Mental Health Topics

Starting therapy can feel both exciting and intimidating, especially if it’s your first time connecting with a therapist or counselor. It may bring some peace of mind to know you’ll have an experienced guide ready to lead you through each session. Still, you may be wondering: What should you talk…

If you’ve experienced trauma, you know it’s not something you can simply shake off. Traumatic experiences can stick with us, especially if we never process these memories. It’s not just our brains that hold on to trauma, our bodies do too. Talk therapy isn’t always enough to help us move…

Your last relationship ended months ago, but your body still tenses up when someone raises their voice. You find yourself constantly analyzing your new partner’s mood, searching for signs they might turn on you. Simple disagreements feel like threats, and you catch yourself either shutting down completely or preparing to…

“I can’t stop thinking about it.” “I keep replaying it in my mind.” “I just want to let it go.” These are things Nicole Johnson, LPC, author of Reparenting Your Inner Child frequently hears in her therapy practice. Whether someone has been wronged by a friend, made a huge mistake…

Imagine attending a party where every conversation feels like a performance you’re failing. Your heart races as you walk through the door. You’re convinced everyone is staring at your outfit, judging your awkward small talk, or noticing how your hands shake when you reach for a drink. After forcing yourself…

Picture a couple who just moved in together: Let’s call them Dan and Amy. Amy has been working late because she has a big presentation coming up. One evening, she texts Dan and asks him to make dinner while she’s on her way home. Dan enthusiastically agrees, sending multiple heart…

Anxiety can show up in more ways than one. Emotional symptoms like fear, worry, and irritability are common, but anxiety can get physical too: sweating, tremors, and a racing heart, to name a few. Taken together, anxiety can leave you overwhelmed and make it difficult to get through the day….

Imagine a night spent tossing and turning under the covers. You check the time on your phone and squeeze your eyes shut after turning off the screen—only to have its outline still flashing behind your eyelids as you try to adjust to total darkness once again. Slowly, the hours tick…

Connection is a huge part of human experience, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy. Many people grew up without the safe and supportive relationships that we all deserve, which affects our attachment styles—the way we connect and bond with others. Attachment matters; maybe even more than you think. “Attachment…

If you’ve found yourself thinking “I have no desire for my husband,” it doesn’t mean your relationship is doomed. This realization can feel isolating, leaving you wondering whether to stay or leave. But there’s a third option: reconnecting. “Emotional drift often happens gradually and subtly in relationships,” says Theresa Lupcho,…

Abuse is a dangerous and prevalent issue for many people. However, it can be incredibly nuanced, which might make it hard to identify for those experiencing abuse. One frequent example of this is called reactive abuse. Reactive abuse is something that occurs as a result of a victim responding strongly…

Starting therapy for the first time feels like stepping into the unknown. I know because I’ve been there: sitting in a waiting room, wondering what I’d gotten myself into, with a head full of assumptions about what therapy was “supposed” to look like. (It turns out most of those assumptions…