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- 1. How Your Brain Is Taking You Hostage… (and what you can do about it)! Kim Long, MC, CCC, R. Psych (Alberta) Director, Dochas Psychological Services, Inc. Spruce Grove, Alberta
- 2. Agenda • Disclaimer • Goals • Science stuff • Research – stress, resilience, how our brains work • Strategies • Lists of • Practice: Calm Place/Grounding • Wrap up
- 3. Disclaimer • Video recording • Implied consent • No affiliation with Young Living/No profit from sales of their product • Participation: • Your choice • Triggers
- 4. Disclaimer Continued… • YOU are the expert of YOU • Advice = grain of salt • These are my opinions based in: • Research • Experiences • 2013 Masters of Counselling; 2015 R. Psych • Teacher – 10 years – Elementary and Junior High levels • Base Brat (aka military kid) • Confidentiality – focus will be on my experiences • No identifying information given
- 5. What About You? • Take a moment to think about who YOU are. How do you want to live your life’s purpose? • Are the choices you make on a daily basis serving that life’s purpose? • Airplane analogy: Who do you put the oxygen mask on first and why? • Are you doing that?
- 6. Goals: • Education about: • The brain and how it works (or doesn’t work) • Wellness from a mental health perspective • Science research • Experience • Tools that can be used immediately
- 7. How to Tell if I Need Therapy… • Oil change (my bias) • Winter blues (Kwong, 2015) • 35% of Canadians • 10-15% seasonal depression • 2-5% SAD • How do you tell the difference between “blues”, “nerves”, and something clinical, like Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Anxiety, or Depression? • Interferes with daily life function (work, relationships, self- care) • Others notice • Genetic predisposition?
- 8. Stress • What is stress? • A physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation or • A state resulting from stress; especially: one of bodily or mental tension resulting from factors that tend to alter an existent equilibrium (Merriam-Webster.com, 2017) • Equilibrium/homeostasis • Don’t like change
- 9. Containers • Analogy: suitcase, pop bottle, tupperware container, etc. • Shove emotions/sensations/thoughts away • Think: What is your container? • Not really paying attention to how much putting away • Splits open/Leaks • Worst time • Under stress/overwhelmed or trying to relax/sleep • Having a great day • How to make space? • i.e. friend who’s father died
- 10. Types of Stress • Environmental: • Light (Lambert, Reid, Kaye, Jennings, & Esler, 2002) • Serotonin (n.a. (c), 2017) • Edmonton Public Library; BTU 10 000 (Johnson, D., 2014) • Pollution (Heeken & Polivka, 2015) • i.e. China or even smog warnings in Toronto • Overcrowding (Burton, 1990) • Increased crime and health issues • Financial/Situational (Heeken & Polivka, 2015) • Lower SES/change in SES • Recession/layoffs
- 11. Types of Stress Continued… • Physical: • Illness (n.a., 2013) • i.e. Brain tumor • Pain (n.a., 2013; Wilcox, Veggeberg, Lemme, Hodkinson, Scrivani, Burstein, Beccerra, & Borsook, 2016) • i.e. Migraines • Emotional: • Family/Relationships (Heeken & Polivka, 2015) • Graduating/leaving home • Grief and loss • Divorce/death/significant changes = loss • Chronic Stress (n.a., 2013) – Impact? • Incl. ineffective coping strategies that used to work • After mom’s diagnosis = stuffing
- 12. Resilience Factors • “caring, supportive relationships” (American Psychological Association (APA), 2017) • Family/friends (n.a. (b), 2017) • = safe place to come back to after exploring world • “able to plan and carry out plan” (APA, 2017) • “positive view of self and confidence in strengths and abilities” (APA, 2017) • Self-efficacy (n.a. (b), 2017) • “skills in communication and problem solving” (APA, 2017) • Dual awareness: frontal lobe and emotional center (limbic system) • “capacity to manage strong feelings and impulses” • i.e. The Hulk
- 13. Science Stuff OR: Why Mind, Body, and Emotion? • The Three Brains/Triune Brain • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-m2YcdMdFw • Three brain model (Siegel, 2017) • Wrist = spinal cord • Palm = brain stem (Reptilian brain; Fisher, 2016) • Thumb = limbic system/emotional center (Mammalian brain; Fisher, 2016) • 5 senses • Palm and thumb = regulate arousal, emotions, and 3 Fs • Sensory cortices = store info specific to emotional meaning of senses (Rettner, 2010)
- 14. The Brain • Fingers = Frontal lobe/cortex • Perceive outside world, think, and reason • Behind eyes = Prefrontal cortex • Regulates subcortical regions (limbic system/brain stem) • Limbic system tries to react to perceived threat; prefrontal cortex tries to shut the reaction off
- 16. “Flipping Your Lid” • Prefrontal cortex and Cortex offline • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0T_2NNoC68 Flipping Your Lid • Thumb and palm triggered again and again • Like static electricity • i.e. Sister and truck drive home - staring • “Amygdala Hijack” (Ahuja, Myat, Cervantes, & Zahn, n.d.) • Straw that broke the camel’s back • i.e. Vacuum and furnace
- 17. Memories • Hippocampus, prefrontal and frontal cortices, and amygdala • Directly linked in memory formation and retrieval (Jin & Maren, 2015; n.a. (a), 2017) • Offline = major problem in forming clear memories • Triggers are reactions to current events • “Trigger” our body/emotional memories of something not so great • Can’t id triggers or don’t know why we’re reacting the way we are – no language/story for trigger, just sensation • No explanation to label it/reduce charge
- 18. Window of Tolerance Steffensen, T., 2010)
- 19. Window of Tolerance • Stress (esp. chronic) + coping mechanisms that no longer work = vice on either end • i.e. Master’s degree and laundry • Relief the trigger • Chronic stress without proper care after = • Continuum of illness and symptoms (Arber, 2014) • Fatigue/illness • Pain • Hypervigilance (looking over shoulder, waiting for shoe to drop) • Rumination (stewing about events/trying to predict future) • Harder to deal with uncertainty • Hopelessness • Poor memory formation and recall • Note: symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD…
- 20. What Are Strategies You Used To Use That Aren’t Working So Great Now? • Distraction/Numbness • Addictions • Stuffing/Ignoring • Body issues = IBS • Outbursts and Deal with Fallout • Relationship casualty • Staying Silent/Retreating/Hiding • Lack of connection to others/self • Note what’s missing here… • Body and emotion strategies, yet effects on body and emotion.
- 21. So What? • Think about the information in the realms of: • Decision making • Conversations and relationships • Living a full life? • Managing stress? • What do you think?
- 22. Discussion Time • 5 minutes
- 23. Discussion Time • 4 minutes
- 24. Discussion Time • 3 minutes
- 25. Discussion Time • 2 minutes
- 26. Discussion Time • 1 minute
- 27. So What? • What do you think? • If you can stay in all three brains, you will have the ability to fully process trauma/stress; integrate the events • Western culture – usually only neck up • Cortex doesn’t function well when triggered • Roller coaster of 3 F’s and sometimes feeling ok • Increased anxiety/tension from being overwhelmed • Increased numbness from checking out • Technology anyone?
- 28. To Consider: • Key points: • Not about making it go away – “No Mud, No Lotus” – Thich Nhat Hanh; “Inside Out” movie (Chamary, 2015). • Harmony • Practice when calm – easier to access when activated • Practice every day – reflexive • Your choice…
- 29. Mind: • Distraction • Mindful change of pattern (reframe): Joe DiSpenza • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l2nvTv9_Xw&t=8s • Grass path: gives hope • Pay attention to body instead and notice moment by moment changes • Hexaflexercise activity (ACT; Harris, 2017) • Misophonia: know reaction doesn’t make sense = NCs • Hexaflex helps empower and refocus attention • Do something you haven’t done in a while to use a different part of the brain: • Phone a friend, sudoku, crosswords etc. (i.e. Virtual Hopebox application) • PTSD, anxiety, depression
- 30. Body: • Breath: Usually first resource (intake for client and self) • 4 count breath • Sighing breath • Left/Right breath • Light Stream • Imagination and visualization • Specific body location i.e. ball in throat • 4 Elements activity • General chronic discomfort • Specific trauma protocol but can use parts of it (or all) once used to it • Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR/Jacobsonian Relaxation) • Beware injury! • Yoga • Note: You cannot maintain a trauma response in a relaxed muscle body! (Gentry & Rhoton, 2017)
- 31. Emotion: • Use the 5 senses: • Hearing • Music – especially with teens • Rain, Rain app • Touch – i.e. Garnet/Max • Smell • “It reminds me of…” • Memories, strong reactions • What emotion goes with that memory? • What happens in your body when you smell the scent? • Note: Scents can help us feel something different i.e. lilacs = happy childhood • More pure the better (Rago, 2017) • Taste • Why do you think there’s such a thing as a food addiction? Because it accesses emotions. • Sight • Colors (i.e. Dawn/Aspire and grey) • Familiar settings (i.e. driving to Cold Lake) • Calm Place activity
- 32. To Ponder… • Notice overlap • Explore what works best for you • Pick and choose what suits situation • Body reaction = body strategy • Emotion reaction = 5 senses • Mind reaction = distraction/use mind in a completely different way
- 33. In Practice: Scents • Whatever tool depending on client needs • NOTE: I have no training in aromatherapy, choices come from client feedback and my own reactions • Self-regulation with clients (emotion strategy, Sacred Mountain, Lemon, etc.) • Grounding, Calm Place, Muscle tightness • “YES!” reaction • Self-regulation for me (Bergamot, Release, etc.) • Space “feels” off (i.e. Jack’s and Wilhauk’s ) • My own mood/body sensations • Samples + Chalkboard (Thanks, Yvonne!)
- 34. Activities: Calm Place and Grounding • Take a moment to notice • where you are on a scale from 0-10 • 0 = meh (no activation) • 10 = pulling out your hair, rocking and sobbing in a corner • AND body sensations (i.e. where your breath gets stuck) • Take a moment after to notice • Scale from 0-10 • Body sensations • A shift of 1 is considered awesome! • NOTE: If you are already at a 0-1, think of something that was mildly annoying to you today or yesterday • Brings you to a 2-4 on scale • Questions?
- 35. Calm Place • Place in adult life • Comfortable, calm, secure • Nature, home, or imagination • What do you: • See • Hear • Smell • Feel (touch) • Sense in body?
- 36. Calm Place Con’t… • Tap/Butterfly Hug • Word/Phrase/Symbol • Practice every day when calm • Building reflex
- 37. Grounding • Pick an object • Hold in hand • Can use scent as well if you prefer! • Two adjectives – to notice moment by moment experience • These can change with each pass • Word/phrase • Goes to heart/emotional center • Breath • Usually use sighing, but up to you • Use as needed
- 38. Whew… You Made It! • Checklist of goals: Toolbox of strategies you can use Understand to use strategies that fit the symptom Understand brains are amazing, but sometimes they need help too Recognize ways to tell if you or someone you love needs clinical help
- 39. Questions? • Recordings and presentation available for ONE WEEK at www.dochaspsych.com Contact Info: Kim Long Dochas Psychological Services, Inc. 301, 131 First Avenue, Spruce Grove www.dochaspsych.com klong@dochaspsych.com 780-446-8634 • To provide feedback, please go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/T87TCN2 (the link is also on my website and Facebook page) or please complete the forms on your tables
- 40. References Ahuja, N., Myat, W., Cervantes, A., Zahn, N. (n.d.) Amygdala Hijack. Retrieved from http://neurosciencefundamentals.unsw.wikispaces.net/The+limbic+System American Psychological Association. (2017). The road to resilience. APA Psychology Help Center. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/road-resilience.aspx Arber, C., (2014). Post-traumatic stress and the brain. Worthit2Be Me. Retrieved from https://worthit2bme.com/post-traumatic- stress-the-brain/ Burton, I. (1990, March). Factors in urban stress. Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare. 17(1), Article 5. Retrieved from http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1928&context=jssw Chamary, J.V. (2015, August 30). How “inside out” explains the science of memory. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jvchamary/2015/08/30/inside-out-science/#4c5123355184 DiSpenza, J. [GlobalSchoolNet]. (2012, August 21). Three brains – Thinking to doing to being [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l2nvTv9_Xw&t=8s Fisher, J. (2003). Triune Brain [PowerPoiint Slide]. Retrieved from https://i.pinimg.com/736x/5c/4f/f0/5c4ff0143a1340eea15b0d2316b2bcec--ptsd-trauma.jpg Fisher, J. (2016). Working with the neurobiological legacy of trauma [Video recording, course pack]. Jack Hirose and Associates.
- 41. References Gentry, E., & Rhoton, R. (2017, May 1). Certified clinical trauma professional (CCTP) intensive training course. PESI.com. Retrieved from https://www.pesi.com/store/onlinecourse. Harris, R. (2017). The Hexaflexercise. [Audio recording] Retrieved from http://thehappinesstrap.com/free-resources/ Heeken, K., & Polivka, L. (2015, November). Environmental and economic factors associated with mental illness. Retrieved from: http://coss.fsu.edu/subdomains/claudepeppercenter.fsu.edu_wp/wp- content/uploads/2016/02/Environmental-and-Economic-Factors-Associated-with-Mental- Illness-Manuscript.pdf Jin, J., Maren, S. (2015). Prefrontal-hippocampal interactions in memory and emotion. Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, 9(170). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4678200/ Johnson, D. (2014, February 2). Edmonton public library’s Stanley A. Milner branch now sports three mood lights to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder. EdmontonExaminer.com. Retrieved from http://www.edmontonexaminer.com/2014/01/29/edmonton-public-librarys- stanley-a-milner-branch-now-sports-three-mood-lights-to-combat-seasonal-affective-disorder
- 42. References Kwong, M. 2015, March 5. Why winter brings us down but won’t for long. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved from http:// www.cbc.ca/news/health/sad-science-why-winter-brings- us-down-but-won-t-for-long-1.2981920 Lambert, GW., Reid, C. Kaye, GM., Jennings, GL, & Esler, MD. (2002). Effect of sunlight and season on serotonin turnover in the brain. The Lancet. Retrieved from: http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(02)11737-5/fulltext n.a. (2013). Stress. University of Maryland Medical Center. Retrieved from http://www.umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/stress n.a.(a). (2017). Emotions and memory. Psychologists World. Retrieved from https://www.psychologistworld.com/emotion/emotion-memory-psychology#references n.a. (b) (2017). Resilience. Center on the Developing Child: Harvard University. Retrieved from https://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/resilience/ n.a. (c) (2017). Serotonin: What you need to know. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/serotonin#overview1
- 43. References Rago, R. (2017, December 7). Emotion on the brain [Web log post]. Tufts University. Retrieved from http://sites.tufts.edu/emotiononthebrain/author/rrago01/ Rettner, R. (2010, August 5). Brain’s link between sounds, smells, and memory revealed. Live Science Retrieved from https://www.livescience.com/8426-brain-link-sounds-smells- memory-revealed.html Siegel, D. [Dr. Dan Siegel] (2017, August 9). Dr. Dan Siegel’s hand model of the brain [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-m2YcdMdFw Steffensen, T., (2010, September 30-October 3). Trauma and the challenge of sexual addiction. PowerPoint presentation at Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health, Boston, MA. Stress. (2017). In Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary (11th ed.). Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stress. Nhat Hanh Thich. (2014). No mud, no lotus: The art of transforming suffering. Berkeley, California: Parallax Pr. Wilcox, S. L., Veggeberg, R., Lemme, J., Hodkinson, D. J., Scrivani, S., Brustein, R., Becerra, L., & Borsook, D. (2016, July 26). Increased functional activation of limbic brain regions during negative emotional processing in migraine. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. doi: https://doilorg/10.3389/fnhum.2016.00366
Editor's Notes
- This session is being recorded for education purposes. Your continued participation implies consent to have your image made public. I share no affiliation with Young Living Essential Oils, and do not profit from any of the sales of their product. The information I’m going to share comes from research by professionals in the field, and from professional and personal experiences. You have the choice to participate in any activity I propose today. Be aware that sometimes, when we give ourselves space to think, reflect, or relax, we can become triggered. If this happens, please let one of the organizers know and I will be happy to assist in whatever way I can.
- I am not an expert on research – a lot of the brain science we’re going to be going over is only my interpretation of that research. I believe in my experiences with clients and from personal observations and experiences. However, YOU are the expert of YOU. Take what works for you and leave the rest. In psychology, I’m a relative newbie – I graduated in 2013 with a Masters in Counselling and became registered in 2015. However, you could say I’ve been counselling all my life – I was a teacher, ending my career in junior high, which I loved. This experience increased my awareness that we all need to be doing a better job of educating children about self-soothing etc. It also made me more aware of the lack of skills in us as adults, myself included! I also was a base brat, meaning my parents were in the military. The military, and for many first responders, by virtue of the work they have to be able to do, there is increased risk for mental health issues and still a stigma about talking about it. This risk increases when they are released from their work environment and have to be civilian with the rest of us. I’ll be sharing examples from my experiences – most of these will be personal experiences to protect the confidentiality of my clients. So all my life I’ve been surrounded by mental health issues and felt driven to be a part of the solution. It just took me a bit to find my true “how”. I know now that my purpose in life is for people to feel loved and accepted for who they are in whatever moment they are in.
- I’m biased and I think we all benefit from therapy – we change the oil in our cars, right? Why don’t we take care of our bodies? With winter coming, it is very common for people to begin to feel the winter blues – more tired, stressed, no energy, and some sadness or anxiety. When it interferes with your ability to engage in your life on a daily basis (work, relationships, self-care for example), particularly if others notice, then it is something you might want to seek more serious care about. Otherwise, these reactions are normal, if uncomfortable. What’s going to be shared today can help with both. Also, to remember: just because you have a genetic predisposition to a mental illness, it doesn’t mean it will show up. It does mean you start life with some stuff already in your container, which then can be filled up by events and environmental stressors.
- Stress = A physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation or A state resulting from stress; especially: one of bodily or mental tension resulting from factors that tend to alter an existent equilibrium In actuality, the important word here is equilibrium. Our bodies like to stay in what is called homeostasis: which is a fancy way of saying we like to stay the same. Our bodies don’t actually like change. And any change causes stress on the system.
- But first, what do I mean by a container? Think of it like a suitcase or a pop bottle, or even a tupperware container with a lid. Anytime our system is overloaded or stressed and we cannot deal with it at the time (or don’t want to), we shove whatever thought, feeling, or body sensation away. This doesn’t mean we’ve dealt with it, it just means we’ve shoved it into the suitcase. Many of us do this without ever actively paying attention to how much stuff we’re putting in there. We just keep stuffing. The problem is, and maybe this just happens to me, but you know when to suitcase is too full, and you’re sitting on it, trying to get it to close? Well, doesn’t that darn zipper start to split at the most inopportune times? The suitcase is leaking. And it leaks out when you are in a stressful situation or when you try to relax and go to sleep or feel like crying even though you’re having a great day. Good times. So, it’s not that containers are bad, we just have to learn how to make space in them. Eg: JLev: dad’s death, stored up, allowed to cry, rage, etc., suddenly felt better. Diagnosis, mom first time. Something to note: happy events can cause stress. Why? Because it still creates a change in the system.
- We depend on sunlight to help us process serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a mood stabilizer that is found mainly in the digestive system, but also in the brain. Many of the antidepressants out there are SSRI’s: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors: meaning they don’t let the presynaptic cell take back the serotonin, instead it’s left in the synaptic cleft to bind to the post synaptic receptor. Or, in English, there’s less waste of existing serotonin. Our very own Edmonton Public Library has purchased special lights (which you can find out there for home use, with varying results) that rely on the principle that more light helps with mood. You want to get lights with BTU 10 000 which mimics sunlight without the burn. Pollution is another stressor. When you think of it, it is inhaling poison into our bodies, so our bodies spend more time fighting the effects of this, creating stress. Overcrowding can increase crime and health issues, according to Burton. Additonally, think of it like someone is always in your personal space and how that makes you feel. Cringeworthy. Financial and other situations also increase stress. People of a lower socio-economic status tend to have higher rates of mental illness according to Heeken and Polivka. Whether this is due to a lack of access to resources or the other environmental issues that come with low SES, I can’t say for sure, but it’s probably both. Think about the recent layoffs and recession here and the consequences of that. How many people do you know that have been negatively affected by financial stress?
- Physical stress caused by illness and pain creates changes to and limits on life. This leads to grief, loss, and a challenge to one’s identity. TK: encephalitis from illness caused long lasting pain and many changes to life – home bound. Another client – brain tumor – healthy now, but unable to do many of the things he used to - has to re-invent self and roles in family. Emotional stress can be caused by any number of things; happy and sad: graduating and leaving home is one for teens/young adults Grief and loss through death or divorce is another, including the threat of losing a loved one: KB (the uncertainty it creates), my mom and dad And what about the stress that comes from using strategies that used to work, but now aren’t as effective – i.e. stuffing after mom’s death – shutdown. Note a lot of these are chronic – meaning they happen consistently. How would the stressor being chronic contribute to filling your container quicker? (Container never empty). What helps to counter act all of these is resilience.
- These are the commonly agreed upon resilience factors. Resilience is the ability to overcome and face adversity and it is a personal journey to it’s creation. It can be learned/built in adulthood, but we have to be willing to do it. Of these, one of the most important is for a child/person to have one caring, supportive relationship with a caregiver. From there, children can learn they have the skills to go forward and face the world on their own; that they always have a safe space to come back to. Over time, as we face difficult experiences, we learn self-efficacy – the belief that we can handle whatever life throws our way. Without these experiences, it is difficult to believe in one’s ability. This is why anxiety and fear create such a problem in that we stop ourselves from learning we can overcome. Depression works the same in that the fatigue stops us from learning we can still hope for better b/c we can overcome. In effective communication, you need dual awareness – your brain needs to analyze the information and be aware of how your body is responding so it can counteract any triggers. Your limbic system or emotional center is needed to actually connect with the person; to empathize with them. It is in this emotional connection that intimacy and closeness that we also need for survival is created. You also need dual awareness for the last point on the slide. Which we will talk about next.
- Full Disclosure: Psychologists all practice from a different lens. We learn the same things in school, but then apply those skills through our own theoretical orientation or belief system about what underlies mental illness. I believe in re-integrating mind, body, and emotion for healthy functioning. Here’s why: Dr. Dan Siegel uses a hand model of the brain which you can find at the YouTube address on the screen. Basically, your wrist is your spinal cord and your palm is your brain stem. The thumb is the limbic system and it works well with the 5 senses. Palm and thumb work together to regulate arousal, emotions, and the 3 Fs – fight, flight, freeze. These are our survival centers. The other thing to consider is the sensory cortices receive information from the 5 senses and are responsible for storing information specific to emotional meaning of sounds, sights, smells, touch and taste.
- These two sections (palm and thumb) are below the cortex (fingers – frontal lobe – Fisher) whose job it is to perceive the outside world, think, and reason. The very front most part of the brain regulates the subcortical regions (palm, thumb). The amygdala/limbic system tries to react to a perceived threat, while the prefrontal cortex tries to shut it off.
- But there’s a problem…the front most part (prefrontal cortex) can go offline. If the thumb and palm are activated enough by being overtired, stressed, triggered, it keeps firing, and firing, and firing to the point where the front most part, which has been holding on and holding on, can’t hold on any more, which leads to an eruption of emotion and body reactions. So, within about 2-3 seconds, you go from having a fairly rational conversation, to flipping your lid (as Dan Siegel calls it). i.e. Chris and truck drive home – staring. Robert Allen and Joseph LeDoux refer to this as “Amygdala Hijack” where the emotion part of the brain takes over. The good thing is your brain and body are reacting normally to a threat. The not so great thing is it eventually becomes too sensitive b/c we aren’t managing our containers, so we overreact. See something as a threat that isn’t. Straw that broke the camels back – not so significant on it’s own, but together with everything else… look out! Eg: Husband cleaned out furnace didn’t put vacuum back, emergency with animals, needed vacuum, but he’s not there – rage.
- The other problem with flipping our lid (other than the embarrassment) is with the frontal cortices offline and the emotional center, which includes the amygdala, running amok, we cannot form clear memories of the events that occur. This has later consequences when we are triggered. We might not know what the trigger is or don’t notice it until our system is WAY overwhelmed. Our memories, because they are unclearly stored, will frame our reactions because of how the memory gets stored in the body or our emotional centers, which don’t have language, instead of as a clear story in the whole brain with thoughts, feelings AND body together in a way we can understand i.e. through language. So this is why working with the mind, body, and emotion is so important – so we can have all the pieces working together the healthiest way they can.
- The last kind of sciency thing to consider for how our systems respond to stress is the window of tolerance. How well our pre-frontal cortex and limbic system work together determines our window of tolerance. Remember how we just talked about the zaps to the limbic system and how the prefrontal cortex tries to compensate? Well, the reason why some people respond to fewer zaps is they have a more narrow window of tolerance. In other words, the closer the chemical reactions coming from each place are, the more narrow your window of tolerance. The window of tolerance is like your container that we talked about earlier. We are able to think and feel (which is dual awareness) b/c we aren’t overwhelmed. Enough sustained stress and the lines move closer like a Vice = like the suitcase we talked about earlier except it’s shrinking and you want to put all the same stuff in. Or, like a pop bottle being shaken up (have and use).
- With one dose, you can kind of ride it out, but keep the trigger going, and eventually, the chemicals coming from being triggered can’t outweigh the chemicals from the cortex trying to put the fire out. So the lid comes off (ask someone to open the pop can now – don’t let them). Go back to hand model – limbic triggered, triggered, flip lid, remember? For example: me and school – laundry and sliding down wall. Good things, like relief can also flood the system. - any change to system = stress. Chronic stress, caused by life events, creates a continuum of illness and symptoms. Over time, this turns into a chronic response, because the container is no longer wide enough to cope adequately. You become more hypervigilant (looking over your shoulder, waiting for the shoe to drop), you ruminate (stew about events/predict the future), it’s harder to deal with uncertainty, you become more hopeless, believing what you do has no effect, if affects memory formation and recall, so you feel like you’re losing your mind. You’re in a state where you aren’t really living any more, you’re just trying to survive. These are symptoms of anxiety and depression btw. This means we have to be able to help our three brains re-regulate so they aren’t tired and are able to do their jobs. That’s where self-regulation comes in.
- Keep in mind – all of this is actually NORMAL! The coping mechanisms you’ve used before, like stuffing your emotions into a suitcase and forgetting about them, aren’t bad or wrong, they helped you to survive in the past. They just might not be working for you NOW.
- A lot of information has been thrown at you. I’d like you to take a couple minutes, get up and stretch at your table, and talk with each other about what it all means for you in the following areas: How well we can make decisions How effective conversations about important issues will be if you are close to or have flipped your lid How this can affect your relationships with friends and family How this could affect your ability to fully engage with your life How can we use this information to help us manage our stress?
- ASK AUDIENCE FEEDBACK FIRST!!!! To me, all this information means our brain’s ability to fully process events and manage stress in our lives is affected if we only attend to one component of our brain (the thinking part). Unfortunately, in the western culture, we usually only attend neck up, meaning we use distraction and stay in our frontal lobe, which isn’t functioning very well when triggered Therefore, can’t life full life (life in technicolor) b/c we are either anxious about everything coming out of the suitcase, OR, b/c we are numbed out (i.e. tech use or don’t allow self to feel anything – can’t have joy without pain) When activated by high dose stress, the only solution for the brain = escape (flight/freeze – numb/dissociation/depression) or fight (anger/anxiety/hyperactivity/hypervigilance). Under chronic slow building stress, you get the roller coaster of some days escaping or fighting and some days feeling ok. Fun, right? So if we don’t want our lives to be like this, we need to also attend to our emotions and body states.
- Now we’re at the “That’s great Kim, but how do I do this?” portion of the presentation. Some things to consider: This isn’t about making the sensation go away, it’s about dialing it back a bit. No mud, no lotus – Thich Nhat Hanh It’s about creating harmony between mind, body and emotion to feel healthier, not about getting rid of something Remember it is your choice whether you participate here or not. I’ll share lists of strategies which you’ll be able to access for one week after the presentation. Then we’ll do a couple together.
- Joe DiSpenza’s video is about 17 minutes long and shows how easy it is to begin change in the brain and the way we think. The analogy he uses is the grass path (explain). I use this with clients to give hope. It can feel hard to change our thinking. The Hexaflexercise is used when clients feel controlled by their thoughts or their thoughts interfere with functioning. For example, misophonia is a strong reaction to particular sounds, like sniffing, or chewing. This reaction is a rage that feels uncontrollable. Clients KNOW it doesn’t make sense, but their bodies and emotions respond in ways they can’t control. This leads to thoughts that they are crazy or losing their minds. This exercise helps clients realize they do have some power over these negative thoughts and it also helps them re-focus their attention to other important things. I use the Virtual Hopebox with clients who have PTSD – first responders, veterans, or people with single trauma events. It is also great for depression and anxiety, especially for clients who are frustrated with too many application options out there and aren’t sure which to choose.
- In my clinical practice, I use breath all the time with a variety of clients. It is usually the first resource I work with. As adults, we forget to breath from our bellies, like young children do when they are sleeping. As a result, our breath is often tense. I also use breath for myself, especially during an intake. Often, clients will come and think they have to tell their entire story in 50 minutes. It’s like they want to rip the bandaid off. This can be re-traumatizing. It’s my job to help slow this down and maintain the safe space. Breath helps to do this. Light Stream uses your imagination and visualization. If a client is able to visualize and notice a specific place of discomfort, then this can be a great strategy. For example, some clients will notice a hot ball in their throat, blocking their airway and making speech difficult. Light stream can be great for soothing that space. 4 Elements is for general chronic discomfort. I use this often when I’m preparing for a specific trauma treatment protocol, but it can be used for anyone. What’s great about this is you can use one or all parts of it as you become used to it. Progressive Muscle Relaxation is exactly as it sounds – you are learning to tense and relax the muscles in your body starting from your head to your toes or vice versa. I use this with people who struggle with sleep or with general muscle tension. You do have to be careful though. I don’t use this if someone has just been in an accident or have an injury. I’ll either skip the body part in question or won’t use it at all.
- Go over slide, when get to smell: I will use essential oils during calm place, grounding, pain management, and in my office. I choose the essential oils to diffuse depending on the client issue, what they like, or depending on what I’m needing that day to remain calm and centered. Plus, it smells nice. I also use them at home for the reasons I use them in the office. Food triggers tend to be about bringing up positive memories of community and belonging. I don’t usually use this in my sessions – I’ll generally find some other way of triggering the relaxation response that comes from having spit in your mouth. In practice, Dawn from Aspire Psychological Services and I have worked hard to create a relaxing and soothing space for clients to come. We were very careful about the colors we chose and what photos we put up. In truth, Dawn has strong reactions to colors and smells, so colors that I wouldn’t have thought would be triggering, could be for her. For example, she hates grey – it causes an instant negative response. So even the paint on the walls or the pillows in your space could be affecting your mood.
- Notice there is considerable overlap between the strategies for each part of you. To be of benefit, I would invite you to explore which work best for you. You will want to eventually have enough strategies in your toolbox to be able to pick and choose what suits the situation. For example, if you are having a strong body reaction, you need a body strategy. Emotion reaction – do something with 5 senses. Mind reaction – distraction or use mind in a different way like phone a friend, etc.
- In my day to day practice as a psychologist, I use whatever tool I have available depending on what my clients need in the moment. Often, I incorporate essential oils. Please keep in mind I have no specific training in aromatherapy, my choices come from feedback from clients and my own body. During grounding, clients may use a smell instead of the rock or with the rock if that is a stronger sense for them. During calm place, we pull in the scent if there is something specific and then clients go home with that sample to use for their practice outside of session. You can tell when you find the “right” scent b/c the client’s body changes or they respond with a loud “YES!”. They are often amazed by how quickly their bodies respond and mood changes by simply introducing a smell. If clients are finding muscle tightness or pain, they are welcome to try the oil in session if they choose. For me, sometimes I come with stuff in my container that I need some help with before session. Or maybe the space “feels” a little off (or smells of hamburger – Jack’s is next door and Wilhauk is behind us), so I’ll use oils to help my space feel more like home and to help take the edge off what I may be feeling. I just go by smell – if I have the reaction I’m seeking from it, then we’re good to go. Calm place incorporates the 5 senses, so it’s a natural fit there, and I will also use the oils if the clients or myself are in pain – offer samples – their choices if to try – I’m not a doctor. I also have a little chalkboard stand in my office that lists oils and what they are good for. I then have a bowl with samples of the oils that clients can take home with them if they want to give it a shot. I do not sell the oils nor do I actively promote them. I simply make them available b/c I know from research they can be of service. Thanks to Yvonne Kuchta for this idea.
- 20 minute activity – BOTH!
- 10 minutes
- On your tables is a tear sheet with a List of great apps that I’ve found and used, or that my clients have recommended. Some are free and some aren’t. Please keep in mind that I do not profit from the sale of any of these. Also keep in mind that therapy is another resource. It is a commitment, certainly. On the other hand, it enables you to look deeper for the solutions you already have within you in a way that is safe for you to do so. If you have questions, feedback, or ideas for future presentations, please fill out the form provided or go to: After all, this is for you and I’m not the expert of you (remember? )