The Wellspring
a blog by Dr. Elizabeth Miller and WMB Team

Nutrigenomics: What is it?
NutriGenomics is the study of how nutrients, diet and genes interact in our body. Here at Well Mind Body, we partner with Fagron Genomics (previously GX Sciences) to provide nutrigenomics testing. The test consists of a simple cheek swab that can be completed in our clinic or in the comfort of your own home. The swab takes 60-90 seconds.
Our Services
Here at Well Mind Body Integrative Psychotherapy & Wellness, we offer a range of services designed to cater to your unique mental health needs. Our highly trained therapists offer integrative psychotherapy, mind-body services and Nutrigenomic and Pharmacogenomic Genetic Testing for teens, adults, couples and families.

What is PANS/PANDAS?
Both PANS and PANDAS are types of autoimmune disorders that result in basal ganglia encephalitis and are believed to be triggered primarily by infections. These disorders are characterized by the sudden onset of neurologic and psychiatric symptoms preceded by an infection(s).

Journal Prompts for Triggering Moments
We all carry wounds and unmet needs from our childhood. Sometimes these wounds are the result of trauma, neglect, and abuse (Gallagher et al., 2023). These experiences can shape our nervous system to be hyper-vigilant and lead us to become stuck in “survival” or “fight or flight” mode, making peace and connection difficult (Dana & Porges, 2020). As we move into adulthood with these unprocessed wounds, our inner child can show up in expected ways that damage our relationships and cause other problems.

Motherhood and Empty Nesting
No one prepares us for the feelings of emptiness and a lack of purpose that are all a very real part of the empty nest (Champ, 2020). The feelings that come when our children leave home are a part of life that most people do not talk about. Due to this lack of acknowledgement, many are left unprepared to cope with the emptiness without any guidance.

3 Ways To Improve Your Mental Well-Being
Screen time may be having a negative impact on your hormones and your nervous system. Our bodies release an influx of dopamine (neurotransmitter involved with addiction) and cortisol (long-term stress hormone) with increased screen time. In addition, blue light has been shown to suppress the body's natural production of melatonin (sleep hormone) (Crooks, 2019).

Meet Allie Lee
Allie Lee joins us as a student intern from Houston Christian University. Allie is working towards becoming a fully licensed professional counselor and is supervised by Dr. Elizabeth Miller.

Pillars of Brain Health
Our daily habits have a profound impact on our brain health. We oftentimes hear about the importance of physical health in terms of wellbeing and longevity, but what about brain health?
By focusing on the six pillars of brain health we can reduce inflammation and reduce our risk for developing mental health issues, brain diseases and chronic health conditions.

Sleep and Mental Health: Tips to Increase Sleep Quality
It has been well established that even moderate sleep deprivation can lead to cognitive decline (Bubu et al., 2017; Wennberg et al., 2017). Additionally, research has shown that sleep disturbances are comprehensively and independently associated with poor health-related quality of life (Lee et al., 2009).

Helpful Mind Body Medicine Practices for Pregnancy
As someone who has overcome many chronic illnesses and as someone who was told I would never be able to have children because of said chronic health conditions, I am forever grateful to be where I am today with another healthy pregnancy.

Kids, Holidays and Meltdowns: Tips for Handling a Dysregulated Nervous System
The holidays are approaching us! We are all entering a season of transition, dysregulated schedules, time with friends and family, late nights and more interaction than we are probably used to.

Four Ways to Improve the Mind-Body Connection for Optimal Health
Are you someone who has experienced prolonged stress or trauma? If so, you may find yourself in a state of nervous system dysregulation which can present as fight, flight, free, fawn (people pleasing) or black and white thinking patterns. When we find ourselves in a trauma response, our mind and body oftentimes struggle to reconnect after experiencing a trigger.

The Connection Between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) and Chronic Illness
If you are someone who has a history of childhood trauma and chronic illness, you may have already made the significant connection between adverse childhood experiences and chronic health conditions.

Budget Friendly, Non-Toxic Cleaning Products to Use in Your Home
Did you know there are currently no regulations to guarantee the safety of household cleaners, including laundry detergent?
Cleaning products and laundry detergent do not fall under home products meant for ingestion, so manufacturers do not have to disclose the chemicals used in products in labels.

Creating Balance and Prioritizing Nutrition During the Holidays: A Guest Post by Jenna Nixon
The longer I work with people on their nutrition journeys, the more I realize just how tied our mental and emotional health are to our physical health.

Suicide, Prevention & Thoughts of A Therapist Who Sits Closely To Those Who Suffer
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
Suicide is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. I lost my best friend many years ago to suicide.
For many years after that I wondered… How could I have failed her so badly? How could we not get her the help she needed before she spiraled into the depths of despair? Why weren’t the safeguards we had in place enough? So many questions…
The guilt, the shame, the gut-wrenching grief… how could this have been avoided? These thoughts spiraled in my head for many years. I know I am not alone in these feelings. In fact, survivors’ guilt is a real thing that can really knock a person into their own spiral of excruciating pain. If you have lost a loved one to suicide, know that you are not alone, and it is not your fault.

How to stay married AND be happy about it
We all want the fairy tale wedding and the happily ever after that we were promised as children but how do we get it? There are the expectations that if we marry the right person, things will be easy and life will be wonderful. But what happens after the honeymoon, when we have children, illness or anything that life throws at us? We must be willing to put in the work to have a happy and lasting marriage. It may look like everyone else is living in bliss, while we are barely speaking to one another, most of the time this is not the case.


Social Media, Teens & Mental Health
Social media has become part of our culture and in many cases, the only inlet people have into a social life. For most families, it is also a source of many power struggles in the home.

What is Integrative Psychotherapy?
Learn more about Integrative Psychotherapy and our approach here at Well Mind Body.