East Valley Trauma Counseling

01/26/2026

Clutter affects everyone, but research shows it impacts women on a deeper biological level. Studies from UCLA’s Center on Everyday Lives of Families found that when women walk into a messy home, their bodies produce a measurable rise in cortisol, the primary stress hormone. This happens because women tend to interpret clutter as unfinished responsibilities. Their brains read visual mess as a signal that there is work left to do, which activates the stress response even if they are not actively thinking about it.

Men in the same studies showed little to no increase in cortisol when viewing the same level of clutter. Psychologists believe this difference comes from social conditioning and cognitive load. Women are often expected to manage the emotional and physical environment of a household, and their brains track these responsibilities automatically. When the environment feels overloaded, their internal system becomes overloaded as well.

Clutter also divides attention and makes it harder for the brain to process information efficiently. Women report greater irritability, lower mood, and reduced focus in messy spaces compared to men. Over time, chronic exposure to clutter can drain energy and increase mental fatigue.

This does not mean women are “overreacting.” Their brains are responding in a real and measurable way. Restoring order, even in small steps, helps regulate cortisol and creates a sense of control and calm. A tidy environment becomes more than clean space. It becomes psychological relief.

01/15/2026

2026 Scholarships from 100 Club of Arizona now open!
Deadline is March 16.

Apply for education scholarships to support immediate family members of Arizona’s active, retired, or fallen firefighters and law enforcement officers.

12/22/2025

12/15/2025

Not all trauma begins in relationship — but healing happens there.

Emotionally Focused Therapy for Trauma explores trauma’s impacts, outlines targeted interventions, and includes illustrative cases, exercises, and chapter summaries to support trauma treatment in practice.

📘 Ready to order your copy of the book? Visit your regional distributor here: https://loom.ly/L7q8v0o
Use the code APEFT at checkout to receive 15% off!

12/04/2025

A 20-second hug isn’t just “nice” — it’s a direct intervention on the gut-brain axis. Skin-to-skin contact triggers a surge of oxytocin (often called the “bonding hormone,” though it’s really a neuropeptide with powerful anti-inflammatory effects). Oxytocin tones the vagus nerve, drops cortisol, and shifts the nervous system into parasympathetic. That single physiological shift lowers systemic inflammation and improves gut barrier integrity within minutes. When the gut lining is less “leaky,” beneficial bacteria thrive, microbial diversity increases, and production of anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and serotonin precursors goes up. The microbiome, in turn, signals safety back to the brain via the vagus and immune pathways, creating a positive feedback loop that measurably reduces anxiety and improves mood resilience. Recent 2024–2025 reviews confirm this bidirectional oxytocin–microbiome relationship: more affectionate touch → higher oxytocin → richer, more resilient microbiome → lower markers of inflammation and anxiety. 
  
In my functional medicine telehealth practice, where I’ve run labs on thousands of people telehealth patients worldwide for the last 15+ years, I see the same pattern over and over: chronic anxiety, IBS, autoimmunity, and dysbiosis almost always coexist with low oxytocin tone and reported loneliness or touch deprivation. So I will prescribe “oxytocin homework” — schedule three 20-second hugs a day (partner, kids, friends, even pets count), or self-hug/weighted blanket if touch is hard right now. I pair it with simple somatic tools (physiological sighs, body scans, breathwork) and, when labs show it’s needed, targeted probiotics or SCFAs or magnesium to support the microbiome side of the loop. Telehealth patients who actually do the hug prescription (I check on follow-ups!) consistently show drops in hs-CRP, improvements in stool diversity markers, and — most importantly — they tell me “I just feel safer in my own skin.” It’s free, zero side effects, and often more powerful than another supplement. Sometimes the most advanced medicine is the oldest one: human connection. 
  
  

12/03/2025

New research using MRI scans shows that one common habit in your baby’s first year can shrink the part of the brain responsible for emotional safety. This area is crucial for trust, attachment, and emotional regulation.

Shockingly, 94% of parents do this habit daily, believing it is helping their child. While screens, sleep training, or formula often get blamed, this hidden behavior quietly affects the brain’s development in ways that may last a lifetime.

The habit involves frequent emotional withdrawal, ignoring a baby’s cries, or failing to respond consistently to distress. Babies rely on caregivers to feel safe. When the brain learns that emotional signals are not met with support, it adapts by reducing growth in the emotional safety circuits.

Experts emphasize that responsive parenting, comforting, acknowledging, and gently interacting with your baby, promotes optimal brain development and long-term emotional health. Even small moments of connection, like holding, talking, or soothing your baby, strengthen these neural pathways.

Understanding this hidden risk allows parents to adjust daily routines and foster a secure, emotionally healthy start for their child.

11/28/2025

Some officers feel calmer on a chaotic shift than they do in their own living room — and the reasons why might surprise you.

See what’s really behind the “better at work than at home” feeling — and what it means for officer wellness:
https://trib.al/78PHEtI

11/27/2025

You are appreciated!

11/23/2025

Neuroscientists at institutions like Stanford and Harvard have spent years studying the impact of self-talk on brain structure and mental health. What they've found is remarkable: the language we use with ourselves doesn't just reflect our mood, it actually creates it.

The seven most harmful phrases researchers identified include "I'm not good enough," "I always fail," "I can't do this," "Nothing ever works out for me," "I'm so stupid," "Everyone else is better than me," and "I'll never change." When you repeat these phrases, your brain releases cortisol and activates the amygdala, your fear center. Over time, this strengthens neural pathways associated with negativity, making pessimistic thinking your default mode. Brain scans show that people who regularly engage in negative self-talk have increased activity in stress regions and decreased activity in problem-solving areas.

The solution lies in neuroplasticity, your brain's ability to form new connections. Dr. Ethan Kross from the University of Michigan found that people who practiced positive self-talk for just three weeks showed measurable changes in brain activity, with increased activation in regions linked to self-control and emotional regulation. Simple swaps make all the difference: replace "I'm not good enough" with "I'm improving every day," change "I always fail" to "I learn from every experience," and shift "I can't do this" to "I'll find a way to figure this out."

The key is consistency. Just like going to the gym builds muscle, practicing positive self-talk builds stronger, healthier neural pathways. Start by noticing when you use negative phrases, then consciously replace them with empowering alternatives. Your brain will thank you.

Sources: Kross, E. et al. (2014) Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Creswell, J.D. (2017) Annual Review of Psychology, Davidson, R.J. & McEwen, B.S. (2012) Nature Neuroscience

11/04/2025

Long-Term Melatonin Use Linked to Higher Heart Failure Risk

A major new analysis challenges the assumption that melatonin is risk-free.

Researchers reviewing global health data found that adults using melatonin for more than a year had roughly 90% higher odds of heart failure and were over three times more likely to be hospitalized for it.

The supplement’s long-term use was also tied to nearly double the risk of death.

Experts caution that while this study shows association, not causation, it underscores the need for medical guidance and better regulation of over-the-counter melatonin products.

10/10/2025

If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.