Rethinking Mental Health, Trauma, and What We Call “Disorders”
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with Dr. Jeff Ball, Founder of Psychological Care and Healing
What if the things we label as “disorders” were once intelligent survival strategies?
In this episode of Crosstalk, we sit down with Dr. Jeff Ball, a clinical psychologist, educator, and founder of Psychological Care and Healing (PCH) in Los Angeles. With decades of experience inside both academic institutions and real-world treatment settings, Dr. Ball brings a deeply human perspective to mental health, trauma, addiction, and healing.
Rather than viewing people through rigid diagnoses or one-size-fits-all treatment plans, Dr. Ball challenges the medical model and invites us to see symptoms in context — as adaptive responses to pain, chaos, and unmet needs.
This conversation is especially powerful for anyone who has ever felt mislabeled, overmedicated, or reduced to a diagnosis.
“Disorders” Are Often Survival Responses
Dr. Ball reframes mental health struggles by asking a different question — not “What’s wrong with you?” but “What happened to you?”
Anxiety, dissociation, addiction, and emotional dysregulation often began as ways to survive unsafe or overwhelming environments.
Healing starts when we stop shaming the symptom and start understanding its purpose.
Diagnosis Without Context Can Do Harm
Many people in recovery carry diagnoses that feel permanent and hopeless. Dr. Ball explains how labels — especially personality disorders — can unintentionally lock people into an identity of “brokenness.”
At PCH, diagnoses are used sparingly and mainly for insurance purposes. Treatment focuses on states, not identities.
For listeners who have ever thought “This is just who I am”, this episode offers relief — and possibility.
Medication Isn’t the Enemy; But It Isn’t the Answer Either
This isn’t an anti-medication conversation. It’s an intentional medication conversation.
Dr. Ball explains:
Why some medications help
Why others numb the very feelings needed for healing
Why overmedication can delay real recovery
For people in recovery who feel disconnected from their emotions, this part of the episode hits home.
Healing Requires Feeling; Not Avoiding
One of the most resonant messages for the Crosstalk audience:
You don’t heal by bypassing grief, fear, or pain.
Dr. Ball shares a powerful story about how modern culture often treats sadness as something to medicate away — when, in reality, feeling is part of the recovery process.
This aligns deeply with Crosstalk’s mission of honesty, presence, and emotional courage.
Everyone Moves Through the Same Emotional States
Rather than separating people into “healthy” and “disordered,” Dr. Ball reminds us:
We all experience anxiety.
We all dissociate at times.
We all become dysregulated under enough stress.
The difference isn’t who experiences these states — it’s how long we stay there and whether we have tools to return.
This perspective reduces shame and increases compassion — for ourselves and others.
Recovery Works Best When It’s Individualized
At PCH, treatment is not a rigid program — it’s a flexible ecosystem:
Individual therapy
Somatic work
Community support
Experiential practices like yoga, breathwork, and meditation
The takeaway for listeners:
If one approach didn’t work for you, you didn’t fail — the approach just wasn’t the right fit.
Healing Is Bigger Than the Individual
Dr. Ball also speaks about social justice, community service, and creative expression as part of recovery — reminding us that healing doesn’t happen in isolation.
Connection, contribution, and meaning matter.
For a community built on shared stories and collective healing, this message lands hard.
Why This Episode Matters
This episode is for:
People in recovery who feel boxed in by labels
Listeners questioning whether they’re “broken”
Clinicians and loved ones seeking a more compassionate framework
Anyone who believes healing should feel human — not clinical
Dr. Jeff Ball doesn’t offer quick fixes.
He offers understanding, context, and hope.
And sometimes, that’s exactly what opens the door to real change.
FAQs
What is Psychological Care and Healing (PCH)?
PCH is a Los Angeles–based residential and day-treatment program focused on trauma, addiction, anxiety, depression, OCD, and emotional dysregulation using an individualized, psychosocial model.Does PCH use medication?
Yes—but thoughtfully. Medication is used when appropriate, and addictive medications are avoided.How is this different from traditional treatment centers?
PCH treats people as individuals rather than diagnoses and integrates therapy, somatic work, experiential practices, and community engagement.Is diagnosis still used?
Only when necessary (e.g., for insurance). Treatment is guided by context, not labels.Can people with long-standing issues still recover?
Yes. Dr. Ball’s work emphasizes that symptoms are adaptive responses—and with the right support, they can change.
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