(513) 512-5604

Articles

Therapist Cincinnati

Silence Is Golden

Silence is Golden One of the biggest self-righteous errors we get caught up in as humans is that we cannot handle emotional pain and therefore will go to all extremes to avoid painful memories or fears that cause us stress and pain. We often run from these fears often by way of chemical and/or behavioral addictions. Resilience helps us navigate stress, emotional pain, and adversity. Addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disease, that consists of compulsive substance use or behavior that creates harmful consequences. Substance Use Disorders involve drugs or alcohol, while behavioral addictions involve things like food, gambling, gaming, shopping, over-working and excessive screen time, both involving the brain’s reward circuitry. It can also lead to neurological changes in the brain, creating long term and lasting effects. Humans are naturally pain adverse, so the moment we feel excessive stress or pain, we often search for something to relieve the

Read More
brain activating fight or flight response releasing adrenaline and cortisol during perceived threat

Identifying and Calming the Fight or Flight Response

What is Fight or Flight? Fight-or-flight is an automatic reaction of the autonomic nervous system, triggered by the hypothalamus, signaling the body that there is a threat and releasing adrenaline and cortisol, enabling us to either fight or flee a perceived threat. It is designed to keep us safe in emergencies. Fight or flight is the more well-known response, however, freezing and fawning are also highly effective and common responses in survival. The stress response includes physical, behavioral and thought responses to our perception of various situations. While meant for imminent physical dangers (like stopping your younger sister from running in the street after a ball or dodging a car on the highway that inadvertently came into your lane), this system is often triggered by modern psychological stress, such as intense work stress, school stress, public speaking, an argument with a loved one, or other fear, and anxiety provoking events.

Read More
Resilience and Healing Dealing with Adversity

Building Resilience Through Pain

What does it mean to have resilience and how do resilient people think? A Fearful Phone Call Last night, after an evening of martial arts training, I noticed a missed call and voice mail from my ten-year-old, searching for reassurance I was okay. She was having ruminating thoughts that something might happen or has happened to me.  Not the first time I have received those calls, like many of us parents.  Humans have vivid imaginations, and we can be wrecked by fear if we get hijacked. Memories of My Own Childhood It brings back memories of my own childhood and the fear of losing my own mom as a kid and how I could not imagine a life without her. Looking back, I know I spent a lot of time in anxious, ruminating thoughts fearing one day I may be taken over by debilitating emotional pain, that would leave me

Read More

What is Ketamine Therapy? How Does It Help?

What Does It Treat? Ketamine therapy is a fast-emerging treatment used to relieve symptoms of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and chronic pain—especially when other treatments have failed. Originally developed as an anesthetic, ketamine is now administered in lower, controlled doses in clinical settings under professional supervision. This innovative approach is gaining momentum for its ability to offer rapid relief, sometimes within hours, for individuals who have not responded to traditional antidepressants or psychotherapy. How Does Ketamine Therapy Work? Ketamine affects the brain in a very different way than conventional antidepressants. While most medications target serotonin or dopamine, ketamine interacts with a neurotransmitter called glutamate—a powerful chemical involved in learning and memory. By modulating glutamate activity, ketamine appears to promote the brain’s ability to form new neural connections, a process called neuroplasticity. This helps the brain “rewire” itself, potentially breaking the cycle of depression or trauma-related patterns. The

Read More

What is PTSD?

Understanding and Healing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop after a person experiences or witnesses a traumatic event. These events may include combat exposure, natural disasters, accidents, physical or sexual assault, or other life-threatening situations. While it is normal to feel afraid during or after a traumatic event, people with PTSD continue to experience intense, disturbing thoughts and feelings related to their trauma long after the event has ended. Symptoms of PTSD Include: PTSD can interfere with daily life, relationships, work, and health. The good news is: it is treatable. Three Proven Methods to Treat or Manage PTSD 1. Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) TF-CBT is a structured, short-term psychological treatment that helps individuals process and reframe negative thoughts related to the trauma. One of the most effective forms is Prolonged Exposure Therapy, where patients gradually confront trauma-related memories and situations

Read More