Here are our posts under '2025 Blogs'

Seasonal Affective Disorder By Melissa Brown, APRN, PMHNP-BC

Author: super   Posted: December 3, 2025

The change of seasons can bring many joyful occasions. In the fall and winter months, we enjoy a variety of holiday activities with friends and family. On the other hand, the spring and summer months bring new growth and sunshine. But did you know that seasonal changes can also bring mood symptoms that can leave you feeling down or unlike yourself? Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs in a seasonal pattern. Most associate SAD with the fall or winter mont...

The Science (and Struggle) of Gratitude — A Thanksgiving Reflection from Lake Area Psychiatry By Eric Rachal, APRN, PMHNP-BC

Author: super   Posted: November 27, 2025

Gratitude isn't just a seasonal mood; it's brain science. When practiced, it lights up a whole network of the brain: areas like the prefrontal cortex (focus and perspective), anterior cingulate cortex (empathy and emotion regulation), and reward centers that release dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin. That means gratitude literally trains your brain to find balance and calm more easily, like strengthening the mental muscles that notice good amid difficulty. Still, for many, thi...