What Are the Worst Foods for Mental Health? (And What to Eat Instead)
Did you know that some foods can worsen certain mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression or mood disorders while others can support positive emotional well-being, mental health and brain function? The emerging field of nutritional psychiatry seeks to understand the gut-brain connection, the communication pathways between the gut and the brain. . Read on […]
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 […]
Main Differences Between PTSD and Complex Trauma
Understanding the difference between PTSD and Complex PTSD can be challenging as they are related and share some commonalities. People often use these terms together but they are different conditions resulting from different types and lengths of traumas. Read on to learn more about their similarities and differences. What Is Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)? C-PTSD is […]
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 […]
SSRIs and PTSD: What the Evidence Says and When Medication Is Part of the Plan
Many wonder whether medication is advised for PTSD and if so, what kinds are recommended. Read on to learn more about SSRI medications and treatment approaches for PTSD. Which SSRIs Are FDA-Approved for PTSD and How Do They Work? The current approach to treating PTSD involves both psychotherapy and medications. There are a number of […]
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 […]
How to Rebuild Your Life After Trauma: A Complete Guide
Many people experience trauma but are able to process it successfully and resolve it within a month or so without therapy. However, 8% of Americans experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), often with intense symptoms that last for months if not years [1]. Fortunately, this type of trauma is treatable with therapies. But once you have […]
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 […]
Understanding the Key Difference Between Crisis and Trauma
Crisis and trauma are closely related concepts and it can be confusing to know the difference. Often one leads to another or in some cases, like a natural disaster, happens at the same time. In fact, they are often on a continuum. Read on to learn more about the relationships between stress, crisis, trauma and […]
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 […]
PTS vs PTSD: Key Differences Between Them
Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are often confused and it can be hard to tell them apart. They both involve feeling fearful or nervous, avoiding the places or activity associated with a traumatic event, and nightmares and sleep issues. Nonetheless, there are important differences in the intensity and duration of symptoms and […]
PTSD Treatment Plan Goals and Objectives: A Step-by-Step Breakdown
Recovery from PTSD is a journey and for many, a lifelong process. There is no “average” time to recover as it varies with each individual. For some, it may be weeks or months. For others it is a years-long journey, usually done with the help of a trauma-informed therapist. There are many treatment models for […]
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 […]
Depression After Quitting Alcohol: A Recovery Roadmap
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and depressive disorders are among the most prevalent psychiatric disorders and co-occur more often than expected by chance [1]. According to The National Institute on Alcohol and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA), recovery from AUD is a long-term change process that may be characterized by occasional returns to heavy drinking. Especially in the bumpy […]
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 […]
Understanding the Effects of Klinefelter Syndrome
Klinefelter Syndrome (KS) is a genetic disorder of males. It’s not well known among the general public and often isn’t diagnosed until adulthood. KS may cause reduced muscle mass, reduced body and facial hair and enlarged breast tissue [1]. There are a wide range of symptoms, including infertility and physical, language, cognitive and social impairments. […]
What Are Emotional Scars — and How Do You Know When You Need Help?
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 Trauma Therapy Is So Difficult — and What That Difficulty Means for Recovery
What Happens in the Brain During Trauma Therapy That Makes It Feel So Hard? 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 […]
5 Stages of PTSD and Everything You Should Know
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most painful and complex mental health conditions to live through and treat. There are many kinds of trauma, each requiring different strategies for healing. Although every person’s experience with trauma is unique, in general, there are five stages a person goes through on their path to recovery. […]
How To Properly Achieve Emotional Healing
When we experience emotional distress it can be expressed in many ways: anxiety, sadness, anger, stress, physical ailments, irritability, a broken heart, rejection, depression, obsessions, trauma and addictions, among others. Often it feels as if we can never recover and return to our healthy, balanced selves. In this article I explain what emotional healing is, when it’s […]
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. […]
The Differences Between ART Therapy vs EMDR
ART Therapy is a newer form of psychotherapy drawn from the earlier and more well-established EMDR Therapy. Both use eye movements to reprocess information as a central part of the work. Understanding the differences between them can assist in deciding which to choose. In some settings both are used with ART considered as “EMDR on […]
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.