A New Tomorrow Therapy

07/30/2026

As a mental health therapist, I've been following the Lindsay Clancy trial closely. Like so many others, my heart has broken over and over again for those three beautiful children and the family left behind. There are no winners in this case. Only unimaginable loss.

What has stayed with me almost as much as the testimony has been the public reaction. Reading comment after comment has reminded me how much work we still have to do in helping people understand mental illness—especially severe mental illness and maternal mental health.

One of the most common misconceptions is that if someone can smile, carry on a conversation, drive a car, make plans, or look "normal," they couldn't possibly be experiencing psychosis or profound mental illness. But that isn't how the brain works.

I've sat with people who looked composed while describing emotional pain so overwhelming they could barely survive it. Mental illness doesn't always look chaotic from the outside. Sometimes it hides behind routines, responsibilities, and conversations that seem completely ordinary. The suffering is real even when it isn't visible.

My heart will always ache for those children. Nothing about understanding mental illness changes that.

But I also believe we can hold compassion for a woman who, according to the evidence presented, was desperately ill, sought treatment, and is now living with consequences that no punishment could ever erase. Compassion is not the same as excusing someone's actions. It is recognizing that profound suffering existed long before tragedy struck.

One moment from the trial has stayed with me more than any testimony. Watching her attorney sit beside Lindsay, emotional, quietly holding her hand, reminded me that compassion can still exist even in the darkest circumstances. It was a simple act of humanity in the middle of unimaginable heartbreak.

This case challenges all of us—not just mental health professionals, but physicians, attorneys, family members, friends, and communities—to ask difficult questions.

Did we truly hear someone when they said they weren't okay?

Did we understand the seriousness of what they were experiencing?

What more can we do to recognize suffering before it reaches a point of no return?

I hope this case leaves us talking more openly about maternal mental health, taking psychiatric symptoms seriously, investing in better treatment, and replacing assumptions with curiosity.

We don't have to choose between grieving for innocent children and acknowledging the devastating reality of severe mental illness. Both can be true.

In my work, I've learned that compassion isn't a limited resource. We don't run out of it by extending it to more than one person. Sometimes the hardest cases are the ones that remind us of that the most.

05/15/2026

Check out our newest blog post (it’s been a while)….. Choosing Mercy: What Mental Health Care Can Learn from Compassion

https://anewtomorrowtherapy.com/blog-blog-blog/e

Choosing Mercy: What Mental Health Care Can Learn from Compassion “They’s justice and they’s mercy. If you not sure what to do and you gotta choose one or the other, I say always go the mercy way. …

05/04/2026

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

This year’s theme: More Good Days Together

At its core, mental health isn’t about perfection—it’s about having more days where things feel manageable, meaningful, and connected.

“More Good Days Together” reminds us that healing doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens in conversations. In shared laughter. In support systems that show up—again and again.

At A New Tomorrow Therapy, we believe:
- Good days are built, not found
- Connection is a powerful form of care
- Small steps forward still count

Whether it’s reaching out to a friend, attending a therapy session, setting a boundary, or simply getting through a hard day—that all matters. Those moments add up.

Because mental health isn’t just about surviving the tough days…
It’s about creating more good days—and doing it together.

If you’re struggling, you don’t have to do it alone. We’re here to walk alongside you. 💚

04/25/2026

As a mental health professional, I am very concerned to hear the Secretary of HHS today proclaim that diet alone can cure schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. He also, specifically, called out the keto diet as a diet that can cure mental illness. Lets be clear THERE IS NO EVIDENCE BASED RESEARCH TO INDICATE THAT DIET CAN CURE ANY MENTAL ILLNESS. Making these misleading statements is dangerous and, in fact, life threatening; particularly to those with serious mental illness.

Of course, overall diet can improve mental health through the gut-brain axis; but this does not equate to curing mental illness. People with chronic serious mental illness such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder often struggle with medication compliance. Hearing someone make these broad and misleading statements may lead them to make ill-informed decisions that could lead to life threatening consequences.

I implore you, please DO NOT make medication adjustment decisions based on information obtained from someone who does not have a medical degree, who does not work in the mental health field, and who is not your practitioner. Work with your mental health provider, your prescriber, and your treatment team before making any medication decisions.

04/01/2026

While the Supreme Court may have ruled on allowing conversion therapy under First Amendment free speech protections, we stand firmly with the American Psychological Association (APA), American Counseling Association (ACA), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and decades of evidence-based research in opposing the practice of conversion therapy.

Conversion therapy is not therapeutic care.
It is a harmful, discredited practice that has been consistently shown in research to increase depression, anxiety, internalized shame, substance use, self-harm, and suicidality.

Large-scale studies—including research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA Pediatrics) and findings from The Trevor Project’s national surveys—have found that LGBTQ+ youth who experience conversion efforts are significantly more likely to attempt su***de than those who do not. Some studies indicate the risk is more than double.

The APA Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation found no credible evidence that conversion therapy is effective, and substantial evidence that it causes harm.
Similarly, the American Academy of Pediatrics has warned that these practices can lead to lasting psychological trauma, including family rejection and identity distress.

As mental health professionals, our role is not to shame, suppress, or “fix” identity.
Our role is to provide safe, affirming, ethical, and evidence-based care that supports individuals in living authentically and with dignity.

Every person deserves care rooted in science, compassion, and human dignity — not fear, coercion, or stigma.

03/08/2026

Today we celebrate the strength, resilience, and courage of women everywhere — including the women who show up every day doing the quiet, powerful work of healing.

At our office, we have the privilege of witnessing incredible stories of perseverance:
✨ Women finding their voice after years of silence
✨ Women setting boundaries and reclaiming their worth
✨ Women carrying families, careers, grief, and hope — often all at once
✨ Women choosing healing, even when it’s hard

Mental health is deeply connected to the spaces women are allowed to occupy — the freedom to rest, to speak, to ask for help, and to be fully themselves.

Today is a reminder that strength is not just endurance — it is also vulnerability, connection, and the courage to heal.

To every woman:
You are not too much.
You are not behind.
You are not alone.

Your story matters. Your wellbeing matters. And your future is still being written. 💛

02/10/2026

How Do I Recognize Narcissism in Others?
A Clinical and Educational Perspective

The term narcissist is widely used in everyday language, but clinically, narcissism refers to a pattern of personality traits that exist on a spectrum. It’s important to distinguish between occasional self-centered behavior (which everyone is capable of) and persistent relational patterns that may indicate clinically significant narcissistic traits.

What Clinicians Look For:

When evaluating for clinically significant narcissistic patterns, professionals look for long-term, consistent behaviors across relationships and situations, not isolated incidents.

Potential Patterns You May Notice:

1) Chronic Need for Admiration or Validation
• Fishing for compliments
• Becoming upset when not recognized
• Tying self-worth strongly to praise or status

2) Limited or Inconsistent Empathy
• Difficulty recognizing others’ emotional experiences
• Minimizing others’ pain or concerns
• Redirecting conversations back to themselves

3) Entitlement or Special Treatment Expectations
• Belief that rules should not apply to them
• Expecting others to accommodate them without reciprocity
• Frustration when not prioritized

4) Sensitivity to Criticism
• Strong defensive reactions
• Anger, blame-shifting, or withdrawal
• Reframing themselves as the victim when challenged

5) Patterned Relationship Difficulties
• Cycles of idealizing → devaluing others
• Relationships that feel one-sided
• Difficulty sustaining long-term mutual emotional connection

Not all difficult, self-focused, or emotionally reactive behavior is narcissism.

These patterns can also appear in:
• Trauma responses
• Insecure attachment styles
• Anxiety or mood disorders
• Stress or burnout periods

Clinical narcissism is about pervasive, rigid patterns, not occasional behavior.

What Matters Most: Impact on You

Rather than focusing on diagnosing someone else, it can be more helpful to ask:

✔ Do I feel emotionally safe in this relationship?
✔ Is there mutual respect and accountability?
✔ Are my needs consistently minimized or dismissed?
✔ Do I feel like I have to manage their emotions to keep the peace?

These questions often provide more useful guidance than labels.

Many individuals with narcissistic traits developed protective coping strategies early in life. Understanding this can support compassion — while still maintaining boundaries.

Compassion and boundaries can exist at the same time.

If You’re Navigating This in a Relationship Therapy can help you:
• Identify relational patterns
• Strengthen boundaries
• Process relational harm
• Rebuild self-trust and confidence

You don’t have to navigate complex relationship dynamics alone.

02/06/2026

Thought I’d try the viral chat gpt caricature challenge. I’d say they nailed it!

01/19/2026

Today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Dr. King reminded us that “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
At the heart of mental health work is dignity, equity, and compassion for every person.

On this day of reflection, we recommit ourselves to:
• Creating spaces where all voices are heard
• Supporting healing across cultures and communities
• Practicing empathy, courage, and service

May we continue the work of building a more just, kind, and connected world — one conversation, one act of care, one person at a time.

01/09/2026

We’re noticing a rise in strong emotions right now.
Anger. Fear. Grief. Shock. Helplessness. Numbness.

News of violence connected to immigration enforcement can be deeply distressing—especially for immigrant communities, families with mixed status, people with past trauma, and those who have experienced state or systemic harm.

If you’re feeling activated, overwhelmed, or unsafe in your body, there is nothing wrong with you. Your nervous system is responding to threat, loss, and uncertainty.

A few gentle reminders:
• You don’t have to “move on” quickly
• You’re allowed to limit news and social media
• Strong feelings don’t need justification
• Support is not a weakness—it’s a resource

If this news is bringing up past trauma, fear for loved ones, or a sense of constant vigilance, you deserve care and grounding—not pressure to be okay.

We’re here to hold space for:
• Immigrant and mixed-status families
• Community grief and collective trauma
• Anxiety, anger, and fear responses
• Those carrying historical or personal trauma

If you need support, reach out—to a therapist, a trusted person, or a community resource. You don’t have to carry this alone.

🤍 Care is an act of resistance. Rest is allowed.