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Ariel Sheeger

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What is Brainspotting?

Brainspotting (BSP) is a new form of therapy that can help people process and overcome trauma. Developed by a psychotherapist who has spent years working with survivors of trauma, brainspotting has been used by many mental health professionals to effectively treat a variety of mental health issues.

How Does it Work?

Brainspotting is akin to EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. Essentially, the direction in which people look or hold their gaze affects the way they feel. 

During a brainspotting session, the therapist helps the client position their eyes in ways that allow them to target specific sources of negative emotions. The therapist will slowly guide the person’s eyes across their field of vision to find all the right “brainspots,” which will then activate a traumatic memory or painful emotion.

Recent evidence suggests that trauma is stored in the body and can even alter how the brain works. Many of my own clients have experienced how trauma affects their memory and even physical health. Brainspotting seems to be able to activate the body’s innate ability to heal itself and the trauma. 

Who Can Benefit from Brainspotting?

Brainspotting is recommended for anyone who has experienced either physical or emotional trauma. BSP has been shown to be effective for those with anxiety, ADHD, anger issues, phobias, substance abuse issues, impulse control issues, and more.

If you are suffering as a result of trauma, or are dealing with any of the mental health issues I’ve just listed, you may want to consider giving brainspotting a try. I am a licensed therapist who has been trained in brainspotting and would be happy to discuss treatment options. Please feel free to call my office or email me.

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Mismatched Desires – How Sex Therapy Can Help You Connect

Sex is a powerful way for two people to bond and feel true intimacy with one another. But what happens when one person in the relationship has less of a sex drive than the other person? Are they destined for relationship doom, or can they meet somewhere in the middle?

The answer is, plenty of couples suffer from this exact same scenario and many of them have found solutions by working with a sex therapist.

What is a Sex Therapist?

A sex therapist is a certified mental health professional who helps people suffering from sexual difficulties or dysfunction that are not a result of a physical issue. Sex therapists address underlying mental and emotional issues that may be causing the sexual problems you are dealing with. Common issues they help clients with are:

·      Low libido

·      Erectile dysfunction

·      Anxiety related to sex

·      An inability to orgasm or get aroused

·      Fear of sex

·      Mismatched sex drives in couples

·      And more…

What You Can Expect in a Sex Therapy Session

If you and your partner have mismatched sex drives and are considering seeing a sex therapist, you no doubt have a lot of questions. What will it be like? Will you feel awkward and embarrassed? Do you have to take your clothes off? (no to that last question BTW!)

The following are some things you can expect during a sex therapy session:

Many Questions!

In order for a trained therapist to help you with your problem, you and your partner will need to be pretty open about your sex life. A good therapist will make you comfortable and ease into the conversation. But be prepared to eventually open up and honestly answer questions.

Testing

Since a sex therapist is trained to tackle sexual issues from a mental and emotional angle, he or she may suggest you make an appointment with your doctors to have some bloodwork and other potential tests conducted. Oftentimes, sex drive issues can be a result of imbalanced hormones and other physical ailments.

Homework

Therapy is more effective when the couple continues to do the work at home in-between sessions. I often have my clients try specific exercises at home. This helps them and gives us a starting point at our next session.

The idea of sex therapy can be very intimidating but I assure you, it can be a gentle process that ultimately helps you and your partner get closer together. If you’d like to find out more, please get in touch with me.

SOURCES:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/insight-is-2020/201303/how-couples-can-cope-different-libidos-sexual-desire

https://smilemakerscollection.com/blog/pleasure-tips/partners-mismatched-libidos/

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-sex-therapist-5210416

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Overcoming Generational Trauma

You know you got your hairline from your Dad’s side of the family and your eye color from your mom. You know diabetes runs in your family, as does heart disease and Parkinson’s.

But do you know that many families also pass down trauma to their loved ones? It’s not just our physical makeup and risk of disease that we inherit from our family, it is also the emotional wounds as well.

What is Transgenerational Trauma?

Before you were born you were in your mother’s womb and very susceptible to her emotions. As your mother felt joy, her body released hormones that made you feel joy.

When she felt sad, scared, or angry, her body released hormones that made her experience these same emotions.

Eventually, you were born and raised in a house that may not always be happy or harmonious. Your parents may have been emotionally distant or even abusive because they may have been brought up by parents who had their own reasons for being emotionally absent or abusive.

Many families have unresolved trauma that works its way through one generation to the next. Those families who have dealt with addiction, depression, anxiety, terror, racism, and the like, often continue to pass on negative emotions, poor behaviors, low self-esteem, and maladaptive coping strategies. These not only lead to a painful and hard life, but they can also lead to chronic health conditions.

It Can Stop With You!

If you have a history of family conflict or trauma, you can be the individual who puts an end to the cycle. You can be the one who begins a new cycle, one of passing down loving communication and positive self-images. 

Of course, it will take work on your part to overcome the pain of your family history. That’s why it’s a good idea to work with a mental health professional who can offer you the right tools and coping strategies that you can then pass down to your own children.

If you’re interested in exploring therapy, please get in touch with me! I’d love to help you end the cycle of trauma in your family.

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Neurodivergence’s Impact on Mental Health

When we speak about human behavior or ways of being in the world, we have traditionally described someone as having normal behavior or abnormal behavior. Recently, mental health experts have begun to look at things in a broader, more inclusive scope.

What Does Neurodivergent Mean?

Neurodivergent is a term used to describe someone who either behaves in a specific way or processes information in a specific way that differs from cultural norms. It is an important shift in the mental health community because it allows clinicians to discuss diagnoses, such as autism, in a way that doesn’t portray the diagnoses as an illness or problem to be dealt with. In addition to autism, there are other diagnoses that may be considered a form of neurodivergence such as ADHD, any learning disability, dyslexia, and Tourette’s syndrome.

Benefits of Neurodiversity

Much of the world has embraced cultural diversity. We have been taught that diversity is our greatest strength. Well, people are finally starting to realize that this concept goes beyond just cultural diversity and should extend to the diversity of thought and being as well. Neurodiversity can actually be beneficial to society because different ways of thinking and looking at the world bring different perspectives and insights to the table.

Temple Grandin is a perfect example. Temple is autistic and it is her very unique perspective and way of thinking that allowed her to revolutionize the practices for the humane handling of livestock.

Instead of stigmatizing children who have been diagnosed with a “mental handicap,” we must encourage them to embrace their differences and share their unique insights and perspectives with the world.

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