Jessica Carroll, PhD - Licensed Clinical Psychologist

10/25/2025

Surfers Healing Hilo is November 22!

PLEASE NOTE:Hawaii camps are not subject to the participant lottery, therefore participation is confirmed upon submission.Camps are exclusive to particpants with special needs with no age restrictions.

10/25/2025

https://hawaiifoodbank.org/help/

Seeking food assistance in Hawaii? Connect with Hawaii Foodbank for resources in Oahu and Kauai, or reach out to our partners for support.

10/07/2025

If you’re NOT autistic, congratulations, your brain works like a pond!
All of your daily living activities are like lily pads,
they float close together on the surface, which is great news for you!

For example, since the “chores” and “hobbies” lily pads are so close together,
once you’ve finally put together that Lego set,
you can easily hop over to that pile of dirty dishes without falling in the water.

Unfortunately, if you ARE autistic, your brain is more like a lake.
And the part that sucks: you’ve got the exact same lily pads,
but you have to cover more surface area in order to get there.

This means when you’re sitting on the “hobbies” lily pad, and that Lego set is finally finished,
you’ll have to do more than just a little “hop” to get over to the “chores” part of your brain that allows you to do the dishes.

Autistic or not, no one LIKES wet socks, so jumping into the water to shift your focus from one “lily pad” to the other isn't a viable option for any of us.

For those of us with “lake brains”, the journey between lily pads can sometimes feel impossible!
Sure, we can peel ourselves away from the Legos, the iPad, the homework, etc.,
but then we have to strategically plan how to MOVE from where we are, to where we need to be next.

Metaphorically, we’re often stuck waiting for a gust of wind, a passing boat, or a nearby stick to propel ourselves forward.

And hopefully all of that serves as some extra context behind WHY it can be SO challenging for autistic folks to shift between tasks. 💗

09/30/2025

09/28/2025

Recent brain scans have revealed that children living with unstable families where the child is exposed to constant arguing between the parents or themselves are abused/neglected, have brain changes similar to combat solders after returning from active duty. In some cases, the brains of abused children are in even worse shape than the combat soldiers.

Childhood trauma and the trauma experienced by combat soldiers can create similar, long-lasting changes in the brain’s structure and chemistry. The core reason is that the brain, whether developing or mature, adapts to a high-stress, unpredictable environment by entering a persistent state of hypervigilance, prioritizing survival over other functions.

The key difference lies in the context of the trauma. A child’s brain is still developing, making it highly susceptible to having its core structures and functions altered. A soldier’s brain, which is already mature, is changed by extreme stress but is less fundamentally altered than a child’s.

The shared neurobiological process: an over-activated internal alarm system.

Trauma forces the brain to initiate a “fight or flight or freeze” response for survival. When this state becomes chronic, it changes the brain’s baseline functioning, creating a state of constant, heightened alert. This process affects key brain regions involved in emotion, memory and rational thought.

I am running out of rom here but I will put a breakdown in the comments section of each brain region affected and altered by trauma.

If you have children, it is best to never argue in their presence and always treat your child with love, patience, respect and tender care, punish gently when necessary and use bad behavior as a teachable moment instead of harshly punishing your tiny creation.

If you experienced trauma as a child and never actively did intentional work to heal your brain or nervous system, you are likely experiencing chronic symptoms well into adulthood as a result. The good news is, any damage done is likely not permanent if you’re willing to do the work. Your trauma was never your fault, but healing has become your sole responsibility. See comments for exercises.

PMID: 26831814

09/25/2025

09/24/2025

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2025/09/advocate-autism-wave-misinformation

Recent policy shifts have stoked fears of stigma and surveillance and undermined crucial care.