By Brittany Shoot What is Somatic Experiencing? Somatic Experiencing works from the relationship of the body to the trauma. For example, when we feel threatened or in danger, our bodies respond in a particular way. We mobilize energy to flee, or if we perceive a mortal threat, we’ll collapse. Somatic Experiencing helps people become aware of their bodies’ responses and…
Janine was the biggest bully in my elementary school—and she was assigned to the desk next to mine in fifth grade. Short and obese with cropped black hair and bulging black eyes, she wore a constant sneer beneath her olive complexion. We were complete opposites: I loved school and excelled in it; Janine hated it and did poorly. I wore…
By Anneli Rufus In a recent study, people were asked to choose between winning a small prize immediately and larger prizes they would have to wait several weeks to claim. Perhaps unsurprisingly, 70 percent chose the smaller-sooner prize. But follow-up questioning revealed that those who chose to wait treasured their rewards more highly than those who claimed their prize immediately—even…
By Sarah McKay, Ph.D. Two early-morning long blacks. A lunchtime flat white (especially if I’m near a cafe). And sometimes a sneaky pick-me-up afternoon espresso. Time to come clean. That’s a typical day for me. I guess to many of you, that might seem like way too much caffeine. But, I’m not too concerned, because it turns out that neuroscience has produced some research suggesting…
Balancing spirituality and science, the lineup for last week’s FACES conference in Washington, D.C., was remarkable: Roshi Joan Halifax, Emiliana Simon-Thomas, Kristin Neff, Barbara Fredrickson, Frank Ostaseski, Christine Courtois, Tara Brach, John Briere, and Chris Germer. I was worried that mindfulness had been talked about a bit too much of late, but the speakers brought fresh insights and research to…
We’ll be celebrating Memorial Day next week, and I can’t think of a better way to honor our veterans and active duty armed forces than by making sure they get the mental and physical health benefits they deserve. That’s why my friend Congressman Tim Ryan, author of A Mindful Nation (Hay House) and co-chair of the bipartisan Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery…
Do the aftereffects of traumatic events we suffered as children follow us into adulthood in a physical way? Research about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) proves that enormous childhood stress absolutely leads to increased potential for adult illness and disease. The original Adverse Childhood Experience study (conducted from 1995 to 1997) examined the link between childhood trauma and the likelihood of…
