple or long-lasting repetitive events. They are scary, overwhelming and highly threatening. Trauma affects everyone differently. Some may have symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) while others who are more resilient do not, or only briefly and with less severe symptoms. This depends on many factors. But the impact of […]
What to Do When PTSD is Triggered: A Thoughtful Guide to Recovery
Trauma experiences are scary and threaten a person’s safety to the point that they are extremely afraid. Their bodies enter survival mode with the “fight-flight-freeze” response which normally helps us avoid or respond to potential danger. Most recover without treatment within a month. But about 8% of Americans develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in which […]
Hallucinations From PTSD: Causes and Treatment
In the US, almost 8% of the population will have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) at some point in their lives. About 1 in every 10 women will develop PTSD compared with 1 in 25 men, according to the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Although hallucinations are not a medical criteria for PTSD, they are increasingly […]
How Complex PTSD Affects Sleep – and What You Can Do About It
Up to 90% of those suffering from Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) have trouble sleeping. This is due to the impact of trauma on the nervous system and on mental wellness. Sleep disturbances such as insomnia, nighttime anxiety, nightmares and stressful dreams are common. This has a major impact on the healing process as improved sleep is […]
Brainspotting for Anxiety: Does It Really Work?
Dr David Grand —an experienced therapist focused on EMDR and relational analysis— noticed that his patients would sometimes stay stuck in a certain spot during their sessions, which led to him naming them “brain spots”. In 2003, Dr Grand developed an alternative to EMDR named Brainspotting (BSP), and since then, it has proven effective as […]
Emotional Scars: Why They Happen and How to Make Them Less Painful
Emotional scars can shape the way we think, feel, and move through the world, often in ways we don’t immediately recognize. These scars are the lasting effects of painful or overwhelming experiences, and they can quietly influence our reactions, behaviors, and relationships over time. For some, emotional wounds show up as difficulty trusting others or […]
How To Know if I Have Trauma: A Thoughtful Guide
Most people experience one or a few traumatic events in their lives. However, chances are fairly low you will develop Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD). For those that do, the experience can be highly distressing. Typically it requires professional treatment. Read on to learn more about what trauma is, risks and causes, symptoms and available treatment. […]
How to Feel Safe After Trauma: A Complete Guide
According to SAMHSA’s Trauma and Justice Strategic Initiative, “trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and physical, social, emotional or spiritual well-being” [1]. The individual’s experience of […]
How To Deal with Triggers From Trauma and Recover From It
Responses to traumatic events vary greatly with the individual. Although reactions range in severity, even the most acute responses are natural responses to manage trauma. A trigger is a stimulus that sets off a memory of a trauma or a portion of a traumatic experience. Read on to learn more about triggers and how to […]
What Are the Goals of Psychotherapy?
Understand the main goals of psychotherapy and what to expect during recovery. Learn about emotional healing, personal growth, and building resilience.
Why Is Trauma Therapy So Hard? Challenges and Recovery Road
Experiencing Trauma and its Impact on the Mind Complex trauma is caused by prolonged or repeated exposure to traumatic events, particularly during childhood or early adulthood. These events often involve: The effects of complex trauma can be severe and long-lasting. Research has shown that complex trauma impacts the brain and body in several ways. Studies […]
How To Properly Achieve Emotional Healing
A Practical Guide to Emotional Healing and Recovery When we experience emotional distress, it can show up in many different ways—anxiety, sadness, anger, chronic stress, physical symptoms, irritability, heartbreak, rejection, depression, intrusive thoughts, trauma, or even addiction. These experiences can feel overwhelming, affecting not only our mental health but also our relationships, work, and sense […]
Treatment Goals for BPD: How to Cope With the Disorder?
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a disorder of instability: in emotions, thought patterns, beliefs, behaviors, interpersonal relationships and sense of self. There is a lot of stigma around this serious mental health condition which can be difficult to treat. Typically diagnosed from early adulthood on, most of the time BPD symptoms gradually decrease with age. […]
Can Memory Loss From Depression Be Reversed?
Explore if memory loss from depression can be reversed. Learn about potential treatments, recovery strategies, and ways to improve cognitive function.
Can Anxiety Cause Nerve Pain—or Does It Just Feel That Way?
Identifying the causes of peripheral neuropathy (neuropathy) can be challenging, making it hard to diagnose. Damage to nerves and related pain, which are causes of neuropathy, can be triggered by injuries, certain medical conditions, and alcohol consumption. However, a common inquiry is whether anxiety or stress can cause nerve pain. What options exist for treatment? […]
Understanding Complex Betrayal Trauma: Symptoms, Signs, and More
Following a betrayal by someone we loved or trusted, we often feel shattered, wondering if or how we will ever regain ourselves. It can cause shock, loss, anger and grief. We even might doubt if we will ever have a future. The acutely despondent or even depressed feeling after a betrayal can leave us crushed […]
Nonpharmacologic Treatment for Anxiety: A Holistic Approach
You’re not alone if you feel occasionally anxious. It’s a normal feeling of fear, dread or uneasiness tied to the stress response that helps us sense danger, prepare and pay attention. Fear is an emotional response to the fight or flight reaction felt in a moment of immediate danger when we may feel anxiety. We […]