According to Paul Gilbert, PhD, we have three types of emotion regulation systems – we’ve got the Threat System, the Drive System, and the Soothing System. Now when a client is stuck in a painful cycle of self-criticism and shame, it’s often because these three systems are out of balance. You see, many clients spend […]
Could a Smartphone App Help Treat PTSD?
Could people who experience PTSD hold a potential key to relief right in the palm of their hand? I’m talking about a smartphone app that could help reduce symptoms of PTSD. Back in 2011, the U.S. Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD developed the app, PTSD Coach, to help veterans suffering from posttraumatic symptoms. Since […]
Is There a Factor That Can Predict PTSD Development in War Veterans?
In a conversation about PTSD, my colleague, Pat Ogden, PhD told me that many of her clients struggling with PTSD also had insecure attachments. Often, these clients were veterans whose insecure attachments predisposed them to develop PTSD after combat. This conversation got me wondering whether there were other predictors of PTSD aside from insecure attachment. […]
How Might Epigenetics Influence the Link between PTSD and Inflammation?
Is there a link between PTSD and our body’s immune response? Well, research published in the Journal of Brain, Behavior, and Immunity has stretched beyond focusing on what happens to the body’s nervous and endocrine systems after trauma. . . . . . and researchers have discovered a connection between trauma and the body’s immune […]
How Anger Affects Your Brain and Body [Infographic – Part 3]
Anger is an important and sometimes necessary emotion. But all too often, anger can quickly escalate and become destructive once it’s been triggered. Uncontrollable anger can often create problems in relationships both at home and in the workplace. But beyond that, it can have devastating physical consequences. So just how and where does anger impact […]