For decades, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) has been treated like the “Bible” of psychiatry and psychology. Yet beneath its authoritative veneer lies a complex web of politics, profit, and pharma influence. Behind the Curtain: Dollars Over Diagnosis According to a 2024 BMJ-published study, 60% of the U.S. physicians involved in…
We live in a culture that loves labels. We label our food, our careers, our personality types, and, increasingly, our emotions. Sadness becomes depression. Worry becomes anxiety disorder. Grief gets squeezed into prolonged grief disorder. And while labels can sometimes bring comfort, validation, or access to services, they can also create an unintended consequence: turning…
When we talk about ADHD, the conversation almost always starts and ends with symptoms: inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity. From there, the mental health world tends to rush straight into diagnostic labels and medication management. But maybe we’ve been looking at ADHD all wrong. Maybe ADHD isn’t simply a “disorder” to be medicated away—it could be a…
Could Low Vitamin D Be Causing Your Fall Fatigue, Stress, or Low Mood? As the days get shorter and sunlight becomes scarce, many people notice changes in mood, energy, and stress levels. Feeling more tired or irritable this fall might be more than just seasonal blues—low vitamin D could be to blame. Why Vitamin D…
When people think about couples therapy, they often imagine sitting together in a therapist’s office: soft lighting, neutral décor, and the classic therapist’s couch. There’s a long-standing, outdated notion that the therapist’s job is to “catch” a liar, hold someone accountable, or even operate like a school principal taking someone to the principal’s office. In…
Let’s get real for a second. You wouldn’t go to a dentist with rotting teeth. You wouldn’t go to a dermatologist with a face full of untreated acne. You wouldn’t trust a financial advisor who is living paycheck to paycheck. So why, in mental health, do we treat therapists differently? Clients rarely ask themselves this…
A long time ago, I was working with a marketing agency that suggested my tagline be “Dr. Teralyn’s Couch of Change.” Honestly, it made me laugh. The idea that a therapist’s couch could magically create change? Ridiculous. But it also perfectly illustrates how traditional therapy has long been romanticized and misunderstood. I was once that…
When people think about therapy, they often imagine the classic therapist’s couch: a quiet office, soft lighting, and a neutral space. But here’s the truth: therapy isn’t about the couch. It’s about your life, your relationships, and your ability to change what happens outside the office. As a matter of fact, when you go to…
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful therapy for trauma, anxiety, and difficult life experiences. Traditionally offered in person, EMDR is now increasingly available via telehealth—bringing the benefits of this evidence-based therapy straight to your home. Some may worry that EMDR requires an in-office setting to be effective. In reality, telehealth EMDR works…
For couples balancing busy work schedules, family responsibilities, and personal commitments, finding time for therapy can feel impossible. This is where telehealth comes in—not as a second choice, but often as a better option than traditional in-person therapy. Telehealth for couples therapy allows partners to attend sessions from the comfort of their own home, eliminating…
