Sierra Blanco AMFT

02/12/2024

01/16/2024

Often there is a calling in the darkness, an inner voice whispering and asking to be heard, a revelation brewing, a request to rest, permission to change course, amends needed, boundaries to be set, justice to be pursued, art to be created, poetry to be written, music to be made, changes to take place, unexpressed grief finally debuted... and on and on. Soften and listen to the underlying whisper. Even if there is trepidation, let it be. Go underneath and demystify the fear. Depression and suicidality often bury the underlying requests and revelations we need to hear to heal.

12/05/2023

A huge aspect of therapy is providing psychoeducation to normalize and make sense of symptoms, reactions, and functions of trauma, anxiety, depression, self-sabotage etc. Psychoeducation increases self-compassion and feelings of empowerment. Therapy is a perfect place to demystify challenges & implement a plan to manage/prevent relapse of symptoms.
Check out the following article to learn more about common reactions to trauma:

It helps to know what to expect after a terrifying event.

10/17/2023

There are a few wonderful books to pick up and explore more about attachment. I'll link those in next post. 😊

09/23/2023

Spoiler alert, perceived weakness is the pathway to empowerment.

09/19/2023

Prepping for the work week and I came across this gem. I seek themes and inspiration on a regular basis.

Reminds me of the redirection hardships offer us on our journeys; hardships are like life's built in authentication service. Moments of realignment with our values; moments of meaning making; moments of caterpillar transformations; moments of reenvisioning our 5 year plan; moments of humbling; moments of discovering our truth; moments of shedding what doesn't fit or serve or resonate etc.

09/01/2023

Here we go! Let's dive in. Concepts of the triune brain and it's functions in response to trauma. ⬇️

🧠 The Brainstem: Our instinctual protector, responsible for survival instincts. When trauma strikes, this part of the brain is responsible for orchestrating our survival and shutting down non-essential functions and processes. Sends message to autonomic nervous system in response to trauma, elicits changes in breathing, heart rate, sweating, etc and activates the fight-flight-freeze states in the body.

🧠 The Limbic System: The emotional center, dealing with memories and emotions. Trauma can create imprints here, leading to triggers and emotional turmoil. Memories are often fragmented and needing support to be integrated. Here resides our handy Amygdala or "Amy" who detects threat & sets off our fear alarm, releasing stress hormones to prepare the body to fight-flight-freeze.

🧠 The Neocortex: The thinking, reasoning brain goes offline, including self-regulating capacities. Getd interrupted in it's job to store the traumatic experience in the long term memory file cabinet. So the experience doesn't get filed away as "there and then" and often presents as "here and now", leading to PTSD symptoms.

Getting support is so important when dealing with after-effects of trauma and/or prolonged stress.
Post-traumatic stress symptoms do not mean you're broken. You're mind-body system responded appropriately to keep you safe.

08/29/2023

https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/910146

Sierra Blanco, Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, Redding, CA, 96001, (530) 670-0760, Therapy is a place to unravel and make sense of your story, heal deep wounds, rewrite painful beliefs, change dysfunctional patterns, process relational difficulties, discover hope, and overcome the blocks that...

08/28/2023

I'm feelin fall early this year. 🍂 Manifesting my next season. Thanks for the seasonal glow up

08/21/2023

"Positive" affirmations and mantras don't always resonate. It's hard to lie to our nervous system. In the therapeutic field, we work toward adaptive and supportive self-talk by engaging in cognitive restructuring. For me, this means working with what resonates and taking small, digestible steps toward a more positive thought life.
Saying "I am amazing and fantastic and stunning" in the mirror when our internal reality feels disconnected from those affirmations will not get us to our end goal of reconstructing our thought life.
Take tolerable steps. Start with, "I am okay" versus extremes, such as "I am horrible" or "I am perfect".
This is also why Emotional Freedom Technique is so powerful and supportive. Check out EFT tapping on youtube, especially Tapping with Brad Yates! 🦋

08/02/2023

I absolutely love incorporating sand tray and here's why. ⬆️🦋