Laughter might really be the best medicine: How rewiring your brain can help sufferers of chronic pain find relief

Annie MillerChronic Pain

If you’ve been online recently, you’ve seen a new wave of positive thinking. It doesn’t sound too bad, right? But there is a point where being continuously told to put a positive spin on all your experiences can become toxic. A person telling you to just “think positive” and “change your attitude” doesn’t help the way they think it does. … Read More

Personality Traits That Can Lead to Chronic Pain

Annie MillerChronic Pain

Most people don’t typically associate personality traits with pain.  However, the two go hand-in-hand more than you might realize, especially when you’re dealing with chronic pain. While personality traits aren’t always predictors of pain, certain ones may trigger the “fight-or-flight” response in your brain more heavily than others.  That results in the amygdala over-firing, causing your body to experience higher … Read More

How to Get Out of an Anxiety Spiral and Take Back Control

Annie MillerAnxiety

Anxiety is the most common mental health issue in the world, yet it can impact everyone differently. For some, however, anxiety can often feel like it’s “in control,” causing your life to spiral and making you live in constant worry or fear. It can lead to chronic pain, insomnia, or even make symptoms of trauma worse.  When you’re met with … Read More

Breaking the Cycle of Insomnia and Chronic Pain

Annie MillerChronic Pain

Chronic pain comes with so many more issues than most people realize. Aside from the pain itself, it can cause mental health problems, weakness, and even contribute to insomnia. In fact, 1 in 4 people with chronic pain also has a sleep disorder. Chronic pain and insomnia seem to go hand in hand. You may have struggled to find effective … Read More

Mental Habits that Make Anxiety Worse

Annie MillerAnxiety

If you’re one of the millions of people who deal with anxiety on a daily basis, you might think it’s just how your brain works. It’s common for people to assume they have anxiety and there’s nothing they can do about it.  But that isn’t necessarily true.  Anxiety is, in fact, a learned habit. Over time, the habit of anxiety … Read More

Why Worrying About Sleep Causes Sleep Problems

Annie MillerInsomnia

These days, it seems articles, commercials, and even social media posts about the importance of sleep are unavoidable.  You’ve undoubtedly seen and heard them for yourself. You’ve also probably heard how important it is to get at least eight hours of sleep, or the negative effects sleep problems can have on your mind and body.  While there’s a kernel of … Read More

How to Practice Mindfulness in Your Daily Life

Annie MillerAnxiety

To say we’re living in uncertain, anxious times would be an understatement. You might feel on edge often, and that’s understandable considering the state of our society. Across the globe, cases of anxiety, depression, insomnia, and even chronic pain have been consistently on the rise. That’s why now, more than ever, we need mindfulness.  Mindfulness has gained a lot of … Read More

Tips to Sleep Better This Year

Annie MillerInsomnia

The year is still fresh and new. Whether you’ve set resolutions and goals for yourself or not, it’s never too late—especially when it comes to bettering your health. After the holiday season, you might need some help to get things back on track. One of the best ways to take care of your well-being this year (and beyond) is to … Read More

Instead of New Year’s Resolutions, Try This

Annie MillerOnline Therapy

At the start of every year, people make resolutions. Many set extreme goals and high expectations for themselves, wanting a major change to occur.  The only problem?  New Year’s resolutions don’t work for most people.  Multiple studies have shown that the majority of people give up on their resolutions after a very short period of time. Even if you have … Read More

Best Daily Habits to Help Ease Anxiety

Annie MillerAnxiety

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions around the world. Thankfully, it’s also one of the most manageable.  Mild anxiety can go away on its own, but chronic anxiety often requires a mental health professional to help you work through it. If you are experiencing anxiety, there are things you can do every day to ease your … Read More