Professional Counseling with Tiffany

28/08/2025

🎧Neuroplasticity plays a crucial role in listening therapy. This concept refers to the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. By exposing ourselves to specific sound frequencies through listening therapy, we can potentially reshape and strengthen neural pathways and enhance cognitive functions over time.

There has been a growing recognition of the powerful impact that music can have on our mental health and listening therapy has been shown to have effective applications in clinical settings. It is used as an adjunct treatment for conditions such as anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism (ASD). By strategically using music that has been filtered to highlight frequencies that send cues of safety to the nervous system, therapists can aim to regulate brainwave patterns and promote positive changes in behavior and emotional well-being.

It has become evident that music has the ability to influence our mood, emotions and mental health in profound ways.

The neuroscience of music and listening therapy has long been an intriguing field, exploring the profound impact that music can have on our minds and body. One notable application of Dr. Porges’ work is the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), which aims to regulate the autonomic nervous system through filtered music. By sending cues of safety through specific frequencies that highlight the human voice, this listening therapy can help individuals better regulate their nervous system, and improve their overall well-being and ability to connect with others.

Designed to address dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system, this evidence-based listening therapy offers a non-invasive approach to help clients find their unique journey towards better nervous system regulation and overall health. Clients who have experienced the SSP have reported improvements in self-regulation, attention, social engagement, and overall well-being. 🧠

06/08/2025

🎧Certified Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP) Provider 🎧

What does this mean? Well I’m certified to deliver the SSP, a non-invasive vagal nerve stimulator designed to reduce stress and auditory sensitivity.

Five hours of music. Long-lasting impact.

The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a powerful listening therapy designed to help regulate the nervous system, so you can better connect with yourself, others and the world around you.

As you listen to the music of the SSP, these highlighted frequencies send cues of safety to retune your nervous system, which can help you feel more settled, engaged and balanced.

Visit: WhatistheSSP.com to learn more

SSP is designed to be an adjunct therapy, meaning it complements other therapeutic approaches. It helps individuals feel safer and more regulated, which can make other therapies more effective.

By stimulating the vagus nerve, SSP helps to shift the nervous system from states of hyperarousal (fight-or-flight) or hypoarousal (shutdown) into a state of social engagement and calm.

While the applications of the SSP are still being explored, these are the experiences currently represented in case studies:

• ADHD | Case Studies
• Anxiety | Case Studies
• Auditory Processing | Case Studies
• Autism | Case Studies
• Co-Regulation/Connection | Case Studies
• Depression | Case Studies
• Disordered Eating | Case Studies
• Learning & Child Development | Case Studies
• Sensory Sensitivity | Case Studies
• Sleep | Case Studies
• Social Engagement | Case Studies
• Trauma & PTSD | Case Studies

There are also some applications being explored for chronic pain, illness, and injury.

Contact me directly if you’d like to discuss! #240-205-9830 🧠

25/07/2025

Yesterday I had the pleasure of touring Fusion Academy with Tainah Georges,
Director of Admissions & Outreach at the Boca Raton location who is warm, very knowledgeable (as a former teacher at the school) and super welcoming. While I’m very familiar with Fusion Academy, having former clients who had been students at Fusion, I’ve also referred families to this campus and even taken trainings there. I’ve never really had the opportunity to see everything the school has to offer.

Summers typically offer a valuable window for professional development, providing me some time to strengthen my collaborative networks. This ultimately benefits my clients who present with specific learning and social/emotional needs. I’ve loved the opportunity to collaborate with professionals in the area, to enhance collaborative efforts and ensure continuity of care, especially for school-aged clients or those requiring multidisciplinary support.

Fusion is a fully accredited 1-to-1 private school for grades 6-12, where they offer personalized education for students with learning, social, or emotional differences. There are many reasons that Fusion has been one of the top private schools where I’ll refer parents with adolescents who are in need of an alternative learning environment that is safe & nurturing. My clients who have attended the school have vouched for the professionalism of the staff & ability to learn in a very customized and creative way.

17/07/2025

❓What’s the difference between “top-down” and “bottom-up” therapy, and why does it matter? ⁉️

🧠The words “top” and “bottom” are references to particular sections of the brain and what they are responsible for.

⬇️There are therapists who follow a top-down approach, which doesn’t always achieve the desired results as well as an integrative, top-down and bottom-up therapeutic practice.

🗣️Top-down forms of psychotherapy work exactly how they sound. Top-down forms of therapy work by specifically targeting functions within the cerebral cortex. This can then change how people think, behave, and function in daily life. Common forms of top-down therapy include Brief Solution Focused Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. These forms of therapy may be helpful for some. For others, it may not be enough.

🎧Bottom up forms of therapy target the body, then the brain stem, the limbic system, and finally the cerebral cortex. This allows for healing to take place within the body and nervous system first, which can be negatively impacted by such things as stress, chronic illness, and the many forms of trauma.

👍🏻Bottom-up forms of therapy help to re-regulate the body and nervous system first to then allow the brain to heal from the brain stem up.

😬Through these forms of therapy, you will notice how it is possible to live your life and not be in a constant state of stress, worry, or fear. 😁

😎Once this is re-established in the body and lower brain, an individual’s emotions and thoughts will begin to shift to become more adaptive and less self-critical.

🧘🏽‍♂️Therefore, bottom-up therapy works on understanding sensations, education on the nervous system, grounding, mindfulness, and body awareness.

👌🏻The top-down methods alone might not be enough if not taking into consideration the automatic nature of the nervous system of the individual, or in other words, a body that is hardwired to perceive danger where there is none.

15/07/2025

🧠Polyvagal theory developed by Dr. Stephen Porges emphasizes the importance of the vagus nerve (a key part of the parasympathetic nervous system) in social engagement and emotional regulation. It identifies three states: Ventral Vagel (our goal), Sympathic & Dorsal Vagel.

🦋 Here @ Therapy at Tiffany’s, I use polyvagal-informed therapy to help individuals
regulate their nervous system.

🎧By learning to identify and shift between different autonomic states, individuals can gain more control over their emotional responses to re-establish a sense of SAFETY! ☀️

🎹Through various techniques, including music therapy, and co-regulation with others, individuals can learn to feel safe in their bodies and in their environment.

🎶 In turn, they will have an improved experience for rebuilding social connections.

🌻By understanding the role of the social engagement system, individuals can work on rebuilding healthy relationships and improving their social functioning❣️

Watch the video below to get a great visual interpretation of the Polyvagel Perspective:

This video was developed to give a basic introduction and overview of how trauma and chronic stress affects our nervous system and how those effects impact o...

14/07/2025

All you need is love AND a true understanding of Attachment Theory! 🫶🏽

Dr. Anita Knight Kuhnley presented at our most recent Palm Beach Counselors Association meeting & she continued to shed light on a popular topic for therapists called 🧲Attachment Theory.

Dr Kuhnley has created a very clever & practical guide. After reading the book, I think it’s one of the most straight forward and simplified ways of truly understanding the four relationship styles!

Which can help to take the guesswork out of understanding why people behave the way they do--especially in times of stress.

The goal is to find and nurture a love that lasts! ❤️

In her own words:

“Of course we love our partners--but do we love our partners well? According to attachment theory, we tend to experience and show love in predictable ways, some of which might have served us in the past but may now be undermining our relationships. So how do you know if a budding relationship is prone to struggle or success? How can you improve a long-term relationship that is stuck in a season of frustration? “

I really enjoyed her book because the following strategies can help so many people to:

1. identify your relationship style (and your partner's) -

💗link below for the abbreviated quiz

2. understand the strengths and challenges of that style

3. overcome feelings of rejection and failed relationships

4. recognize the patterns and behaviors that are affecting your relationships

5. develop better ways to express and receive love

💗Take “The Four Relationships Styles Quiz”

https://www.riddle.com/view/3aYjgWzL

It’s just 7 questions 💕

Disclaimer: there are religious references in this book which I didn’t expect, but I trust that they can be used accordingly based on the readers personal belief’s and values

19/06/2025

It’s been a fun week visiting with Amanda Bassos MS, Director of Clinical Outreach, and her team at The Nest powered by Family First. 🪺

The Nest is a specialized residential treatment for neurodivergent boys in South Florida, located in PBG.

“At The Nest, they deliver neurodiversity-affirming care. The Neurodivergent Empowerment Support and Transformational (NEST) Program offers structure and support for teen boys, including—but not limited to—those diagnosed with:

• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Dyslexia and other learning differences
• Sensory processing issues”

I was very impressed by the beautiful campus, housing and dedicated mental health counseling team. I especially loved learning about their implementation of The Safe and Sound Protocol used within their therapeutic practice. This evidenced based protocol (SSP) is a powerful listening therapy designed to help regulate the nervous system. “Through the specially filtered music, the SSP sends cues of safety to your nervous system, building the foundation for awareness, embodiment and resilience”. I’m planning to also complete my training with Unyte & will combine the music of the SSP with my CBT, DBT, Art Therapy and EMDR techniques used at Therapy at Tiffany’s. Families returning from summer vacation should inquire more about this fascinating method to promote nervous system regulation.

At Family First Adolescent Services, they celebrate neurodiversity, much like I do at Therapy at Tiffany’s. The Nest, a specialized residential treatment program for neurodivergent boys ages 12-18 and they provide a safe, supportive, and developmentally attuned environment for neurodivergent adolescents. “They empower teens to embrace their unique strengths, develop essential life skills, and build meaningful connections through evidence-based treatment, experiential learning, and family involvement”.

11/06/2025

Neurodivergent Umbrella: Visuals - as promised -from Video #2 🧠💪🏽🫶🏽

04/06/2025

🏳️‍⚧️How to Find an LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapist (recommendations from the Point Foundation)

1. Look for Cultural Competence and Diversity Training:

Look for therapists who list “LGBTQ+ issues” as a specialty on their website or on directories such as Psychology Today.

2. Experience with the LGBTQ+ Community:

Ideas for your email:

“I am looking for a therapist that is culturally competent and well-trained in working with diverse clients, one who is also trauma-aware or trauma-informed, and someone who has lived experience working directly with the LGBTQ+ community. Do you fit that criterion?”

3. Trauma Awareness and Trauma-Informed Therapy:

“This means that they understand the impact of trauma and can provide a safe and supportive environment for you to process your experiences.” 🏳️‍🌈

02/06/2025

“All human beings deserve equal treatment, no matter their gender identity or sexuality.”

– Andreja Pejic

🏳️‍🌈Millennials & Gen Z are often at the leading edge of talks, along with opinion shifts, that are driving a wide range of economic impacts. 🏳️‍⚧️

Companies “are speaking up on public policy impacting the LGBTQ community, and many are doing so in places where they face stiff headwinds, putting their brands and political relationships on the line — a pointed action in a climate where legal and political debates continue over whether businesses can refuse to serve LGBTQ people”. - Harvard Business Review

Studies show
(Link Below) that “LGBTQ inclusion is good for the economy, and as more and more businesses make this connection, they are stepping forward to make the economic case for non-discrimination protections and against discriminatory laws.”

“It is important and it is vital to keep education for critical consciousness around intersectionalities, so that people are able to not focus on one thing and blame one group, but be able to look holistically at the way intersectionality informs all of us: whiteness, gender, sexual preferences, etc. Only then can we have a realistic handle on the political and cultural world we live within.”
– bell hooks

🌸bell hooks also emphasized the importance of love and community as tools for liberation and healing. She believed that building strong social networks and engaging in acts of love and compassion could help individuals cope with the challenges of oppression and improve their mental health. 🧠








FYI: Intersectionality is the acknowledgement that everyone has their own unique experiences of discrimination and oppression and we must consider everything and anything that can marginalise people – gender, race, class, sexual orientation, physical ability, etc. First coined by Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw back in 1989.

https://hbr.org/2019/03/why-many-businesses-are-becoming-more-vocal-in-support-of-lgbtq-rights

28/05/2025

The “Let Them” theory by Mel Robbins focuses on “radical acceptance,” which is a skill used in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). “Radical acceptance” means fully and completely accepting reality as it is, judging it, denying, or fighting it, even when reality is painful or difficult.“

This theory involves a mindset shift that emphasizes the importance of detachment in order to focus on personal peace.

The “Let Them” theory is the ultimate boundary setting guide for applying non-attachment to others’ thoughts and actions.

Mel reminds us that “most of us are just trying to do our best to get ahead, pay our bills, raise a family, fall in love, have more fun & reach the potential of our lives. We’re just looking for simple ways to be a little happier and make our lives a little better.”

By learning and practicing the “Let Them” theory, people who dedicate time to self growth & who are motivated to evolve, can save their time and energy, to focus on themselves.

The “Let Them” theory encourages boundaries, supports self-acceptance & reduces anxiety and overthinking.

It’s important to consider that the “Let Them” theory is not beneficial if it becomes an excuse to avoid difficult conversations or healthy conflict (aka: risk avoidance). It’s not the answer in cases of emotional abuse or toxic relationships. We also have to watch out for oversimplifying complex situations: relationships are complicated. If it’s someone close to you; it’s not always as simple as “letting them” if this person is close to you, like a family member or partner. The work we do in therapy is often involving hard work to process through these conflicts. We guide you to understand your underlying emotional responses, not just accepting them and walking away.

Personally, I’d recommend you grab a copy of this book. It is a helpful guide to create a mindset that allows you to accept what you cannot control, but keep in mind that it also is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s a great tool for personal growth, boundary-setting, and everyday frustrations, but sometimes mental health struggles & relationships need deeper work than just “letting go.”

20/05/2025

🫶🏽These are the Four Types of Adult Relationship Attachments:
1. Secure Attachment
2. Anxious-Preoccupied Insecure Attachment
3. Dismissive-Avoidant Insecure Attachment
4. Fearful-Avoidant Insecure Attachment

🤨Can you guess which one we’re all aiming to achieve? If you guessed SECURE, you’re right! 🏆

🦩There are 4 types of child-parent attachment:
1. Secure Attachment
2. Avoidant Attachment
3. Resistant Attachment
4. Disorganized

Why does this apply to you? It can either help shape your relationship or cause disruption and potential failure.

🧠Therapy can help you to understand your attachment style, how it was developed & what can be done to grow with this new self awareness. Together we will make positive changes for your own benefit!

💕Attachment needs are primarily needs that should be met between partners in order for them to feel close to each other and safe.

👩🏽‍🍼Attachment - the relationship between child & parent is responsible for:

1. The ability to rebound from disappointment, discouragement, and misfortune
2. The ability to maintain emotional balance
3. The ability to enjoy being ourselves & to find satisfaction in being with others
4. Shaping the failure or success of future intimate relationships

🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒Parenting can be tricky & there’s always room for guidance and support from a therapeutic standpoint. Don’t hesitate to reach out for mindful parenting tips for cultivating calm, boosting self-esteem, and learning ideas on how to form healthier parenting styles that will contribute to your child’s current & future relationships. 🌼

www.therapyattiffanys.com
240-205-9830