What is mindfulness? Mindfulness means to “Pay attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally”- Jon Kabat-Zinn. Mindfulness has been used for thousands of years in the East. With its growing popularity in the West, neuroscience research is reporting the positive effects of mindfulness on the brain. Research shows that […]
There is a link between childhood adversity and adult illnesses and disease and we now have research to prove it. The ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) study is one of the largest scientific research studies of its kind, with over 17,000 mostly middle income Americans participating. The focus was to analyze the relationship between childhood trauma […]
Gratitude is a funny thing. It doesn’t always come easy for survivors of trauma and abuse. Gratitude is defined as a positive experience of thankfulness. Some people actually wonder why they don’t feel more gratitude after surviving a life threatening event such as a plane accident or being a victim of a crime. Sometime their […]
Love heals, but sometimes we are hurt by those we love. Couples can experience trauma through marital distress as well as, affairs, miscarriages, death of a child or chronic illness of a partner. Other types of trauma affecting relationships can include combat stress and childhood abuse. Trauma and PTSD is defined when the following happens: […]
You probably have heard the saying that we are “creatures of habit”. Our bodies crave routines and thrive off of rituals. Sleep is one of the most crucial ways that our body recovers from stress and trauma. A good night’s sleep can positively affect our mood. People who have experienced trauma or PTSD commonly have […]
Trauma can rob ones sense of safety, joy and connection to themselves and the world around them. Restoring wellness after trauma can give a person a greater appreciation for life, connection to others, compassion to self and others and gratitude for meaningful life experiences. The road to recovery from trauma and chronic stress can be […]
Play is a powerful and natural part of life and an important part of person’s well being. Research shows not only the importance of play for children but for adults as well. Play is one of the earliest ways that we learn to engage with each other. When a child or adult is able to […]
Research shows that 1 in 6 men in the US have experienced sexual abuse before the age of 18. If this is you, then you are not alone. In fact, some studies show that this is a low estimate. Childhood sexual abuse of boys is not commonly talked about or even discussed. But it is […]
One of the most interesting and innovative uses of EMDR (Eye, Movement, Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy is in performance enhancement. Many people know or have heard that EMDR therapy is a highly effective, research based form of psychotherapy that helps people to heal from trauma and PTSD but few know that it can also be […]
Depression and trauma go hand in hand. Many people who have experienced trauma have symptoms of depression. When the body and mind are overwhelmed by a traumatic event its natural response is to shut down emotions and feelings…both good and bad. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a non-drug treatment that can help some people […]
