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The beginning of a new year often brings a quiet moment before life accelerates again. Schedules fill, responsibilities return to full speed, and expectations, both personal and professional, begin to stack up. For many people in Wilmington, this window of calm is an opportunity not to recover from burnout, but

January often arrives with a familiar message: this is the time to become someone new. New routines, new goals, new versions of ourselves, frequently wrapped in pressure to improve quickly and visibly. For many people in Wilmington, that message doesn’t feel inspiring. It feels exhausting. At Integrated Therapy Associates, we

December carries a certain glow, twinkling lights, familiar songs, family traditions, and hopeful anticipation for the year ahead. But if you’re honest with yourself, you might also notice a quieter, heavier side of this season. Expectations rise quickly, emotions surface unexpectedly, and the pressure to feel joyful can feel like

As December settles over Wilmington and the days grow shorter, many people begin to feel the quiet pressure of the year coming to an end. The shift into winter can be a beautiful pause, but it can also stir up stress, emotional exhaustion, and a sense of urgency around unfinished

December in Wilmington often carries a special kind of beauty. The air gets cooler, the city lights grow warmer, and many couples look forward to traditions, gatherings, and moments of celebration. But it’s also the time of year when pressure quietly begins to build. Between holiday expectations, family dynamics, year-end

Specialized Mental Health Support from Integrated Therapy Associate Every day, first responders and healthcare professionals in Wilmington, NC, show up for their communities with unwavering dedication. Whether responding to emergencies, caring for patients, or managing high- pressure situations, these individuals are at the frontlines of crisis. However, the emotional toll

When most people think of seasonal depression, they imagine the winter blues, shorter days, less sunlight, and cold, isolating weather. However, an often-overlooked form of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) occurs during the warmer months. For individuals living in coastal areas like Wilmington, North Carolina, where the sun is plentiful and

Understanding Complex PTSD (CPTSD): Experiences, Origins, and Healing through Therapy  Complex PTSD, or CPTSD, is a form of post-traumatic stress that arises from prolonged or repeated exposure to traumatic experiences, often beginning in childhood or accumulating over time. Unlike standard PTSD, which is typically linked to a single traumatic event,

Life is filled with uncertainties, but in recent years, many people have found themselves struggling with heightened stress and anxiety. Whether due to personal life changes, economic instability, or global events, uncertainty can create a persistent sense of worry, making it difficult to focus, sleep, or feel at ease. While

Relationships are built on trust, connection, and emotional security. However, for many individuals, past trauma can create invisible barriers that make forming and maintaining healthy relationships challenging. Whether stemming from childhood experiences, past relationships, or significant life events, unresolved trauma can shape the way people interact with others, often leading

The following article outlines insights gleaned from my own journey into the depths of intergenerational trauma healing. Each phase represents what I now view as a milepost along the way, imbued with unique challenges and discoveries. I extend my infinite gratitude for the compassionate support and heartfelt wisdom that has

A beloved Supreme Court Justice and feminist icon, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, has died, leaving many of us grief stricken and anxious at a time when our basic human rights are already in the balance. Simultaneously, fires continue to sear large swaths of the west coast with accompanying smoke that is

My last entries have focused on reviewing and defining various types of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). As a psychologist and as a humanitarian I feel compelled to write about the crisis that is unfolding right now before our very eyes, on our own soil, in the United States of America.

In my previous post I discussed the “ACE Study”, which looked at the occurrence of Adverse Childhood Experiences in a group of 17,337 adults. It was the largest and most comprehensive study of this type to date and looked at people’s experiences across ten different types of child sexual abuse.

As a psychologist who provides therapy to adults, I am often struck by how often it becomes clear to me, early on in therapy, that so many of the individuals I treat have survived one or more adverse experiences from childhood. Sometimes these are extreme and fall into the category