When people hear “bipolar disorder,” they often picture dramatic mood swings—feeling on top of the world one moment and weighed down by depression the next. While mood shifts are part of it, the reality is far more layered.

DBT taught me how to step back from those extremes and live in a more grounded truth. The concept of wise mind—the space where emotional mind and logical mind meet—gave me language for what I was striving for: a way to navigate grief without being consumed by it, and to make decisions from a place of clarity and self-respect.

Many people don't realize that what they went through in childhood—whether it was neglect, abuse, witnessing violence, or experiencing loss—can shape how the brain develops, and how they respond to the world well into adulthood.

I’ve seen long-held trauma soften. I’ve seen protectors transform into allies. I’ve seen people reclaim parts of themselves they thought were lost for good.

When pain lives deep in the body and nervous system, it often needs more than words to heal. That’s where the magic of EMDR comes in….

As a therapist, you hold space for others — offering compassion, guidance, and a steady presence through life’s hardest moments. But who holds space for you?