What would you say to a client who feels as if they’ve wasted years of their life trapped in a cycle of harsh self-judgement? You see, feeling like you’re “never enough” is very common. According to Tara Brach, PhD, this sense of inadequacy leads to some of the most pervasive suffering in our culture. In […]
A Compassion-Focused Approach to Self-Critical, Negative Thoughts
For some clients, not an hour goes by without an intrusive thought from their “inner critic” . . . . . . and the shame, blame, and fear that it stirs up can be paralyzing. So how can we help clients who struggle to keep these unwelcome thoughts in check? Well, Dennis Tirch, PhD, has a […]
The Neuroscience of Mindfulness and Fear
When a client is afraid, there’s a practice that can help them stay grounded in the present . . . . . . instead of getting hijacked by panic and “worst-case scenario” thinking. And that practice is mindfulness. In the video below, Tara Brach, PhD will get into how mindfulness disrupts the neurobiology of fear, […]
How to Help a Client Come Back from Freezing in a Session
Working through trauma can trigger many perceived threats for our clients. They might start to breath rapidly and find it hard to hold still, or perhaps they start to freeze up during the session. So what are some practical ways to calm the nervous system and keep a client grounded – especially when they begin […]
When a Client Is Stuck in the Freeze Response
What triggers the freeze response? We tend to think of traumatic events, but according to Peter Levine, PhD, that’s not always the case. Even a perceived threat can be enough for a client to get stuck in a frozen state. So how can we help clients who are stuck in the freeze response to move […]