By Carissa Weber, MA, LPC, CSAC
As of today, That Darn Amygdala has been up and running for one full year! How crazy is that? I started blogging in 2021 with an idea, but no clue how to translate that idea. After some research (and some winging it), That Darn Amygdala was born.
The Idea behind That Darn Amygdala
2020 was an insane year for everyone, therapists included. As therapists, we noticed a surge of people wanting mental health services (which is awesome by the way). By 2021, many mental health professionals were overwhelmed by the amount of people wanting mental health services that waitlists were born. Let me tell you, that didn’t (and still isn’t) going over well.
in 2021, I was starting to experience burnout. Not just from seeing so many clients, but from telling people I had no room to see them. As a therapist, that just broke my heart. Even worse, there wasn’t a single therapist I could refer people to as their wait lists were just as long (if not longer) than mine. In that moment, I realized there needed to be a resource to help.
Enter That Darn Amygdala.
The need for an accurate and science-based mental health resource was in high demand. People wanting help with their mental health was in high demand. Heck, therapists were (and still are) in high demand. That Darn Amygdala became a combination of those three.
That Darn Amygdala Stats
I remember that first 30 days writing, I was just excited to have 100 readers a month. Since posting the very first blog post, That Darn Amygdala has massed over 75,000 visitors! The most read post would be Realistic Affirmations: The Hardest Emotional Regulation Tool with over 300 individual readers. Honestly, this was one of my favorite posts to write as it helped inspire my Realistic Affirmation Cards and my Mental Health Shirts.
Want to shop to support your mental health?
Out of all the resources I’ve created to be of help to people on their mental health journey, the Book Club has the most visitors. How many you ask? Try over 1000 visitors! What I love about the book Club is that these are books I have read myself and love recommending to my clients in my own practice.
The other resource that people have used have been the worksheets. Utilized by over 500 of you, this resource holds a near and dear place in my heart. I’ve created over 100 handouts, worksheets, and journal entries to help people (and fellow clinicians) have access to a tool that helps explain the science behind mental health and helps people practice the skills I talk about in the posts.
Missed out on the Worksheets?
That Darn Amygdala Odd Facts
I love discussing odd facts and insights. Since starting That Darn Amygdala, I have published 59 posts, including this one. With those 59 posts, I have cited over 115 different resources, included psychology journals, medical studies, books, fellow mental health bloggers, and prominent mental health websites. If that is impressive, in the last year, That Darn Amygdala published over 133,000 words! We’re at novel level baby!
The number one coping skill I talk about are SMART goals. This is a skill I teach all the time because it helps people:
- Set up realistic goals
- Improve their anxiety and depression levels
- Increase motivation
Even though this is the most talked-about skill, I’ve devoted the most posts to DBT, 14 posts to be exact. The least talked about skill (although I think I need to write more about it) would be the Plants and Mental Health post. I love gardening and have 32 different kinds of plants in my office (9 different ones in my home office), which all help me keep my mental health sharp.
What’s Next for That Darn Amygdala?
This year is going to be awesome for That Darn Amygdala! I plan on continuing to write science-based posts to help people with their mental health. I also plan on taking time each month to revamp some of my older posts to ensure it reflects the most up-to-date information out there.
Something new you may even notice now is that there is going to be a theme for each month. February was all about anxiety; March was all about depression. Using these themes will not only help keep information organized, but myself as well.
Some of you have noticed in the past that I’ve tried ways to increase my reach through the use of courses, journaling packages, and independent coaching/consultation. Although I love doing this, it seemed to be something that didn’t speak to you, the readers. I do not plan to continue to offer these things in the future, but will still do FREE masterclasses in the Facebook Group, inspirational mental health information on instagram, realistic affirmation on TikTok, coping skill ideas on Pinterest, and for the residents of Wisconsin, therapy services at The Joyful Mind, LLC.
What Do You Want to See from That Darn Amygdala?
You know I am all about making mental health accessible. I want to hear from you all what you guys would like to see from That Darn Amygdala. Is it another course? More worksheets? Perhaps its own podcast? A certain mental health topic you want to read about? Let me know! The only way to grow is to know what is needed.
Mostly, Thank You!
Without you, the readers, That Darn Amygdala would be nothing more than a dream. Your reading, patronage, and dedication to your own mental health makes That Darn Amygdala possible. It is through you and your support I am here, writing, and using science to change the stigma of mental health. You guys’ rock! Here is to another amazing year of That Darn Amygdala!
Image Sources
- Carissa Weber at www.thatdarnamygdala.com
- www.pexels.com
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