Analog Counseling, 6740 W 121st Street, Overland Park, KS (2026)

01/16/2026

Not every hard moment is trauma — and that’s actually good news.

If you spend enough time online, it can start to feel like every difficult experience must mean something is wrong with you.
A stressful job. A painful breakup. A rough season that still lingers in your body.

Here’s the reframe that often brings relief in my work:

Hard moments are part of being human.
Trauma is something more specific.

Trauma happens when an experience overwhelms your nervous system and leaves it stuck in survival mode long after the danger has passed. Many painful experiences don’t do that. They hurt. They stretch us. And over time—sometimes slowly, imperfectly—we recover.

That recovery matters.

When we label every hard experience as trauma, two things can happen:
• real trauma gets blurred
• people start to feel more fragile than they actually are

You can have:
– a painful childhood without being traumatized
– a stressful season without being broken
– strong emotions without something being “wrong” with you

And if you are dealing with trauma, naming it accurately can be deeply freeing.

Sometimes the work isn’t healing an injury.
Sometimes it’s trusting your nervous system’s capacity to respond, learn, and recover.

Being human is hard.
And that doesn’t automatically mean you’re wounded.

https://analogcounseling.com/anablog/sp53u8wguu5fx8fx3fzqh5znxgz0w1

01/12/2026

Most couples in Kansas City don’t get stuck because they “can’t communicate.” They get stuck because both partners are protecting something vulnerable underneath the conflict. Here’s how therapy helps create repair, not just better arguments. https://analogcounseling.com/anablog/why-couples-get-stuck-and-how-therapy-helps-you-move-again

01/11/2026

A lot of people in the Kansas City area are asking a similar question right now:
“Is this trauma, or am I just stressed?”

With trauma being talked about everywhere, it can be hard to tell the difference. Stress and trauma can look similar on the outside, but inside the nervous system they work very differently.

Here’s a simple way we explain it at our trauma therapy practice in Overland Park using a money metaphor:

A $10 reaction to a $10 problem = stress
A $10 reaction to a $1 problem = a rough day
A $100 reaction to a $10 problem = old circuitry involved
A $100 reaction to a $1 problem = trauma residue

In other words:

Stress responds to what’s happening now.
Trauma responds to what happened then.

Clinically, trauma isn’t defined by the event. It’s defined by whether the nervous system could return to baseline afterward. Two people can go through the same situation and have very different outcomes:

One returns to normal.
One stays stuck in survival mode.

That difference isn’t about strength or character—it’s about physiology and protection.

Some of the trauma-related patterns we see in clients from Overland Park, Leawood, Olathe, and Kansas City include:

• shutting down during conflict
• panic or agitation around feedback
• people-pleasing to feel safe
• constant worst-case thinking
• difficulty relaxing even during downtime
• feeling “on alert” for no clear reason

These reactions don’t automatically go away when life improves. They resolve when the nervous system can complete the stress response it couldn’t complete at the time.

At Analog Counseling in Overland Park, we specialize in trauma therapy, Somatic Experiencing, and trauma-informed counseling for teens and adults across the Kansas City metro. We work with clients from:

Overland Park
Kansas City, MO
Leawood
Olathe
Prairie Village
Lenexa
North Kansas City
Lawrence
and surrounding areas.

If you’ve been unsure whether you’re dealing with stress, burnout, or trauma, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to figure that out by yourself. Trauma therapy isn’t about proving something terrible happened; it’s about helping your nervous system feel safe again.

To learn more about trauma therapy in Overland Park and the Kansas City area, visit:
www.analogcounseling.com

11/05/2025

Curious about starting therapy? Analog Counseling clinician Michael Wieberg, LCPC, walks you through what your first session will look like—how he builds safety, explores your goals, and helps you feel understood from day one. Learn what to expect, how to prepare, and what makes therapy with Michael unique.

10/29/2025

Analog Counseling staff clinician Michael Wieberg, explains what EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is and how it helps clients heal from trauma and emotional distress. Learn how EMDR uses bilateral stimulation to reprocess painful memories and restore balance to the nervous system.

10/29/2025

Analog Counseling staff clinician Michael Wieberg, explains what EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is and how it helps clients heal from trauma and emotional distress. Learn how EMDR uses bilateral stimulation to reprocess painful memories and restore balance to the nervous system.

At Analog Counseling, we integrate approaches like EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, and relational therapy to support the mind and body in healing.

Watch to understand how EMDR works, what sessions feel like, and who can benefit from this evidence-based therapy.

📍 Serving Kansas and Missouri | analogcounseling.com

01/27/2025

Did you know that play isn’t just for kids? 🎲 Neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp discovered the PLAY system, a core emotional system in the brain that fosters creativity, resilience, and social connection.

Play produces social joy, an emotion that signals health and strengthens our bonds with others. It’s also linked to problem-solving and may have even contributed to the development of language!

But here’s the catch—when fear and stress are high, play becomes biologically impossible. Fear hardens our ability to explore possibilities, leaving us stuck in rigid patterns.

At Analog Counseling, we use approaches like Somatic Experiencing and psychoanalysis to help clients reduce fear, reconnect with their innate creativity, and rediscover the joy of play.

Play isn’t just fun—it’s essential for mental health and connection. Let’s help you bring it back into your life.

📍 Serving Kansas City through in-person and online therapy.
📞 Reach out today to learn more! 913-294-7769

01/25/2025

- Ever feel stuck in anxiety but can’t figure out why? Your body’s threat response system might be trying to tell you something.
When we can’t fully process potential threats - whether from a challenging relationship, workplace tension, or suppressed emotions - our nervous system gets caught in an incomplete cycle. This creates that familiar feeling of being constantly on edge without knowing why.
The good news? Understanding this cycle is the first step to breaking free from it.
🧠 Key takeaway: Your anxiety isn’t “for no reason” - it might be your body’s way of flagging an unresolved assessment.

👉 Read more about the Threat Response Cycle on our blog [link in bio]
💭 Share your experience below: When was the last time you noticed your body trying to tell you something?
✨ Follow for more mental health insights

01/14/2025

Understanding Your Body’s Emotional Language

Did you know your body might be feeling emotions before your mind knows about them? Groundbreaking research in affective neuroscience by Dr. Jaak Panksepp shows we have seven basic emotional systems that can operate below our conscious awareness, especially when impacted by trauma.

Your body tells the story through various signals:

Your heart rate and blood pressure might spike during FEAR or RAGE
Your breathing pattern could shift during PANIC/GRIEF
Your muscle tension might increase during RAGE
Your skin conductance could change during SEEKING
Your body temperature might shift during CARE or LUST
Your movement patterns could indicate PLAY

When trauma impacts our ability to recognize emotions, these physical signals become even more important. They’re like your body’s emotional morse code, sending messages about feelings you might not consciously recognize.

New wearable technology is making it possible to track these bodily signals, potentially helping us reconnect with emotions we’ve learned to suppress. While this technology is still developing, it offers exciting possibilities for understanding our deeper emotional experiences.

Remember: Your body always knows. Learning to listen to these physical signals can be a powerful part of healing.

References:
Panksepp, J. (1998). Affective Neuroscience: The Foundations of Human and Animal Emotions
Panksepp, J., & Biven, L. (2012). The Archaeology of Mind: Neuroevolutionary Origins of Human Emotions

01/14/2025

Understanding Your Body’s Emotional Language

Did you know your body might be feeling emotions before your mind knows about them? Groundbreaking research in affective neuroscience by Dr. Jaak Panksepp shows we have seven basic emotional systems that can operate below our conscious awareness, especially when impacted by trauma.

Your body tells the story through various signals:

Your heart rate and blood pressure might spike during FEAR or RAGE
Your breathing pattern could shift during PANIC/GRIEF
Your muscle tension might increase during RAGE
Your skin conductance could change during SEEKING
Your body temperature might shift during CARE or LUST
Your movement patterns could indicate PLAY

When trauma impacts our ability to recognize emotions, these physical signals become even more important. They’re like your body’s emotional morse code, sending messages about feelings you might not consciously recognize.

New wearable technology is making it possible to track these bodily signals, potentially helping us reconnect with emotions we’ve learned to suppress. While this technology is still developing, it offers exciting possibilities for understanding our deeper emotional experiences.

Remember: Your body always knows. Learning to listen to these physical signals can be a powerful part of healing.

References:
Panksepp, J. (1998). Affective Neuroscience: The Foundations of Human and Animal Emotions
Panksepp, J., & Biven, L. (2012). The Archaeology of Mind: Neuroevolutionary Origins of Human

01/11/2025

Conventional therapy tells us to talk through our trauma. At Analog Counseling, we know there’s another path - one that your nervous system has known all along.

Somatic Experiencing (SE), developed by Dr. Peter Levine, revolutionized trauma treatment by revealing a profound truth: trauma isn’t just in your mind - it’s held in your body’s survival responses. Through careful attention to physical sensations and natural self-protective movements, SE helps you complete interrupted defense responses and restore your nervous system’s natural resilience.

Research shows SE can reduce PTSD symptoms by up to 90% in as few as 15 sessions. Unlike traditional talk therapy alone, SE works with your body’s innate wisdom to heal trauma where it lives - in your nervous system.

Ready to experience trauma therapy differently? Analog Counseling specializes in SE, offering a path to healing that honors your body’s wisdom.

Learn more about our SE services at [Link in Bio]

References:
Levine, P. A. (2010). In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness
Payne, P., Levine, P. A., & Crane-Godreau, M. A. (2015). Somatic experiencing: Using interoception and proprioception as core elements of trauma therapy. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 93.

01/10/2025

In a world obsessed with instant results and measurable outcomes, true healing takes a different path. At Analog, we believe therapy isn’t about checking boxes or following protocols – it’s about creating space for real transformation.
No reduced solutions.
No rushing the process.
Time honored tradition meets cutting edge science for authentic connection and deep understanding.
Because your journey deserves more than a one-size-fits-all approach.
🤍 Ready to begin? Link in bio to learn more about our unique approach to therapy.

Analog Counseling

01/16/2026

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11/05/2025

10/29/2025

10/29/2025

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