Free Minds Counseling

04/21/2026

It isn't just warriors that create themselves. We all do it - with varying levels of intention and awareness. Trial and error is just a fact of life regardless of how much prep work you do. And while suffering is optional, pain is just part of the human condition. It is the ability to admit to and fight to change your own faults that seems to be the defining characteristic of healthy and successful people.

After all, you can't fix a problem when you can't identify it accurately. I am going around and around on this fact with my son. I find myself repeating, "I don't know is the beginning of the investigation not the end of the conversation" so often that I am starting to feel like an automaton.

Being a parent is a lot like being DBM (Dealy Boss Mods) for your kids. Anyone else feel that way some days?

04/20/2026

Using printable materials, artificial neurons produce complex signals that match biological timing, enabling direct communication with brain cells, and advancing efficient computing, and neural implant technologies.

04/20/2026

At the high school for enrollment related issues, I went past the art department display and I had to stop to take a picture of a picture that really resonated.
Shackled by the clock. Trapped by time constraints. Bound and burdened by the tyranny of routine.

What is your relationship to time like?

04/20/2026

I got the invitation post card for my high school reunion today. It triggered an interesting progression of "remember when", "If only..." and one squashed attempt to spiral me into a depression bout I had no interest entertaining.
The experience of late diagnosis and loss of ability to mask effectively is an epidemic right now.
Anyone else out there totally feel seen by the meme?

04/18/2026

04/18/2026

The struggle is real and the week has been crazy busy. I guess it is a good thing I had already decided to suspend twice daily posts and apply that time to growing a new skill or I would be struggling with all kinds of guilt. That remains an automatic response despite being easier to dispel these days.
Acceptance is an important part of getting some level of control over automatic reactions. Knowing what direction your brain automatically jumps under specific triggers allows you to plane a counter or use for each response.

Picture of therapy puppers for the algo

04/18/2026

5 signs your TEMPER is actually ADHD:
1. The "Zero to Sixty" Flash
You go from perfectly calm to absolute white-hot rage in three seconds because of a minor inconvenience.
WHY?
This is "emotional dysregulation." Your brain’s "brakes" are weak, so when an emotion hits, it floods your entire system before your logical brain can catch up.
2. The Sensory Snap
You find yourself yelling because someone is chewing too loudly or the lights are too bright.
WHY?
Your brain is already overstimulated. When one more sensory "input" hits, your nervous system interprets it as a physical threat, triggering a "fight" response (anger) to make it stop.
3. The "No" Reaction
Being told "no" or being corrected feels like a physical punch to the gut that makes you want to lash out.
WHY?
This is the "fight" side of ADHD RSD. Your brain registers the "no" as a total rejection of your personhood, and it uses anger to protect you from the pain of that perceived abandonment.
4. The Transition Tantrum
You get extremely irritable and snappy when you have to stop a task you enjoy to do something else.
WHY?
ADHD brains struggle with "task switching." Forcing your brain to move feels like a physical tear in your focus, leading to a surge of frustration that comes out as a temper flare.
5. The "Shame Hangover"
Five minutes after your explosion, you feel deep, crushing guilt and can't believe you "overreacted" again.
WHY?
Once the adrenaline clears, your logical brain returns. The "gap" between your intense reaction and the actual situation causes a massive ADHD RSD shame spiral, making you feel like a "monster."

And ALL of these ae frequently mistaken for other things.

04/18/2026

As with every 🔗, I dropped it in the comments.

04/18/2026

All the biggest science news stories of the week.

04/18/2026

Can music treat psychosis? A new study reveals how songwriting helps schizophrenia patients improve predictive coding, reducing paranoia and social isolation.