A perspective from a mental health counselor who loves Gossip Girl and did not expect to spend this much time reading neuroscience papers If you've spent any time in trauma-informed therapy over the last decade or two, you've probably heard something like this: "When you feel frozen and can't move or speak, that's your nervous system going into shutdown mode. It's a survival response, not a character flaw." That explanation, the one that helped so many people stop blaming the

Sometimes, the signs that you need support aren’t obvious. Life keeps moving, responsibilities pile up, and before you know it, you may feel exhausted, overwhelmed, or frustrated without even realizing just how much. Stress can become so constant that it feels normal. You push through, keep up appearances, and may not even notice how stretched thin you've become. You might relate if you notice some of these experiences: Your thoughts are running together so fast and loud that