As children our brain develops from the bottom up, starting with the reptilian brain where survival and reproduction are paramount and moving upwards towards the neocortex, responsible for logical thought. As children we a need safe environment and loving caregivers …
CBT for Trauma
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is the most highly recommended psychotherapeutic intervention for people with PTSD (American Psychiatric Association). CBT works in a top-down way in the brain, meaning it activates the logical part of the mind (the neocortex), in the …
Yoga for Self-Regulation
Yoga is NOT just about the postures (asanas). In fact, the postures are used as a practice to prepare the mind to come into a place of stillness in preparation for meditation. Breath control (Pranayama) is the same, its purpose …
Yoga for Trauma & PTSD
RESEARCH PROVES THAT YOGA IS AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR PTSD In a study by van der Kolk and others (2013) 64 women with treatment resistant PTSD were randomly divided into two groups. One group was assigned 10 weekly classes of …
Yoga and Trauma
Yoga changes physiology and is great for mental health, including trauma. There are now many scientific articles proving the efficacy of yoga for different ailments “Types of medical conditions have included psychopathological (e.g. depression, anxiety), cardiovascular (e.g. hypertension, heart disease), …
Yoga and Trauma
For me yoga is a form of self-care. When I am on the yoga mat, I slow down. I re-connect to my body and my breath. While I am on the mat, there is nowhere to go, nothing to do, …
How to start building self-trust
Self-trust has helped me a lot when building resilience. Like being in a relationship with anyone, building trust with yourself, especially if you have a history of abandoning yourself, takes time. You have to prove to yourself, and the inner …
Tips For Building Resilience
Resilience is “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress” and can be developed by everyone. Here are some journal prompts based on resilience research: What can I do to …
Connect with Your Ancestral Strengths
When we look back at our ancestors, we can often find surprising, hidden strengths and things that connect us to our history. I often felt like an alien growing up in my family, I found it difficult to connect with …