Mental Health Blog | Circle City Alliance Therapy Indianapolis
Mental health insights from Indianapolis therapist Ethany Michaud, LCSW — trauma, anxiety, grief, and healing.
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.
What Is the Window of Tolerance and How Can You Widen Yours?
Ever wonder why you sometimes feel completely overwhelmed and other times totally shut down? The Window of Tolerance may explain what's happening — and how therapy can help you build more range.
When Intimacy Feels Unsafe: Understanding the Connection Between Trauma and Relationships
You want to be close to people. And closeness feels threatening in a way you can't always explain. Here's how trauma shapes relational patterns and what actually helps them change.
Feeling Numb: What Emotional Numbness Actually Is and Why It Happens
You're not sad exactly. You're just flat. Things don't land the way they used to. Here's what emotional numbness actually is, why it happens, and why talking about it isn't always enough.
Still Carrying It Alone: Breaking the Stigma Around Men's Mental Health
If you've always figured things out alone, this post isn't here to push you. It's here to offer a different way of thinking about what you might be carrying — and whether help is worth a second look.
How Childhood Trauma Shows Up in Adults And Why It's Not Your Fault
You adapted. You survived. And you carried all of it into adulthood without a manual. Here's how childhood trauma actually shows up in adults — and why "my childhood wasn't that bad" doesn't disqualify you from healing.
Why Trauma Therapy Is So Hard — And Why That's Actually a Good Sign
You started trauma therapy and somehow feel worse. Before you quit — read this. An Indianapolis trauma therapist explains why the hardest sessions are often the most important ones.
8 Signs Your Nervous System Is Stuck in Survival Mode
Your body is bracing. Your mind won't stop scanning. Rest doesn't restore you. These 8 signs mean your nervous system might be stuck in survival mode — and here's what to do about it.
Why Healing Sometimes Has to Happen in the Body: Somatic Therapy Explained
You can know you're safe and still feel terrified. That's because trauma isn't just a thought — it lives in your body. Here's what somatic therapy actually does, and why it works when talk therapy hasn't.