分类: Mental Health

11/24/2025 0 Comments

How to Add More Laughs to Your Day (Even When Life Is a Hot Mess)

Picture of 3 people sitting on a sofa, side by side, holding their sides because they are laughing so hard while there is a mess of clothes, twinkle lights and pillows strewn across the floor

Let's be real – life can feel like a complete dumpster fire sometimes. Between work stress, family drama, financial pressures, and whatever fresh chaos the universe decides to serve up, finding reasons to laugh might seem about as realistic as finding a unicorn in your backyard.

But here's the thing: humor isn't a luxury you can only afford when everything's going perfectly. It's actually one of your most powerful tools for getting through the tough stuff. And the best part? You don't need a comedy special or a perfect life to add more laughs to your day.

Why Your Brain Craves Laughter (Even When Everything Sucks)

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11/19/2025 0 Comments

Hidden Struggles: Why Depression Can Be Harder to Spot in High-Achievers

Picture of woman sitting in chair in front of desk, open laptop, but woman is holding a rose and looking at the rose instead of the laptop.

Depression in high-achievers is a tough subject to talk about. It might be natural to think that successful people, those climbing the career ladder, excelling in school, or managing multiple responsibilities with apparent ease, have it all figured out. But that's not always the case.

As therapists, we see this pattern regularly: accomplished individuals who appear to thrive externally while experiencing significant emotional distress internally. This phenomenon, often called "high-functioning depression," represents one of the most misunderstood forms of mental health struggles.

The Neuroscience Behind High-Functioning Depression

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11/17/2025 0 Comments

Why Do We Cry When We're Not Sad? The Surprising Science Behind Tears of Anger and Joy

Picture of five teens sitting in a bit of a pyramid shap while huddled around a coffee table in a living room and crying tears of joy

You know that feeling when you're watching your favorite team win the championship and suddenly tears are streaming down your face? Or when you're so frustrated with your boss that you find yourself crying in the bathroom stall? If you've ever wondered why your body seems to have its emotional wires crossed, you're definitely not alone.

It might be natural to think that tears only come from sadness, but that's not always the case. The truth is, crying is way more complicated than we give it credit for, and understanding why can actually help us make sense of our own emotional responses.

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8/4/2025 0 Comments

Does Journaling Actually Help With Anxiety?

Anxiety is tough. Really tough. If you're reading this, chances are you've felt that familiar tightness in your chest, the racing thoughts that won't quit, or that constant feeling like you're waiting for the other shoe to drop. You might have heard people suggest journaling as a way to help with anxiety, but you're probably wondering: does it actually work, or is it just another feel-good suggestion that doesn't really make a difference?

Here's the thing – journaling does help with anxiety, and there's solid science behind why it works. As a therapist, I've seen it make a real difference for my clients, and the research backs up what we see in therapy rooms every day.

What's Actually Happening in Your Brain When You Journal

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6/30/2025 0 Comments

Healing Generational Trauma: How Therapy Empowers Adolescents

Picture of four teens sitting on sofas around a coffee table.

Generational trauma is a heavy topic, and if you're reading this, chances are you're either a teen struggling with patterns that feel bigger than yourself, or a parent watching your adolescent navigate pain that seems to echo through your family history. Here's what I want you to know: healing is possible, and adolescence is actually one of the most powerful times for breaking these cycles.

As a therapist who's worked with countless families, I've seen how trauma doesn't just affect the person who experienced it directly. It ripples through generations like waves, showing up in our relationships, our emotional responses, and the way we see ourselves in the world. But here's the incredible thing about working with adolescents – their brains are literally wired for change and growth in ways that make healing not just possible, but probable.

What Generational Trauma Actually Looks Like

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2/27/2025 0 Comments

The Subtle Shifts of EMDR: Confidence, Patience, and Life Beyond Trauma Recovery

Picture of a hand holding a stone with a sapling growing from the stone. There is a puzzle game on the table beneath the hands.

EMDR therapy is fascinating: not just for what it heals, but for the unexpected ways it changes your entire relationship with yourself and the world around you. While most people know EMDR helps process traumatic memories, the ripple effects often surprise both clients and therapists alike. You might find yourself feeling more confident in job interviews, having more patience with your kids, or noticing that situations that used to trigger anxiety now feel manageable.

These aren't just nice side effects. They're profound shifts that happen when your brain stops running old, outdated programs and starts operating from a place of healing and integration.

The Science Behind These Surprising Changes

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2/13/2025 0 Comments

Complex Trauma and EMDR: Turning Negative Self-Beliefs Into Positivity

Complex trauma is one of those heavy topics that we need to talk about more openly. Unlike a single traumatic event, complex trauma happens when someone experiences repeated or ongoing trauma, often starting in childhood. Think emotional abuse, neglect, domestic violence, or growing up in chaos. These experiences don't just leave emotional scars; they rewire our brains to believe some pretty harsh things about ourselves.

If you've lived through complex trauma, you probably know those internal voices well: "I'm not good enough," "I'm broken," "I can't trust anyone," or "It's all my fault." These aren't just passing thoughts, they become core beliefs that shape how you see yourself and move through the world.

But here's the hopeful part: those beliefs can change. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy has shown incredible results in helping people rewrite these negative scripts and develop genuinely positive self-beliefs.

What Makes Complex Trauma Different

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2/2/2025 0 Comments

How Bilateral Stimulation Reprocesses Traumatic Memories: The Neuroscience Behind EMDR

illustrated image with tan and aqua flowing colors that resemble ocean and beach with an outline of a brain and the word

Let's be honest: trauma is a tough topic to talk about. But understanding how our brains process traumatic memories can actually be incredibly empowering. And when it comes to healing from trauma, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) has become one of the most fascinating and effective treatments we have.

As a therapist, I've watched EMDR work what seems like magic in the therapy room. But there's nothing magical about it: it's pure neuroscience. The secret lies in something called bilateral stimulation, and what it does to our brains is pretty remarkable.

What Actually Happens During Bilateral Stimulation?

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11/4/2023 0 Comments

How to Leave Work Stress at the Office (So It Doesn't Mess with Family Time)

Picture of a woman and two children reading a book together on a sofa

We've all been there. You walk through the front door after a long day, and before you can even say hello to your family, your mind is still spinning with deadlines, difficult conversations, and tomorrow's to-do list. Your partner asks how your day was, and instead of connecting, you find yourself venting about workplace drama or stressing about projects that aren't even due until next week.

If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. Work stress bleeding into family time is one of the most common challenges I see in my practice. The good news? With some intentional strategies, you can create real boundaries between your work life and home life.

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8/18/2023 0 Comments

Multiple Emotions all at Once!

By Lauren Heinrich

Change is a part of life. Sometimes it feels good, like getting a promotion. Sometimes it hurts, like having to end a relationship. We tend to categorize our transitions as “good” or “bad” and expect the emotions we feel to match. It can really be confusing if our feelings don’t match what we expect.

Let’s take starting a family as an example. Having your first child is supposed to be a magical, joyous experience. What are new parents supposed to do if they feel mixed emotions about having a child? It doesn’t feel right to admit to being upset that they won’t have the same amount of freedom as they did before their first kid. Or let’s consider the mixed feelings that might come with taking a promotion at work. Who wouldn’t be excited about a pay raise? No one wants to admit they feel anxious about the new responsibilities, or how their relationships with their old coworkers will change.

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7/13/2023 0 Comments

How to: Healthy Mental Health

by Marti Tourville, AMFT

Today, I want to dive deep into a topic that lies at the very core of our being: mental health. It's a
subject close to my heart, and I firmly believe that nurturing our mental well-being is vital for leading a wholehearted and authentic life.

In a world that often values productivity over self-care, we must recognize the intrinsic worth of our mental health. Just as we prioritize physical health, it's equally essential to devote time and energy to our emotional and psychological well-being. Let's explore why embracing our mental health is so crucial:

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6/5/2023 0 Comments

Becoming Authentic - Owning our Choices

By Jessica Darling Wilkerson, LMFT

"What do you mean, 'owning our choices?' Of course I own my choices!"

Here's the thing, the way we talk to ourselves and to other people can often lead us astray from authenticity and lead us to the same ol' path toward the self-preservation of using our mask. We mostly do it to protect ourselves from ourselves.

What do I mean by that?

Well, we are humans and in our humanity we can tend to make bad choices. In that humanity we can tend to be judgmental. We can easily end up judging ourselves and then subconsciously fear others will judge us with that same standard (or worse).

So we bend the truth:

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5/1/2023 0 Comments

The Fear of Therapy

By Jessica Darling Wilkerson, LMFT

I have a tendency to dig right in.

I have to force myself to remember to engage in the expected pleasantries of hello, how are you, how has your day been so far? This is because by the time my client has shown up to my office I've already been thinking about them - how about I just say "you".

I've been thinking about you.

I get up in the morning, take my shower, drink my coffee, drop my children off to their respective places, and drive into work. I listen to the radio while I drive in, but that's mostly background noise. I think about the people I get to see today. Their stories come back to me and I start wondering how they've been this week based on how they left my office the previous week.

By the time you arrive, I've already started our conversation hours ago, and I'm ready to jump right in. But quite often, I'll catch myself, and I'll try to remember to say the hello first...

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3/14/2023 0 Comments

Helping our Children Handle Stress & Anxiety

by Jessica Darling Wilkerson, LMFT

Anxiety in children can often take on the characteristics of other disorders and can be “misdiagnosed” by the people in the child’s life: parents, family members, teachers, etc. This is because children don’t have the ability to conceptualize and articulate what’s going on intrapsychically for themselves. A child identifies, “I don’t feel good.” They don’t identify the sense of foreboding, or feeling of “waiting for the other shoe to drop.” They can’t figure out why they feel this way, but they want the feeling to stop and they’ll do anything to make that happen.

To stop the anxiety they might refuse to participate in an activity. They could seem keyed-up or restless. They might isolate themselves and fight their parent tooth and nail to keep from engaging in whatever the parent wants them to do (go to school, do homework, get dressed, leave the house, etc). They might create little rituals that seem like OCD.

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1/9/2023 0 Comments

Hunger, Nutrition, and Mental Health

by Jennifer Barzey, LCSW

Despite having studied nutrition and having developed an understanding of the impact that food can have on our physical and mental health, I still love chocolate. After a stressful experience or difficult day, I still sometimes find myself more enticed by chips or sweets. There are many reasons for this. I grew up associating food with both a way to feel better when sad and a way to celebrate when happy. Turning down food prepared for me was rude and having more was seen as a compliment to the chef. When I didn’t yet have the skills needed to cope with my feelings, food was there.

Our relationship with food can be quite complicated!

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1/2/2023 0 Comments

Cutting, burning, self harm... what is it all about?

by Lauren Heinrich, AMFT

Cutting is a sign of anxiety, not just thoughts of suicide.

Self-harm is a scary topic. It’s not a common point of conversation, and is often misunderstood.
It might be natural to think that a person hurting themselves in such an extreme way must be
contemplating suicide, but that is not always the case. It is hard to think that a person can be in
so much emotional pain that they want to harm themselves, but it happens more often than we
think.

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12/12/2022 0 Comments

How To Let It Be: Even the “Bad” Stuff.

By Joe Acciaioli, LCSW

Mindfulness vs. Worry: How to let it be... even the “bad” stuff.

A good short definition of mindfulness is: nonjudgmental noticing of our thoughts, feelings, and
body sensations in this present moment. When I share this definition with my clients, the word
they almost always get hung up on is “nonjudgmental.” How on earth are we supposed to not
judge as BAD the challenges we face? “My spouse is really sick.” “I let my child down again.”
“That plumbing repair is going to be expensive.” These are not pleasant thoughts. We do not
want them. And this is where the work of mindfulness comes into play. To say to yourself, in
those tough moments, “I can just let this thought be as it is, without judgment”--that is not easy
to do!

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12/5/2022 0 Comments

Boost Your Confidence in One Easy Mindshift

By Dan Katz, LCSW

So, what are you going to do............
Get up and get some exercise, or grab the remote and head for the couch?

We've all asked ourselves this question lots of times. If you're one of the people that usually gets up and gets going, that's great for your physical health, as well as for your mental health. If you're one of the people that too often chooses the couch, I've got some interesting information for you.

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10/24/2022 0 Comments

Adults & Eye Rolling

By Emily Emmerman, MSW, ASW

I've noticed that sometimes grown women still engage in eye rolling behavior - but it would make sense since that they do it more whet home with their families. Unfortunately, my partner used to get his fair share of eye rolls, too - not always directed at him though - sometimes it's with the information he presented about others, or about situations we somehow found ourselves in that I then have to take control over and fix.

Just like the teenage eye-roll, one could assume that adult eye-rolls are still a form of both communication, dominance, and aggression (although not as soft as when they were a teenager - because as an adult we should know better).

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11/22/2021 0 Comments

A Thankful Heart Can Be Harder Said Than Done

by Jessica Wilkerson, LMFT 104464

Studies have shown that the main driver toward joy is gratitude. In surveying people who describe themselves as happy these studies also see a correlation with thankfulness. But when it feels like life has been throwing you curveballs and like you're out of alignment with where you want to be in life right now, finding that grateful heart can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack and gratitude feels like a generic cliche.

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(530) 809-1702

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1610 West Street, Ste 4, Redding CA 96001

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MISSION: To provide a tranquil and healing space in which people in our community can find calmness internally through the relaxing atmosphere, along with respectful and engaging therapy conversations. To contribute to happier and more secure families by helping individuals, couples, and teens heal within and thereby creating different ways of engaging with themselves, the world, and those they love.

VISION: Creating a new kind of therapy experience in the Chico and Redding areas in which therapists have smaller caseloads, giving them the flexibility to spend more time with clients as needed - longer sessions, phone calls, client-centered advocacy. Creating a space in our community where clients can go between sessions to sit, linger, and re-center themselves when they're having difficult days. A place to belong while they heal their hearts and relationships. A therapy office that embodies the unconditional love of Christ, no matter what a person's gender identity, romantic disposition, or previous life hardships, experiences, or actions might have been. To be a safe place.

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Inspired Life Counseling is owned and directed by Jessica Darling, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #104464.
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YOUR CART

How to Add More Laughs to Your Day (Even When Life Is a Hot Mess)

Hidden Struggles: Why Depression Can Be Harder to Spot in High-Achievers

Why Do We Cry When We're Not Sad? The Surprising Science Behind Tears of Anger and Joy

Does Journaling Actually Help With Anxiety?

Healing Generational Trauma: How Therapy Empowers Adolescents

The Subtle Shifts of EMDR: Confidence, Patience, and Life Beyond Trauma Recovery

Complex Trauma and EMDR: Turning Negative Self-Beliefs Into Positivity

How Bilateral Stimulation Reprocesses Traumatic Memories: The Neuroscience Behind EMDR

How to Leave Work Stress at the Office (So It Doesn't Mess with Family Time)

Multiple Emotions all at Once!

How to: Healthy Mental Health

Becoming Authentic - Owning our Choices

The Fear of Therapy

Helping our Children Handle Stress & Anxiety

Hunger, Nutrition, and Mental Health

Cutting, burning, self harm... what is it all about?

How To Let It Be: Even the “Bad” Stuff.

Boost Your Confidence in One Easy Mindshift

Adults & Eye Rolling

A Thankful Heart Can Be Harder Said Than Done

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