Mental Health And Counseling Blog

This is where you will find all kinds of information related to counseling, therapy, and mental health. I generally use this as a place to write about anything that comes up in therapy and I often refer my clients to posts that seem relevant to the content of our sessions. I like to try to include media in all of my posts, so if you're not much of a reader, or you're looking for something quick, you can peruse the clips in my posts and still get something good out of them.

I primarily write about the issues I work with most, which are:

-Teens
-Couples
-Addiction
-Codependency
-LGBTQ issues
-Trans and gender non-conforming issues
-Sex positive therapy

*From 2018 to 2023 I created a website called SacWellness.com, which helped people find mental health resources in the greater Sacramento area. Sacwellness was home to lots of blog posts written by other therapists in the greater Sacramento area. You can still find all of those in the SacWellness blog archive

The content found in this blog is intended for educational purposes only and is not intended to take the place of counseling, therapy, or advice from a professional. If you are in need of counseling and/or help with psychological problems please contact a mental health professional.

a cracked heart painted on dried cracking clay

Takotsubo Syndrome: When a Broken Heart Actually Breaks the Heart

grief counseling / 3 minutes of reading

Have you ever heard someone describe their pain after a breakup or the death of a loved one as having a broken heart? Turns out there is an actual condition known as Takotsubo syndrome, or broken heart syndrome, in which the heart is physically changed after a person experiences a severe stressor such as the loss of a loved one. Check out my blog post to learn more.

Takotsubo Syndrome: When a Broken Heart Actually Breaks the Heart Read More »

link to an article about addiction being a disease

Addiction is a Disease

Addiction and Substance Abuse / 5 minutes of reading

There has been a lot of disagreement over the years as to whether addiction is a disease or a choice. Lots of recent research into neurochemistry has shown that addiction makes actual physical changes to the brain. Addiction hijacks our natural hierarchy of priorities and claims a space in the brain that can supersede all other needs. Check out my blog post to learn more about why addiction is a disease.

Addiction is a Disease Read More »

link to article about attachment injuries and the still face experiment

The Still Face Experiment and Attachment Injuries.

Codependency, Couples Therapy / Relationship Counseling / 5 minutes of reading

Have you ever had a time when someone important to you wasn’t there for you when you needed them and you really felt abandoned? Like you were reaching out for him or her and he/she wasn’t there or was cold and unresponsive. This can be a particularly painful experience that can damage a person’s sense of safety and ability to open up and reach out to loved ones for help. In this blog post I share a video that speaks to many people who have had this kind of experience repeatedly or in a big way.

The Still Face Experiment and Attachment Injuries. Read More »