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10 Things The List You Post Say About Yourself

This is a tongue-in-cheek response to the many list of right / wrongs / choices / insights / etc. that make up my facebook feed.

 

  1. Everything is a Projection:  We are drawn to what resonates with what we already believe and we tend to turn away from that which challenges our projections
  2. Everything is a Projection:  We are drawn to what resonates with what we already believe and we tend to turn away from that which challenges our projections
  3. Everything is a Projection:  We are drawn to what resonates with what we already believe and we tend to turn away from that which challenges our projections
  4. Everything is a Projection:  We are drawn to what resonates with what we already believe and we tend to turn away from that which challenges our projections
  5. Everything is a Projection:  We are drawn to what resonates with what we already believe and we tend to turn away from that which challenges our projections
  6. Everything is a Projection:  We are drawn to what resonates with what we already believe and we tend to turn away from that which challenges our projections
  7. Everything is a Projection:  We are drawn to what resonates with what we already believe and we tend to turn away from that which challenges our projections
  8. Everything is a Projection:  We are drawn to what resonates with what we already believe and we tend to turn away from that which challenges our projections
  9. Everything is a Projection:  We are drawn to what resonates with what we already believe and we tend to turn away from that which challenges our projections
  10. In the grand scheme of the universes my choices are insignificant.  Today for me and those around me they are hugely significant.
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After Flooding Emotional Wake Continues – EMDR Can Help You Recover Faster

Natural disasters strike without any kind of warning. With them they most usually carry not only massive material damage – making the occurrence of such a costly affair on both a personal and global level. Another aspect of damage exists, it is that of the psychological trauma that being exposed to the violent outlets of nature brings along with it. Most commonly a victim of a natural disaster will be facing PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome) at some point in the period of time after the natural disaster. This is the same kind of psychological ailment that many soldiers suffer after returning from service in a warzone. The symptoms include but does not limit to: Depression, withdrawal, sudden aggression and amnesia.  For a person to handle Post Traumatic Stress Syndrom, professional help is strongly recommended – to ensure that the individual in this unpleasant situation will be able to return to a normal state of living within a foreseeable amount of time.

The treatments on offer in the field of treating Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome are many and diverse. Ranging from alternative, undocumented methods of treatment to state sponsored psychiatrist treatments – the results of the different treatment options range from non existent to outstanding.

EMDR Evidenced Based Approach

One of the most successful forms of treatment has proven to be the one called the “EMDR” treatment, short of “eye movement desensitization and reprocessing”. It is a treatment that takes place in several different phases – all of which are taking their starting points in the initial phase where the reasons for the psychological stress disorder of the patient is unveiled in a series of analysis session between patient and therapist. Once the key areas of the problem have been uncovered, the treatment itself can begin. A quite uncommon feature of this particular treatment is when compared to for instance traditional psychotherapy , that the patient does not necessarily have to face the painful memories in each session – this is absolutely the free choice of the patient.. The therapist will schedule an individual treatment plan for the patient based on the information.

A short description of the treatment itself can be a bit difficult to provide – and it is strongly advised to seek further information with the therapist to make sure all your questions are cleared before initiating the treatment. Nonetheless, here are a few of the key elements of the EMDR treatment for patients suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome:  A series of therapist guided eye movement exercises where the patterns of movement have been carefully planned by the therapist prior to the session the help the patient reach the point where the SUD Scale of the comes as close to zero as possible. The next phase is to focus on positive change in the mindset of the patient as opposed to focusing on the psychological trauma caused by for instance a natural disaster.

Studies have shown, that the EMDR treatment method is an incredibly efficient method in helping patients with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome regain control of their emotions and hence return to a normal standard of life.

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Parents Helping Kids Clean Up Their Emotional Pains after Flooding in Boulder

Environmental disasters are unfortunately somewhat frequent occurrences and there are serious concerns about the health related problems they bring. Environmental disasters affect people of all ages but how exactly do they affect children?

There have been studies that have clearly shown the adverse health effects environmental disasters have on children but not everything is known about the extent of damage. Environmental disasters can greatly inhibit physical growth, increase child morbidity etc. They also increase the likelihood of fevers, diarrhoea and different types of respiratory illnesses. One particular study carried out in Bangladesh showed just how these events can impact negatively on children’s health. Some five months after an epidemiological study was carried out, the survivors of the group that survived the flood disaster that followed were revaluated. Aggressive behaviour increased from zero to almost 10% and 45% of the surviving study group who already had bladder control problems developed enuresis (bed wetting). This is just one small study of a single occurrence. A lot of environmental disaster stories and how they affect children remain untold.

A lot of the changes in the children’s health are psychological. Aggressive behaviour in the case above is usually caused by anger; anger at loss and present circumstances. Most of these children do not know how to express themselves, so being mad at the world becomes the next best thing. The enuresis (for example) was also (largely) caused by psychological factors. Children do not know how to express anger at a situation, certain types of fears, etc. Thus, it translates into health issues, violence and other cloaking mediums. The best approach to this type of situation is Therapy and not just any kind of therapy.

Play Therapy Can Help Parents with Children Who Struggle

Play therapy helps children struggling to deal with trauma to heal. It is not just about playing cards, or having an adult do some colouring with the child. It is also not about distracting the child to gain access to the child’s true feelings. Children use play to channel thinking, communication, interaction and so much more. Adults know how to communicate; they have a wide range of vocabulary to use. Adults are also more action oriented than children whose brains are not yet fully developed enough to be able to handle complex issues.

Play therapists are very well trained to aid children with playing that can help them express their emotions. Play therapy is said to be one of the best ways to find out what a child is feeling and usually expresses with silence, glares and sometimes rude behaviour. When the emotions have been unearthed, recovery can begin.

Play Therapy has helped a lot of children cope with trauma and realise they are not alone.

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How Play Therapy Can Help Kids Make Sense of Flooding in Boulder County

Natural disasters can turn your whole world upside down. Generally unpredictable and unstoppable they can be a great stress for an adult to handle, yet alone a child or teenager.

People need a stable, predictable routine to feel safe, which is even more present in children and young adults, often who are yet to experience a traumatic event. Natural disasters such as the recent flooding upset the everyday routine, expose children to stress, the feeling of helplessness and a great misunderstanding over the future.

If you are unfortunate enough to experience a natural disaster, your first actions should be to ensure immediate needs such as food, shelter, warmth and contact are met. But after this many parents find their children struggle to make sense of the situation, sometime generation overwhelming emotions of vulnerability and powerlessness that can impact their understanding of the world as they know it. These can manifest in many forms from immediate upset to long term behavioural problems affecting their ability to develop to their full potential in later life.

Play Therapy for Kids & Adults

Children need our help and guidance to make sense of the world and the terrible events that can occur, not only to keep their development into happy, well rounded adults on track, but to create a solid family unit in which your bonds can thrive through any difficult time.

Drawing on my experience in experimental play therapy, emotional parent coaching and trauma training, I can help families with children or teenagers through traumatic experiences, ensuring a recovery from the inside out. Together, we can understand your family’s emotional needs and the best forms of therapies and coaching to ensure that the biggest disaster, isn’t the damage to your child’s future.

 

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EMDR Can Help With Emotional Clean Up After Boulder Colorado Flooding

There are numerous reasons behind a human being becoming the victim of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. What comes most people to mind when contemplating the causes are the likes of war, terror or the eminent loss of a significant other. It is true, all of these occurrences are in fact very common causes for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. However, what many people are not aware of is, that studies have shown, that one of the main causes for the “average” person to fall victim of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome is exposure to a natural disaster such as hurricane Katrina. Besides the obvious material damages and following costs that such a natural disaster causes there is also the more invisible damages, the psychological damages inside the minds of its victims.

It is of the uttermost importance to handle patients with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome with care – the symptoms of the condition are of such a nature, that they will almost certainly make it impossible for the victim to lead a normal life if the condition is not treated with the help of professionals.

There are a lot of different treatments on offer – some are more efficient than others – and it does also depend on the individual patients condition which treatment will prove most efficient.

EMDR Unique Approach Helps Millions Who Were Suffering

The EMDR treatment, EMDR being a short of “Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing” is well known to be one of the most efficient treatments. At the same time it is also one of the treatments on offer that will in fact cause an absolute minimum of emotional distress to the patient while the treatment is taking place. This is due to the fact, that the patient is not pushed into facing unpleasant emotional or physical situations from the past – the patient sets the pace in this phase of the treatment, not the therapist.

Once the underlying causes for the Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome have been unveiled in cooperation between the patient and the therapist, an actual plan for the future treatment will be put into words by the therapist. The goal of the treatment is to “reprogram” the patient into focusing on a new and positive mindset instead of focusing on the negative memories that were causing the Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome.

This is done partially through a series of eye exercises targeted at making the patient open to changing his or her views on both past, present and future.  The treatment is concluded through the patient acquiring a series of self control abilities that will help ensure that the patient will not fall back into panic or other unfortunate patterns even outside of the therapists office.

EMDR Evidenced Based Approach to Healing & Change

Research has proven, that patients engaging in the Eye Movement Desensitization and reprocessing treatment to a great extend end up being able to move past the traumatic experiences for instance of a natural disaster that have caused the state of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. After going through the therapy a vast majority of the patients are able to return to a normal life with their job, friends and family.

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Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD) Symptoms after Colorado Flooding

Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome can strike any one of us. After experiencing a major traumatic experience in our lives, most of us will simply “move on” – and life will apparently continue like it always have. But this does not necessarily mean, that we are “home free”. Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome is a cunning psychological condition, and it is not uncommon, that several weeks, months or even years will pass before any symptoms of the syndrome manifest themselves. This is mainly due to the fact, that the human psyche has a built in defense that automatically aims at suppressing those experiences in life that can potentially mean, that we will not be able to function at our best in life.  Falling victim of a natural disaster is a very common cause for being struck with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. A natural disaster often strikes with little or no warning – leaving behind its victims shocked and disarmed in the days, weeks, months and years that follows.

But for the vast majority of people who unknowingly have fallen victim of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, the symptoms will come sooner or later. And when the do, it is of the uttermost importance, that these symptoms are not ignored. They need to be treated with the help of trained professionals.

For many individuals this treatment means numerous sessions with a psychiatrist and for another many individuals it might also end up meaning the need of nerve medicine for many years – maybe even for lifetime.

EMDR As Proven Method To Aid Your Recover

Another form of treatment does however exist, it is of a different nature. It is called the EMDR treatment, EMDR being a short of “Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing”. The treatment aims at “reprogramming” the mind of the victim of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome – to ensure, that the individual is helped to move on from focusing on the negative experiences that have caused the Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and instead focus on a new positive mindset and through this cope with the ailment at hand.

The technique that is used in this form of treatment is quite different from the technique that is used in more “conventional” therapy. Besides conversational therapy it also makes use of a series of exercises with the eyes that will essentially help the patient move the psychological focus in a more positive focus – and through this work through the traumatic experiences of for instance a natural disaster.

EMDR Empowers You To Handle Life As It Is

When closing in on the finish line of the series of sessions that are part of the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing  therapy, the patient will be taught a number of self control exercises that will enable him or her to remain in control of the traumas even when not in the comfort of the therapists office. This form of therapy has proven extremely helpful for thousands and thousands of victims of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, allowing them to work through the traumas and return to a normal and worthy standard of living alongside their colleagues, friends and families

 

 

 

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Helping Children After Community Environmental Disaster

Hi,

You and I both know that children need our help.

I’m writing to you from my office here in Boulder, CO. I’m a psychotherapist and president of the Colorado Group Psychotherapy Society.

I just wanted to ask you this quick question:

Are you prepared to emotionally recover from environmental disasters such flooding?

You may be prepared in a logistical sense, but I propose this may be a tough one to answer for your childrens sake. I want to sincerely ask you to consider the following..

After a child’s (and teens) immediate needs such as shelter, food, warmth, safety, etc. have been met, the brain is often left cluttered to sort an ‘internal mess’ of ideas and emotions.

On top of this, routine and predictability is a huge need to consider, because events like the one I just mentioned above can disrupt everything. These kind of situations push us past traditional understanding and emotional tolerance..

Not to mention, hopelessness and powerlessness can overwhelm children and their sense of safety and belonging will be compromised.

Too much uncertainty and chaos following any kind of disaster not only has immediate impacts, but long lasting ones as well. Impacts which you and I can help prevent by accelerating the process of recovery.

This is what I specialize in, as well as experiential play therapy, emotional-parent coaching, trauma training and more. But what does this mean for you, you ask?

I would like to offer you a free presentation at your school. There’s three major points I want to go over while I’m there..

1. I want to teach about the natural responses of our nervous systems when natural disasters take place..
2. I want to show you the skills necessary to support children’s emotional recovery
3. I want to help you identify symptoms of emotional overwhelming conditions.

If you’d like to have a better look into exactly what I do, then you may visit my website here:

Present Moment Counseling

I want to offer you this free presentation at your school because I sincerely want to help children in the best way that I possibly can, and given my skillset I believe this will be beneficial for everyone involved.

Please take a minute to consider my proposal, and give me a call at 720-722-4070 so we can have a quick chat about it.

I can tell you more about what I do, how I can help you, and how exactly this whole proposal would work.

Again, go ahead and give me a call at 720-722-4070 if you’re even slightly interested in this idea.

 

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Using EMDR to Treat Symptoms of Trauma from Climbing Accidents

Summary: The following article pertains to using EMDR to treat trauma related to sports accidents, specifically climbing.

What is EMDR?

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. Discovered by Francine Shapiro in 1989, this is a treat for trauma or PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). This type of treatment can be used for traumas related to sports accidents or competitive upsetting experiences, anxiety, life changing events such as divorce, rape, sexual abuse, car accidents and more.

Process of EMDR in Treating Trauma

EMDR treat works by using bursts of 20-40 second rapid and saccadic eye movements. Those using this form of therapy on patients will have them visually track a light which moves from left to right. The idea behind this form of therapy is that it makes the brain process information in the same way as rapid eye movement. Shapiro believes this process helps those with trauma cope with the memories in a more positive or coping light.

EMDR Treatment for a Climbing Accident ( Sports Trauma)

Here’s an example of how EMDR might help treat an advanced climber who has experienced a climbing accident: A man was climbing with another climber when he fell. He had set up anchors along his climbing route but he had lost his footing. The highest set anchor came loose with the force of the fall. Unfortunately, there was too much rope out for the lower anchor to catch him.

The climber could experience a series of emotions including anxiety and panic. He might relive the upsetting experience if he tries to climb again, assuming a full physical recovery. He might ask himself, “What did I do wrong?” or Why did I miss my footing?” He would be asked to rate the SUDS, an acronym for Subjective Units of Distress Scale. The scale ranges from 0 (no disturbance) to 10 (highest disturbance). Heart rate would also be recorded. At the first EMDR session, the climber might rate the SUDS at a 7, with heart rate at 110. This indicates high anxiety and maybe a sense of pain physically in the stomach. After the third EMD session, the climber might rate the SUDS at 4, with heart rate at 70. This would indicate an improvement in possible perception of the traumatic experience when falling.

Another measurement used during this procedure is VOC, Validity of Cognition Scale. This is a measurement of self-perception or a person’s positive coping self-belief in connection with the traumatic experience. It’s rated on a 7 point scale where 1 is completely false and 7 is completely true. For instance, our climber might say “I did everything I could to stay safe while climbing”. His VOC at his first EMDR session might be a 5 and after session three it could be bumped up to a 6.

Some sports might have a team psychotherapist on hand for help during traumatic experiences. If an athlete chooses to deal with stress on their own, they might try EMDR to see if that is an effective treatment for them. 

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EMDR and sport performance the process of recovery from sports accidents

EMDR: Helping Athletes

Patients who have suffered from sport traumas or injuries can highly benefit from EMDR (stands for: Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing). EMDR is a therapy that doesn’t involve the usage of the drugs or hypnosis. One of the best things about it is that it is patient-therapist collaboration (non-invasive).

EMDR Explained

This is an influential new psychotherapy technique that has been a great success for people who have suffered from various conditions such as panic, anxiety, disturbing memories, sports injuries and traumas, etc. We are all aware that such conditions are difficult and lengthy to treat, which is why Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is considered to be a penetration therapy as it is very simple yet provides lasting relief.

This technique utilizes the natural task of the body and its basis is the REM or the Rapid Eye Movement. Our minds make use of REM while sleeping as it helps in processing daily experiences in our lives that have impacted us emotionally. When there is extreme trauma, the whole process breaks down and then REM sleep doesn’t provide the usual relief that a person gets and when this happens, EMDR comes in the picture.

Process of EMDR Treatment for Athletes

In order to gain an understanding on how EMDR can be helpful for sports trauma and injuries, it is very important that you understand how it works. For example, when a trauma is acquired through sports, the experience is stored in the brain. When an individual is upset, his brain can’t process the experience because it would on a normal level. Hence, the negative feelings and thoughts get bottled up in the nervous system.

With EMDR, it will first unlock all the negative memories and feelings that got trapped in the nervous system and then, it will help the brain process the experience in a successful way. A professional therapist can do this by guiding the patient to visit the traumatic incident once again. The moment that the eye movement of the patient matches the painful event as well as the body movement, it means that the memory is now in the mind of the patient but the feelings will be re-experienced in a new way.

Through this, EMDR allows the patient to acquire self-knowledge and perspective that will allow him to choose his actions instead of feeling helpless over their re-actions.

EMDR in Treating Sports Accidents or Performance Issues

EMDR finds the trauma and allows the patient to discover and heal the parallels between the traumatic events and his performance issues in the present and it will then release the negative images and emotions, letting go of trauma and allowing the athlete to perform well again in the sport that he plays.

A lot of athletes have proven that EMDR is exceptionally effective. Since athletes can’t totally avoid sports injuries that can decrease their sports performance and even put their health at risk, they are at ease knowing that EMDR therapy is available for them. It is a great way to recover as it lets go of the negativity that were acquired due to the traumatic events. 

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EMDR THERAPY FOR ATHLETES

EMDR THERAPY FOR ATHLETES

 

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an integrative psychotherapy that has been researched and proven to be alleviate symptoms related to various life disturbing experiences or traumas. Some of these experiences that may cause trauma to individuals are rape, sexual abuse, auto accidents and combat. In instances when people have had disturbing events in their lives like divorce, life transitions, grief, anxiety and the usual stresses of life, EMDR is known to provide relief. Naturally, human beings go through so many experiences, some being too hard to comprehend. When faced with these situations, many people experience trauma since life threatening encounters can get edged in the memory, creating very uncomfortable symptoms. In the event that these signs are not treated, they may be distressing.

 

EMDR Supports Your Recovery of Natural Brilliance

 

People go for EMDR treatment, seeking to identify a process that can decrease these traumatic symptoms and make one feel more alive and less distressed. It does this by activating the brains inherent system to process and integrate the information that is stored there. It does not do away with the information stored within the brain or delete the event from the memory, rather, it reduces the emotional charge that accompanies the distressing episode.

 

EMDR Used To Alleviate Sports Injury Residual Symptoms

 

Many swimming athletes who had a good future in the sport, had to give it all up after some nasty episodes in their lives. But there is hope for them as well with EMDR. For those swimmers who approach any competition with increased anxiety, there is a remedy for this apprehension. EMDR is performed to aid in reprocessing an upsetting swimming event. Their coping beliefs are measured and anxiety levels checked prior to and after the events. Positive visualization is part of EMDR and used to prepare and intervene any potential inhibiting negative expectations.

 

EMDR Supports Performance Recovery: Case Example

 

An example of an athlete having a traumatic experience in swimming is this: She hit her head on a wall after which she sunk to the bottom of the swimming pool. She gulped lots of water and for a moment, she knew she would die. This nasty experience gave her a rough time whenever she had to swim. During EMDR, she had to recount the event almost as though she was going through it all over again. Physical, psychological and emotional feelings were relieved in her mind’s eye. This allowed her to reprocess the event and resolve some of the conflicts in a more adaptive style.

 

EMDR For Those with Sporting Accident Histories

 

The same applies to other games like skiing, mountain climbing, snowboarding and mountain biking. They too, have caused performers to have injuries that took time to heal. After going through a nasty experience like an injury or a failure contrary to expectation, EMDR therapy can be a solution. It helps a performer to regain a competitive edge and remove mental barriers that may prevent an athlete from achieving their objective. It helps one by putting the negative thoughts behind before a competition so that they can focus on the goal ahead of them.