Mindfully Remapping the Brain: Rediscovering Joy

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Telehealth Counseling 

Telehealth counseling is a convenient and confidential option when facing busy and demanding lives.  Appointments are done using a HIPPA compliant video (zoom) for confidentiality.  Telehealth counseling has been successful for many clients for travel regularly, live in rural communities with few resources, have demanding work and/or home schedules, or college students.  Also, I have been providing EMDR therapy via telehealth since the beginning of the pandemic with positive outcomes.  If you are interested in telehealth therapy, please contact me to discuss if this is a good option for your mental health needs. 

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The following is a brief explanation of EMDR and Neurofeedback:

Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR):

EMDR is a comprehensive approach to psychotherapy, originally developed by Francine Shapiro, a Senior Research Fellow at the Mental Research Institute in Palto Alto, California in 1987.  EMDR has been clinically proven to accelerate the treatment of a wide range of problems and self-esteem issues related both to disturbing past traumatic evens and present life conditions.  This interactive approach has been empirically tested with clients who have experienced a broad range of disturbing life experiences, including accidents, loss of a job or a loved one, rape, sexual molestation, exposure to combat and natural disasters.  EMDR offers a reprocessing of disturbing life experiences resulting in a significant reduction or elimination of symptoms as emotional distress, intrusive thoughts, flashbacks and nightmares.  EMDR is also used to treat relational problems and self-esteem issues as well as anxiety, depression, complicated grief reactions and phobias.  It can also alleviate performance anxiety at work, on the playing field and in the performing arts.

You may find more detailed information at www. emdr.com or www.emdria.com

Current “brain therapies” to include neurofeedback and biofeedback:

Neurofeedback is brain exercise.  I observe your brain in action from moment to moment by monitoring your brain waves.  I show you your brain activity and help you to change it by rewarding shifts toward a more appropriate and stable brain state.  It is a gradual learning process.

Neurofeedback is training in self-regulation.  Good self-regulation is necessary for optimal brain function.  Self-regulation training enhances the function of the central nervous system and thereby improves mental performance, emotional control and physiological stability.  Individuals of any age can benefit from EEG training.  Neurofeedback can help a variety of childhood problems including bedwetting, nightmares and disturbing behaviors. Neurofeedback can assist adolescents who struggle with anxiety and depression or drug and alcohol use.  For adults, Neurofeedback can alleviate symptoms of physical and emotional problems such as migraines or PTSD.  Neurofeedback can help anyone maintain good brain function as they age.

You may find more detailed information about neurofeedback at www.eeginfo.com, or www.brain-trainer.com.

HEG/pir

I am currently adding a new brain training modality calling pirHEG.  A brief explanation is that there is a continual balancing act between the inhibiting/management activities of the prefrontal cortex and the more pure (limbic) emotional response.  When stressed or in distress or sensing danger, the prefrontal cortex is supposed to shut down, allowing our emergency response systems to kick in rapidly.

However, if this stress or “alarm system on” becomes chronic, the prefrontal cortex goes into “sleep mode”.  Under these conditional, global brain management is handed over to the emergency systems which only do a good job during emergencies.  What this leaves is a brain that responds too quickly or too strongly to stimuli that are not very important.  That covers about 50% of the kinds of problems people typically want to change.  We live in a stimulus intensive, highly reactive world, and tend of react to environmental demands more than we initiate.  Therefore, we tend to run around with a minimally functional prefrontal cortex all the time.

HEG is just an easy way to turn the prefrontal cortex back on. Most clients like this “on” feeling better than when it is turned off.  It gives them a smoother management system over the other brain modules.  It also quiets anxiety better than relaxation training because the anxiety is more or less forced to quiet down, rather than just reduced.
My work includes a wide range of therapeutic modalities to help my clients find balance in their life .  In a comfortable and supportive atmosphere, I offer a highly personalized approach tailored to each of my clients individual needs to help attain the personal growth they’re striving for.