Belly breathing involves breathing in deeply through the nose and breathing out through the mouth so the lungs fill with air and the diaphragm contracts.
Changing Our Mind, A Matter of Choice
I was recently at a conference, and one of the main takeaways was that changing our minds can significantly improve functioning of our brains and our lives. Scientist and presenter, Cathy Snapp, Ph.D., made a provoking statement, “Our genes are being bathed by our choices.” She went on to say … Read More
The Importance of Awareness
AWARENESS is a word mentioned often, but is not practiced as frequently as it could be. Webster’s dictionary states the definition as “knowledge and understanding that something is happening or exists.” As controversial as the Austrian neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, was, credit needs to be given for … Read More
Mending Moods Through Meditation
Practice doesn’t always make perfect. Repetitive thinking patterns can produce well-being, or negative outcomes. Dr. Donald Hebb, pioneer of neuroplasticity, is renowned for coining the phrase, “Neurons that fire together wire together.” Dr. Norman Doidge, author of The Brain That Changes Itself, states that thoughts change brain structure. So, what … Read More
Graduation Blues
Transitional times can create a lot of mixed feelings. Whenever something comes to an end, it can cause excitement, anticipation, anxiety, nostalgia, or sadness. You may be feeling excited to have a fresh start, or leave behind the aspects of your school that you did not like. If you are … Read More
Trauma & EMDR- Part Five
The fact that traumatic experiences are encoded and stored differently in the brain explains why we can sometimes know things intellectually (in our head, in our logical brain), but we feel something entirely different (in our sensory responses and in our emotional brain). We may know intellectually that a person … Read More
What is Consciousness, and Why Does it Matter?
Dan Siegel is a psychiatrist and neuroscience researcher at UCLA. If you’ve ever read anything about mindfulness, you’ve probably interacted with some of his work. According to Siegel, well-being is all about integration. This kind of integration can help us manage stress, anxiety, and depression. It can also help us … Read More
Relationship Review- Part Two
This is part two of this series on Relationship Review. Click here for part one! The abundance of smart phones, and other media devices, has redefined our human interactions. Sadly, many users have become more comfortable with on-screen communication than a personal phone call or a face-to-face conversation. Technology has … Read More
What Can Marshmallows and Self-Control Teach You About Your Child’s Future Success?
Does your child struggle with self-control and impulsiveness? Can a simple marshmallow tell about your child’s ability to wait? In the 1960s, Stanford Psychologists conducted a study that had children select a treat, such as a marshmallow or cookie. The child was told they could eat the marshmallow now, or … Read More
What is Bilateral Integration and How Can it Help Us?
Dan Siegel is a psychiatrist and neuroscience researcher at UCLA. If you’ve ever read anything about mindfulness, you’ve probably interacted with some of his work. According to Siegel, well-being is all about integration. This kind of integration can help us manage stress, anxiety, and depression. It can also help us … Read More
