Amanda Porter, NP

03/07/2020

Hey friends! I don't hang out here much, but you can find me on Instagram or my website!

24/03/2018

I had fun teaching a short class at my church (Whitewater Crossing) on the topic of Anxiety and Faith.

I think Christians are pretty reluctant to seek mental health treatment. Why? Because somewhere along the line we were taught, either by church leaders or other Christians, that if we would just PRAY enough, or TRUST enough, or have enough FAITH, that God would heal us and formal mental health treatment shouldn’t be necessary.

The issue with this ideology is that when the healing doesn’t come, the insinuation is WE AREN’T WORTHY OF HEALING or that we are broken beyond repair or that God has left us. Seeking mental health treatment is then equated with failure.

Here’s another way of putting it:

“The absence of objective tests to unequivocally establish the presence of mental health conditions has led many church leaders to question the validity of mental health diagnoses … which attributes the presence of mental illness to personal sin.” Stephen Grcevich, MD.

This kick-starts a cycle of shame.

Anxiety is an emotion, not a sin.

HOWEVER, when uncontrolled I feel that anxiety can lead us to sin in the form of maladaptive coping skills.

Excessive Drinking.
Out-of-control shopping.
Affairs.

Basically anything we turn to for comfort and relief instead of God.

Anxiety drives a wedge between us and our creator.

Anxiety is a tactic from the enemy, a tool he uses to cause separation.

WE CANNOT LET ANXIETY WIN.

We must suffocate it, interrupt it, stomp it out.

In a future post, I’ll share tips on how we can use our faith to combat our anxiety.

Stay tuned friends!

22/03/2018

Consider where you are in your own narrative.
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Are you just starting out, afraid of looking like a fool?
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Are you worried they were right and you’re not cut out for this after all?
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This is not the whole story. Let today be a beginning, not a verdict.
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~Emily P. Freeman

14/11/2017

Hi friends,

I’ve been absent from this space for a bit. I am still writing, just not for you. For my PhD program. Blerg.

With Thanksgiving coming up next week, I wanted to pop in and give a few brief reminders about FOOD.

Remember:
Good nutrition is HARD. Don’t beat yourself up. If you slip up on something, it doesn’t mean the whole day is wasted. Don’t fool yourself into thinking, “Since I ate ###, I might as well eat ZZZ.” Limit as best you can any bread products, added sugars (they are EVERYWHERE), and processed foods. Drink all the water. Eat fresh when you can. And then after your Thanksgiving meal, take a stroll with your people around the block.

I hope you have the best Thanksgiving day. Gratitude is a HUGE part of mental wellness. I hope the focus of your day is on your relationships with the people that you love, and not solely on what you put in your face.

If you’d like to read more about nutrition in mental health, you can pop on over to the blog.

•••

#‎integrativepsychiatry‬ ‪ #‎integrativepsych‬ ‪ #‎holistichealth‬‪ #‎complementarymedicine‬ ‪‪ #‎functionalmedicine‬ ‪ #‎mindbodymedicine‬‪

02/07/2017

I'm teaching a FREE class on Mental Health 101 next week at the new LIFE CENTER at Whitewater Crossing Christian Church

You can sign up here:

https://whitewatercrossing.org/classes-life-center-summer/

Below are classes starting up this summer. All classes meet in the Life Center. Online registration is below. Mental Health 101 Tuesday, July 11, 7-8pm This entry-level class focuses on different mental health diagnoses, causes, treatments and prognoses. Class taught by Amanda Porter, MSN, APRN, FNP...

29/06/2017

NEW on the BLOG: Tell me WHY {ain't nothin' but a heartache}

There are of course many theories as to HOW mental illness comes about and WHY it occurs. (Also, FYI, I dislike the term ‘mental illness’ but we can talk about that another day.)

Maybe it’s the so-called chemical imbalance.

Maybe it’s chronic inflammation.

Maybe it’s chronic stress leading to apoptosis in the hippocampus (that’s a mouthful).

Maybe it’s genetic.

Maybe it’s the whole glial-death thing.

Maybe it’s lack of resilience.

Maybe it’s environmental toxins.

Maybe it’s the gut-brain connection and how we trash our bodies with our poor nutrition.

What if it’s more? What if it’s bigger?

Read the rest of this post on the BLOG:
AmandaPorterNP.com/blog/tell-me-why

26/05/2017

We all want to be skinny.

It’s true.

I do. You do too.

It doesn’t always work out like that though.

Because of birthing children and harried lives and thyroid issues and not-so-clean diets and not-so-consistent exercise and I LOVE CHOCOLATE and a million other reasons.

And unfortunately, some of the medications I prescribe to help with mood disorders cause some weight gain. (Consider the trade-off though. Is a stable mood worth a thicker waist? It’s a personal decision.)

So.

Here are the top 4 supplements I recommend for weight and appetite control on the BLOG:

http://amandaporternp.com/blog/we-all-want-to-be-skinny

13/05/2017

A little while back, I asked on my personal FB page for some writing ideas. I got a lot of good responses.

How can I cope with my family member who has a mental illness?
How do I turn negative thoughts into positive thoughts?
How can I make my family understand what I’m going through?
How do I learn how to forgive a person who wronged me?
How can I forgive myself?

These are big, big questions.
These are not things that can be fixed by reading a few paragraphs that I write.
Deep-seeded issues require long-term therapy.

I cannot stress enough the value of a relationship with a good therapist.
Through the hard work of therapy, your brain can be re-wired, your perspective can change, you can learn new ways of coping and you can find some happiness.

Yes, this can be expensive. Do it anyway.
No, insurance does not always cover this. Pay for it anyway.
You’re busy with kids and marriages and school and busyness. Make time anyway.
Your family or friends or co-workers might perceive you to be ‘weak’ if they find out. Schedule that appointment anyway.
You probably won’t see results until after several sessions. Keep going anyway.
It will probably be uncomfortable because self-examination tends to be that way. Keep going anyway.

Investing time and money in your brain and your mental health is the best investment you will ever make.

Think about how much you would be willing to sacrifice for happiness.

07/05/2017

NEW on the BLOG: How to Boost Your Brainpower!

A common complaint I get is “My memory is shot” or “The words are on the tip of my tongue, but they just won’t come.” For all the capabilities your brain has, it can sure be stupid sometimes. So, today I’d like to talk about how to have OPTIMAL COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING (in no particular order):

Minimize alcohol intake. I know, I know. Where’s the fun in that? And yet, it’s still true. Heavy alcohol use causes your liver to release enzymes that make your brain cloudy. It’s called Hepatic Encephalopathy. Good times.

Cardio-aerobic exercise. Regular and rapid blood flow to the brain = improved focus and concentration.

Exercise your brain with games. Two Dots. Crossword puzzles. Sudoku. The Lumosity app. These are all brain re-wiring disguised as fun.

You can read the rest on the BLOG:
AmandaPorterNP.com/blog

02/05/2017

It’s not hyperbole to state that there is a widespread, sweeping, and indiscriminate mental health epidemic in our country. Mental illness is more pervasive than heart disease and more segregating than leprosy. Su***de is just one component of this very complex and knotty issue. Let’s look closer at...

29/04/2017

As much as I love posting here you guys, I'm a bit more personal on my Instagram and a bit more educational on my Twitter. Join me on these platforms too!

22/04/2017

There are many protective factors against depression and mental illness.

Perhaps the most surprising? A common trait of those who recover more quickly and more fully from a depressive episode is GRATITUDE.

“Appreciation is the strongest form of love. When in a state of appreciation, messages from the amygdala (our brain’s fear center) don’t register."

This is SCIENCE guys.

More on the BLOG:
AmandaPorterNP.com/blog