Trauma can change the brain . . . . . . but the person who experienced the trauma may not be the only one whose brain changes. In the video below, Ruth Lanius, MD, PhD describes what we’re discovering about the connections between a parent’s trauma and their child’s developing brain. Take a look – […]
Skills for Helping Clients Get “Unstuck” During Times of Uncertainty
Times of uncertainty often become powerful opportunities for growth. And yet, fear of uncertainty can freeze people in their tracks – they become hesitant to make decisions or take a step in any direction. So when clients get stuck, how can we help them move forward? In the video below Joan Borysenko, PhD describes specific […]
What Is Post-Traumatic Growth?
Trauma changes people. And for someone who just wants life to return to “the way it was,” this can be difficult to accept. But in some cases, people have not only been able to bounce back following trauma, they’ve also been able to experience growth. In the video below, researcher and author Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD […]
A "Secret Kindness" Intervention for Working with Depression
Depression can rob our clients of the full, thriving lives we all hope for. And so often, a depressed client will avoid the very people, places, and activities that once gave them pleasure. In the video below, Steven Hayes, PhD describes a woman who suffered from both depression and anxiety. She started avoiding the business […]
Why Mind-Wandering Can Be a Detriment to Happiness (and One Way to Refocus)
When a person’s thoughts start to stray, they can tend to go in one of two directions. Sometimes people find themselves dreaming of an upcoming vacation or looking forward to a get-together with friends . . . . . . or, maybe they’re distracted by worries about approaching deadlines or unpaid bills. Even though the […]
How Anger Affects the Brain and Body [Infographic]
Anger can be one of the most challenging emotions that we work with. Clients are sometimes afraid of their anger. Or, maybe they 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. But anger can actually […]
A Practical Skill for Defusing Anger
Anger is a normal (and often necessary) emotion. But when tempers flare and rage ensues, our clients’ relationships suffer, their stress levels skyrocket, and reactivity simply takes over. So how can people shift out of anger once the fuse is lit? In the video below, Marsha Linehan, PhD will share a practical skill to help […]
Working with the Body to Release Anxiety
When anxiety strikes, it not only consumes the mind . . . . . . it can take hold in the body as well. And chronic anxiety can contribute to a wealth of physiological problems, including chronic pain, fatigue, and insomnia – just to name a few. Below, you’ll see how Pat Ogden, PhD worked […]
Why Uncertainty Is Not a Problem to Be Solved
At the risk of stating the obvious, uncertainty is one of the only “certains” in life. And often, it fuels the fire of anxiety, depression, and many of the other issues that are so common to the clients we see. But what if we had a different way to frame uncertainty, so that clients might […]
Shining a Light into the Darkness
I’ll admit it. I’ve been counting down the days until this year’s Winter Solstice. As the sun sets around 4:20 each afternoon, and darkness envelops the windows of NICABM, I find myself longing for more hours of daylight. Is it any wonder, then, that images of light and dark play such a prominent role in […]