Somatic Therapy Blog
Real talk on trauma, anxiety, grief, and what it actually takes to heal.
This blog is written by Ethany Michaud, LCSW, a certified Brainspotting practitioner and somatic therapist in Indianapolis, Indiana. Every post is written to give you something useful: a framework for understanding what's happening in your nervous system, language for things you've felt but never had words for, or a reason to finally reach out.
If something lands for you, you're welcome to book a free 15-minute consultation. That's what it's here for.
What Is a Therapy Intensive and Is It Right for You?
Sometimes weekly therapy feels like you just get started when the hour ends. A therapy intensive offers more time to go deeper. Here is what they are and how to know if one is right for you.
Nervous System Regulation: What It Actually Means and How to Build It
You have been hearing the phrase nervous system regulation everywhere. Here is what it actually means, what a regulated nervous system feels like, and how you actually build it.
Depression Therapy Near Carmel and Zionsville: When the Life You Built Still Feels Empty
You have built a good life. And somewhere underneath it is a flatness that does not make sense given everything you have. Here is what depression in high-achieving communities actually looks like and what helps.
What Happens in the Brain During Brainspotting?
Something significant happens in the brain during a Brainspotting session. Here is what it actually is, why the visual field matters, and how neuroplasticity explains why the changes tend to last.
How to Find a Brainspotting Therapist Near You
Finding a Brainspotting therapist near you takes more than a quick search. Here is what training actually means, what questions to ask, and what a skilled practitioner looks like in practice.
Anxiety Counseling Near Zionsville and Carmel: A Nervous System Approach
If you live in Zionsville or Carmel and have been looking for anxiety support that goes deeper than breathing exercises and thought journals, this post is for you.
Brainspotting for Addiction: How It Reaches the Root of Addictive Patterns
Most people who struggle with addictive patterns already understand their behavior. The gap between understanding and change points to where addictive patterns actually live in the brain. Here is how Brainspotting reaches it.
Inhibited Grief: When You Cannot Let Yourself Cry
You can feel the weight of it sitting in your chest. And nothing comes out. Inhibited grief is real, it is common, and it responds well to the right kind of support. Here is what it is and why it happens.
Treatment Resistant Depression: When You Have Tried Everything and Still Feel Stuck
You have tried medication. You have been in therapy. And you still wake up with the same heaviness. Here is what treatment resistant depression actually is and what approaches can reach it when standard treatments have not.
What Is a Brainspotting Session Like? A Step-by-Step Walk-Through
If you've been curious about Brainspotting but aren't sure what actually happens in a session, this post is for you. A step by step walk-through from an Indianapolis therapist who has sat in both chairs.
Online Therapy in Indiana: What You Need to Know Before You Start
Online therapy has become a genuinely preferred way for many people to access mental health support. Here's what you need to know before you start with a telehealth therapist in Indiana.
When Everything Looks Fine on the Outside: Depression in High Achievers
You have a good job, you show up, and from the outside things look fine. And underneath all of that, something is very wrong. Here's what depression in high achievers actually looks like.
What Is Somatic Experiencing and How Does It Work?
If you've tried talk therapy and felt like something was still missing, somatic therapy might be what you've been looking for. Here's what Somatic Experiencing actually is and how it works.
How to Support Someone in Therapy Without Overstepping
Someone you love has started therapy and you want to help but you're not sure what that looks like. Here's what actually helps and what tends to get in the way from an Indianapolis therapist.
Still Telling Yourself You're Fine? Signs You Might Need Therapy
Most people who end up in therapy spent months telling themselves they were fine. Here are the signs that sooner might be now — from an Indianapolis therapist who hears this every week.
Opening the Door to Healing: How Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Helps With PTSD and Trauma
You've processed the trauma from every angle. You understand it. And your nervous system still responds as though it's happening right now. Here's how Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy may create an opening when other approaches haven't.
Why Shame Makes Everything Harder: The Shame Cycle in Addiction and Recovery
Shame and addictive behavior feed each other in a cycle that willpower alone rarely breaks. Here's what the shame cycle actually is and why judgment-free care is clinically essential to recovery.
ADHD or Trauma: How to Tell the Difference and Why It Matters for Healing
You can't concentrate, your mind jumps around, and someone suggested ADHD. But something doesn't quite fit. Here's why ADHD and trauma look so similar and how to tell them apart.
When Nobody Validates Your Loss: Understanding Disenfranchised Grief
Nobody brought you flowers for this one. No funeral, no bereavement leave. And yet you're grieving something real. Here's what disenfranchised grief is and why your loss deserves to be witnessed.