The holidays can bring both joy and overwhelm. Tannia Salazar, APRN provides trauma-informed strategies to manage holiday stress, set boundaries, and protect your peace this season.

As the days grow shorter, many of us feel our energy fade. Learn gentle, trauma-informed ways to care for your mood and body through the seasonal shift.

As daylight shortens, many adults across Connecticut notice a dip in mood or energy. At Rooted in Serenity Behavioral Health, we take an integrative approach to Seasonal Affective Disorder—combining evidence-based psychiatric medication management, light therapy, and whole-person care to help you feel balanced again.

Rooted in Serenity Behavioral Health is now credentialed with HUSKY Health (Connecticut Medicaid) — expanding access to compassionate, trauma-informed psychiatric care for adults across Connecticut.

Tannia Salazar, APRN, offers telehealth appointments statewide and in-person visits in Middlebury, CT, providing evidence-based medication management for anxiety, depression, ADHD, and trauma-related concerns.

Your first psychiatric evaluation is an opportunity to discuss your mental health goals, history, and symptoms in a supportive, trauma-informed space. At Rooted in Serenity Behavioral Health, Tannia Salazar, APRN, provides compassionate psychiatric care for adults across Connecticut — offering both telehealth and in-person appointments in Middlebury to help you begin your healing journey with confidence.

Rooted in Serenity Behavioral Health now offers in-person psychiatric appointments every Tuesday in Middlebury, CT, alongside statewide telehealth. Whether you prefer face-to-face connection or virtual convenience, care remains trauma-informed, bilingual, and grounded in calm. Learn how Tuesday visits work, what to expect, and how to request your secure portal invite.

Telehealth makes care more accessible — but accessibility isn’t enough. Learn how trauma-informed telehealth builds safety, trust, and empowerment for adults in Connecticut.

Starting medication can feel overwhelming. Trauma-informed care ensures the process is safe, transparent, and collaborative. Learn how the five principles of trauma-informed care shape prescribing and follow-up at Rooted in Serenity Behavioral Health.

When a provider is no longer available, it can feel unsettling. Continuity of care in mental health ensures trust, safety, and progress. Learn how Tannia Salazar, APRN, founder of Rooted in Serenity Behavioral Health LLC supports smooth transitions and keeps you grounded in your healing journey.

Trauma-informed care means more than just a buzzword — it’s about creating safety, trust, and empowerment in every step of treatment. Learn the 5 principles of trauma-informed psychiatric care and how they shape patient-centered healing with Tannia Salazar, APRN.

Stimulants aren’t the only option for ADHD. Non-stimulant medications may be a better fit for adults with anxiety, sleep issues, or intolerance to stimulants. In this blog, Tannia Salazar, APRN explains how non-stimulants work, what to expect, and who they may help most.

Stimulant medications are often the first-line treatment for ADHD in adults. In this post, Tannia Salazar, APRN explains how stimulants work, the differences between short-acting and long-acting options, common side effects, and why monthly follow-ups are key to safe prescribing.

ADHD medications aren’t one-size-fits-all. Some people do best with stimulants, others with non-stimulants, and many with a blend of approaches. In this post, Tannia Salazar, APRN of Rooted in Serenity Behavioral Health LLC breaks down the differences—how they work, what side effects to expect, and how to find the right fit.

Adult ADHD is often misunderstood. Instead of hyperactivity, it can look like restlessness, procrastination, or emotional ups and downs. At Rooted in Serenity Behavioral Health LLC, Tannia Salazar, APRN, offers comprehensive evaluation and treatment for adults across Connecticut.

Psychiatry is more than prescriptions. At Rooted in Serenity Behavioral Health, Tannia Salazar, APRN, combines medical insight, lab evaluation, and compassionate support to provide holistic care for anxiety, depression, ADHD, and trauma. Discover how this whole-person approach can help you feel grounded, supported, and ready to heal.

Understanding Antidepressants: Frequently Asked Questions
By Tannia Salazar, APRN | Rooted in Serenity Behavioral Health 🌿

Over the past five posts in my Understanding Antidepressants series, we’ve explored SSRIs, SNRIs, atypical antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and augmentation strategies. This FAQ brings them all together in one place — answering common questions like:

• What’s the difference between SSRIs and SNRIs?

• What are atypical antidepressants, and when are they used?

• Are mood stabilizers only for bipolar disorder?

• What does “augmentation” mean if my antidepressant isn’t working?

• Do antidepressants change my personality?

👉 Whether you’re just starting medication or wondering about next steps, this guide offers a clear, compassionate overview.

Understanding Antidepressants, Part 5: Augmentation Strategies
By Tannia Salazar, APRN | Rooted in Serenity Behavioral Health 🌿

Sometimes antidepressants alone don’t bring enough relief. This is called treatment-resistant depression (TRD) — but it doesn’t mean you’re out of options.

In this post, I explain augmentation strategies: adding a second medication to boost the effect of your antidepressant. We’ll look at options like Rexulti, Abilify, Lamotrigine, Quetiapine, Buspirone, and Trazodone, including common side effects and when these strategies might make sense.

Understanding Antidepressants, Part 4: Mood Stabilizers
By Tannia Salazar, APRN | Rooted in Serenity Behavioral Health 🌿

Sometimes antidepressants alone aren’t enough. For people living with treatment-resistant depression or persistent anxiety, mood stabilizers can provide added balance and relief. Medications like lamotrigine (Lamictal®), lithium, or valproate may help ease symptoms, reduce mood instability, and support steadier emotions—especially when standard treatments haven’t worked well enough.

In this post, I explain how mood stabilizers work, who might benefit, what side effects to expect, and the monitoring that helps keep treatment safe and effective.

Understanding Antidepressants, Part 3: Atypical Antidepressants
By Tannia Salazar, APRN | Rooted in Serenity Behavioral Health 🌿

Not all antidepressants fit neatly into the SSRI or SNRI categories. Atypical antidepressants—like bupropion, mirtazapine, trazodone, and newer options such as vilazodone—work differently in the brain and may be a better match for certain symptoms like low energy, poor sleep, or appetite changes. In this post, I explain how these medications work, what side effects to expect, and how we decide when they may be the right option for you.

Thinking About Antidepressants? Start Here.
SSRIs and SNRIs are among the most commonly prescribed medications for anxiety and depression, but starting one can feel overwhelming. In this blog series, Tannia Salazar, APRN of Rooted in Serenity Behavioral Health, breaks down how these medications work, what to expect, and how to navigate side effects with support.

📍 Serving adults across Connecticut via telehealth

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