Arctic Tern Psychology will begin offering limited pediatric neuropsychological assessment in Seward, AK starting in 2024!

The counseling practice of Michael J. Craytor, LPC is transitioning into Arctic Tern Psychology. Inspired by my time interning in pediatric assessment and in recognition of my recent doctorate, I am putting some new shine on the website and updating the scope of services available. The site may appear clunky at times, thank you for your patience while I scale up the 'user experience.'

​When my wife and I found we were going to have our first baby, we were told by friends and neighbors that our lives were about to change, more so than we could imagine. A new baby would disrupt our day to day lives, and redefine who we were. Redefine who I was? Really? At the time, waiting for the baby to be born, I found it hard to imagine that I would be anyone different than I already was. But along came the new baby, and reality hit hard fast. Suddenly there was a child that could not be ignored or placed second on the priority list. Adapting to the new life was challenging, stressful, and there was some resistance to changing or giving up parts of my life that no longer fit with the demands of parenthood. Indeed, the transition to parenthood can be very disrupting, throwing a new parent’s life out of balance, and forcing rapid adaptation. All of a sudden there is a new relationship that needs to be nurtured and cared for, and little time left for nurturing other relationships. This kind of disequilibrium is common for new parents, many of whom will struggle to balance their attachments with friends, coworkers, and even their spouse as they put their energy into developing attachment with a new child.

 Santrock, J. (2019). Life-span Development (17th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education. ​

               
​ Just breathe.

                Sounds simple enough, no? If you are having a problem, trying taking a deep breath, and viola, the problem is gone. Right? Sounds a little silly. In the face of serious problems, the idea of ‘just breathing’ can seem ridiculous, leaving some people to question whether or not counselors know what they are talking about. I have heard it again and again, “I’ve tried that, it didn’t work,” or, “Deep breathing doesn’t work for me.” So let’s consider the question today: Does this “breathing” thing really work? And, as usual, let’s take a look at the neuroscience underlying the question.
                ​Your nervous system is what your body uses to send messages back and forth between the different parts of your body. Some parts are entirely within your control. When you wave your hand, you consciously choose to do so: you have a thought that you want to move your hand, the thought sends a message to your arm and hand muscles, and, magically, your hand starts waving. Other parts are not within your control, the parts involved in automatic responses, like how you jump at a loud noise, or how you digest food without thinking. For simplicity, let us think of this automatic system as having two competing sides: “Fight or Flight” and “Rest and Digest.”   
                When you have a problem – like a tiger chasing you, taking an important test, or speaking in front of a crowd - Fight or Flight kicks into gear, mobilizing everything you have to survive. Your heart rate goes up, your breathing gets faster, you muscles are primed and ready to go. Some parts of your brain, like the part that remembers all the state capitals, or your body, like your bladder, might shut down when Fight of Flight is activated. But once the tiger is gone, or the test complete, or the speech over, Rest and Digest kicks in, and restores your body back to a nice balance (Hopefully). These competing two sides have a difficult time operating at the same time, so activating one will deactivate the other. Kind of like a teeter totter!

References
Field, T.A., Jones, L.K., & Russell-Chapin, L.A. (2017). Neurocounseling: Brain-based clinical approaches.
                Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.