Research, real-life stories, and science-backed tools to help you heal

Episode 114: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTubeView transcript on Buzzsprout Sometimes the hardest part of healing isn’t surviving chaos—it’s staying present when things finally calm down. In this episode, Amanda unpacks why feeling safe can actually feel threatening for trauma survivors, and how this paradox plays out on a biological and emotional level. If […]

Episode 113: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTubeView transcript on Buzzsprout There are moments in life—sometimes seasons—when safety isn’t guaranteed. Maybe it’s a toxic home, a job that drains you, or trauma that lingers long after the danger has passed. When the environment around you feels unsafe, how do you regulate? How do you find […]

If you’ve ever sought help for anxiety or depression, there’s a good chance you’ve heard something like this: “Your symptoms are caused by a chemical imbalance in your brain. These medications will help correct that imbalance.” This explanation is simple, straightforward, and has been repeated by healthcare providers for decades. It’s also a narrative that […]

Have you ever gone to a doctor for anxiety or depression and walked out with a prescription but no bloodwork? If so, you’re not alone. This approach is surprisingly common in our healthcare system, but it misses a critical piece of the healing puzzle. The Missing Piece in Mental Health Care When we experience anxiety […]

If you’ve landed on this blog you’ve likely heard the phrase “regulate your nervous system” more than once. But what does that really mean—and what does it actually look like in daily life? As a nervous system and mental health practitioner, and as someone who has personally navigated this healing path, I’ve learned that having […]

If your mental and physical health has felt like a game of Whack-a-Mole—where you get control of one symptom only to have another pop up—there’s a good chance your vagus nerve is the common thread connecting these seemingly unrelated issues. This cranial nerve is gaining attention in the wellness world for a reason, in fact […]

If anxiety is your default setting and you need tangible tools to support you in moments where it starts to spiral, keep reading (I was once there too). When your system is in a sympathetic (fight-or-flight) state, it makes it harder to: The seven, research-supported, practices I’ll walk you through in this post help you […]

You’ve been showing up to therapy consistently for months, maybe even years. You’ve talked through your childhood, analyzed your thought patterns, and maybe you’ve gained valuable insights about yourself (& maybe you haven’t). Yet somehow, those persistent symptoms of anxiety or depression still linger. The panic attacks continue. That feeling of being disconnected from yourself […]