Reconnecting with joy after trauma Experiencing trauma can profoundly shift how we feel, connect, and experience the world. For many survivors, the aftermath includes not only distress or hypervigilance but also something quieter and often more confusing — a sense of emotional numbness or difficulty accessing joy. Pleasure may feel distant, muted, or even unsafe. The good news? Rebuilding a relationship with joy is possible. Research shows that the brain and body are capable

By Maria Diaz, LMHC-D, LPC, EMDR Certified Therap ist Keep Your Life Under Control! When most people imagine anxiety, they picture something visible: panic attacks, avoidance, or someone who clearly seems overwhelmed. But anxiety doesn’t always look like distress. Sometimes it looks like the colleague who is always prepared. The friend who never misses a deadline. The overachiever who seems to have it “all together.” This quieter version is known as high-functioning anxiety,

By Maria Diaz, LMHC-D, LPC, EMDR Certified Therap ist Learning to Live without Dependency When people think about addiction, they often focus on the substances or behaviors themselves—alcohol, drugs, gambling, or even compulsive spending. But when you look closely at the stories beneath addictive patterns, a deeper theme often emerges: unresolved trauma. Understanding this connection is not only important for healing but also deeply empowering. It helps us shift the narrative