Antonieta Contreras, LCSW-R, CCTP-II, BCN, Author I just met a client who came well-prepared for her first session. She brought a notebook with a list of issues she thought I needed to know about her. She started by saying, “I’m sorry, but I’m very dysregulated and dissociated” in an apologetic…

The Rise and Fall of Narcissists: How the Ego of Others Destroys Them — Antonieta Contreras, LCSW-R, BCN, CCTP-II, Author Contrary to popular belief, narcissistic people are not created by traumatization (in terms of living in fear as many other PDs do). Narcissistic traits are more common among people who receive extreme (unrealistic) praise, live in nice/favorable conditions, and show outstanding characteristics of some…

How to Avoid Feeling Trapped in Your Relationship — Antonieta Contreras, LCSW-R, CCTP-II, BCN, Author Mental health is having a moment. From celebrities to everyday people, we’re all talking about it. But with so many terms and labels floating around, it can be hard to navigate. Are you struggling in your relationship? Does it make you anger, depressed, and…

The Hidden Dangers of Identifying as a “Victim” — Antonieta Contreras, Trauma, Sex, EMDR, NFB therapist, Author This article intends to shed light on the dangers of calling many situations as abusive and assigning or wearing the label of victim. …

Labeling people by color is outdated, and it perpetuates racism. We need new language to make real progress. — Antonieta Contreras, LCSW-R, BCN, CCTP-II, Author Using color to categorize individuals is a construct that was developed in the 17th century by European colonizers. At the time, African inhabitants were being traded as slaves; after Spanish “conquistadores” took most of America on behalf of the Spanish kingdom, categories emerged: ‘colonizer…

All the different ways clients use the word trauma when looking for help. — Antonieta Contreras, LCSW-R, BCN, CCTP-II, Author We use arbitrarily the term trauma and with different meanings. We could think that it doesn’t matter, but the clinical implications of such confusion are enormous. The significance of traumatization among mental disorders is undeniable, and taking the phenomena seriously is crucial.

We are talking about trauma all wrong — Antonieta Contreras, LCSW-R, CCTP-II, BCN, Author If I were to tell you I’m going to talk about “my trauma(s),” what would you imagine? I bet it’d be something like- a narcissistic mother, an alcoholic father, or a history of sexual abuse. …

A step by step description of the “Window of Tolerance” as an emotional regulation tool. Antonieta Contreras, LCSW-R, CCTP-II, BCN, Author Peter had a rough childhood dealing with an aggressive father and a submissive victimized mother. He internalized the father’s aggressive ways and mother’s low self-value; he performed to the best of his abilities the role of the mother’s protector, the father’s controller, and the…

Even when it could be a symptom, it could also become a skill Antonieta Contreras, LCSW-R, CCTP-II, BCN The same way that newspapers, media, and the entertainment industries exploit “bad news” or expose the worst of people and society, so too does the medical model of psychology focus on the negative and pathological characteristics of human experiences. When it comes to dissociation, this…