Mental Health

At Scottsdale Providence Recovery Center, we believe that understanding the intricate connections between mental health conditions is key to providing comprehensive and effective treatment. Read on as we delve into a topic that has garnered increasing attention in recent years: the link between Attention Deficit...

Our Approach to Bipolar Disorder Management In the world of mental health, the treatment of Bipolar Disorder is a realm where science and empathy combined can help cultivate lasting recovery. At Scottsdale Providence, we embrace this complex task with a collective ethos, forging a path...

In an age dominated by screens and the constant minor excitement of pinging phones, we are suddenly hearing a lot about so-called “Dopamine Addiction.” But what exactly is dopamine addiction, and do we need to be worried? According to the surge of social media hype,...

Feeling hopeless is a deeply distressing emotional state that can affect people from all walks of life – regardless of financial status, relationship outlook, or success level. Whether it’s due to trauma, addiction, or a combination of factors, finding a path toward healing and recovery...

Depression is a silent battle that millions of individuals face every day. Its impact goes beyond mere sadness, often leading to profound disruptions in one’s life, relationships, and overall well-being. For those facing it, things may feel heavy, hopeless, and never-ending. But there is a...

Addiction and PTSD often go hand in hand. This is probably unsurprising for anyone who has grappled with substance use or the pain that comes with it. Many of us feel haunted by the past—even during our sleeping hours. While PTSD nightmares may seem like...

PTSD is more common than you might think. Chances are, someone you know – or even you – is affected. Most of us assume that PTSD is solely the domain of veterans who have fought in foreign wars and returned scarred by their experiences. While...

In a world obsessed with success and achievement, it is easy to believe that those who have it all must also feel it all. However, behind the dazzling facade of high-functioning individuals lies a lesser-known truth: the harrowing reality of high functioning depression. Read on...

Battling addiction or a mental health condition is a challenging, life-altering experience. But what about those who have both? Co-occurring disorders, or dual diagnosis, as they are also known, are relatively common among people seeking treatment. It is estimated that approximately 30 to 50 percent...

In a world where mental health issues have become increasingly prevalent, finding help can be a challenging journey. According to recent statistics, approximately 1 in 5 adults in America experiences a mental health disorder each year. These staggering numbers highlight the urgent need for comprehensive...

Why Practice Mindfulness in Recovery? In our frantic, digitally-driven world, many of us find ourselves constantly multitasking, overwhelmed by stress, and bombarded by a never-ending stream of thoughts and worries. As the demands of modern life take their toll on our mental well-being, it becomes...

This May at Scottsdale Providence, we are continuing our focus on all things mental health. As you may have heard, it’s Mental Health Awareness Month, when annual awareness campaigns flourish and aim to reduce the stigma, educate people, and foster hope. Here, we’ll dive into...

Every year around this time, we honor Mental Health Awareness Month – a time when we take a moment to recognize the importance of mental health and its profound ability to impact our daily existence. This May, we are seizing the opportunity to raise awareness,...

What is Somatic Experiencing? Traumatic experiences can take a heavy toll. Past traumatic events, even if unrecognized as such, can linger in our bodies and psyches long after the event occurred, often creating a ripple effect that impacts our present circumstances. Although most people are...

April is National Counseling Awareness Month. This time is set aside to not only honor those professionals who do the work, but to help people understand the indisputable–and often lifesaving–role benefits of counseling plays in treatment. This is a time to celebrate the hard work...

Fear. Like it or not, many of our lives are ruled by it with little to no understanding on how to overcome it. Fear of not getting what we want, or fear of losing what we have, has spurred countless questionable decisions for so many...

Especially around this time of year – late winter, before the signs of spring spark some joy – experiencing depression symptoms is common. The thrill and magic of the holidays are past, and the warmth and promise of summer is still a way off. Even...

Smartphones – and the wonders of information and distraction they contain – are powerful tools that were supposed to make our lives better. In theory, having the world at your fingertips and the ability to instantly connect with people everywhere is helpful. Yet, more and...

Turns out, “tough love” isn’t so loving. For generations, as a culture, we dismissed self compassion as weakness and prized a stiff-upper-lip ethos that celebrated toughing it out, never complaining and never explaining. This stern, rather ruthless approach to self-improvement seemed like the surest way...

It’s a tale as old as time: braving the holidays with families that are less than, say “perfect.” Perhaps yours is so far from perfect they might be considered positively dysfunctional. Maybe there is a history of alcoholism or mental health struggles, or maybe they...

Ah, ‘tis the season. Yes, for holiday celebration, but also for an unbridled consumer free-for-all, when most of us overindulge in our national pastime, shopping. Could you potentially have a shopping addiction? Here we will talk about ways to deal with a shopping addiction if...

This Thanksgiving, why not give the holiday some added meaning and connect to something deeper? More than just a feel-good platitude, numerous studies have been published over the last decade singing the praises of gratitude for improving everything from mental well-being to physical health and...

What is Neurofeedback Therapy? Neurofeedback is an evidence-based therapeutic intervention that has a number of benefits. It uses technology to re-train the brain to function optimally and helps people become more adaptive, resilient, and efficient. Neurofeedback therapy has been effective in treating a wide range...

Have you been noticing a bit of malaise creeping in as fall rolls around? If so, you’re not alone. But is it more than just a case of the blues? It could be signs of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Read on to find out…. About 5%...

“I try hard to hold fast to the truth that a full and thankful heart cannot entertain great conceits. When brimming with gratitude, one’s heartbeat must surely result in outgoing love, the finest emotion we can ever know.” ― Bill W., Co-Founder, Alcoholics Anonymous An...

For the first time ever, a panel of US experts is urging those under 65 across the country to get screened for anxiety. High functioning anxiety is more common than you would think. The draft recommendations come from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an...

By now, you don’t need to be convinced that exercise is good for your mental and emotional health. You’ve probably heard it is the single greatest thing you can do for your overall health and longevity; that it can help you look better, sleep better,...

In the US, nearly 1 in 5 adults live with mental illness, and according to researchers, almost two-thirds of those affected never seek help. This May, we are honoring national Mental Health Awareness Month to raise awareness of the challenges faced by those experiencing anxiety,...

People with PTSD often have a hard time making sense of what happened to them after a traumatic event. It’s believed that past traumatic experiences continue to cause problems in our lives when the memory of that experience is not processed properly. EMDR is a...

Co occurring disorders are defined as having a substance abuse disorder as well as one or more mental health issues. These can be tricky to navigate while still in the throes of addiction as one issue often amplifies the other. Many people resort to self-medicating...

A recently released report indicates that the mental state worldwide continues to be on a downward trend. The Mental Health Million Project of Sapien Labs last week issued its second report that compiled data from over 34 countries. All over the world, it found a...

When I stumbled into a 12-step program in my twenties considering getting clean and sober, in an effort to salvage what was left of my life. I found myself overrun by feelings of panic, remorse, and general anxiety. I sought out help because I was...

Recovery Works? Are the 12 Steps A Cure-All?  When I first arrived in a 12-step program, at a tender young age, I had a truckload of issues tailing me. I felt broken and irreparable, and as if I qualified for every 12-step program under the...

For years now, we have heard about the seemingly never-ending scourge of the opioid epidemic. In fact, on this blog, we have written extensively about the soaring rates of overdoses associated with opioids that break records each year. Turns out, a parallel crisis exists, but...

This year alone, over 47 million Americans are reportedly experiencing mental illness, according to Mental Health Alliance, a US-based non-profit. As common as they are—judging by the numbers—mental health issues often remain taboo or shameful, and often elicit little of the empathy and support shown...

Many people on the road to recovery have discovered that taking a deeper dive into the underlying drivers of their addiction is core for contented, long-term sobriety. While many 12-step groups offer great foundations for addressing these issues, many have found that therapy and complementary...

Somatic Experiencing Therapy Josie* had been in recovery for many years and thought she was doing pretty well. When she started dating seriously, she suddenly found herself grappling with intense anxiety, seemingly out of nowhere. Her years of clean and sober living and solid foundations...

EMDR, also known as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a powerful treatment modality often used with people who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and other trauma-related distress. Research indicates that trauma and addiction often go hand in hand, making EMDR a natural addition...

Here at Scottsdale Providence, we believe in offering our clients the best range of evidence-based, research-backed treatment modalities to help them find lasting recovery from substance abuse, mental health and behavioral issues, and trauma. EMDR therapy is one such modality our team is passionate about....

Curious about what neurofeedback can do? From 4 to 80, no matter your age or situation; this powerful tool can make an impact. Neurofeedback, also known as EEG biofeedback, is a type of biofeedback. During this therapeutic intervention, non-invasive sensors are attached to your scalp,...

What are the Benefits of Neurofeedback? Neurofeedback is an evidence-based therapeutic intervention that has a number of benefits. It uses technology to help train the brain to function more optimally and help people become more adaptive, resilient, and efficient. Patients report improvements in their memory...

Most people who struggle with alcohol and drug addiction have a long history of attachment or developmental trauma. Treating this directly provides the best chance for a patient to thrive beyond treatment. Somatic Experiencing® helps people move beyond a fight, flight, or freeze response to...

The Somatic Experiencing® method is a form of therapy that seeks to relieve the symptoms of trauma and other stress disorders through a body-oriented approach. This modality seeks to re-set the nervous system and address traumatic shock, essential to recovering from previous trauma. Somatic Experiencing...

What is Somatic Experiencing? In short, Somatic Experiencing® is a powerful type of trauma resolution therapy that heals the mind-body connection. Psychology Today defines trauma as “anything that is too much, too soon, or too fast for our nervous system to handle, especially if we...

What does trauma have to do with addiction treatment or substance abuse? Consider this—incredibly, 75% of people receiving treatment for addiction report a history of trauma. The risk for substance abuse rises by as much as four times for people who experienced trauma early in...

For those who are new to sober living, and those who have been in recovery for some time – these are challenging times. People around the world are experiencing unprecedented upheaval and uncertainty due to COVID-19. Collectively, we are experiencing conditions that would make even...

For many of us, when we enter recovery from substance abuse, we have it drilled into our heads that we must avoid isolation at all costs. People regularly tell us that isolation is the enemy, and will put on us the road to relapse. So,...

In these crazy times, how can we deal with feelings of overwhelm, anxiety and panic without our old ways of coping? How do we learn to show up to whatever comes with grace and calm? Many of us in recovery—especially early recovery—have been overcome with...

First things first: understanding what drives addiction is not generally enough to beat it. However – an understanding of the way addiction hijacks the brain can help to explain why so many people who want to quit find themselves totally powerless. Cognitive researchers have made...

As Shawn took a seat on his first day of treatment, the group counselor stood up and issued a dire warning: “Look to your left. Now look to your right. According to the statistics, two of you won’t make it.” Does rehab work? Shawn asked...

Welcome to November, when those throughout the recovery community celebrate Gratitude Month! More than just a hollow reminder to be more thankful, gratitude is a principal that many claim is key to a happy, contented recovery. Unsurprisingly, recovering addicts and alcoholics weren’t the first to...

As the fall months roll in, our bodies recognize it. The days get shorter, the weather gets cooler, seasonal depression kicks in and the whole world seems to take on a “back to work” feel. Maybe this has to do with back to school schedules,...

Long-lasting recovery from compulsive and self-defeating behaviors is possible, and seeking treatment is a perfect place to start. Although, admittedly, choosing a treatment center can be a daunting and overwhelming prospect. Here we offer some guidance you can trust to help you find your way...

The holiday season can be hell. It can also be an opportunity for joy, connection, and wonder. For people in recovery, the holidays often come with some extra challenges—stress, expectations, family, commitments, and booze everywhere. We understand that it can be tough to weather this...

By Megan Krause Neurofeedback Therapy Believe it or not, your brain really does want to be healthy. It might not always seem like that, we know. Sometimes it seems like our brain is attacking us from a million different angles. We’ve been there, too. Our...

By Megan Krause Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a type of therapy that helps people heal from their past traumatic experiences. Experts believe that past traumatic experiences can continue to cause problems in our lives if we haven’t properly processed the memory of...

Darcy Van Dyke felt broken before finding DBT. After years—decades—battling substance abuse and bipolar disorders, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to hang in there with life any longer. Her relationships were in shambles. Her life was a mess. She didn’t get it. Other people...

Cherie McMahon had always been a nervous kid. Her anxiety increased in her 20s, compounded by bouts of depression and obsessive-compulsive behavior. She was plagued by stress and self-doubt. She had insomnia. Her relationships began to suffer. Last summer, the 34-year-old Phoenix native finally had...