After a traumatic event such as an earthquake, fire, flood, school-shooting, death of a loved one or pet, some people will want to speak about what happened and some will not. Here are some different questions to help people not to become further traumatized. Body-centered resources are developed by tracking the person’s changes in demeanor.…
What happens to people after a natural disaster, school shooting, car accident, plane crash, death of a loved one or learning they have a terminal illness? What we have commonly heard is the people go into “shock.” But what does this really mean and how can we as community (leaders, neighbors and families) help each…
Many of our Coachella Valley communities and schools participate in disaster preparedness such as what to do in the case of an earthquake or school shooting. But none of these trainings prepare us on how to psychologically help one another during traumatic times. The Community Resiliency Model® known as CRM®, was created by Elaine Miller-Karas,…
The United States is rated 14th in overall happiness in relation to the other countries of the world. What can we learn from other countries with much higher happiness ratings? Researchers have found the six economic and social factors that contribute to happiness are: health, freedom, generosity, social support, income and trustworthy government. According to…
The therapy world is filled with confusing acronyms for various treatments: CBT, ACT, MBSR, EFT, EMDR, PsychoDynamic to name just a few. Before deciding on a type of treatment it is more important that you feel a sense of connection and rapport with the person you are choosing to become your therapist. The most important…
Do you feel lonely or have thoughts that you are all alone? Well you are not alone. According to the new Special Edition of Time Magazine loneliness is reaching epidemic proportions. “Loneliness is an emerging public health crisis” states Stephanie Cacioppo, an assistant professor of psychiatry and the director of the Brain Dynamic Laboratory at…
The news of Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade taking their life in the same month just days apart shocked the public. Their outside persona appeared to have it all. An adoring public, fame, money, partners and children. However, even the closest loved ones were completely surprised. How can this be? Partially, it may be that…
Have you ever noticed the way you function after a night without good sleep? You may be irritable, lack your usual patience, feel like you have no energy and in general just have a lousy day. In addition, new research has found that large sleep debt – the difference between how much sleep we need…
The physical basis for all good mental health are sleep, activity and food. Without starting with these basics, it is impossible for anyone of us to achieve mental wellness. Think about a day you have had too much caffeine, you may feel jittery, nervous or anxious as well as having a stomach ache. Think about…
In every person, there is the natural ability to cope with life’s stressors. It is a built-in resilience, which helps us to deal with stress. The Trauma Resource Model (TRM), created by Elaine Miller-Karas explains this resiliency as an individual’s ability to identify and use strengths to live fully in the present moment and to…