“Baby. Baby. Are you ok?” “You, go get help. Call 911.” Looking.. listening… I put my first 2 fingers together at the center of that tiny little (plastic) sternum and do 30 chest compressions before giving 2 breaths over a face the size of my cat’s. This was the scene from an infant CPR training. I was at least 15 years older than everyone else at this Before the Baby Arrives course, but all of us were anxious (excited?) to become new parents! Some people would think this is morbid. Infant...
8 days ago • 3 min read
I’m short. Or maybe not really, but compared to my family and friends, I’m a short 5’4”-ish. I don’t HAVE to wear petites but they sure fit better than “regular”. Or I can buy the SHORT version. That’s nice too. (Eye roll. Can't it be a cuter designation? Short is so obvious and boring!) It’s something I’ll probably never really get over (a little punny, maybe? over? no? ok.) but I do have workable solutions! Other than consistently buying pants that don’t fit because they’re too dang long:...
14 days ago • 3 min read
I can’t go to the grocery store, Reader. I mean yes, physically I’m capable of going into a crowded Publix on a holiday weekend but it is a disaster waiting to happen. No, I don’t love wonky lines of pushy people at the deli counter but that's not it. And no, I don’t have a past trauma that keeps me from trying to find the best parking spot (which is actually the one with even the tiniest bit of shade). It’s my inability to be discerning. At all. I’m incredibly susceptible to ANY kind of...
21 days ago • 3 min read
“But how does it actually help? How does it work? What’s going on in my brain right now?” This series of rapid fire questions came from an intake with a woman whom I’d just slapped a PTSD label onto. Label? Slapped? Really? I know. It has been a long journey to get where I am. And I recognize that labels don’t usually help people as much as they do with insurance reimbursement. But I’ve learned a lot. “Well your brain experienced a lot of trauma and now it’s extra sensitive. Zoloft can be...
29 days ago • 4 min read
I love seeing patients. And I know this is true because as I was working on this video, I kept saying "This is my favorite case" or "my favorite patient said..." Can they all be my favorites? I mean, probably not, but what a great way to feel about work! Which is strange because 2 years ago I was pretty unhappy in my contract position and I didn't have a private practice at all! I had spent months dancing around the idea of my own virtual private practice and set the whole thing up as if I...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
I am SOOOOO excited, Reader! My first CEU course has been approved by ASWB for 1 hour of credit! Yay! It's called Psychiatric Roadmap for PTSD: Brain + Medication Insights But because I'm cautious when doing something new, I future dated it so you can’t actually get credit until 7/1/24! Sheesh. That sort of crushed my spirit for a few minutes. Until I took some Triactin! My inappropriate friend said this to me once when I was appropriately venting about insurance and my new EMR. Me: Blah blah...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Here’s the thing, Reader. We all have anxiety. We just have different amounts and feel it differently in our bodies. I was recently in a group where we were discussing opportunities in our lives and I was considering the next door that was opening to me. It was a pretty cool metaphor. And behind my door was a lovely cocktail party with sequins and bow ties and delicate flutes of overflowing champagne. Oh and a pianist in the grand room ensuring everyone had nice soothing tunes for their...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
It’s summer and I feel so… Sad. I mean stressed. And then frustrated. And then the sadness seeps in. Because summer just started and my kids aren’t even bored yet but I’ve done nothing but work at my computer all week. Not how I envisioned the start of summer break. I’m frustrated with a lot of extra admin crapola after my EMR was bought out by another company. It will most definitely be much better eventually but the tedium of the transition to “Yay this is easy!” is taking forever. I’m...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Jack is a hot mess. His relationship is a very scary rollercoaster (his girlfriend sounds like she’s a real life Hall-o-scream!) and he doesn’t know what to do about his lease because the rent for his perfect, 2 blocks from the beach townhouse goes up $600 in August. Jack gets lost in these thought spirals that just take him deeper into the chaos that is his anxiety. Oh yeah, and his kidneys suck. Blame Covid. And this is someone who was doing really well the first 6months of therapy! He’s...
2 months ago • 3 min read