202 Walton St Suite #203, Syracuse, NY 13202 | 315.333.7773 | Online Therapy Available
202 Walton St Suite #203, Syracuse, NY 13202 | Online Therapy Available
written by Alicia Murray. You may have heard it before: “Just move on.”“It’s in the past.”“You have to let it go.” But if it were that simple, you would have done it already. Trauma does not stay in the past just because time has passed. Trauma Is Not Just a Memory Trauma is stored in…
written by Alicia Murray. Many people expect trauma to look like intense emotion. But for some, it looks like the opposite. You may feel disconnected. Flat. Unmoved by things that used to matter. Unable to access your emotions in the way you once did. This is not a lack of feeling. It is protection. What…
written by Alicia Murray. You might find yourself reacting strongly to things that seem minor. A change in tone. A delayed text. A small conflict. A moment of uncertainty. And almost immediately, your body responds. Your chest tightens. Your thoughts race. You feel overwhelmed, defensive, or shut down. Then comes the second wave:“Why am I…
written by Alicia Murray. After narcissistic abuse, many people feel like they have lost themselves. You may not know what you like, what you believe, or what you want anymore. That loss of identity is real. Why Identity Gets Lost In abusive dynamics, you often adapt to survive. You may: Prioritize their needs Suppress your…
written by Alicia Murray. After narcissistic abuse, many people say the same thing: “I feel like I’m losing my mind.” You may question your memory. Your reactions. Your interpretation of events. This is not because something is wrong with you. It is because your reality was repeatedly challenged. What Gaslighting Does to the Brain Gaslighting…
Written by Alicia Murray. Choosing to go no contact can feel like the clearest decision you have ever made. And also the hardest one to follow through on. Even when you know the relationship was harmful, you may still feel pulled back in. You may question your decision, miss them, or feel intense guilt. This…
Written by Alicia Murray. A lot of men hesitate to start therapy because they are not sure what it will actually look like. There is a common assumption that therapy is just sitting in a room talking about feelings without direction. For many men, that sounds uncomfortable or even unhelpful. In reality, therapy for men…
written by: Alicia Murray Many men pride themselves on being independent. You handle problems. You push through stress. You figure things out on your own. But there comes a point where doing everything alone stops being strength and starts becoming exhaustion. And even then, asking for help can feel uncomfortable. The Belief System Behind Self-Reliance…
written by Alicia Murray. For many men, anger feels familiar. It feels accessible. It feels acceptable. But what often goes unnoticed is that anger is rarely the root emotion. It is usually the only emotion that feels safe enough to show. If you’ve ever found yourself getting frustrated quickly, shutting down, or reacting more intensely…
You may be successful at work. Responsible. Dependable. Logical. But when it comes to relationships, something feels harder. You may struggle to open up. Avoid conflict until it explodes. Feel misunderstood. Or pull away when things get emotionally intense. This is more common than you think. Success Does Not Equal Emotional Safety Many high-functioning men…
When most people picture depression, they imagine sadness. Tearfulness. Withdrawal. But for many men, depression does not look like sadness at all. It looks like irritability. Exhaustion. Detachment. Overworking. Drinking more than usual. Snapping at loved ones. Feeling flat but unable to explain why. Many men do not realize they are depressed because it does…
You tell yourself you’re just being thorough. You read another article. Listen to another podcast. Search one more thread. Compare five more opinions. Screenshot advice. Open twelve tabs. And somehow, instead of feeling clearer, you feel more anxious. Over-researching often starts as a way to feel prepared. But when it becomes compulsive, it is usually…
If you’ve experienced trauma, you may notice something confusing: even when someone seems kind, consistent, and safe, your body does not relax. You may want to trust them. You may logically know they are different from people who hurt you. But your chest tightens. Your stomach drops. Your thoughts race. You pull back. Trust does…
The word “narcissist” is everywhere right now. Social media has made it easy to label difficult people quickly. But not every conflict is narcissistic abuse. Understanding the difference matters. What Healthy Conflict Looks Like In healthy relationships: Both people can take accountability Disagreements do not erase respect Boundaries are discussed, not punished Repair is possible…
One of the most painful effects of narcissistic abuse is not just what happened in the relationship. It is what happens inside you afterward. You may second-guess your memory. Question your instincts. Overanalyze decisions. Feel paralyzed when making simple choices. This is not indecisiveness. It is the impact of gaslighting. How Gaslighting Rewires Self-Trust Gaslighting…