The Good Neuron

The Good Neuron We’re here to uplift mental wellness, support NCMHCE prep, and offer real encouragement for life’s messy moments. I am also a mom and a military spouse.

Whether you’re a counselor, student, or just human, you belong here. Follow for mental health wellness tools, tips, and encouragement! My name is Hannah Salazar, the owner and founder of The Good Neuron. I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Florida and a Certified K-12 School Counselor as well as Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in Ohio. I specialize in neurodevelopmental disorders and pediatric mental health. I have a passion for helping others succeed as well as advocating for the mental health space. Follow along for tips & tricks for the NCMHCE and my random babblings about the mental health field with everyday mom things thrown in. Looking forward to meeting you!

You just need to make a decision to move toward what you value in your life…even if it’s messy getting there.
08/21/2025

You just need to make a decision to move toward what you value in your life…even if it’s messy getting there.

08/21/2025

Summer is winding down, and a new school year is on the horizon. 🚌

Help your child feel confident and ready with these psychologist-approved tips for a smoother transition: https://at.apa.org/2aw

08/21/2025

Sometimes we get caught chasing perfection—but healing happens in progress. Keep going, you’re doing better than you think. ✨

08/19/2025

Oftentimes the weight of what we go through in life doesn’t stay in one place. It can leak into our work, our relationships, our health, and even our sense of self.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) teaches us that while we can’t always control the pain or stressors we face, we can choose how we respond. Instead of struggling against our experiences, we can notice them, make space for them, and gently reorient ourselves toward what truly matters.

Ask yourself: What value do I want to move toward today, even while carrying this weight?
Maybe it’s kindness. Maybe it’s presence with your kids. Maybe it’s courage to take a small step forward.

The weight may not disappear, but your values can guide you in how you carry it 🫶🏼

Alright guys….My newest study guide is LIVE! And since it’s my 35th birthday today, I have set up a code that will work ...
08/15/2025

Alright guys….My newest study guide is LIVE! And since it’s my 35th birthday today, I have set up a code that will work only this weekend. Feel free to use bday35 at checkout for 35% off on thegoodneuron.com!

This study guide is long (I’m talking over 70 pages). I am hoping to have it on Amazon soon so it’ll be a hard copy! Just running into some formatting issues but figured I should release it anyway on my site.

Happy studying 😊
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✨ Saturthoughts ✨ (Totally made that up but let’s make it a thing!!) “Seijaku (せいじゃく) isn’t silence. It is stillness wit...
08/09/2025

✨ Saturthoughts ✨
(Totally made that up but let’s make it a thing!!)

“Seijaku (せいじゃく) isn’t silence. It is stillness within the noise. It teaches that peace isn’t found outside the chaos, but within your response to it. It’s an inner posture of calm.”
I love this Japanese proverb. It is a reminder to me that we don’t have to wait for life to be “quiet” before we can feel grounded. Calm isn’t a place we go; it’s something we create within ourselves, even when the world feels loud.

I’ve always loved inspirational words and quotes. Ever since I was a high schooler I would paste them all over my binder and make collages from magazines (IYKYK). Nowadays, it’s a Pinterest board, but I still find a lot of calm and clarity in finding new ones. It’s also a creative outlet for myself.

As a military spouse, mom, small business owner, dog mom, etc…I wear a lot of hats. Some of these quotes are beautiful reminders of how to approach life & how to create calm amidst the chaos.

💬 How do you find stillness in the middle of chaos?

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Ever feel like the NCMHCE is testing someone completely different than the counselor you actually are?Same.Real therapy ...
08/07/2025

Ever feel like the NCMHCE is testing someone completely different than the counselor you actually are?

Same.

Real therapy is messy, relational, and deeply human. But when we’re talking about a standardized exam like the NCMHCE, we have to also realize It’s structured, linear, and rules-driven. And that gap can feel huge if no one’s warned you about it.

Here’s the good news:
The exam isn’t asking you to abandon your counselor identity. It just wants you to temporarily wear your “clinical strategy” hat. I frequently say in tutor sessions, to “leave your personality at the door” because this test calls for it.

You already have the heart.
Now let’s sharpen the structure.

📌 Save this post for your next study session
Drop a 🧠 if you’ve ever felt this tension
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Some people will struggle in a power war with their thoughts. Others feel stuck, like their mind is circling the drain. ...
08/05/2025

Some people will struggle in a power war with their thoughts. Others feel stuck, like their mind is circling the drain. Sometimes, there are so many options you end up doing… nothing (hellooo decision paralysis).

This is where ACT therapy comes in.

ACT, acceptance and commitment therapy, reminds us:
🧠 Your thoughts don’t have to be perfect.
💭 Your mood doesn’t have to be ideal.
📍Your plan doesn’t have to be flawless.

You can still move forward.
Just like the boat in this image, you can carve a path through resistance. Not because the water is calm, but because the engine kept going.
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“How can I pass the NCMHCE?” Often times when I am tutoring, I get asked this question. My job as a tutor/coach/whatever...
08/04/2025

“How can I pass the NCMHCE?”
Often times when I am tutoring, I get asked this question. My job as a tutor/coach/whatever you wanna call me, is to figure out the barrier that is preventing you from passing. Sometimes, the focus has been so much on the knowledge and application part that we forget about our other priorities.
It’s not just about the DSM5TR. To pass the NCMHCE, you need these soft skills too:

✅ Clinical reasoning
✅ Time management
✅ Emotional regulation
✅ Crisis-to-treatment flow
✅ Knowing when to slow down

Which of these do you feel strongest in? Weakest in? Start there.
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Dayton, OH

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Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 12pm

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