Heidi J. Dalzell, PsyD

08/11/2026

This week's blog is on nightmares -- and what we can do to help manage them.

Almost everyone has had a nightmare.

Perhaps you've dreamed you were back in school taking an exam you never studied for. Maybe you've found yourself being chased by someone you couldn't quite see, getting lost somewhere unfamiliar, or desperately searching for someone you love. Most of us wake up, feel relieved that it was only a dream, and within a few hours the details begin to fade. Read more here:

Nightmares after trauma can feel like more than bad dreams—they can make sleep itself feel unsafe. Learn why trauma may follow us into our dreams, how grounding and bedtime rituals can create a greater sense of safety, and how approaches such as Imagery Rehearsal Therapy may help recurring nightma...

08/04/2026

I expected insight. What I encountered instead was vibration.

For much of my career, I had listened to other people's stories about psychedelic journeys. They spoke of vivid visions, conversations with deceased loved ones, encounters with divine beings, and insights that forever changed the way they understood themselves.

My first journey was different.

There were no elaborate visions or mystical conversations. Instead, my body began to hum. Read more in this week's blog:

Not every psychedelic journey unfolds through visions or profound insights. Sometimes healing speaks through the body first—through vibration, sensation, and the quiet language of the nervous system. In this reflection, psychologist Dr. Heidi Dalzell explores how somatic experiences can reveal a d...

08/03/2026

Please join us for this event at the Mary D. Fisher theater, Friday 8/8 at 7pm. We'll have a discussion with filmmaker Scott Wright regarding his experiences of working with psychedelic medicines in the second half of life.

07/28/2026

Have you ever experienced waves of energy moving through your body, vivid dreams, heightened intuition, or emotions that seemed to surface out of nowhere? Experiences like these can be confusing—and sometimes frightening—especially if you've recently had a psychedelic journey, deep meditation practice, or significant life transition.

In this article, psychologist Heidi J. Dalzell, PsyD, explores the ancient concept of Kundalini through both a psychological and spiritual lens. Drawing from more than 30 years of clinical experience—as well as her own personal journey—she offers a grounded, compassionate perspective on what these experiences may mean and how to approach them with curiosity rather than fear. Read more here:

Explore the meaning of Kundalini awakening, its possible connection to psychedelic experiences, meditation, and spiritual transformation, and how psychology can help make sense of profound inner change. Learn about common signs, emotional healing, integration, and why support and grounding are essen...

07/21/2026

I don't believe trauma happens for a reason.

After more than three decades as a psychologist, I've sat with too many people whose lives have been forever changed by abuse, neglect, violence or betrayal. There is nothing inherently sacred about trauma itself. It can fracture our sense of safety, disconnect us from our bodies, and erode trust.

And yet, there is another truth that I have witnessed just as often. Read more here:

Healing from trauma is about more than reducing anxiety, PTSD symptoms, or emotional pain. As people heal, many begin exploring deeper questions about identity, purpose, spirituality, and meaning. In this article, psychologist Lynn Moser explores how trauma can reshape our understanding of ourselves...

07/13/2026

There is a moment that catches many people off guard in eating disorder recovery. It doesn't happen in the early days, when food still feels overwhelming and meals require enormous courage. It comes later, sometimes years later, when life has become fuller and the eating disorder no longer occupies every waking thought. Someone looks at me, often with genuine confusion, and says, "I thought I'd feel differently by now."

They're not talking about food.

They're talking about their body.

Read more here:

eating disorder—but healing isn't always that simple. This article explores why recovery and body image often follow different timelines, and how true freedom comes not from loving your body every day, but from living a life that is no longer defined by it.

07/07/2026

For many people who have experienced trauma, the hardest person to extend compassion to is themselves. They may offer understanding, patience, and forgiveness to partners, children, friends, and even strangers, yet respond to their own pain with criticism, shame, or emotional distance. They often know, intellectually, that they "should" be kinder to themselves, but self-compassion can feel uncomfortable, undeserved, or even unsafe.
One of the more interesting aspects of M**A-assisted psychotherapy is its potential to temporarily soften some of the defenses that trauma creates around self-compassion. Read more here:

Why is self-compassion so difficult after trauma? Explore how M**A-assisted psychotherapy may help individuals approach themselves with greater kindness and understanding.

07/01/2026

Menopause affects every woman, yet many of us arrive at it feeling surprisingly unprepared. We may expect hot flashes and missed periods, but are caught off guard by the emotional shifts, changes in energy, sleep disruptions, brain fog, or the deeper questions about identity and purpose that can emerge during this stage of life.
Read more: https://www.talktogrow.com/post/menopause-a-mind-body-spirit-transition
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Menopause is more than a hormonal change—it is a profound life transition that can affect the body, mind, relationships, and spirit. This article explores the emotional, physical, and spiritual dimensions of menopause while offering reflection, encouragement, and practical insight to help women na...

06/22/2026

Many of my clients are surprised when chakra themes emerge in therapy. They may come in wanting to work on anxiety, grief, trauma, relationship difficulties, or a sense of feeling disconnected from themselves. Yet as we explore their experiences, we often find ourselves talking about safety, self-worth, boundaries, love, self-expression, intuition, and meaning—the very themes represented by the chakra system. Read more here:

Many people are surprised to discover that the themes represented by the chakra system—safety, self-worth, love, communication, intuition, and meaning—often emerge naturally in therapy. Whether viewed as energetic centers or a symbolic framework, chakras can provide a powerful lens for understan...

06/19/2026