This article written by Ann Pietrangelo and reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, PhD, CRNP is a great overview of the signs of mental and emotional abuse.  It covers the following topics: 1. humiliation, negating, criticizing, 2. control and shame, 3. accusing, blaming, and denial, 4. emotional neglect and isolation, and 5. codependence.  Please click the link below […]

There is so much research out there about the impact of screen time on children’s brains.  If you are a doctor, therapist and/or in the health profession, you may find people asking you about the research on brain development.  It is important to know the research to be able to make an informed decision about […]

This is a great introduction to Polyvagal Theory. Deb Dana describes a three-part exercise to create safety and trust, integral to Polyvagal Theory.  Here is an excerpt from the article: “The fundamental premise of Polyvagal Theory is that human beings need safety, and our biology is fiercely devoted to keeping us out of harm’s way. […]

Many of my clients often do not realize how much the pandemic is affecting them.  I saw this article on NPR and thought I would pass it along.  Here is an excerpt from the article by Aneri Pattani: “Throughout the pandemic, people who never had the coronavirus have been reporting a host of seemingly unrelated […]

Many parents ask me about screen time and how much they should allow kids to engage in social media.  The Social Dilemma just came out and I would recommend watching this movie. Check out the link below for a review from the New York Times. New York Times: Review

Childhood trauma can often lead to an individual to experience dissociative symptoms.  This neuroimaging study gives more insight into what is happening in the brain. “Being traumatized can cause what are known as dissociative symptoms—such as experiencing amnesia, an out-of-body experience, feeling emotionally numb—which may help people cope. Experiencing these symptoms intensely or for a […]

I wanted to share an article by Gabor Maté.  He talks about the pandemic and how people are experiencing increased anxiety.  He states the anxiety that is surfacing for individuals actually originates in childhood experiences. “Now that there are fewer of those options for coping, people’s anxieties are rising, and that’s showing up in their […]

Many clients often ask me what books I recommend for a variety of topics including trauma, addiction, dealing with loss, grief, anger, childhood abuse and spirituality. I wanted to provide a list of 11 books Laura McKowen recommended for addiction and sobriety. I have read many of the books on the list but wanted to […]

I wanted to share this brief video by Gabor Maté.  He will soon be releasing the book The Myth of Normal: Illness and Health in an Insane Culture and Hello Again: A Fresh Start for Adult Children and Their Parents. He is the author of many books on addiction and trauma. Please click the link below to […]