Welcome to East Metro Trauma & Recovery Center
Our Approach
At East Metro Trauma & Recovery Center, we are dedicated to empathetic and compassion-driven care. We use trauma-informed and evidence-based practices to help our clients reach their goals. Wherever you are in your mental health journey, we are committed to helping you towards healing.
Providing trusted, high-quality mental health services to individuals and families across White Bear Lake, Maplewood, Stillwater, and the North St. Paul area.
Mental Health Myths & Facts
The following comes from psychiatry.com
Myth: Mental health issues are a sign of weakness.
Fact: Mental health struggles aren’t about weakness or character flaws. Environmental factors, genetics, and other stressors play a role.[1] Just as we don’t see someone with the flu as weak, mental health challenges don’t define a person. Seeking help when struggling is a sign of resilience and strength.
For many, there is immense cultural pressure from loved ones and role models emphasizing hard work, even at the cost of suppressing emotional struggles.[2] In general, pushing negative emotions aside only prolongs the amount of time that someone may deal with an undiagnosed mental illness. Seeking help and resources may instead be a powerful step toward healing.
Fact: Therapy can be beneficial for anyone, not just those with mental illness. While therapy is an essential tool for treating conditions such as depression and anxiety, many people find that it is also useful for navigating the daily stressors of life, including work and relationships.[3]
Therapy can be compared in some ways to the gym – if you exercise and lift weights frequently, your muscles will strengthen. With mental health, therapy helps the brain remold and shape new pathways and ideas – a powerful phenomenon known as neuronal plasticity that explains our mind’s ability to evolve continuously and increases the brain’s capacity to adapt and grow.[4]
Myth: Therapy is only for people with serious mental illness.
Myth: If I’ve managed my emotions alone before, I don’t need help now.
Fact: Many people often point to challenging times in their childhood when they have overcome incredible adversity without needing therapy or help from a doctor. However, evidence shows that experiencing numerous stressful situations early in life increases the likelihood that someone may experience mental health challenges.[5]
It is important to recognize that mental health, much like physical health, is not static. Instead, we should think of seeking mental health care in the same way that we see a doctor for a sprained ankle or painful back – the sooner we address the problem, the faster we will be able to return to action and, importantly, understand how to avoid injury in the future.
Fact: Treatment for mental health is highly individualized. While medication can be effective for some, it is not the only option. Even when medications are used, they are not magical in improving mental health. Most patients experience the most benefit when medication is used along with other things such as therapy, lifestyle changes, and mindfulness practices.[6] The key to finding what works best for you is an important part of the conversation that takes place between a psychiatrist and their patient.
Myth: Seeking help means I’ll have to take medication.
Myth: Medications will change who I am or make me feel unlike myself.
Fact: Psychiatrists often hear from patients that they worry that medications will change who they are. The truth is that medications aim to reduce symptoms, not change who you are. Finding the right medication takes time and involves trial and error with your doctor to get the best results with minimal side effects.
Fact: Having an open conversation about mental health has multiple benefits – not just for the people who may struggle with mental health challenges but also for the community. Hearing others, such as parents or mentors, talking about mental health can serve to reduce stigma.[7] On the other hand, ignoring concerns seldom makes them disappear. Whether checking in with a friend or visiting a mental health clinician, verbalizing emotions is often the first step in the journey of healing.
Myth: Talking about mental health makes things worse.
Refereces: 1. Alegría, M., NeMoyer, A., Falgàs Bagué, I., Wang, Y., & Alvarez, K. (2018). Social Determinants of Mental Health: Where We Are and Where We Need to Go. Current psychiatry reports, 20(11), 95. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-018-0969-92. National Alliance on Mental Illness. (n.d.). Identity and Cultural Dimensions. www.nami.org. https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Identity-and-Cultural-Dimensions/3.National Institute of Mental Health. (2024, February). Psychotherapies. Www.nimh.nih.gov; National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/psychotherapies4.Kays, J. L., Hurley, R. A., & Taber, K. H. (2012). The Dynamic Brain: Neuroplasticity and Mental Health. The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 24(2), 118–124. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.neuropsych.120501095.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/aces/index.html6.Rajkumar, R. P. (2024). The Advantages of Combining Therapies in Treating Psychiatric Patients. Brain Sciences, 14(7), 708–708. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci140707087.Monroe, T. (2023, March 8). Engaging Your Community in the Mental Health Conversation. NAMI. https://www.nami.org/african-american/engaging-your-community-in-the-mental-health-conversation/