Join trauma therapists Stacy Gibbons and Mara Haight in this 2 hour workshop as we explore the ethical considerations of the therapeutic relationship within trauma treatment.
In this workshop we will:
Overview attachment trauma and the specific impact this has on the therapeutic relationship
Explore the tenants of Interpersonal Process Therapy, and how these connect to co-regulation in trauma treatment
Provide a case overview to explore common ethical issues that arise in this work
Trauma leaves many imprints and transforms the way we understand ourselves and the world. Learning to practice self-compassion is an essential component to trauma recovery. Psychologist and author of Radical Compassion Tara Brach offers us a four step model for practicing self-compassion using the acronym R.A.I.N.
R.A.I.N. Meditation
Recognize what you are feeling – shame, sadness, anger, fear, etc.
Allow yourself to have that emotional experience, without pushing it away or trying to change it
Investigate the experience – notice the sensations in your body, any thoughts or judgements, etc.
Nurture yourself through it; you can do this by placing a hand on your heart and repeating kind words of validation.
4 years ago
·marahaightcmhc·Comments Off on “Dealing with Triggers” workshop June 4th
Learn more about the brain science behind triggers, and what you can do about it.
About this Event
Join licensed therapist and trauma expert Mara Haight on Thursday June 4, 2020 from 11 am – 1 pm for a web-based workshop where we will explore the neuroscience behind why we get triggered, and the tools needed to better manage our triggers when they come up.
This workshop is open to anyone who wants to explore more about trauma, the brain, and learning to cope like a boss. This includes:
Individuals who are navigating the impact of their triggers on their relationships, career, or overall wellbeing
Professionals who work in the human services field like advocates, case managers, and therapists
A traumatic experience is one that triggers our brains fight, flight or freeze response – we feel unsafe, and our nervous system responds through these natural survival instincts. The term complex trauma refers to the impact of long-term exposure to repeated traumatic experiences. While most of us will experience something traumatic in our lives, those who experience complex trauma are much more likely to develop Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.
Often, those who experience complex trauma do not ever identify their experiences as traumatic. These traumatic experiences often start early in childhood, and it can be easy to brush them off as just a normal part of growing up.
Common experiences of early childhood trauma may include:
Living with a parent who struggles with mental health issues (depression, suicidal thoughts, anger issues, substance abuse, etc.)
Physical abuse
Sexual abuse
Neglect (this could include physical neglect – like not having enough basic necessities, and/or emotional neglect – not having the attention and affection needed from caregivers)
Death of a parent
Common symptoms related to complex trauma include:
Difficulty feeling and managing your emotions
Feeling numb or disconnected from your body and life
Shame and negative beliefs about yourself – ex. “I am not lovable” or “I don’t fit in anywhere”
Difficulty in relationships with others – including avoidance of intimacy or issues with trusting others
If you believe you are living with the impact of complex trauma, therapy can help you navigate the impact of these experiences. A therapist who specializes in working with C-PTSD (complex post traumatic stress disorder) will provide a safe space for you to learn the skills needed to manage, or even eliminate, these symptoms.
4 years ago
·marahaightcmhc·Comments Off on Coping with Triggers
When we are triggered, something in our present experience pulls us into a trauma response. Our brain detects a threat to our physical or emotional safety, and our nervous system responds with a fight, flight, or freeze response. All of us experience triggers, and learning to effectively cope when we are triggered is an important step in healing our trauma responses.
Two Paths for Coping
When we are triggered we have two paths for healthy coping. We can choose to move closer to our distress, or move away from it. Which path we choose will depend on many factors, including what has worked best for us in the past, the nature of our trauma response, and where we are at in our healing.
Moving Closer to Distress
We may choose to move closer to our distress. This path may be more effective when you are in a fight or flight response, and typically is easier to do the further along in your healing journey you are. Moving closer to distress may look like:
Locating where you feel the distress in your body. Scan your body and notice where you are feeling unusual or painful sensations.
Label your emotional experience. What emotions are present? Is this feeling sadness, fear, anger, shame or something else? Naming and allowing our emotions can help diffuse distress.
Lovingly allow whatever emotions and sensations you are noticing. Try to offer yourself kindness and compassion as you focus on not pushing away your experience.
Moving Away from Distress
We may also choose to move away from our distress. This path may be more effective when you are in a freeze response, and typically is a better option when you are early in your healing journey. Moving away from your distress may look like:
Direct your attention to soothing sensations through the five senses. You can make a self soothe kit to have on the ready, including items that engage and calm your senses.
Do something that you find comforting. This might be listening to peaceful or meaningful music, watching silly videos on YouTube, or taking a warm bath.
Distract yourself through conversations with supportive people. Call a friend to catch up, exchange funny memes with a group of close buddies, or call a family member and talk about your favorite memories. You may wish to share that you are feeling distressed and overwhelmed if that feels comfortable to you, but it is not necessary. The simple act of seeking connection can help!
4 years ago
·marahaightcmhc·Comments Off on Defining Trauma
When we think about traumatic experiences, we often think of extreme examples. The reality is that trauma is a normal part of the human experience. Learning to label when something has caused a trauma response for you is an important step in identifying effective ways to cope and heal.
Check out the video below to learn more about expanding our definition of traumatic experiences.
4 years ago
·marahaightcmhc·Comments Off on Trauma & Resiliency Workshop April 30-May 1
Our upcoming Trauma and Resiliency workshop, originally scheduled for March 19-20, has been rescheduled for April 30-May 1. The workshop will be held virtually in light of the recent public health concerns related to COVID-19.
There are still a few spots available. To learn more about this workshop and to register, click here.
4 years ago
·marahaightcmhc·Comments Off on Coping Through Crisis
All of us will experience a crisis at some point in our lives. The skills and tools we have to help us through these difficult moments play a critical role in our overall wellbeing and long-term recovery.
Image from Grand Valley State University website.
The Crisis Response
When a situation exceeds our ability to cope, we experience a crisis response. We all have different personal histories and experiences, which means a situation that causes a crisis response for you may not cause the same response for others.
Our brains do one of two things when we experience a crisis – we either become extremely activated and try to “fix” the situation (referred to as hyper-arousal or a fight/flight response), or we shut down and numb (referred to as hypo-arousal or a freeze response) . Our response is automatic, meaning we do not consciously choose one or the other. Our amygdala, the part of the brain that is activated during crisis, is hijacked and uses all of our past experiences to automatically choose the most effective response for the situation.
It isn’t useful to pass judgment on ourselves or others about what events or situations cause this response, or the type of response we have. Rather, we should focus on finding skillful ways to cope when we notice we are experiencing a crisis response.
Coping in Crisis
The first and most important coping skill during a crisis is self-compassion. When we are caught in shame or self-judgement, we are more likely to use unhelpful coping methods to distract or numb our experience. Practicing self-compassion can look like repeating a simple affirmation, like “I am doing the best I can with the resources and skillsI have right now.” You can find more about cultivating self-compassion here.
When in a moment of crisis, it can be helpful to find healthy ways to distract your mind from what you cannot control. It can be difficult to find healthy distraction strategies when we are overwhelmed, so prepare a self-care plan ahead of time with options that you know work for you. Struggling to come up with healthy ways to distract yourself? This list may help.
Finally, you can use mindfulness strategies to navigate distressing moments. Mindfulness strategies help you bring your awareness into the present moment without judgement, and can help activate the part of your brain that goes offline during a crisis, called the prefrontal cortex. This part of our brain is responsible for complex decision-making, and can help us be less reactive in difficult situations. There are many ways to practice mindfulness; explore some quick and easy exercises here.
Just like any new skill, practice is key to effectively coping with a crisis. The more you practice healthy ways of coping in your daily life, the easier these skills will be to access during distressing times.
4 years ago
·marahaightcmhc·Comments Off on Response to COVID-19
As our community continues to deal with the potential impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), we want you to know that we are working hard to ensure our office suite is safe and sanitary.
The following precautionary measures are being taken to ensure our clients can safely access mental health services at this time:
All surfaces will are disinfected multiple times throughout the day.
Hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes will be available in communal space to ensure we can all participate in keeping ourselves and the suite clean.
Telehealth services are available to anyone who prefers this method of service delivery at this time. More information about connecting to Telehealth sessions can be found here.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
