Sequoia Behavioral Health

09/18/2025

We’re honored to have a booth at the Mesa PD Peer Team Appreciation Day. It’s a privilege to serve as a resource and show our support for the first responder community. 💙

09/15/2025

🌱 Self‑Harm OCD: When Painful Thoughts Don’t Match Intentions 🌱

Obsessive‑Compulsive Disorder (OCD) doesn’t always look how people expect. For some, it shows up as self‑harm OCD—intrusive thoughts about harming oneself, plus compulsive rituals built around fear and avoidance, even when there is no desire to act on them. 

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What Is Self‑Harm OCD?
• Intrusive thoughts like: “What if I lose control and hurt myself?” or “What if I want to harm myself?” 
• Extreme distress from these thoughts, because they go against the person’s values or sense of self – this is known as ego‑dystonic thinking. 
• Compulsions or behaviors that try to prevent the possibility of self-harm: avoiding sharp objects, seeking reassurance from others, etc. 

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How’s It Different from Actual Self‑Harm or Suicidal Ideation
• In self‑harm OCD, the thoughts are unwanted, often disturbing, and the person typically does not want to act on them. 
• Suicidal ideation involves wanting to die or planning to end one’s life. Self‑harm OCD is more about fear or anxiety that one might act, not that one wants to die. 

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Signs to Watch For
• Repeated, graphic self‑harm‑related images in the mind that cause intense anxiety 
• Avoiding common household items (like knives) due to fear they could be used to self‑harm 
• Excessive reassurance-seeking: “Is this safe?” or constantly checking one’s mental state or environment 

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How Sequoia Helps Peoples Healing
• Using CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) to help reframe and challenge intrusive thoughts 
• Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) to gradually face fears and reduce compulsive avoidance behaviors 
• Medication (such as SSRIs) when appropriate to reduce the intensity of obsessions and anxiety 

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🧠 Want to dig deeper & learn tools for addressing self‑harm OCD?
You don’t have to carry unwanted thoughts alone. Healing begins when we learn to befriend them and take back control. 💚

Self-harm OCD is a kind of OCD where a person experiences regular intrusive thoughts about harming themself.

08/18/2025

🌱 Dependency vs. Codependency: Understanding Emotional Boundaries 🌱

Dependency is a natural and healthy part of human connection—relying on others for support, companionship, and love. It can foster trust, safety, and mutual care.

But what about codependency?
That’s different. Think of codependency as an addiction to being needed—a pattern where one person over-gives, often sacrificing their own sense of self and boundaries for the other. This imbalance can morph relationships into spaces of overload and disconnection.


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What Does Codependency Look Like?

Codependent patterns can include:
• Neglecting personal needs to keep the peace
• Taking on too much responsibility
• Overstepping boundaries in others’ lives
• Fearing rejection if unable to “be needed”
 

These patterns are often rooted in low self-worth—like believing your value is only validated when helping others.


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Why It Matters

Unlike healthy interdependence—where both individuals support each other reciprocally—codependency leads to one-sided, emotionally draining dynamics.


Codependency isn’t recognized as a formal mental health diagnosis in the DSM‑5, yet its impact is very real and measurable. People who identify as codependent often benefit from therapy, self‑help groups, or structured support systems.


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How Sequoia Supports Healing From Codependency

At Sequoia Behavioral Health, we help clients break free from codependent patterns with care that’s trauma-informed and affirming:
• Evidence‑based therapies like CBT, DBT, EMDR, and narrative therapy help rebuild boundaries and identity
 
• Compassionate, neurodivergent‑affirming approaches support clients as they reclaim autonomy and emotional balance

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🧠 Explore more on our blog and start redefining your relationships:
Your needs matter. Healing begins when you allow yourself to matter. 💚

Codependency and dependency share similar causality. However, they have very different approaches to relationships.

08/04/2025

🌱 What Is Parentification? Understanding Childhood Role Reversal & Trauma 🌱

Parentification happens when a child is forced to grow up too fast—taking on adult responsibilities to meet emotional or practical needs that a caregiver can’t fulfill. It’s like being a mini-adult before you’re ready.

Researchers identify two forms of parentification:
• Instrumental: managing chores, finances, or caregiving duties beyond a child’s developmental stage
• Emotional: serving as a confidant, mediator, or emotional caretaker for parents

How Parentification Often Shows Up in Adulthood

Those who experienced parentification may present outwardly capable and responsible, yet feel deeply insecure and exhausted:
• ❌ Difficulty setting boundaries & saying no
• ❌ Constant people-pleasing, perfectionism & over-functioning
• ❌ Anxiety, depression, or complex PTSD
• ❌ Tendency toward insecure attachment styles
• ❌ Belief that love = being useful or needed 

These traits stem from deeply engrained survival conditioning rather than true emotional strength.

How Sequoia Helps Clients “Un-parentify” the Pain

At Sequoia Behavioral Health, we support individuals healing from parentification trauma through trauma-informed therapeutic care:
• 🌿 Trauma-focused therapies such as CBT, DBT, EMDR, and inner child work to address PTSD, identity loss, and boundary erosion 
• A compassionate, neurodivergent-affirming approach that helps clients reclaim their voice, autonomy, and emotional wellbeing

🧠 Read more on our blog and learn how to rebuild your authentic self:
Tell yourself: The burden you carried wasn’t yours to bear. Healing begins when you allow yourself to rest. 💚

https://www.sequoiabehavioralhealth.org/blogs/parentification-trauma

Parentification creates an unstable and insecure environment for children to develop in. This causes lasting trauma that extends into adulthood.

07/30/2025

“You’re too sensitive.”
No.
You are attuned.

If you grew up around unpredictability, conflict, or emotional disconnection, your nervous system adapted to pick up on even the smallest shifts in mood or tone. Because it had to.

You’re not too much. You’re not broken.
Someone else’s “too sensitive” could never have walked a mile in your shoes.

Trauma survivors aren’t fragile, they’re powerful.
It’s time we change the language around mental health.

#

07/24/2025

🧠 Reframing Self-Care 🧠

Self-care is often portrayed as indulgent—spa days, facials, or a luxurious escape from the day-to-day. While those things have their place, true self-care is much more complex and courageous.

At its core, self-care is about intentional acts of self-preservation and self-respect. For many, especially those healing from trauma, it can mean:

• Setting boundaries even when it feels uncomfortable
• Saying no without over-explaining
• Doing the laundry, answering the email, or finally calling the doctor
• Prioritizing rest without guilt
• Making space for your emotions without judgment

It’s not always pretty. Sometimes it’s sitting with discomfort, unlearning old patterns, or showing up for yourself in small but consistent ways.

Self-care is not selfish—it’s foundational.
It’s how we stay connected to ourselves in a world that often demands disconnection.

Take a moment today to ask:
What does caring for myself look like right now—without shame or performance?

07/02/2025

🌱 What Is Masking? Understanding the Hidden Struggle 🌱

Masking—also known as camouflaging—is the mental and emotional equivalent of "putting on a costume." It's when someone suppresses or alters their true thoughts, feelings, or behaviors just to fit in or avoid judgment.

While masking might help things feel smoother in the moment, it often comes at a cost—leading to burnout, anxiety, depression, and a loss of identity.

At Sequoia, we help clients unmask and reconnect with their authentic selves through compassionate, evidence-based therapies like CBT, DBT, and neurodivergent-affirming approaches.

🧠 Read more in our blog and learn how to reclaim your true voice:

You don’t have to hide, healing starts with the willingness to be seen. 💚

Making is a way to hide symptoms so a person doesn't feel "othered" or shamed. It's unhealthy and leads to burnout. Learn about why we do it and how to stop.

07/02/2025

🌿 Please join us in welcoming our new Director of Nursing, Taylor Smool, RN, BSN! 🌿

Taylor has been a dedicated registered nurse since 2017, bringing with her a wealth of experience from both hospital and outpatient settings. She is known for her evidence-based approach to care, her deep sense of compassion, and her commitment to patient-centered treatment.

Her passion for mental health and holistic healing aligns beautifully with our mission at Sequoia Behavioral Health. We’re honored to have her leading our nursing team and supporting the continued growth of our medical care.

Welcome to Sequoia, Taylor — we’re so excited to have you on the team! 💚

06/27/2025

🧠 PTSD Awareness Day | June 27 💙

Today, we honor the strength of those living with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and reaffirm our commitment to trauma-informed, evidence-based care.

At Sequoia Behavioral Health, we understand that healing from trauma is not one-size-fits-all. That’s why we’re proud to now also offer Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) at our outpatient location— a groundbreaking treatment designed to help individuals process and resolve traumatic memories without having to re-live them.

🌿 What is ART?
ART is a short-term, structured therapy that uses eye movements and guided imagery to help the brain reprocess distressing memories and sensations. Many clients report significant relief in just 1–5 sessions.

✨ ART has shown promise in treating:
✔️ PTSD
✔️ Anxiety
✔️ Depression
✔️ Grief and loss
✔️ Performance anxiety
…and more.

If you or someone you love is struggling, know that healing is possible — and help is available.

You are not alone. 💙

06/25/2025

🌿 Exciting News from Sequoia Residential! 🌿

We’re thrilled to announce that Sequoia’s Residential Program has officially transitioned to a fully organic food service — in partnership with the incredibly talented Chef Natalie Abbott!

Chef Natalie is a dedicated organic meal prep chef with a passion for clean, whole foods and sustainable sourcing. Known for her work in corporate wellness catering, she’s now bringing her expertise to Sequoia — creating meals that fuel healing, support mental health, and taste amazing.

✨ All meals are:
✔️ 100% organic
✔️ Seed oil free
✔️ Locally Sourced
✔️ Dietitian-approved
✔️ Designed with mental wellness in mind

From vibrant, nutrient-rich ingredients to mindful preparation, every bite reflects our commitment to providing holistic care that nourishes body and mind.

We’re proud to offer our clients the best — because healing starts from the inside out. 💚

📞 Call: (480) 690-9234 to start your journey to mental wellness today!

06/05/2025

🌿 Now Offering Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) at Sequoia Behavioral Health – Outpatient Services! 🌿

We’re excited to announce that Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) is now available at our Mesa outpatient location!

ART is an evidence-based, eye-movement therapy that helps individuals process and resolve trauma, anxiety, depression, phobias, grief, and more—often in just 1–5 sessions. Unlike traditional talk therapy, ART works by targeting the way distressing images and sensations are stored in the brain, helping you feel relief without having to relive every painful detail.

💡 Clients often describe ART as "fast, effective, and empowering."

If you or someone you love is seeking a new path to healing, reach out today to see if ART is the right fit.

📞 Call us at (480) 690-9234
🌐 Learn more at www.sequoiabehavioralhealth.org
📍 Now available at our outpatient center in Mesa, AZ

04/23/2025

📊 Trauma-Informed Truths (Backed by Research) 📊
Not just “fun facts”—important facts that can help us better understand trauma and those who live with it.

Trauma is more common than most people realize.
According to the CDC, about 61% of adults in the U.S. report experiencing at least one traumatic event in childhood. Trauma is not rare—it's widespread.

Trauma changes the brain.
Neuroscience shows that trauma impacts key brain structures like the amygdala (fear center), hippocampus (memory), and prefrontal cortex (decision-making)—which is why trauma responses aren’t just “emotional” reactions.

The body keeps the score.
As Dr. Bessel van der Kolk notes, traumatic memories are often stored somatically. This means trauma can show up as chronic pain, muscle tension, digestive issues, or fatigue—even if you’re not consciously thinking about the event.

PTSD isn’t the only trauma response.
Trauma can manifest as depression, anxiety, dissociation, irritability, substance use, or difficulty with relationships. PTSD is just one expression among many.

Trauma-informed care improves outcomes.
Research shows that trauma-informed approaches reduce re-traumatization, increase engagement, and support more effective healing—especially when clients feel safe, heard, and empowered.

At Sequoia Behavioral Health, we recognize trauma not as a diagnosis, but as a lived experience that deserves care, context, and compassion.