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 […]
One Common Mistake Practitioners Make That Can Heighten a Client’s Shame
Working with a client who struggles with deep feelings of shame can often be a delicate and nuanced process . . . . . . and according to Peter Levine, PhD, there’s one mistake practitioners sometimes make that can send clients even further into shameful feelings. Here, Peter will share what that mistake is – […]
A Creative Technique to Help Clients Face Fear
Fear is our body’s natural way of protecting us from a potential threat. But when fear gets in the driver’s seat, it can keep us from the people and activities we value most. So how can we help our clients take back control from their fears? In the video below, Lynn Lyons, LICSW explains a […]
How to Reframe a Client’s Relationship with an Inner Critic
A toxic inner critic can often trap our clients in painful patterns of shame, or sometimes leave them frozen in fear. But according to Rick Hanson, PhD, the inner critic can also serve an important function. So how can we help clients counteract a harsh inner critic in order to experience healing and growth? In […]
When Depression Doesn’t Look Like Depression
Fatigue. Feelings of worthlessness. Loss of interest. We recognize these as classic signs of depression. But according to Terry Real, MSW, LICSW, these symptoms aren’t always the way men experience depression. So how do we help clients when their depression doesn’t necessarily look like depression? In this short video, Terry shares a two-pronged approach to […]
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 […]
How Anger Affects Your Brain and Body [Infographic – Part 2]
In the heat of anger, we often don’t use our best judgment. We may say and do things we later regret, or lose track of what we’re arguing about. Why is that? Well, it has to do with cortisol. You see, anger can spark an overload of cortisol in the brain. So where does the […]
How Anger Affects Your Brain and Body [Infographic – Part 1]
Anger can be a challenging emotion to work through. Sometimes our anger can be frightening. Or, maybe we consider it inappropriate to even feel this way at all. Not only that, when anger is misdirected, it often leads to poor choices, damaged relationships, and even violence. So what’s really going on in the brain and […]
Tools to Help Clients Calm Their Anxiety
Clients often experience anxiety as their body responds to danger – whether real or imagined. And for some of our clients, when anxiety revs up, slowing it back down can take on a sense of emergency. So what exactly is it that often keeps people from soothing anxiety once it begins to take hold? According […]
Why Practitioners Need to Talk About Mistakes
As practitioners, there’s one thing we don’t talk about nearly enough – mistakes. Because let’s face it, we all want to avoid mistakes. But we’re human. And just like everyone else, we make them. In order to grow as practitioners (and avoid future mistakes), it’s vital that we have frank conversations about our experiences – […]