Elevate Psychotherapy

01/02/2025

Happy New Year!

As I enter my third year of private practice, I want to say thank you for supporting me. Whether it's liking a post or recommending my services, all of your support is invaluable. Private practice truly is a small business (I mean, it's just me and Bandit 😄) and it's hard at times, but it's what I believe I was meant to do. I absolutely love serving individuals and the larger community through this work.

Thank you for connecting, sharing, and growing with me. I'm wishing you peace and contentment in 2025. ☺️

-Allison

12/30/2024

Starting January 21, 2025: Mindful Movement for Perinatal Women, a combination Pilates and Psychotherapy group

Cost is $50 per session. Please reach out to allison@elevate-psychotherapy.com to get on the list!

12/20/2024

In the midst of the holidays, and as Christmas creeps ever closer, remember that it's ok not to love this time of year. Many people don't. Grief can make itself known in unfamiliar ways, and it becomes an entirely new experience to navigate. You're not alone, and there's nothing wrong with you. Focus on the basics of self care: eat, drink water, move your body, socialize when you can, and rest. It's ok to just survive the holidays.

12/14/2024

FYI, this is from Audriana Bagwell:

"I hope everyone is having a magical holiday season, and am holding space for those that aren't. Holiday's can be extra distressing for those who have lost a child. We have a group coming up next week. Please be sure to share with anyone you think could benefit.
We encourage folks to attend who recently lost a child, as well as those who lost a child many years ago and are interested in supporting those newer in their grief.
I love the sense of community that this group is creating! We are better together! 🫂"

12/13/2024

FYI for local moms:

Hey moms- please join us!

12/06/2024

How accurate is mental health advice on TikTok?

Not very, according to this recent analysis by Plushcare (https://plushcare.com/blog/tiktok-mental-health/?srsltid=AfmBOop7GaIWXKK6wDtFRMIUI3hWeQLwV5u0DiSu-NT0qY1clZe2JZiG)

Key Findings
1. 83.7% of mental health advice on TikTok is misleading. While 14.2% of videos include content that could be potentially damaging.

2. 100% of the content for ADHD contained misleading information, the most of any condition in our analysis.

3.Content covering bipolar disorder (94.1% of videos) and depression (90.3% of videos) were also found to be highly misleading.

4. While experts concluded that 54% of advice contained accurate information, 31% of videos contained inaccurate information.

5. Only 9% of TikTokers advising on the platform had a relevant qualification, with the remaining 91% lacking the medical training to support those with challenges.

11/25/2024

So many parents experience NICU without any preparation for the effects on their mental health. If you're a NICU mom or dad, don't be surprised if you experience excessive anxiety, trauma, or depression as a result. You're not alone. There's hope and help for healing.

10/31/2024

"Common" doesn't mean easy, normal, or meaningless.

It's ok to grieve your child, no matter how young.

10/30/2024

Psychologists typically define "early" grief as the first 1-2 years. If you're struggling, you're not alone, you're not crazy, and you're not broken.

10/26/2024

This is a phenomenal resource for anyone who is grieving a traumatic loss. I read the whole thing in a day because I couldn't put it down. If you or someone you love has experienced complex grief, please check it out:

It's OK That You're Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn't Understand

It's OK That You're Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn't Understand

10/21/2024

A reminder for pregnant and postpartum parents (up to 1 year postpartum) -
Join us tomorrow for a free informational hour. It's already pretty full, but that's ok! The more the merrier!

Thank you to my friends at Great North Pilates and WIC Breastfeeding Support for organizing this event ~

10/14/2024

We took a walk today between sessions and captured a few cute photos of Bandit with the fall foliage!

As a reminder, you can do Walk and Talk sessions and/or interact with Bandit during therapy,if you choose.

One of the highlights of my day was when Bandit calmly approached someone else's client in the waiting room. He allowed her to pet him, then he sat at her feet with his head bowed. Eventually he gave her some gentle kisses on her chin, and she became emotional. She said, "he must have known that I needed that. He does his job really well." I'd have to agree!

10/14/2024

Fascinating research!

New research shows babies' early vocalizations follow organized patterns, suggesting they actively practice speech-like sounds even without adult interaction. This discovery could deepen our understanding of language development and help identify early communication disorders.

10/14/2024

Thank you to my friends at Great North Pilates and WIC Breastfeeding Support for organizing this event ~

10/02/2024

October is pregnancy loss awareness month.

Your babies are not forgotten. Their lives matter, and your grief matters. ❤️

One day
I’ll hold you
On the other side
Until then
I’ll meet you
In my dreams

09/12/2024

Postpartum anxiety (PPA) is a real, treatable condition; however, there is normative anxiety in motherhood which should not be treated as a pathology. It's ok to be attached to your baby and concerned about his or her well-being. ❤️

09/10/2024

The Holistic Psychologist 💕

09/08/2024

September is Su***de Awareness Month. In a time when we're not even allowed to say the word without getting censored on social media, it can be difficult to know how to address such a heavy subject. Let's remember those who have lost someone they love to su***de. Su***de death and the resulting grief are complicated, confusing, and extremely painful. Having lost someone I loved to su***de, I know the depth of emotional pain. If you know someone suffering such a loss, reach out to them to provide comfort and support.

It’s a time to remember those affected by su***de, to raise awareness, and to focus efforts on directing treatment to those who need it most.