Author: thatdarnamygdala
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Why it Works
By Carissa Weber On to more of the healthy and healing skills (finally)! These are the posts I bet the majority of you have been waiting for. Now that you have a basic knowledge of how the brain works, what neurotransmitters are responsible for what, and the general idea that practice produces change, we can…
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Mental Health Awareness Month: What is it and why it is so Important
By Carissa Weber You may be seeing the green ribbons all over social media lately. That green ribbon represents mental health awareness month. As I work and write about mental health, it isn’t a secret that it is something that I am passionate about. I think this is a great time to bring up what…
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DBT and Distress Tolerance Skills
By Carissa Weber One of the hardest things about therapy is gaining the acceptance that emotions are uncomfortable. So many people think they are supposed to feel happy go-lucky all the time, but he truth is, you’re not supposed to feel good all the time. Emotions all serve a purpose. If we ignore their purpose…
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Mindfulness: The Art of Becoming Calm, Cool, and Collected
By Carissa Weber Everyone is always trying to find ways to calm themselves. In the busy world of ours that correlates productivity with success, many people feel relaxation is a luxury. This thought is just plain wrong! Relaxation is something all animals need in order to maintain both mental and physical health. Have you ever…
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The “Feel Good” Neurotransmitters and How to Release Them
By Carissa Weber I’ve had a lot of requests since I put out Neurotransmitters: The Language of the Brain to make a post about ways to naturally release serotonin, dopamine, endorphins, and oxytocin (better known as the “feel good” neurotransmitters). I love all the requests and that people want to learn more about how to…
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What Anxiety Really is: a Map of Distress to Nowhere
By Carissa Weber As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Take a look at my Book Club to find out more. Thank you for supporting my small business! Talking to people over the years, anxiety has presented itself and so many ways. For some, it is the ice cold sweats and the inability…
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To Medicate or To Not Medicate, That is the Question
By Carissa Weber One of the most common questions I get when people come into my office is if I think they need medication to help with their depression or anxiety. What people don’t realize is that is a very loaded question. Let me take some time today to explain why. First things first, please…
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Fight-Flight-Freeze: The Ultimate Coping Skill
By Carissa Weber Humans are not born with a lot of instincts. Our whole human survival has hinged on our ability to learn how to avoid things that can kill us. Whether from avoiding poisonous berries and not getting eaten, to more present problems like our being stuck in traffic or wrestling a fitted sheet,…
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Neurotransmitters: The Language of the Brain
By Carissa Weber Every person speaks a language. Whether it is with their voice, their bodies, or their actions, language is our source of communication. When it comes to our brains, it communicates through tiny chemicals called neurotransmitters. Our brains utilize several different kinds of neurotransmitters to achieve different tasks. When it comes to mental…
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Stress and the Brain: Happy Stress Awareness Month!
By Carissa Weber It is no secret everyone has experienced stress in their life. Even if we look at this past year, everyone has been touched with this pandemic we call Covid-19, employment or school concerns, frustration from technology not working when we need it, or not finding toilet paper when you needed it the…