As a therapist, I often find myself wondering about a client’s root cellar. What was the environment they grew up in? What did they have to do to survive? Carl Rogers’ powerful analogy helps us understand trauma, minority stress and many of the adaptations we develop in response to difficult circumstances.
TRAUMA & EMOTIONAL REGULATION
Articles exploring trauma emotional regulation, anxiety, the nervous system, grounding techniques, hypervigilance, the threat system, and how past experiences continue to affect emotional wellbeing.
LGBTQ+ Hypervigilance: Why Many LGBTQ+ People Become Experts at Reading the Room
Many LGBTQ+ people become experts at reading the room, scanning for danger, and anticipating rejection. Hypervigilance isn’t simply overthinking. It’s often a nervous system adaptation shaped by shame, minority stress, bullying, and the need to stay safe in environments that didn’t always feel accepting.
LGBTQ+ Anxiety And The Threat System
Anxiety can feel exhausting and overwhelming, especially when it starts affecting everyday things like relationships, work, confidence, sleep, or even leaving the house. Over time, many people begin feeling stuck in survival mode, constantly overthinking, scanning for danger, or waiting for something to go wrong.
Understanding The Window Of Tolerance & Emotional Overwhelm
Many people struggle to understand why they sometimes feel emotionally overwhelmed, anxious, angry, numb, disconnected, or completely shut down seemingly out of nowhere. Often, these reactions are linked to the nervous system and the way our bodies respond to stress,...
A Simple Grounding Technique For Racing Thoughts & Anxiety
Many people spend so much time caught up replaying the past or worrying about the future that they stop fully experiencing the present moment. When anxiety, overwhelm, or racing thoughts take over, grounding techniques can help bring the nervous system back into the...
How LGBTQ+ Childhood Bullying Can Affect Mental Health In Adulthood
Many LGBTQ+ people carry emotional wounds from childhood bullying, rejection, or growing up in environments where their gender identity or sexuality wasn’t accepted or validated. While the bullying itself may have happened years ago, the psychological impact can...