Seeing Mind to Mind: All Things Mental Health

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It sounds complicated and confusing to most people when I tell them what EMDR stands for. Most often, people give puzzled looks as they try to figure out what it is and what it does. The fact is that this secret weapon is not so secret, complicated or confusing once one understands what it is and, more importantly, how it can help.

Learn to understand why we do what we do using Polyvagal theory. So much of what we do is automatic and yet we want to have control of what we are doing (our thoughts, behaviors, relationships, etc.). This episode explains that our bodies are communicating with us all the time. If we pay attention to this and learn to recognize our bodies responses, we are able to adjust and gain more control, allowing us to improve satisfaction and be more engaged in life.

We all experience grief, in fact it is the common theme seen in anyone struggling. Grief is not just about death, but results from ALL loss. It can take on many forms including: relationship changes, life transitions, changes in employment or even an overwhelming or traumatic experience (we grief what did/did not happen). It's important that we recognize grief and learn to work through it. Therapist, Anastasia Doulis gives helpful guidance from her many years as a trauma expert.

When something terrible happens in the world, we can experience an emotional residue (or vicarious trauma) induced by exposure from our social media and news feed. Therapist, Anastasia Pollock gives steps you can take to make sure your mood, functioning, and overall well-being are not impacted.

Lets talk about the nervous system! Expert therapist, Anastasia Pollock stresses the importance of understanding where our reactions, emotions and behaviors are originating. As we do this, we can learn to identify and control which state we are in, and are more likely to create lasting changes and have a happier, less stressful life. Based on the Polyvagal Theory by Stephen Porges.

Anastasia Pollock is joined by Mental Health Counselor, Paige Goldy to discuss the strengths/weaknesses and functions of our right and left brains. Referencing Dr. Iain McGilchrist's work, they make a case for our need to find a balance between both brains. Most individuals (as well as the American public in general) are dominated by the left-brain and would benefit greatly by learning to exercise their right brain 'muscles'. Finding a balance will help with overall well-being and happiness!