As practitioners, we sometimes have to be creative in coming up with interventions that will work for a particular patient. And this can be especially true when clients have deeply rooted limiting beliefs about themselves after trauma. Bessel van der Kolk, MD is a master at coming up with creative approaches to help clients work […]
Guilt vs. Shame [Infographic]
What are the differences between guilt and shame? And how could it help our clients to have a better understanding of those differences? We thought it could be useful for you to have a side-by-side comparison of these powerful emotions that you could share with your clients. Because understanding these differences could help our clients […]
How to Help Clients Build Resilience after Trauma
How can we foster resilience in clients who have experienced trauma? A person’s response to trauma is often to lock away the parts that were wounded by their experience. But that can leave them feeling protective and fragile – and fearful about being triggered again. In the video below, Richard Schwartz, PhD shows how working […]
Two Simple Techniques That Can Help Trauma Patients Feel Safe
One of trauma’s most insidious effects is how radically and completely it can take away someone’s sense of safety. That’s why it’s crucial to create a safe space when working with patients who have experienced trauma. But that’s only part of the equation. According to Peter Levine, PhD, there’s a very important follow-up step – […]
A Quick and Simple Way to Think about the Brain [Infographic]
Could having a map of the brain help you in your work with clients? For example, just being able to show your clients what part of the brain controls emotion, or the nervous system, could open the door to helping them learn how to regulate these areas. So we created an infographic based on the […]
How Does Trauma Affect a Person’s Interaction with Their Child?
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 […]