Psychological trauma can have a profound and lasting impact on a person’s mental and physical health. It can leave individuals feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and disconnected from their bodies. Traditional talk therapy can help process trauma, but it doesn’t always address the physical aspect of trauma stored in the body. That’s...Read More

Sensory sensitivity refers to the heightened response to sensory stimuli, such as sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures. This heightened sensitivity can make individuals more aware of their surroundings and more easily overwhelmed by sensory input. Sensory sensitivity can vary from person to person and can manifest in different ways,...Read More

Emotional regulation is a crucial skill that enables individuals to manage their emotions, respond effectively to stressors, and maintain mental well-being. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s not uncommon for people to experience overwhelming emotions. To navigate through these intense emotions and maintain a sense of balance, grounding techniques can be...Read More

Meeting Your Inner World: An Exploration of Internal Family Systems As a senior facilitator of Janina Fisher, PhD’s Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment (TIST) training and among the first to be certified in TIST, I have delved deeply into the concept of ‘parts work.’ Many of the insightful tenets of TIST are...Read More

On the Path of Discovery: Exploring Ecological Psychology in a Diverse World In my quest to understand the human mind and behaviour from a perspective that transcends the limits of traditional Eurocentric models, I’ve encountered a compelling field of study—ecological psychology. As a psychotherapist focusing on somatic approaches, the principles...Read More

Introduction In the field of psychotherapy, Somatic Internal Family Systems (Somatic IFS) offers an innovative approach to healing that combines the principles of body-centered therapy with the Internal Family Systems (IFS) framework. Developed by Susan McConnell, Somatic IFS integrates somatic practices such as movement, breathwork, and touch, allowing clients to...Read More

Over the past four weeks, I’ve been blogging about a type of burnout that ventures away from the usual work-related discourse and identifies that stuck feeling that may afflict us right smack dab in the middle of gender questioning or social transition. As trans* and nonbinary folx, we’re not just...Read More

Gender transition is an empowering journey that can also be physically and emotionally demanding. Many individuals experience burnout during this process, which can be attributed in part to the effects of chronic stress on the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Burnout is not just a mental state or temporary fatigue. It...Read More

Last week, I connected the familiar concept of burnout to gender transition. Burnout during transition is a common occurrence. Due to compounding factors of hyperarousal (anxiety, fight and flight responses, and agitation) with intersecting oppression, gender transition burnout is a defense mechanism against chronic sympathetic nervous system activation that has...Read More

Effective communication is an essential aspect of everyday life, and it becomes even more critical in stressful situations. Stressful situations can be overwhelming, and individuals may feel like they are losing control. In such situations, it is essential to practice DBT’s mindfulness skill of effective communication. This skill involves using...Read More