The Wellspring
a blog by Dr. Elizabeth Miller and WMB Team
Vitamin D: The Sunshine Nutrient for Mind & Mood
When most people think of vitamin D, they imagine strong bones and immune support. But in functional medicine, we see vitamin D as much more than a nutrient for bone density, it is a neurosteroid hormone that deeply influences mental health, mood regulation, and the way the body responds to stress and inflammation.
Alcohol Abstinence: Trends and Health Benefits
A growing body of evidence demonstrates both increasing prevalence of alcohol abstinence and significant associated health benefits. These benefits span physical domains, including reduced cancer and cardiovascular risk, as well as psychological domains such as improved sleep and mood. The increasing normalization of alcohol-free living, particularly among younger cohorts, suggests a potential cultural shift in how alcohol is perceived. Public health efforts promoting abstinence, even temporarily, may have broad implications for population health.
Folate, Mood, and Attention: Research and How EnBrace HR/MF Fits In
Inside neurons, folate is required to regenerate tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), a cofactor needed for producing serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine (Liwinski & Lang, 2023). Low folate status is also linked with increased homocysteine, which can impair vascular and brain health (Lukovac et al., 2024). These pathways explain why folate deficiency is associated with depression, cognitive decline, and neurodevelopmental concerns.
Finding Purpose: Why It’s Essential for Your Mental and Physical Health
Living with purpose isn’t just for big life milestones, it’s also about daily intention. Asking yourself, “How can I bring meaning into today? turns routine moments into opportunities for mindful living.
Purpose gives our lives depth and resilience, and it doesn't demand perfection, just presence.
At Well Mind Body, we're here to support you in discovering your path. If you’re feeling uncertain or disconnected, therapy can be a compassionate space to explore your values, passions, and goals so that your life aligns with what matters most to you.
What ADHD Really Looks Like: Beyond the Stereotypes
When most people think of ADHD, they picture a child bouncing off the walls or someone who can’t sit still long enough to finish a task. But ADHD is far more complex, and far more misunderstood, than those outdated stereotypes suggest.
In reality, ADHD is not a character flaw or a motivation problem. It’s a neurodevelopmental condition that affects the brain’s executive function system, which manages attention, emotion regulation, memory, planning, and impulse control. For many, especially women, teens, and adults, it often goes unnoticed or misdiagnosed for years.
Back-to-School Transitions: A Guide for Parents
Whether your child is entering kindergarten, transitioning to middle school, or simply returning after a summer break, the back-to-school shift can stir up anxiety, excitement, and everything in between—for both kids and parents.
At Well Mind Body, we believe in approaching these transitions with compassion, intention, and practical tools to support the mental and emotional health of the whole family. Below are a few gentle reminders and research-backed strategies to help you prepare your child for the new school year.
Why Anxiety Feels Worse at Night, And Tips To Calm Your Mind
Do you find it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep because of anxiety? If so, you are not alone. For many people, anxiety feels stronger at night. When the world around us finally quiets down, the thoughts and worries we’ve been holding back during the day can start to surface. If you’ve ever found yourself lying awake with a restless mind or racing thoughts, know that this is a common experience and there are gentle, effective ways to find more peace at night.
Navigating Transitions with Intention: Three Journal Prompts to Help with Transitions
Transitions are rarely neat or predictable. Some days you may feel confident and hopeful, while other days bring anxiety or doubt and that is part of being human.
Journaling isn’t about having the perfect answers. It’s about showing up for yourself, exploring what you feel, and creating space to make sense of your life as it shifts.
If you’re navigating a big transition and want additional support, our team at Well Mind Body would be honored to walk alongside you.
Something Feels Off, but the Doctors Say I'm Fine: Finding Support When You Don’t Have a Diagnosis
Have you ever walked out of a doctor’s office with normal lab results, but a gnawing sense that something just isn’t right? Maybe your energy is gone, your anxiety is through the roof, or your body feels like it's screaming for help but no one seems to have an explanation.
If this is you, you're not alone and you're not imagining it.
Many people find themselves stuck in this space: physically or emotionally unwell, but without a clear diagnosis or plan. It’s frustrating, scary, and invalidating. And while medical investigations are absolutely important, your experience is real even if it doesn’t yet have a name.
Honoring Mothers and Healing Wounds: Birth Trauma Awareness Week
For many, childbirth is described as miraculous and life-changing, but for others, it can also be deeply traumatic. As we recognize Birth Trauma Awareness Week, it’s essential to bring compassionate attention to the emotional, psychological, and physical toll that birth trauma can leave behind.
Talking to Kids About Grief: Gentle Conversations and Books That Can Help
When children experience overwhelming emotions, they may not always be able or willing to talk about what they’re feeling. As a parent, it can be hard to know how to help when your child withdraws or shuts down. These gentle, trauma-informed tips can help you connect and support your child, even when words are few.
Tips for Parents: Supporting Kids with Big Feelings, When They Don’t Want to Talk
When children experience overwhelming emotions, they may not always be able or willing to talk about what they’re feeling. As a parent, it can be hard to know how to help when your child withdraws or shuts down. These gentle, trauma-informed tips can help you connect and support your child, even when words are few.
How to Talk to Elementary-Aged Children About Loss and Death
In the aftermath of the catastrophic flooding in the Texas Hill Country, our hearts ache alongside the many families now forced to face the unimaginable. Entire communities, including many right here in Houston, are grieving young lives cut short too soon. As a mother, as a therapist, and as a member of this hurting community, I grieve with you. The pain is overwhelming, the questions are many, and there are no words that can fix what’s been broken.
For parents, caretakers, and educators, one of the hardest things in moments like this is knowing how to talk to children about what has happened. How do you explain that their friend, classmate, cousin, or sibling won’t be coming back home? How do you offer comfort when your own heart is completely shattered?
This is a blog I never thought I would have to write but with the sheer amount of loss that has occurred in our community and beyond, I thought it might be helpful to put this information out there for parents and caregivers to read, Please know that we are here for you and you do not have to work through any of this tremendous loss alone
Grief Isn’t Just About Death: Understanding All the Ways We Grieve
When most people hear the word grief, they think of death, and understandably so. The loss of a loved one is among the most heartbreaking experiences we can endure. But what many don’t realize is that grief can arise from many kinds of losses, even those that aren’t recognized by society or validated by those around us.
At Well Mind Body, we want to expand the conversation around grief. We see clients every day who are mourning invisible losses: the end of a friendship, a health diagnosis, a dream that will never be realized. These are real, valid, and often deeply painful experiences. These losses also deserve support.
Mold, Trauma, and Mental Health: Healing After Environmental Injury
For those who have experienced mold exposure and chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS), the damage goes far beyond coughing or sinus pressure. Mold can wreak havoc on the brain, body, and emotional well-being, often leaving individuals confused, misdiagnosed, and traumatized.
At Well Mind Body, we’ve lived this journey. We’ve walked through the fear, grief, and uncertainty that comes with environmental injury, and we’re here to tell you: healing is possible.
Dr. Miller’s Favorite Summer Essentials for a Healthy, Radiant Season
Summer is one of my favorite times to slow down, get outside, and simplify. Whether I’m walking in the neighborhood, heading to the pool with my kids, or catching up on reading in a hammock, I always reach for a few key products that support wellness, naturally and intentionally.
Here are a few of my tried-and-true summer essentials, from toxin-free sunscreen to clean coffee to natural bug spray. These are products I use, love, and recommend to my clients at Well Mind Body.
Anxiety, ADHD, or Both?
Do you or your child struggle with focus, restlessness, or constant overwhelm? Maybe you’ve wondered: is it anxiety, ADHD, or both? These conditions often overlap, making it hard to know what’s really going on—and how to help. In this post, we’ll explore the similarities, differences, and why an accurate diagnosis matters. If you’re in the Houston area, our experienced team at Well Mind Body is here to guide you toward clarity and compassionate care.
Feeling Stuck? How Therapy Can Help You Break Through Burnout, Anxiety, and Relationship Ruts
Have you ever found yourself saying, “I just feel stuck”?
Maybe you’re burnt out, overwhelmed, or caught in the same argument with your partner. You’re functioning, but just barely. The anxiety is louder than usual. The joy is harder to find. And deep down, something feels off.
You’re not alone and you’re not broken. You’re likely experiencing a form of stuckness that therapy can help you move through.
At Well Mind Body, our integrative team of licensed therapists in Houston helps adults, couples, and teens navigate moments just like this.
Magnesium: The Essential Mineral for Mind and Body Wellness
The Wall Street Journal recently spotlighted one of my all time favorite supplements for mental health, magnesium, and its profound health benefits. Here at Well Mind Body, we’ve been talking about this essential mineral for years.
Magnesium plays a vital role in both physical and mental health, and yet it remains one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in the United States.