Is it possible that what happens with trauma patients at night could undermine all the hard work we’ve done with them during the day? Or asked another way, could improved sleep actually enhance our interventions with patients? We know that disrupted sleep patterns and nightmares are common symptoms of PTSD. But a team of researchers […]
Two Chemical Reactions That Happen in the Brain during Trauma
When a traumatic event triggers our internal alarm system, the body goes into fight, flight, or freeze . . . . . . but what happens in the brain during trauma? According to Dan Siegel, MD, there are two key chemical reactions to trauma (and one can play a role in actually shrinking part of […]
Three Ways Trauma Changes the Brain
The treatment of trauma can be some of the most complex work practitioners face. And for years, this challenge was complicated by not having a clear picture of the impact that trauma has on the brain. But scientific advances within just the past few years have opened the eyes of practitioners to what actually happens […]
Treating Severe Trauma in Iraq
Trauma doesn’t discriminate. It can affect anyone, anywhere throughout the world and, unfortunately . . . . . . not everyone has similar access to resources for treating trauma or PTSD. So, what can we do to reach survivors of trauma who have limited access to treatment options? Paul Bolton, MBBS and a team of […]
An Exercise to Boost the Brain’s Natural Anti-Anxiety Drug?
Is there an exercise that can boost feel-good chemicals in your brain while reducing anxiety and improving your mood? The answer is yes – it’s yoga. Now yoga isn’t the only exercise that’s been shown to be effective in reducing anxiety, but Chris Streeter, MD and her colleagues from the Boston University School of Medicine […]