Willow & Arbor, PLLC

11/22/2025

Recent updates to the CDC website suggesting a link between vaccines and autism contradict the scientific consensus that autism has complex, multifactorial origins involving genetic, biological, and environmental interactions.

APA Services is committed to advocating for policies and research priorities that uphold rigorous standards for research and communication and actively counter misinformation and stigma.

Read more here: https://at.apa.org/ayg

11/21/2025

🌿 Friday Reflection: The Quiet Return of Hope

Hope doesn’t always return in big, dramatic moments.
Sometimes it comes back quietly — in a breath that feels a little easier, in a passing thought that isn’t as heavy, in the small wondering: “Could things feel different than this?”

Psychologically, this is how the nervous system heals:
slowly, hesitantly, in flickers.

A little less tension.
A bit more capacity.
A brief moment where something feels possible again.

These glimmers aren’t accidents.
They’re signs that something in you is trying to repair — even if you don’t feel hopeful, motivated, or clear about anything yet.

And you don’t need to have hope figured out before reaching for support.
Therapy is often the space where hope begins, where it’s rebuilt, or where it’s held for you until you can feel it again.

At Willow & Arbor, we make room for people exactly as they are — heavy, exhausted, uncertain, numb — and we help you find those small signals again, at your own pace.

You don’t have to feel hopeful to start.
Sometimes hope grows because you do.

Willow & Arbor is a private group therapy practice serving children, teens, and adults across Tennessee, in-person and online.

If you’d like a space to sort through what you’re carrying, we’re here. Visit willowandarbor.com.

10/24/2025

🌿 Friday Reflection: When Rest Isn’t Enough

“There’s a kind of tired that sleep doesn’t touch.” — Unknown

This deep fatigue is often a form of emotional depletion or cognitive exhaustion—what happens when life asks more of us than our systems can replenish.

Psychological research shows that chronic stress and emotional overload can alter how our minds and bodies recover. Even when we rest, the brain can stay on alert, keeping the body in a subtle state of tension. It’s no wonder it feels like rest doesn’t reach us.

People describe it in many ways: burnout, overwhelm, depletion, being on autopilot. Whatever the name, it’s not weakness or laziness—it’s a sign your emotional energy has been overdrawn for too long.

Your exhaustion deserves to be taken seriously.

Rest isn’t just sleep—it’s permission to stop performing stability when you’re running on empty. Sometimes the most restorative act is to admit how far past your limits you’ve gone—the moment you stop masking being okay and let yourself be human.

🌿 If you’re there right now, you’re not broken. You’re human—and your system is asking for care, not correction.

10/03/2025

💙 Depression doesn’t wear just one face. It isn’t a single story—it’s many.

For some, depression feels like being down or blue, with tears that come easily. For others, it shows up as emptiness, disconnection, or a loss of interest in things that once mattered. It can also bring hopelessness, fatigue, irritability, and what many describe as “mental fog.”

Depression can also show up in the body—headaches, stomach distress, or muscle aches that don’t have another clear explanation. These physical symptoms are just as real and just as much a part of depression as the emotional ones.

It may, indeed, look quite ordinary from the outside. One of its faces is the ability to smile, work, and seem “fine” to others, while inside you are struggling.

✨ No matter how it shows up, depression is real—and so is the possibility of healing. Recovery often takes time and support, but with the right care, people can move toward lives of greater connection, energy, and hope.

🗣️ Therapy helps because working through depression with another person is profoundly different from trying to manage it alone. Talking in a safe, supportive space can calm the nervous system, reduce mental loops, and open new perspectives. For some, this happens through words; for others, through art or body-based (somatic) approaches.

🌍 This Depression Awareness Month, may we broaden our understanding of depression and extend compassion—to ourselves and to others. Healing is possible, and support is within reach.

09/23/2025

The American Psychological Association is deeply concerned about the Administration’s recent announcement on autism.

Promoting unsupported scientific theories risks fueling stigma, undermines public trust and distracts from real scientific progress.

09/19/2025

Rest can feel like a lot of things — sometimes awkward, like you’re falling behind, and other times like the best relief in the world. Either way, rest isn’t nothing. It’s where renewal starts, where things settle, and where you get to come back to yourself.

Science backs this up:
🧠 Your brain uses rest to process emotions, consolidate memories, and make space for new learning.
🔥 Burnout doesn’t just come from working hard — it comes from working without recovery or support.
🌱 Resilience isn’t a trait you either have or don’t. It’s a process built through balance, flexibility, and connection.

Think of it this way:
🌱 A plant can survive in gravel, but to thrive it needs the right soil and space.
🎶 Music without rest notes just turns into noise.
💻 Even the fastest computer slows down if it never gets to reset, update, and reorganize.

Effort can carry us for a while, but thriving takes pause, reflection, and the right conditions. Rest isn’t nothingness. It’s where recovery, strength, and resilience begin. 🌱

At Willow & Arbor, we make space for both perseverance and pause — because resilience grows not only in motion, but also in stillness.

09/12/2025

Resilience isn’t something we’re simply born with — it’s something we build over time. 🌱

Research shows that resilience grows stronger through connection. Supportive relationships — whether with friends, family, or a trusted therapist — make it easier to adapt and keep moving forward.

In fact, studies consistently show that the therapeutic alliance (the relationship between a client and therapist) is one of the strongest predictors of positive outcomes in therapy. It’s not about “fixing” someone — it’s about having a safe, supportive space to work through challenges together.

At Willow & Arbor, we focus on building that kind of connection. Because resilience is a process — and the process feels a little lighter when you don’t carry it alone.

Willow & Arbor, PLLC
www.willowandarbor.com

Compassionate therapy for individuals, couples, and families in Johnson City and across Tennessee. In-person and online sessions available.

09/06/2025

DBT Skills are effective for Addiction.

💠 A reminder about our DBT Membership Subscribers Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/469904102596793

09/05/2025

Friday Reflection ✨
Small steps often lead to the biggest transformations.

Change rarely happens all at once. It’s usually built through small, repeated actions that slowly reshape how we think, feel, and respond. 🌱

Getting out of bed on a tough morning, taking a deep breath before reacting, or making space to rest — these “small victories” are signs of resilience. Each time you make one of these choices, you strengthen your ability to cope and recover.

Even the smallest action creates momentum. Over time, those steps add up and become the foundation of lasting change.

So today, pause to recognize the wins you might usually overlook. They matter more than they seem.

If you’d like support in building momentum and finding your next steps, Willow & Arbor is here to walk beside you.
🌿 www.willowandarbor.com

09/04/2025

Not feeling seen can leave us navigating a world that feels unwelcoming—a stage where we are present, yet invisible. This disorientation can impact our sense of self and connection. Remember, acknowledging these feelings is the first step towards healing. It’s okay to seek support. You are not alone in this journey. Explore this emotion within safe spaces. You belong here.

09/03/2025

07/18/2025