Our Blog: Upward Alabama

Thriving at School, at Work, and on Standardized Tests with a Disability: Reasonable Accommodations and Your Rights

By Misti Norton, Ph.D.

Posted: March 10, 2025

"Reasonable accommodations" refer to modifications that allow individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions. This can involve changes to the school or work environment, how tasks are completed, or how the hiring process is conducted. Individuals with conditions such as ADHD, Autism, OCD, Anxiety Disorders, Depression, and Sleep Disorders may require these accommodations to fully participate in school, the workforce, or important standardized tests (such as the ACT or the bar exam).

Sleep Problems...Symptom or Disorder?

By Misti Norton, Ph.D.

Sleep

Posted: February 1, 2025

Are sleep problems a symptom or an independent disorder? They can be both! Sleep challenges are a component of many disorders. Indeed, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5th addition (DSM-V) lists disturbed sleep as a symptom of depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Although sleep problems are not an explicit symptom of disorders such as OCD, ADHD, and autism, clients with these diagnoses frequently report that their sleep is poor. If low-quality sleep is a symptom, will treating depression, anxiety, or PTSD also fix sleep? In many cases, sleep problems persist even after other symptoms have been successfully relieved. Does it make sense to start with addressing sleep or addressing the other disorder?

What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder? Is it treatable?

By Misti Norton, Ph.D.

OCD

Posted: December 31, 2024

We’ve all probably heard someone described as “so OCD” and you may have even identified yourself this way! Many fans insist on wearing their lucky shirts to watch all Alabama or Auburn football games and may even have other rituals that they always do leading up to Game Day. My Granny and I took a wonderful trip to Ireland together many years ago and had the opportunity to kiss the famous Blarney Stone, which would allegedly give us the gift of eloquence. She wanted to disinfect the stone prior to kissing it! Are these actions indicative of OCD?

The Ins and Outs of Group Therapy

By Misti Norton, Ph.D.

Group therapy, Psychotherapy, Depression, Anxiety, Insomnia

Posted: September 20, 2024

Some Alabama residents may see the words "group therapy" and feel excited, while others may see "group therapy" and think “Absolutely never!” In this blog post, I hope to explain some of the benefits of group therapy, as well as some circumstances where group therapy might not be for you. Additionally, I hope to help potential clients understand what to expect from groups at Upward Behavioral Health.