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 […]
Could Stronger Resilience Promote Better Health?
Could greater resilience reduce a person’s need for health care services? James E. Stahl, MD, MPH, and a team of researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital Benson-Henry Institute (BHI), noted that poor psychological and physical resilience is often associated with an increased use of healthcare services. Since research consistently shows that mind-body interventions can be […]
5 Steps to Changing the World
How exactly does change come about? As health and mental health practitioners, our calling is to help people change. But I’m thinking about change on a number of different levels. There are the changes we help our clients make, as well as personal changes we might hope to see in our own lives. I’m also […]
Treating Chronic Pain with Mindfulness
Is medication the best way to relieve chronic pain? Most often, people who are suffering from chronic pain just want it to stop. But given the risks for drug dependency, abuse, and overdose from prescription medications, a number of doctors and researchers are refocusing their attention on alternative ways to help people experience relief. Daniel […]
How Does Neuroplasticity Work? [Infographic]
Neuroplasticity, simply, refers to the brain’s ability to change and form new connections. When neuroscience began to discover more about the brain’s remarkable ability to change, it opened up new ways of thinking about our work with patients. By harnessing the power of neuroplasticity, we can help patients think more clearly, learn more easily, develop […]
Olympic Training for the Brain?
Do Olympic athletes have strong brains as well as strong bodies? Research has shown the benefit of exercise in improving cell health (including brain cells), boosting the brain’s natural anti-anxiety drug, and strengthening the aging brain. But we still have a lot to learn about exactly how exercise changes the brain. Recently, a team of […]