The Power of Conscious Creation

A while ago, I wrote a blog on the power of positive thinking. Today, I want to teach you how to use that power in a more intentional way. 

Sometimes it can feel like life is a speed boat and we’re sitting in a tube being dragged over the wake. So when we learn we can be an active participant and drive the boat, consciously creating our own reality becomes an empowering practice. Conscious creation, or the more “woo woo” term, manifesting, is the process of intentionally and purposefully bringing our dreams and desires into existence. We are always manifesting, it’s how our brains work. But by tapping into the power of our thoughts, emotions, and beliefs, we can consciously choose to let life happen through us and not to us.

Conscious creation is rooted in the belief that our thoughts and emotions have a direct influence on the world around us. It suggests that we are not passive bystanders in our lives, but active participants with the ability to shape our own realities. This idea is supported by quantum physics, which suggests that our thoughts and intentions can affect the behavior of subatomic particles. Everything is made up of the same core atoms, and everything is just energy vibrating at different frequencies. We are all connected. By harnessing the power of our thoughts and aligning them with our desires, we can attract and create the experiences we truly desire.

The first step is gaining clarity about what you truly desire. Take the time to reflect on your goals and aspirations. Define them in detail, considering how they would make you feel, what they would look like, and any specific elements that are important to you. This part can actually be pretty tricky for a lot of us!

Next, my favorite, affirmations! Affirmations are powerful tools to create a positive mindset and reinforce your desires. Use present-tense statements that reflect your goals as if they have already been achieved. For example, "I am deeply fulfilled in my career," or "I attract abundance effortlessly." Assuming you read the blog on positive thinking, this is where the reticular activating system comes in to play.

Now visualize! Imagine yourself already living your desired reality. See yourself in detail, engaging all your senses to amplify the experience. If you’re like me, it may be more of a felt sense than an actual visual.

Often, our limiting beliefs and subconscious patterns act as roadblocks to manifestation. Identify any doubts, fears, or negative self-talk that may be hindering your progress. Affirm your willingness to release these limitations and replace them with empowering beliefs that support your desired reality. Your therapist is the PERFECT guide through this process and EMDR can be a very helpful tool to clear these core beliefs.

 While conscious creation emphasizes the power of our thoughts and emotions, it also requires active participation. Pay attention to any inspired ideas or opportunities that present themselves and take action towards their realization. Can’t win the lottery if you never play!

Finally, cultivate an attitude of gratitude for both the present and the future manifestations. Express gratitude for what you have already and remain open to receiving even more. Gratitude helps maintain a positive mindset and reinforces the belief that abundance is already present in your life.

Conscious creation is a transformative practice that allows us to become intentional creators of our lives. By harnessing the power of our thoughts, emotions, and beliefs, we can manifest our desires into reality. Remember that it may take time and persistence, so practice patience and trust in the process. The brain learns through repetition. As you align your thoughts and actions with your desired outcome, embrace the power within you. Get out of the wake and into the drivers seat.

Written by: Grace Williamson, MA, LPCC, BCN

The Effect of Exercise on the Brain

I think by now we all know that exercise is going to be on the list of recommendations when we are looking to improve our mental and/or physical health. But do you know why? It’s not just something therapists and doctors recommend because it’s cliché, it’s because it’s backed by… you guessed it… science!

Exercise has a powerful effect on your brain by improving three important things; neurogenesis, neuroplasticity, and neurochemistry. Neurogenesis is the creation of new neurons, neuroplasticity changes how existing neurons work, and neurochemistry relates to the neurotransmitters in your brain.

Neurogenesis happens primarily in the hippocampus, an area in the brain responsible for learning and memory. The hippocampus is a region of the brain significantly impacted by exercise, which means exercise can improve cognitive function and memory. This happens through brain derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF. BDNF is a key component in neuroplasticity. Low levels of BDNF have been associated with depression, anxiety, chronic stress, poor memory and brain degeneration as seen in conditions such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. Increased BDNF is linked to improved memory and learning, improved mood, lower rates of Alzheimer’s and improved ability to acquire new skills. Both aerobic exercise and strength training, specifically for hypertrophy (muscular fatigue) have been shown to increase BDNF the most. However, if exercise isn’t already in your playbook, simply moving your body more will do it! 

There are other ways that have been shown to increase BDNF, like a high protein diet, supplements, social connection and apparently… getting naked in the sun. But… let’s stick to exercise for today.

Exercise has also been shown to increase mood regulating neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine.  According to studies, other neurochemical factors that may be released during physical activities include opioids and endocannabinoids, which promote a sense of euphoria and well-being, anxiolytic effects, sedation and decreased sensitivity to pain in humans.

So what did we learn? Exercise can actually change your brain. It’s not something we suggest just because it sounds good. I understand it can be difficult to prioritize exercise, our lives are so busy! But love your brain enough to move your body for AT LEAST 10 minutes a day and see how you feel. Once you find something you don’t mind doing and it becomes a habit, it’s actually kind of fun!

Written by: Grace Williamson, LPCC, BCN

Managing Expectations with Neurofeedback Training

Many of our clients come to us seeking to add neurofeedback to their mental health regimen. We tend to get a lot of folks that have tried traditional talk therapy and still feel they are not seeing the difference they were hoping for. Since this is a very different approach to mental health for many people, it is important to manage expectations as you begin this process. Informed by my own extensive neurofeedback training as well as my experience helping many through this process, let me give you a few tips to ensure you are entering into this process in a realistic way.

1. Neurofeedback requires commitment. This is not a one-and-done kind of service. Change that occurs in the brain has to be reinforced over time. If you are trying to sew a quilt, you can't just run the needle through once or twice, having a thread or two pulled together, and expect to have anything you can curl up under. You have to repeatedly thread that needle many times to build something. Similarly, you can't go to the gym one time and expect to build those muscles the way you want to. You have to start a habit. Then, long lasting change can occur. Taking advantage of neuroplasticity (the ability of the brain to change) through neurofeedback requires repeated exposure. We recommend a minimum of weekly sessions for at least 20 sessions to see long lasting change. Some clients want to speed their progress forward more quickly and thus schedule more frequent sessions or choose to take a rental unit home so they can train every day.

2. More long standing, complex issues require more training. If you have an extensive history of trauma, for example, you likely will benefit from more than 20 sessions. Everyone's brain responds in a unique way to neurofeedback. When you are "done" depends on your goals. I highly recommend taking home a rental unit for those who anticipate needing more sessions, so that you do not need to spend 52 weeks to get in 52 sessions.

3. Neurofeedback works best when combined with other healthy lifestyle behaviors. If you are not doing anything else healthy for yourself and look to neurofeedback to fix all your problems, expect to see limited results. I see this principle played out consistently in my clients' results. Those who look to their one hour a week in the office to make a difference in the other 167 hours of their week, without changing those 167 hours somehow, often experience limited results. Research has shown that neurofeedback is most effective when used in combination with counseling. This is one of the many reasons we specialize in combining these approaches. Some say that neurofeedback is like tuning the guitar, and counseling is like learning to play the guitar. Neurofeedback is also more effective when combined with other healthy choices such as good nutrition, sleep habits, consistent exercise, and meditation. The application of what you're learning in counseling, healthy coping skills and caring for your body is essential to see the full benefits of what neurofeedback can do for you.
   
   Written by Mary Beth Stevens, LPCC, BCN 

Why thinking and talking your way through problems doesn't always work.

Many times I hear new clients tell me, "I've been in talk therapy for years, and I'm still not where I want to be." I feel for these folks. I get it. These people know they need to try something different, because what they've done thus far hasn't worked. But what constitutes as different?

The difference is in which area of the brain your therapist treats. Most traditional talk therapies are getting at the front of your brain, using the frontal lobe. You talk about stuff. You use logic and try to think about things differently as you verbally process. This can be helpful. The problem is, many of the things that bring us to therapy aren't rooted in the front of the brain; they're rooted in the back of the brain. When we want transformation, it's much more effective to root out the actual problem.

The back of our brain, and in particular our amygdala (threat assessment) and our hippocampus (memory), holds our reactivity to distress. This distress comes from our previous experiences, and our brain takes up strategies to cope with this distress. This can result in symptoms like anxiety, depression, addiction, trauma flashbacks, etc. The brain is an unbelievably complicated structure, don't get me wrong. Every brain is unique and every person's array of symptoms is complex in origin. This is not simple stuff. Most basically though, many of the problems you'll bring to a therapist are not truly rooted in the front of the brain. If they were, you probably would have been able to think them through, and come to a resolution about them. Our western society believes that if you can think, you are. But we are forgetting the back of our brains, and our bodies, with this limited view. Our bodies and the back of our brains hold testimonies of what we have experienced. We store the distress in these parts of us. We forget that in traditional talk therapy.

What to do, then? How do we get at the real problem? It's the difference between top-down therapy (leading with thought) versus bottom-up therapy (addressing the root cause). When we use therapies that are focused on the body and the emotions, we can eventually get to the process that traditional talk therapy starts at. Once the distress is resolved in the problem area, talking through, challenging your thoughts, and reorienting your mind works beautifully well.

Here are a few examples of bottom-up therapies:

-Neurofeedback and Biofeedback

-EMDR

-Somatic (body-based) therapies (Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Somatic Experiencing, Yoga Therapy,  Animal-Assisted Psychotherapy)

-Parts work therapies (Internal Family Systems, Ego State Psychotherapy)

-Expressive Arts therapies (Play Therapy, Sand Tray Therapy, Drama Therapy, Art Therapy, Dance/Movement Therapy)

-Polyvagal Theory-informed therapies

-Attachment-focused therapies

-Emotion-focused therapies

And more!

Written by Mary Beth Stevens, M.Ed., LPC, BCN

The Power of Positive Thinking

I know, I know. The title… *cringe*.. but hear me out. I’m not going to sit here and try to convince you to jump on the toxic positivity train and bypass all of the ugly stuff that life can throw your way. That’s unrealistic and also, not helpful.  I am, however, going to try to help you understand why more realistic, evidence based thinking and positive affirmations can help rewire your brain. It’s not woo-woo, it’s Science. I promise!

Still with me? Great. So first, let’s get a better understanding of the brain. Our brains are, and have pretty much always been, wired with a negativity bias. At one point, it helped the species survive. Now, it’s just really annoying. There is a whole lot of science behind this but let’s just keep it simple. If I wrote down 100 math problems and 99 of them were correct, but one was wrong, which one do you think everyone would focus on? Yup, you guessed it, the wrong one. So when you hear 99 positive things about yourself, but 1 negative… which one does your brain focus on? That big ol negative that’s telling you something like “I’m not good enough”, “I am a failure”, or “I am a bad person”, just to name a few.

Now, let’s talk about the RAS or reticular activating system. It’s a pencil sized bundle of nerve at the base of your brain that is basically the gateway between the subconscious and conscious mind. The RAS is where all of your senses enter, except smell. We intake a TON of sensory information on a daily basis, and we couldn’t possibly process it all, which is where the RAS comes in. Your RAS filters out the information that can be safely ignored. There are certain bits of information that we are hardwired to deem as important, like your name being called or a threat to safety. Otherwise, we set the agenda. Sometimes consciously, but often what gets through is based on subconscious deeper belief systems. Let’s say you want to buy a car and you decide you really want a red corvette. Suddenly, you start seeing red corvettes everywhere! They have always been there, but you woke up your RAS and told it to start letting this information through.

“How the heck can all this mumbo jumbo help me?”, you might ask. Well, I’ll tell you. Alert your RAS to what you want. Tell it what you intend for your life. Train your brain to see the positives and not immediately focus on the negatives. They both exist. It is the duality of man. It is inevitable that life will throw curve balls your way. My point is not to tell you to ignore them. My point is, don’t live there. There is still positive all around you, your RAS just won’t let you see it. This doesn’t make your trauma or negative experiences any less valid. The trauma is not and never was your fault. But you CAN heal.

Through trauma, and just life, we all have developed negative core beliefs about ourselves, others, and the world around us that have become the lens that we view the world through. These beliefs are telling the bouncer in your brain (The RAS) who to let into the club and usually, it’s not benefitting us. I use a combination of EMDR and CBT with my clients to help clear out those beliefs and reprogram your RAS.

Thankfully, you don’t need us to utilize some simples techniques on your own. I recommend a daily practice of gratitude and affirmations to get yourself started. On your own or with the help of your therapist, identify some negative core beliefs and some positive affirmations to utilize to challenge those beliefs. Once it becomes a habit, you’ll see a difference. (Thanks RAS!).  

Example: I am not good enough —> I am enough, I am good enough, I am more than enough

Try it for yourself!

Written by: Grace Williamson, MA, LPCC, BCN

5 Reasons You Should Try EMDR Therapy

EMDR, also known as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a revolutionary trauma-focused therapy designed to help people gain freedom from their traumatic experiences that have come to define how they approach life. Don’t get tripped up by the word trauma—trauma can be big events that we typically think of (e.g., bad car accidents, war combat, or sexual abuse), or less dramatic events that can impact us just as much (e.g. dysfunctional family dynamics, hurtful childhood experiences, or job loss).

Trauma is anything that your nervous system experiences as too much too soon, or too little for too long—when things are overwhelming. These experiences are then stored maladaptively in your body and brain, causing trouble. Everyone experiences trauma in some form and is impacted by their past, whether they’re aware of it or not. Here’s some reasons why you might consider trying this form of therapy for yourself.

1. You want freedom from your difficult past experiences

Many of us are triggered (again, whether we’re fully aware of it or not), by our past experiences in daily life. EMDR allows your body to fully process and re-digest the traumatic experience. The memory literally moves locations in your brain: from raw emotional memory storage to long term memory storage where it belongs. When this happens, your brain understands that the past is truly in the past, instead of experiencing it as a present reality (the feeling of being triggered).

2. You are sick of the same old patterns repeating in your life

Traumatic experiences create reactions in the brain that build templates for how we will act in the future. EMDR Therapy is designed to allow you to let go of those past experiences and create templates for better functioning in the future.

3. You find it hard to talk about (or remember!) your traumatic experiences

 One of the coolest things about EMDR is that it doesn’t require you to go into detail about what has happened to you. It’s not necessary for your therapist to know all the nitty gritty details. You can keep those to yourself if you want, and the work can still be just as effective. This is also relevant for those whose memories around their trauma might be hazy. EMDR works with how the brain naturally stores traumatic memories, which involves body sensations, emotions, negative beliefs, and sensory experiences, not just autobiographical movie clip-type memory playback.

4. You want a natural approach to healing

Many clients come to us because of our focus on holistic, natural methods to healing. EMDR is as natural as you can get. EMDR therapists simply make the conditions right for your brain to be able to heal itself. This is why healing from EMDR is so deep and transformative. The body is able to work out the trauma, and the insights and new perspectives you’ll get are coming from your own mind—not the therapist’s.

5. You’ve tried talk therapy and it isn’t cutting it

EMDR is very efficient and powerful. Every 1 year of EMDR Therapy is about equivalent to 3 years of traditional talk therapy. I often get reports of how much EMDR has changed someone’s life in just a few weeks, after doing years and years of regular talk therapy elsewhere. EMDR is designed to get to the very root of your problems, instead of addressing symptoms of those problems. This ends up being more cost efficient, too, which is always a good thing.

Check out our page on EMDR for more information.

By Mary Beth Stevens, M.Ed., LPC, BCN

Can Neurofeedback Help with Covid Long-Haul Symptoms?

In a March 2021 Journal of Clinical Medicine article, researchers discuss findings related to shifts in EEG patterns in the brains of patients with Covid-19. Overall, they found changes in function in the frontal lobe of the brain as well as abnormal increases in slow wave Delta and Theta activity.

Common lingering symptoms of COVID-19 include:

-          Headaches

-          Altered Consciousness

-          Slowed Thinking, Poor Concentration, Brain Fog,

-          Fatigue, Insomnia, Sleep Disturbances

-          Depression, Anxiety, PTSD

-          Obsessive-Compulsive Behaviors

Much of the research indicates that patients suffering from COVID-19 may develop encephalopathy. Encephalopathy means damage or disease that impacts the brain. These impacts can be manifested as a slowing down of thinking processes, memory impairment, personality changes, impaired concentration and sleep disorders.

If these effects and changes can be measured via EEG, it is reasonable to infer that EEG training via neurofeedback therapy may be of benefit to these patients suffering with post-COVID brain symptoms.

Nationally recognized neurologist (and neurofeedback supporter), Dr. Majid Fotuhi, MD, PhD suggests the importance of better assessment, documentation and treatment of neurological manifestations of the COVID-19 disease, and to keep in mind that patients who survive, may continue to have long-term brain deficits. Him and other experts in the field have suggested that neurofeedback therapy may be a helpful solution to getting patients back to pre-COVID functioning.

If you or someone you love are suffering from Covid Long-Haul symptoms, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Written by: Britney Cirullo, MA, LPCC-S, LICDC, BCN

The Neurobiology of Addiction

“You’re in the desert and it’s day five with no water and your organs are shutting down and you’re literally going to die. And I hand you a bottle of water. But I tell you if you drink this, I’m going to take your kids, your job, your wife, your house -- you would drink the water. Everyone would.  There’s no macho person out there who thinks they can withstand this, it’s not possible.” “So you drink the water, satiate that tiger, the midbrain, so that the urge to live is taken care of, and then other part of your brain comes back on line and starts going, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe I gave up all that stuff for water,’ and you start trying to manipulate me into giving your stuff back. That’s exactly what addicts do.” – Dr Nicole Labor

When someone mentions addiction, what do you think of? Back in the 1930’s, when research on what fuels addictive behaviors began, the consensus was that people with addiction were somehow “morally flawed” or simply didn’t have the willpower to quit. Many people still hold this stigmatized view of addicts, although science has now shown us that this is not the case. If you saw someone with heart disease, would you look down on them and believe they are “morally flawed”? Probably not. The same way heart disease attacks your heart, addiction attacks the brain. The disease of addiction changes both the structure of the brain and how it functions. If you look at an addicted brain vs. a non-addicted brain, the differences are glaring.

So, let’s look at the brain! The brain has an area called the frontal cortex and another called the midbrain. The frontal cortex makes you, you. It’s the seat of self and personality and where our conscious choice and willpower lie. I’ll say that again, this is part of our CONSCIOUS brain. Now the midbrain on the other hand, is our primitive, subconscious brain that holds the key to survival. We have NO CONTROL over the midbrain. It acts immediately with no planning or thought of future consequences. The midbrain comes on when life is threatened. Eat, kill, sex. That’s the midbrain. All drugs (and alcohol) work in the midbrain.

Our brains are equipped with a nice little neurotransmitter called dopamine. When we experience pleasure our brains get increased dopamine. Every addictive substance attaches to different neurotransmitters, but the one they all have in common is dopamine. With alcohol and other drugs, the brain gets absolutely flooded with dopamine. Over time, the brain figures out that it doesn’t really need all of the dopamine receptors it has naturally because it’s constantly being given more, and they basically get killed off. This significantly increases the brains “pleasure threshold”, basically the level that needs to be reached for us to derive pleasure from something. So things that you used to enjoy, like music, sports or gardening, are no longer pleasurable. We can’t reach that pleasure threshold from natural sources anymore. That’s also where tolerance comes into play, you need more and more of the alcohol or drug each time to feel the same pleasure.

Ok, now, back to the midbrain. When the midbrain is repeatedly exposed to a highly rewarding chemical (flooding it with dopamine), it starts to think that this chemical is necessary for survival. Because truthfully, we need pleasure to survive. But probably from music or gardening, not heroin. All drugs work in the midbrain, this includes alcohol. In true addicts, the midbrain is lit up like a Christmas tree and there is very very little activity in the frontal cortex. People who use alcohol and other drugs and don’t get addicted show much more activity in the frontal cortex and are able to use their judgment, morals, values, and power of choice.

So who decides who gets addicted and who doesn’t? Genetics. Epigenetics. There’s a gene for lung cancer, there’s a gene for heart disease, there’s a gene for addiction. Most people have at least one of these addiction genes, many people have more than one. Ever wonder why some people can smoke a pack a day for 30 years and never get lung cancer while someone who has never smoked a day in there life does? That pack a day smoker just didn’t have the gene, or those 10,000+ packs just weren’t enough to turn their gene on. Addiction genes are activated by specific drugs in specific quantities, and everyone is different. Your gene could be activated by 1 beer, while someone else might use cocaine 12 times before it gets activated. You just don’t know, until you know.

This is a very brief glimpse at some of what happens inside the addicted brain. If you want more information and details, check out our podcast, MindTap. And if you, or someone you love is struggling with addiction, please call the ADM Board addiction helpline at 330-940-1133.  

Written by: Grace Williamson, MA, LPC