Expert advice made simple, because Mental Health should be understood.
Unlocking Triggers
Strategies Beyond Avoidance
Yeah a lot of that you know is related to what I think we’re all pretty familiar with is triggers and and so one of the ways that a lot of people try to deal with triggers is “I’m just gonna avoid the triggers.” And as I talk with clients about that I’m like “I’m not saying that’s a bad approach I just don’t know that it’s always gonna be the most effective approach because think of triggers as like an iceberg And typically we’re only seeing you know like the top 20% of the iceberg that’s sticking out of the water and the majority is underneath.”
Trauma’s Freeze Response
Understanding Disconnection & Defense
When you’re looking at it connected with trauma, you know, the idea of disassociation is the person couldn’t get away from the threat and they couldn’t fight to defend themselves from the threat. So there’s one other option which is the freeze. Like, this is going to happen to me and there’s really nothing I can do about it. And so the brain then disconnects. Because if I can’t physically get away from it, I can mentally. Right, and that again, that’s another way that our brain is trying to protect us. It’s a defense mechanism. It is absolutely a defense mechanism.
Unlock Better Sleep
Your Brains Nighttime Dimmer Switch
Better Sleep Starts with Better Habits: Why Sleep Hygiene Matters, Amy Eshleman, Coherence Counseling, LLC Orlando, FL
“We often put together what we call sleep hygiene plans. It sounds fancy, but really it’s just a way of helping people build better habits around sleep. One of the biggest challenges today is the constant stimulation we get from social media and the nonstop flow of information. Many people spend time scrolling, watching videos, or reading on their phones, and then five minutes later they expect their brain to just shut off and fall asleep. But our brains don’t work like a light switch where we can simply flip it off and go to bed. I always tell people to think of their brain more like a dimmer switch. We have to gradually turn things down. That means giving our mind time to slow down and shift into relaxation mode before we try to fall asleep. Creating that transition period is really important. It might mean putting the phone away, lowering the lights, stretching, reading something calming, or simply allowing your body and mind time to prepare for rest. When we give our brain that time to wind down, it becomes much easier to fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up feeling truly rested.”