The Benefit of Journaling for Your Mental Health

What is journaling? Journaling is the expression of thoughts and emotions. Journaling can be done in many forms such as handwriting in a notebook, typing on a computer, or through other forms of creative expression such as drawing. The practice of journaling is not a rigid and defined practice. There is no right or wrong […]

Therapy Corner – The Therapeutic Benefits of Music

The Origins and Power of Music If you were to investigate when music was created google would indicate 35,000 years ago. There is research that has proven that music can impact humans in a significant way.  You likely remember at least one jingle in a commercial selling a product. There is a chance that there […]

Therapy Corner – What Does Self-Care Look Like?

Redefining Self-Care: Beyond the Spa Days and Gym Sessions Self-care is a term that is often not fully understood. It can bring to mind activities such as getting a massage/ mani-pedi or going to the gym. However, if we limit ourselves to these physical and often expensive options, we are missing many other social and […]

Therapy Corner – Reducing Symptoms of Depression

Strategies to Combat Depression Depression symptoms can cause the feeling of a gray filter overlaying every area of life.  Mild to moderate depression includes symptoms such as: fatigue, lack of interest, changes in appetite, irritability, and malaise.  There are behavioral strategies one can employ to help reduce these symptoms and experience a lift in mood […]

Therapy Corner – Difficulty Sleeping?

Understanding Sleep Struggles There are two main reasons that people struggle with sleep. One is anxiety-based; racing thoughts, thinking about the past, thinking about the future, trying to sort through a problem, or imagining what could go wrong. The second reason is behavioral – the result of a habit or activity. In order to provide […]

Panic Disorder: Evidence-Based Treatments for Panic Disorder and Panic AttacksPanic Disorder:

Panic disorder, characterized by recurrent and unexpected panic attacks, affects millions worldwide, severely impacting quality of life. Panic attacks involve sudden periods of intense fear or discomfort, accompanied by physical symptoms such as palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, and feelings of impending doom. Effective management is crucial, and treatment typically involves a combination of […]

Panic Disorder: A Primer

/*! elementor – v3.21.0 – 08-05-2024 */ .elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px} Introduction & Definitions The experience of a panic attack is one of the most common reasons an individual seeks psychiatric care. Before we begin our discussion, let’s define some terms: Panic Attack: A panic attack is an acute episode of intense […]

Building a Therapeutic Alliance via Telehealth

Questions often arise about the effectiveness of virtual therapy vs in person therapy.  Concerns arise about whether the patient will feel disconnected or find it to be impersonal.  Ascend Healthcare has been providing virtual mental health services for 4 years now and we have found it to be life saving and life changing for many […]

Telemedicine: Improving Access to Mental Healthcare

From internalized stigma to other social determinants of health, numerous barriers to mental health care have a significant impact on access to mental health services. Working with our Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) partners, Ascend Healthcare works to provide integrated psychiatric and behavioral healthcare to patients across the country through medication management, substance use disorder […]