Recently, Dr. Sadi Fox of Flourish Psychology was featured on Fox Weather to discuss the way that severe weather patterns can affect our mood. Take a look!
Usually, when we talk about the way weather affects mood, we are primarily focused on issues like seasonal depression. But weather can affect our mood in some wany ways. Even the heat!
Right now, millions of people are living through Hurricane Season. It’s now even become something we have to worry about more in New York! Sadi addresses the way that weather can affect our mood, and more!
Take a look and reach out to Flourish Psychology with any additional questions, or if you want to learn more about our psychotherapy services.
Parenting is hard. This probably comes as a shock to no one, but therapy is a challenge. You’re tasked with keeping this little thing alive, all while not getting sleep, putting a strain on your marriage, dealing with the physical health issues, and on and on.
It is a challenge for everyone.
You may be familiar with postpartum depression – depression that occurs after having a child due to a combination of hormonal changes, stress, and more. Some people seek out therapists when they have this type of depression, hoping to get extra help coping.
But here’s the thing:
You don’t need postpartum depression to find therapy beneficial. You do not even need a diagnosable mental health condition at all.
What if, instead of waiting to see if you develop a mental health issue, you simply start seeing a therapist. What if you take a more proactive approach?
Seeking Therapy Proactively
You already know that parenting is challenging, even before having a baby. Psychotherapy is about helping someone through their challenges, no matter what they may be.
By seeking out a therapist to help you with parenting, you put yourself in a position to:
Address stress as early as possible, before it becomes something that can create problems in your mental health or marriage.
Teach you how to be more present, so that you can take in as much of parenting as possible.
Potentially help you sleep more. Sleep is limited with all kids, but if the anxiety of parenting keeps you awake, or you’re struggling to prioritize sleep, therapy can help.
Answer questions and worries you may have, and help you find the best parent you can be in yourself.
Respond to past childhood traumas and issues with upbringing to learn how to parent authentically, lovingly, and in today’s world.
If a parent does have postpartum depression, it can also be addressed at the time of therapy. But, regardless of mental health status, many parents would benefit from psychotherapy that helps them manage the challenges of parenthood early and often.
Since your own mental health outside of parenting can also affect how you build relationships, manage frustration, and so on, psychotherapy can also transform you back into your best self.
Reach Out Today to Learn More
Flourish Psychology is a boutique private practice that is happy to help parents adapt to this new part of their lives. We also occasionally run group therapy sessions for new parents, and we have options for those that need ongoing care.
If you would like to get started, please reach out to our team, today.
There is something scary about parenting these days – arguably scarier than at any time in the past. We can talk about how social media may play a role (triggering fears about missing or exploited children, or sharing stories of child tragedies). We can talk about the current political environment around schools. We can talk about how much more stimulation there is, or the possible rise in developmental issues like ADHD.
We can talk about COVID. We can talk about rising prices.
We can talk about a lot of things, but in any/all of these situations, the main takeaway is that parenting is difficult, and many, many parents are finding themselves anxious. That anxiety can become its own significant problem:
Anxiety can make it more difficult to be present with your child, leading to missing out on milestones or making it harder to love them the way you want to.
Anxiety can be contagious, unintentionally teaching children to be more anxious and causing them to develop more anxiety as they get older.
Anxiety can be life altering. When we’re always worried, it can not only touch everything we do – it can change our brain chemistry to cause anxiety disorders, depression, and more.
So while parenting anxiety may seem like a normal, maybe even healthy part of parenting, it is often anything but. That is why it is so important for those that are struggling to seek out help. You don’t need to have a diagnosable disorder to see a therapist. What matters is that you’re not where you want to be with your mental health, and you need someone to help you move forward.
Therapists for Parenting
Parenting IS stressful. It is hard. It is time consuming and, for many, it can lead to anxiety and other mental health challenges. Dr. Sadi Fox of Flourish Psychology even offers on some occasions a parenting group for post-partum moms that is specifically about adjusting to the mental health components of parenting for that very reason.
Yet, whether you’re part of a group or on your own, there is immense benefit to taking this anxiety seriously – learning to address your feelings and make sure that you’re getting help. These moments are precious, and they move quickly. The last thing you want is to find that your child is turning 4, or 7, or 18, and you’ve spent much of their childhood feeling more nervous and more stressed than you needed to be.
Don’t be afraid to seek out a therapist for parenting just because “all parenting is hard.” Parenting is hard, but you still deserve to feel your best so you, your child, and your partner are in the best place possible. Learn more about our psychotherapy or group services for parents in NYC by reaching out to Flourish Psychology, today.
New York can be loud. It has cars. It has subways. It has a lot of people. Not only is it loud, but it echoes, which adds to the volume. Indeed, it’s loud not only in noise, but in other senses as well, as there are very pungent scents, lots to see visually, and more.
There’s mental health benefits to living in a city. You’re able to enjoy more time with people. You’re able to get very quick access to help. You have more resources and, theoretically at least, more opportunities.
But there are downsides as well, most notably: big cities are loud. They’re busy. They are, often, in a position to overwhelm your senses. There’s a climate and resource argument to be made that all of us should be living in big cities, but we still have to be aware of what living in such a big city – especially a *loud* big city – does to the mind and body.
For example:
Sensory Overload – Most of us are somewhat used to the city by now. But when you’re stressed or overwhelmed, you still need a way to essentially relax your brain so that you can focus on your tasks and needs. That is much harder in a big city like New York, because there is so much sensory overload. There isn’t really an opportunity for resetting your senses.
Anxiety Production – Loud noises and busyness can also create their own anxiety. Noises can trigger anxious feelings, as your mind has to determine whether or not the sound is a danger. If you’re already prone to stress and anxiety, not only will this only exacerbate your symptoms but the sounds themselves may trigger the “yes, it is a dangerous noise” response more often.
No Chance to Process – Similar to sensory overload, one of the ways that we are able to cope with stress as adults is by processing the day as it happens and at night. But when you have your senses overloaded with noise, it becomes harder to process the information of the day, and that can put stress on the brain.
Depending on where you live, busy cities may also make it harder to sleep or, in some cases, make you more tired because your brain is exhausted from processing the day.
The Benefits and Weaknesses of NYC
Mental health is complicated. Overall, there is considerable evidence that living in a place like New York is actually beneficial for one’s mental health, especially given access to resources, people, and more. But that doesn’t mean it’s perfect, and for those that are already struggling, New York’s sensory overload can make things worse.
If you need help with your mental health for any reason, please reach out to us today.
Trauma can dramatically change not only our life, but the way our brain actually operates. As a result, often times overcoming trauma relies on addressing these cognitive and emotional changes, because only by doing that can you move forward towards a better future.
An example of this is “Alexithymia.” It’s a condition that doesn’t happen to everyone, and is not always caused by trauma, but when it does occur in someone with PTSD it becomes important to address it.
What is Alexithymia?
Alexithymia is a psychological condition characterized by difficulty identifying, expressing, and understanding emotions. Individuals with alexithymia often struggle to describe their feelings, differentiate between emotions and physical sensations, and engage in emotional introspection.
While alexithymia can occur in the general population, research suggests a strong correlation between trauma and the development of alexithymic traits.
Alexithymia is not classified as a mental disorder but rather as a trait or condition that affects emotional processing. It manifests in ways such as:
Difficulty Identifying Emotions – Individuals may struggle to recognize their own emotional states or describe how they feel.
Limited Emotional Expression – They may appear emotionally distant, struggle with verbalizing feelings, or display a restricted range of facial expressions.
Confusion Between Physical and Emotional States – Bodily sensations, such as muscle tension or an upset stomach, may be misinterpreted as purely physical discomfort rather than an emotional response.
Externally Oriented Thinking – A tendency to focus on external events rather than introspecting about emotional experiences.
Trauma, particularly chronic or severe trauma, can play a significant role in the development of alexithymia. This is especially true in cases of childhood trauma, abuse, neglect, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The connection between trauma and alexithymia is rooted in both neurological and psychological factors.
Neurological Impact of Trauma on Emotional Processing
Trauma affects brain structures involved in emotion regulation, including:
The Amygdala – Responsible for processing emotions, the amygdala may become hyperactive in response to trauma, leading to heightened fear responses while impairing emotional awareness.
The Prefrontal Cortex – Critical for emotional regulation and self-reflection, this area may be underactive in those with trauma, making it harder to process and articulate emotions.
The Corpus Callosum – Trauma, especially in early development, can impact the communication between the brain’s hemispheres, limiting the ability to integrate emotions with rational thought.
When a person experiences severe trauma, the brain may no longer be able to process emotions effectively, and the result is poor emotional processing.
Emotional Suppression as a Coping Mechanism
For individuals who have experienced trauma, particularly childhood emotional neglect or abuse, suppressing emotions may become a learned survival strategy. If emotional expression was met with punishment, rejection, or indifference, the brain adapts by disconnecting from emotional experiences to reduce psychological distress.
Avoidance of Emotional Triggers – Trauma survivors may unconsciously disconnect from their emotions to avoid pain, leading to emotional numbness.
Dissociation – Chronic trauma may result in dissociative tendencies, making it difficult to access emotional states and recognize them as personal experiences.
Hyperarousal and Emotional Overwhelm – Some trauma survivors experience emotions so intensely that they develop a shutdown response, numbing emotions as a form of self-protection.
Some of these issues may also be related to the type of trauma and the age it occurred. Individuals who grow up in environments lacking emotional support may develop alexithymia as a result of insecure attachment styles. When caregivers fail to model emotional recognition or discourage emotional expression, children may struggle to develop emotional awareness in adulthood.
For example, if the person experienced neglect, without consistent emotional validation, individuals may not learn how to recognize or describe their emotions. If they struggled with abuse, fear-driven relationships can create emotional dysregulation, leading to avoidance or suppression of emotions.
Alexithymia and PTSD
Alexithymia is frequently observed in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Studies indicate that trauma survivors with PTSD often exhibit alexithymic traits, which can interfere with traditional talk therapy and emotional processing treatments. This can make trauma recovery more challenging, as individuals may struggle to verbalize distress, engage in self-reflection, or process traumatic memories effectively.
Managing and Treating Alexithymia in Trauma Survivors
While alexithymia can be a barrier to emotional healing, certain approaches can help trauma survivors gradually reconnect with their emotions and develop emotional awareness:
Mindfulness and Body Awareness – Practices such as mindfulness meditation and somatic therapy can help individuals tune into physical sensations linked to emotions.
Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) – This therapy helps individuals identify and label emotions in a structured, supportive environment.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – Can help trauma survivors recognize patterns of emotional avoidance and develop strategies for emotional expression.
Journaling and Expressive Writing – Encouraging structured reflection on experiences can help bridge the gap between thoughts and emotions.
Trauma-Informed Therapy – Therapies such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and somatic experiencing may help address underlying trauma and improve emotional awareness.
For those who have experienced trauma, alexithymia can make emotional healing more complex, but it is not a permanent condition. With the right therapeutic support and strategies, individuals can learn to recognize, process, and express emotions in a way that supports their mental well-being. If you’ve been struggling from trauma, reach out to Flourish Psychology today to speak to one of our therapists and get the help you need.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), typically referred to as EMDR, is increasingly becoming one of the most popular treatments available for addressing post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
Scientists have discovered that one potential cause of PTSD is poor processing after the event has taken place. Essentially, they’ve found that when a person experiences a significant trauma, their brain isn’t always able to fully process the event. EMDR works by essentially helping – in a calm environment – the person with the trauma go through and process the details of the event so that it can be move to long term memory and prevent excessive stress.
This process is extremely effective. But the way that it’s described often has some people worried that it sounds similar to some pseudoscientific treatments, such as hypnotherapy, and they’re worried that it could be responsible for “false memories” – where an individual, typically under the guidance of a therapist, remembers events that did not take place.
QUICK ANSWER: EMDR cannot and does not erase, alter, or place false memories. EMDR’s role is to change where existing, evidence based memories are stored in the brain.
How EMDR Works and How it Affects Memory Processing
During the overwhelming experience of trauma, a person’s memories of the event do not fully form the way other memories form. Instead, memories can be fragmented, emotionally charged, and difficult to process. Because the brain isn’t accurately able to process these memories, they begin to affect the person’s mental health.
EMDR aims to integrate these memories more adaptively by:
Reducing the emotional distress associated with the memory
Helping individuals view past events with less reactivity
Strengthening cognitive insights related to the experience
Since EMDR relies on memory recall and cognitive restructuring, it operates within the natural processes of memory reconsolidation – where memories are reactivated, modified, and re-stored in a way that aligns with new information. In other words, new memories are not being introduced, nor is a person trying to discover information that was not already there. Rather, they’re taking information that is already in their minds, and using the process of EMDR to store it all together.
Why EMDR is Not at Risk for False Memories
For a person to experience false memories, a person would have to be under very specific conditions that all have to align. Research suggests that for someone to have false memoires implanted in their minds, all of the following situations would need to be present:
The person would have to be given new information or provided with new possibilities that were not already present.
The person would have to be in a situation where they could be guided towards new beliefs, with leading questions, suggestive language, hypnosis, or because they are unable to recall any details of the event and are seeking answers.
Unlike some other forms of therapy that explicitly work to “recover” repressed memories, EMDR focuses on existing memories and the emotional responses tied to them. These memories are not hidden or repressed. They are simply very emotional. The person that has these memories already knows they exist, but is simply having a difficult time processing it effectively.
EMDR in the Hands of a Qualified Psychotherapist
Therapists that specialize specifically in EMDR are trained directly not to use leading questions, not to imply any event has occurred, and not to suggest that something is being missed or repressed. The goal of EDMR is to prioritize existing memory recall and use a series of techniques to reduce how emotionally charged the events feel, so that ultimately the brain can move the memories into their correct placement in the brain instead of these fragmented memories that cause significant stress.
Licensed therapists, trained EMDR, like those here at Flourish Psychology, know how to address trauma accurately and correctly and avoid any situation where suggestion or leading questions could alter a person’s thoughts and memories.
EMDR is and remains one of the most effective strategies we currently have for treating PTSD and trauma. But of course, it is important to work with people that have been specifically trained in this type of approach. If you’re looking for help with trauma for yourself or someone you love, please reach out to Flourish Psychology, today.
Location: 300 Cadman Plaza West Floor 12 - Brooklyn, NY 11201
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