Struggling to heal trauma but not sure what method to use? This trauma-informed guide breaks down bottom-up vs. top-down healing—when to use each, how to pivot, and why your prefrontal cortex (PFC) is the key to lasting recovery. Not familiar with these terms?Bottom-up healing starts in the body—through breath, movement, or sensation—then works its way …
Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Trauma Healing (When to Use Each) Read More »
Check out our featured image for a moment, because it’s a great analogy. We have all seen the classic angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. Both being polar opposites of the ethereal realm, they naturally despise each other. And they are fighting for the owner of those shoulders to “Pick me!” …
Polarized Parts: How to Mediate Fighting Parts in IFS Read More »
Once we get the Protectors’ permission to examine the Exile, we need to know what we should expect. Healing the Exile is a process of first Witnessing its pain, then three R’s: Reparent, Retrieve, and Release its burdens. But before we start, we must be mindful of IFS rule #1: always be in Self when …
Healing the Exile: IFS Therapy Part 3 Read More »
So, you’re ready to accept the unique weirdness of IFS therapy so that you can understand yourself on the deepest level imaginable. You’re in the right place because that’s what we will be covering here. How to open up a dialogue with our parts and understand each part’s positive intent. This is a continuation of …
IFS Therapy: Getting to Know Our Parts Read More »
Where trauma informed therapies are concerned, there tends to be an unspoken rule. That the weirder the therapy, the more highly effective. So, when I say that IFS therapy is so weird, it’s downright woo, I’m also saying how effective it is. If you’ve ever wondered “Why do I do some of the things that …
IFS: It’s the Weirdest but Most Highly Effective Therapy Read More »
There are eight phases of EMDR. But do any of us fully know what they mean from a keyword search? Well, in this article I’m giving you a full rundown on what they are and what you should expect. In last week’s article, I answered the most commonly asked questions. The various tools the therapist …
8 Phases of EMDR: A Comprehensive Guide Read More »
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. You may wonder, what does the first half (eye movement) have to do with the second half? Well, when we are in a deep sleep, our eyes move back and forth, especially while dreaming. We call this REM (Rapid Eye Movement). The theory holds that we are …
EMDR: Everything You Want to Know Read More »
There’s no doubt that psychology has made great advances over the years. Many have contributed to how we view trauma and to creating more effective treatments. But research will always be ongoing, and on that we can also agree. So, when we forget that our leading contributors don’t have all the answers, we tend to …
Psychology’s Mainstream Narrative and its Major Problems Read More »
Trauma survivors need a trauma informed therapist. My last article supplied you with your “bill of rights” as a client and everything you should expect from this type of therapy. It reads like a series of green flags for great therapy. But not all therapists who claim to be trauma informed use the principles behind …
9 Red Flags for a Bad Therapist Read More »
Psychology has come a long way since the 1990’s. New research has brought a more compassionate approach to healing trauma survivors. Gone are the days of the one-size-fits-all treatment plan. Thanks to the trauma informed, we now have multiple treatment options. That’s because psychology today understands that we all have unique needs. And what works …
Trauma Informed Therapy: What You Need to Know Read More »
