Originally posted March 23, 2020. Expressive art is a fun way to create flow and relax your nervous system Listening to the Nervous System Through Sensation and Image About 98% of our mental activity…the reasons why we do things…is unconscious (Bargh, 2017). Expressive Art, a right brain activity, is a way to access those wordless emotional messages swirling beneath our consciousness. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could unearth some of your own motivating energy, and chann

This post reflects how I personally use DBT skills during high-stress seasons. It is an illustration of using DBT in a lived experience. Lots of us get flustered during the busy holiday season. If you’re already coping with challenges such as grief, depression, anxiety, PTSD, or bipolar disorder, staying grounded in healthy routines becomes even more important. As I started thinking about cooking for Thanksgiving—something I usually enjoy—I noticed myself feeling unexpectedly

Originally posted January 23, 2018. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a well researched therapy used to treat...

ACCEPTS is a DBT distress tolerance skill that offers practical ways to shift attention when emotions feel unmanageable.

Consciously making decisions from Wise Mind can help you live from a place of emotional balance. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about stopping, thinking and giving yourself breathing room to assess your thoughts and feelings from both a logical and emotional perspective before you make a decision or before you act.

Do your thoughts affect how you experience your life? When we are anxious, discouraged, or overwhelmed, the mind narrows. It begins to scan for evidence that confirms whatever it already believes: “Nothing is working.” “I always mess this up.” “People can’t be trusted.” “This day is a disaster.” This narrowing of perception when we are under stress is a common cognitive distortion often called black-and-white thinking — the tendency to see experiences in extremes rather than