Our Blog: Upward Alabama

What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder? Is it treatable?

By Misti Norton, Ph.D.

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.

Virtual therapy: Is it as good as in-person?

By Misti Norton, Ph.D.

Telehealth, Virtual, Psychotherapy

Posted: July 26, 2024

The rise of telehealth has revolutionized access to high-quality mental health care. Just 15 years ago, Upward Behavioral Health would likely have been limited to providing services only to Birmingham residents, or individuals willing and able to drive to Birmingham. Thankfully we are now able to offer care anywhere in Alabama. Our telehealth platform is private, secure and simple to use, even for clients who do not consider themselves to be computer-savvy. If you have an email address and an Internet connection, then chances are that you can use our platform with ease.

PTSD Awareness Month: What is PTSD? What help is available?

By Misti Norton, Ph.D.

PTSD

PTSD Treatment

Posted: June 26, 2024

PTSD stands for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This diagnosis only occurs after someone has been exposed to a traumatic experience, such as threatened death, serious injury, or sexual assault. Witnessing someone’s else’s actual or threatened death can also result in PTSD, as can repeated exposure to trauma details (such as a journalist reporting on war or a social worker hearing details of child abuse). Some examples of traumatic events include combat, natural disasters like tornadoes or hurricanes, man-made disasters like bombings, childhood abuse, intimate partner violence, and serious accidents. Estimates indicate that about 70% of American adults have experienced some type of traumatic event at least once in their lives.