When I first had the honor of interviewing Ram Dass, what struck me about him was his extraordinary ability to persevere even when up against immense struggles. And he did it all with a positivity that spread to others. When I heard of his passing I couldn’t help but feel that the world had lost […]
3 Critical Insights to Share with Traumatized Clients (That Can Jumpstart Healing)
Some of our most difficult work is with clients who have suffered a traumatic experience . . . . . . especially when they’re trapped in a cycle of self-blame, beating themselves up for what they perceive to be wrong thoughts, wrong decisions, and wrong relationships. But according to Deborah Lee, DClinPsy, there are three […]
Two Compassion-Based Ways to Help Your Client Overcome Shame
Without a doubt, the compassion we offer our clients is often a key part of their healing. But how do we help our clients build compassion toward themselves . . . . . especially when they feel frozen and unable to act, cut off from themselves and those they care about? When their ability to […]
One Key Insight That Can Help Clients Undo Years of Blame and Shame
As practitioners, we’re well-acquainted with the fight, flight, freeze response – that automatic response that evolved to protect us from external threats or danger. But what happens when the threat is internal? When the threat is painful emotions or distress? Our response can still be automatic, and for many clients it can often be to […]
Mindfulness and the Practitioner: How to bring our "best self" to our work
Some kids dream of being professional athletes or walking on the moon, but for many of us, it was the act of healing that motivated us entering the health and mental health professions. But this doesn’t mean there aren’t days when we wouldn’t rather be on the moon than treating a particularly challenging patient. Or […]