Excelsis Behavioral Health

01/13/2026

Kickstart your 2026!
We’re excited to share that Joe Tabone is now accepting new patients at Excelsis Behavioral Health. Joe brings a thoughtful, grounded approach to therapy and works collaboratively with clients to support emotional regulation, growth, and meaningful change.

He welcomes individuals seeking support around life transitions, stress, relationships, and substance use recovery. If you or someone you know is ready to get started, reach out through our website to connect with Joe.

www.excelsisbehavioralhealth.com

01/07/2026

Strong social moments literally prime the brain to remember more.
A quick, meaningful interaction can turn ordinary experiences into sticky memories.
Your brain gets a short learning boost window after connection, wild right.
So maybe grab coffee, have the convo, then do the hard thing and tell me in the comments when you’ve felt this happen.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/best-practices-in-health/202512/how-social-encounters-prime-the-brain-to-remember

Send a message to learn more

01/05/2026

Opinion: Avatars, prompts, and rules turn charged conversations into collaborative sessions, creating a safe structure and shared language toward a safer path to the truth, writes Dr. Josh Littleton.

01/02/2026

We love seeing our own Dr. Josh sharing his voice on Pride.com and continuing to amplify thoughtful, affirming conversations around identity, play, and mental health.

https://www.pride.com/culture/perspectives/play-therapy-games

Opinion: Avatars, prompts, and rules turn charged conversations into collaborative sessions, creating a safe structure and shared language toward a safer path to the truth, writes Dr. Josh Littleton.

01/01/2026

As we step into the new year, it’s a good reminder that self care isn’t extra, it’s foundational. Many of us grew up hearing that what you do on Jan 1 sets the tone for the year ahead, and there’s some wisdom there about intention and pacing. This month, we’re celebrating one of our clinicians, Miguel Alvarez, MSW, RCSWI, who shared thoughtful reflections on what self care really looks like in practice.

May this be the year we choose sustainability, presence, and care for ourselves as much as we offer it to others.

https://www.counseling.org/publications/counseling-today-magazine

12/31/2025

12/24/2025

This holiday season, it’s okay to be a little selfish and choose how you want your days to unfold, your energy matters. As one of our favorite authors, Louise Hay, reminds us, choice is freedom and freedom is power.

Our offices will be closed on Christmas Day and will reopen on Friday, December 26, we look forward to being back with you then.

www.excelsisbehavioralhealth.com

12/23/2025

Do you actually want non monogamy, or do you feel like you are supposed to want it because everyone else does? I see so many gay men quietly agreeing to open relationships out of pressure, not desire, and then wondering why they feel lonely inside them. Open relationships can work beautifully, but only when they deepen intimacy instead of sidestepping it. This piece invites an honest pause to ask whether your relationship choices align with your values or with expectations you never agreed to.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/lgbtq-affirmative-psychology/202512/do-you-want-non-monogamy-or-do-you-think-you-should

12/18/2025

We’re really excited to be collaborating with Habitat for Humanity International to support local families as they settle into their new homes this holiday season. Being able to provide warm holiday meals is a small but meaningful way to help families start creating new traditions and memories in a place that’s finally their own. There’s something special about sharing a meal in a new home, especially after so much hard work and waiting.

Partner with us: https://www.habitathillsborough.org/

12/16/2025

We talk about trauma a lot—but what if calling everything trauma is actually making healing harder?
This piece breaks down a powerful distinction: most emotional pain is a wound, not trauma, and naming it accurately can calm the nervous system instead of keeping it stuck in survival mode.
When we match the right language to the right kind of pain, healing stops feeling overwhelming and starts feeling possible.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/traumatization-and-its-aftermath/202511/why-calling-everything-trauma-makes-healing-harder

12/12/2025

The holidays are quickly upon us, and with them can come added pressure, stress, and strain on relationships, especially with our partners. Between family dynamics, packed schedules, and unmet expectations, even strong connections can feel stretched thin this time of year. Tom is now onboarding new patients for relationship counseling and s*x therapy, offering a supportive space to slow things down and reconnect with intention.

If the season is bringing more tension than joy, this could be a meaningful moment to invest in your relationship and your well-being.

www.excelsisbehavioralhealth.com

12/09/2025

Building doesn’t have to feel rigid or punishing, sometimes the easiest path is simply falling in love with a hobby that naturally shapes your routine. Research shows that the right hobby can replace unhelpful habits, create healthy structure, and even build your tolerance for stress in a grounded way. If you’ve been craving more stability or motivation, this might be the perfect season to explore something that feels purposeful and energizing.

What hobby has been calling your name lately?

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/in-practice/202512/5-types-of-hobbies-that-can-build-self-discipline