LifeStance Insights
Our team of expert clinicians give their perspectives across a range of subjects, touching on current topics, family and loved one issues, mental health struggles and the comprehensive services that can help you live a better life.
FEATURED STORY
Finding the Right Fit: The Questions Therapists Wish You’d Ask to Ensure a Great Match
March 17, 2025
By: LifeStance Health
Read Time: 4 Minutes
One of the most important factors in the success of psychotherapy is the quality of the therapeutic relationship between the therapist and the client. Unlike other medical fields where expertise is the defining factor, in therapy, trust and connection are equally essential. Trust, empathy, and sincerity are the cornerstones of therapy.
While researching a prospective therapist’s qualifications and experience is important, the first meeting is where a client should try to determine if they truly connect with the therapist.
Since therapy is highly personal, ensuring a good match between client and therapist is vital. While researching a prospective therapist’s qualifications and experience is important, the first meeting is where a client should try to determine if they truly connect with the therapist. To facilitate this, therapists and patients alike should ask key questions to assess compatibility.
Essential Questions to Ask a Prospective Therapist
Are there any differences b...
Read More
Filter Articles By:
Lifestyle/Cultural
Food as Medicine
I invite friends over for dinner at least twice a week. This may sound unusual or even stressful to many people, but to me it has brought joy and closeness with family and friends. When I cook, we all participate. My friends have sunk their hands into the warm earth to plant herbs, fruits, and vegetables that make it into almost every meal I cook year-round, a proposition that can be difficult in the Michigan winter.
Each of the kids and our closest friends helped build the dining room table from local cherry wood that we gather around to eat. To connect. And the wooden center countertop upon which we roll dough for pastas and breads was made by us as well. We feel connected from the food we grow to the places we prepare and eat food. It is all tied together, and all of it is powerful medicine.
The kitchen is the heart of our home.
The kitchen is the heart of our home. This focus is incredibly important to me as a person and parent. The kitchen is the center of family congregation. It is where we prepare food, discuss our day, and decompress. Achievements and milestones are marked with food and time in the kitchen. This runs deeper than just the food that is prepared and consumed by those who I hold dear. It’s about connection, tradition, and well-being....
Read More
Food as Medicine
I invite friends over for dinner at least twice a week. This may sound unusual or even stressful to many people, but to me it has brought joy and closeness with family and friends. When I cook, we all participate. My friends have sunk their hands into the warm earth to plant herbs, fruits, and vegetables that make it into almost every meal I cook year-round, a proposition that can be difficult in the Michigan winter.
Each of the kids and our closest friends helped build the dining room table from local cherry wood that we gather around to eat. To connect. And the wooden center countertop upon which we roll dough for pastas and breads was made by us as well. We feel connected from the food we grow to the places we prepare and eat food. It is all tied together, and all of it is powerful medicine.
The kitchen is the heart of our home.
The kitchen is the heart of our home. This focus is incredibly important to me as a person and parent. The kitchen is the center of family congregation. It is where we prepare food, discuss our day, and decompress. Achievements and milestones are marked with food and time in the kitchen. This runs deeper than just the food that is prepared and consumed by those who I hold dear. It’s about connection, tradition, and well-being....
Read More
Share 
Medication Management
Psychotropic Medications Explained: A Holistic Approach to Mental Health Treatment
I’m Tara Ericksen, and I’m here to explore the fascinating connection between your brain, mental health, and how understanding psychotropic medications can transform your treatment journey. My path to psychiatry, which was anything but traditional, helped me appreciate holistic treatment and the value of patient education. I started in midwifery school at Columbia University, thinking I wanted to deliver babies. But as I delved deeper into healthcare, I realized that all aspects of medicine fascinated me. I transitioned to Georgetown University’s women’s healthcare nurse practitioner program, where my passion for helping people took a new direction. After spending time in women’s health and running a healthcare department, I found myself drawn to psychiatry. I began working with teens in residential treatment and intensive outpatient programs, eventually completely transitioning into psychiatry. The complexity of the human mind captivated me—every patient and issue is a puzzle piece, and psychiatry offers the unique challenge of putting together those puzzle pieces to help people live their best lives.
Through this journey, one thing became very clear to me: if patients understand what’s happening in their brains and how medications work, they’re more likely to feel empowered and invested in their treatment....
Read More
Psychotropic Medications Explained: A Holistic Approach to Mental Health Treatment
I’m Tara Ericksen, and I’m here to explore the fascinating connection between your brain, mental health, and how understanding psychotropic medications can transform your treatment journey. My path to psychiatry, which was anything but traditional, helped me appreciate holistic treatment and the value of patient education. I started in midwifery school at Columbia University, thinking I wanted to deliver babies. But as I delved deeper into healthcare, I realized that all aspects of medicine fascinated me. I transitioned to Georgetown University’s women’s healthcare nurse practitioner program, where my passion for helping people took a new direction. After spending time in women’s health and running a healthcare department, I found myself drawn to psychiatry. I began working with teens in residential treatment and intensive outpatient programs, eventually completely transitioning into psychiatry. The complexity of the human mind captivated me—every patient and issue is a puzzle piece, and psychiatry offers the unique challenge of putting together those puzzle pieces to help people live their best lives.
Through this journey, one thing became very clear to me: if patients understand what’s happening in their brains and how medications work, they’re more likely to feel empowered and invested in their treatment....
Read More
Share
Disorders
Overcoming the Fear of Flying: Tools and Techniques That Can Lead to a Calmer Journey
Flying can be a nerve-wracking experience for many, triggering anxiety that ranges from mild unease to full-blown panic. The fear of flying, also known as aviophobia, affects countless travelers, making what should be an exciting journey feel overwhelming. Fortunately, there are tools and techniques that often help manage this fear and make flying a more comfortable experience.
Understanding Aviophobia
Even though flying is statistically safer than driving, our brains don’t always respond to logic when it comes to fear. This conflict between rational knowledge and emotional response is called “emotional recalcitrance“—when we know something is safe, but our emotions refuse to accept it. This is why someone can feel anxious about flying despite knowing that the odds of an accident are incredibly low....
Read More
Overcoming the Fear of Flying: Tools and Techniques That Can Lead to a Calmer Journey
Flying can be a nerve-wracking experience for many, triggering anxiety that ranges from mild unease to full-blown panic. The fear of flying, also known as aviophobia, affects countless travelers, making what should be an exciting journey feel overwhelming. Fortunately, there are tools and techniques that often help manage this fear and make flying a more comfortable experience.
Understanding Aviophobia
Even though flying is statistically safer than driving, our brains don’t always respond to logic when it comes to fear. This conflict between rational knowledge and emotional response is called “emotional recalcitrance“—when we know something is safe, but our emotions refuse to accept it. This is why someone can feel anxious about flying despite knowing that the odds of an accident are incredibly low....
Read More
Share
Lifestyle/Cultural
My Journey from Addiction to Recovery: Proof That Change Is Possible
My name is James “Andrew” Dewey, and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). I am also SMART (Self-Management and Recovery Training) certified and am actively involved in advocacy for safer drug and alcohol policies. Most importantly, I am living proof that recovery from addiction is not only possible but can lead to a life full of meaning and purpose.
Today, I work with individuals battling addiction, helping them navigate the turbulent waters of recovery. But my story didn’t begin with hope—it began with struggle, pain, and rock bottom.
How Addiction Took Over My Life
My addiction story starts in an unassuming way, as it does for many people. In 2005, I suffered a significant back injury while working. As a veteran, I was able to access care through both the VA and community services. My doctor prescribed what they then called a “miracle drug” for pain management: OxyContin. The Sackler family and pharmaceutical companies had falsely assured doctors and patients alike t...
Read More
My Journey from Addiction to Recovery: Proof That Change Is Possible
My name is James “Andrew” Dewey, and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). I am also SMART (Self-Management and Recovery Training) certified and am actively involved in advocacy for safer drug and alcohol policies. Most importantly, I am living proof that recovery from addiction is not only possible but can lead to a life full of meaning and purpose.
Today, I work with individuals battling addiction, helping them navigate the turbulent waters of recovery. But my story didn’t begin with hope—it began with struggle, pain, and rock bottom.
How Addiction Took Over My Life
My addiction story starts in an unassuming way, as it does for many people. In 2005, I suffered a significant back injury while working. As a veteran, I was able to access care through both the VA and community services. My doctor prescribed what they then called a “miracle drug” for pain management: OxyContin. The Sackler family and pharmaceutical companies had falsely assured doctors and patients alike t...
Read More
Share
Specialized Services
Brainspotting Therapy: How It Works, Who Might Benefit, and What to Expect
If you’ve ever felt stuck in therapy, like you’re talking about the same things but not really getting to the root of it, you’re not alone. Sometimes, trauma and emotional pain are stored deep in the brain in ways we can’t access through words alone. Brainspotting is an innovative, brain-based therapy that often helps people process and release these emotions by focusing on where they look.
As an EMDRIA-Approved EMDR Consultant, I’ve worked extensively with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), an innovative and evidence-based trauma therapy. EMDR has helped countless patients reprocess traumatic memories and reduce distressing symptoms, and I’ve trained and consulted with many therapists in its use. But when I first learned about Brainspotting, I was skeptical. I initially thought it was just staring at a fixed point to relax. But once I took the training, I was blown away by how quickly and deeply it often accessed emotions—both for my patients and for myself.
I went through a full week of intensive Brainspotting where I personally experienced the therapy for two-and-a-half-hour sessions. I had no expectations, but when my partner guided me to a specific “brain spot”—where my trauma was stored—I felt frozen. Old emotions I hadn’t accessed in years suddenly surfaced, and I was able to process...
Read More
Brainspotting Therapy: How It Works, Who Might Benefit, and What to Expect
If you’ve ever felt stuck in therapy, like you’re talking about the same things but not really getting to the root of it, you’re not alone. Sometimes, trauma and emotional pain are stored deep in the brain in ways we can’t access through words alone. Brainspotting is an innovative, brain-based therapy that often helps people process and release these emotions by focusing on where they look.
As an EMDRIA-Approved EMDR Consultant, I’ve worked extensively with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), an innovative and evidence-based trauma therapy. EMDR has helped countless patients reprocess traumatic memories and reduce distressing symptoms, and I’ve trained and consulted with many therapists in its use. But when I first learned about Brainspotting, I was skeptical. I initially thought it was just staring at a fixed point to relax. But once I took the training, I was blown away by how quickly and deeply it often accessed emotions—both for my patients and for myself.
I went through a full week of intensive Brainspotting where I personally experienced the therapy for two-and-a-half-hour sessions. I had no expectations, but when my partner guided me to a specific “brain spot”—where my trauma was stored—I felt frozen. Old emotions I hadn’t accessed in years suddenly surfaced, and I was able to process...
Read More
Share
Depression
The Truth About Depression No One Talks About – and Strategies to Help Break Free
Depression is one of the most common conditions I see in my practice, and it affects people in profound ways—disrupting their relationships, careers, and sense of self. Because depression is so pervasive, treating it requires more than just knowledge; it demands continuous learning, deep reflection, and refining treatment strategies based on real-life experiences. As clinicians, we are always looking for the best ways to help people navigate depression and regain a sense of balance in their lives.
What is Depression, Really?
We often think of depression as one singular thing, but there are different types. A major depressive episode can happen once and clear up, or it can be chronic, with episodes that come and go throughout a person’s life. According to the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), depression has nine possible criteria, but you only need five of them to be diagnosed. This means that depression can look different from person to person.
Howeve...
Read More
The Truth About Depression No One Talks About – and Strategies to Help Break Free
Depression is one of the most common conditions I see in my practice, and it affects people in profound ways—disrupting their relationships, careers, and sense of self. Because depression is so pervasive, treating it requires more than just knowledge; it demands continuous learning, deep reflection, and refining treatment strategies based on real-life experiences. As clinicians, we are always looking for the best ways to help people navigate depression and regain a sense of balance in their lives.
What is Depression, Really?
We often think of depression as one singular thing, but there are different types. A major depressive episode can happen once and clear up, or it can be chronic, with episodes that come and go throughout a person’s life. According to the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), depression has nine possible criteria, but you only need five of them to be diagnosed. This means that depression can look different from person to person.
Howeve...
Read More
Share
Depression
Read More
What’s New in Antidepressant Medications in 2025?
The year 2024 marked a pivotal moment in the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), as significant FDA-approved medications entered the market alongside new FDA approval filings, signaling exciting advancements in depression care. Among the highlights was Exxua (Gepirone), a groundbreaking medication approved in September 2023, which has opened new possibilities for both patients and providers. This innovative treatment, alongside other developments, has significantly altered the way clinicians approach medication management for MDD. In this article, LifeStance psychiatrists reflect on which treatments worked best for their patients in 2024 and share their insights on the promising new medications they anticipate in 2025.
Medication Management For Depression 2024: Tried, True, and Transformative
Despite the introduction of groundbreaking medications in 2024, many clinicians found themselves relying on well-established antidepressants for their effectiveness and accessi...
By LifeStance Health
Published: February 20, 2025Read Time: 5 Minutes
What’s New in Antidepressant Medications in 2025?
The year 2024 marked a pivotal moment in the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), as significant FDA-approved medications entered the market alongside new FDA approval filings, signaling exciting advancements in depression care. Among the highlights was Exxua (Gepirone), a groundbreaking medication approved in September 2023, which has opened new possibilities for both patients and providers. This innovative treatment, alongside other developments, has significantly altered the way clinicians approach medication management for MDD. In this article, LifeStance psychiatrists reflect on which treatments worked best for their patients in 2024 and share their insights on the promising new medications they anticipate in 2025.
Medication Management For Depression 2024: Tried, True, and Transformative
Despite the introduction of groundbreaking medications in 2024, many clinicians found themselves relying on well-established antidepressants for their effectiveness and accessi...
Read More
Share
