Summary: New research reveals that astrocytes — not neurons — are responsible for stabilizing emotional memories by re-engaging during recall. After an emotionally intense event, such as fear, specific astrocytes become biologically tagged with adrenoreceptors, making them responsive when the memory is later reactivated. Blocking these astrocytes disrupts memory stability, while forcing them to activate exaggerates fear responses and causes overgeneralization. The findings u

Just like memories of soldiers and police, and for the same brain-based reasons Posted October 16, 2025 Incomplete memories of sexual assault, including those with huge gaps, are understandable— if we learn the basics of how memory works and we genuinely listen to survivors. Such memories should be expected. They are similar to the memories of soldiers and police officers for things they’ve experienced in the line of fire. And a great deal of scientific research on memory

Taylor Alexandria PsyD, LPC, CCTP-II Believe it or not, therapists have lives outside of the therapy room. After graduating with my doctorate, I quickly became bored with being a psychology expert. I needed more spark and creativity in my life, so I undertook stand-up and comedy writing. Upon the first day of comedy school, my entire perception of the world, others, and life changed. I was introduced to a new way of thinking. Comedy makes me want to pick up rocks and turn the

By: Dr. Taylor Alexandria, PsyD, PhD, LPC, NCC, CTP Strong communication and connection are vital components of any successful relationship. But life pulls us in all sorts of directions. And whether due to crazy work hours, the general franticness of raising kids, or the rhythms of routine, there will be times when you find yourself out of step with your partner. This happens to most couples from time to time. Luckily, there’s an easy solution: scheduling a regular relationsh

Grounding is a practice that can help you pull away from flashbacks, unwanted memories, and negative or challenging emotions. These techniques may help distract you from what you’re experiencing and refocus on what’s happening in the present moment. You can use grounding techniques to help create space from distressing feelings in nearly any situation. To connect with the here and now, do something (or several things) that will bring all your attention to the present moment.

Starting trauma therapy can seem intimidating and overwhelming. As a matter of fact, those who have experienced trauma tend to have the most difficult time beginning therapy. Roughly half of those with PTSD will seek treatment 1 . This is likely because avoidance is the typical default for someone who’s experienced trauma. Beginning trauma therapy means one is committing to the soul-scraping hard work of facing the unfaceable, thinking the unthinkable, and feeling the unfeel

The Neuroscience of Anger For eons, human beings have recognized the physical sensations, mental, and emotional effects associated with anger. With the advent of fMRI and other brain-imaging technologies, we have been able to identify which parts of the brain “light up” or become activated during an escalation of anger. In this article, we outline the physiological path through the mind-body that anger takes when we first detect a threat of some sort. As we proceed through th

For many of us, anxiety tends to intensify when we are left to infer. As adults, I am sure most of us are acquainted with the fear...