Joyful Brain Institute

Summer is shining all over the place. Temps are warmer, days are longer and the kids are out of school. How are you taking time to celebrate summer this year? Maybe a hike? Planting flowers? A trip? Some time off? I’d love to hear about your summer plans!

Seeking support is crucial - you don't have to be in this alone!

Attachment theory explores how early relational experiences shape individuals' attachment styles and impact their responses to trauma and relationships throughout life. Do you know your attachment style?

Healthy coping heals!

Being a practicing artist isn’t required. Expressive Art therapy and creative expression involve using artistic mediums such as drawing, painting, writing, or music to explore and process emotions, memories, and experiences related to trauma.

How do you practice self-compassion?

Are you practicing trauma-informed yoga or meditation that adapts traditional yoga and meditation practices? This type of yoga allows us to be sensitive to the needs and experiences of any of us who experienced trauma. These practices emphasize safety, choice, and empowerment.

Cognitive restructuring: a quick summary.

What mindfulness-based approaches do you use that cultivate present-moment awareness and non-judgmental acceptance of your experiences? Do you include mindfulness meditation, mindful breathing, or mindful movement?

I am creating a list of favorite books on trauma therapy and healing. Please share with me your favorites, and be sure to watch out for the list to be circulated.

What self-care strategies do you take to maintain your physical, emotional, and mental well-being? Do you include activities like exercise, meditation, setting boundaries, engaging in hobbies, or seeking social support?

Rehearsing expectations in people with childhood trauma involves repeatedly imagining or mentally preparing for potential future scenarios based on past experiences. This behavior stems from a deep-seated need to anticipate and control outcomes as a way to mitigate the uncertainty and unpredictability associated with traumatic events. Individuals may constantly envision various possibilities, rehearsing how they might react or cope with similar situations that may arise in the future. This constant rehearsal can serve as a coping mechanism, providing a sense of preparedness and control over circumstances that may otherwise feel overwhelming or threatening. However, it can also lead to heightened anxiety, hypervigilance, and difficulty in being fully present in the present moment.

EMDR is a psychotherapy approach used to treat trauma and other distressing experiences. It involves bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements) while recalling traumatic memories, helping to desensitize the emotional charge associated with these memories and facilitate their processing. If you are not trained or certified in EMDR, I would highly recommend adding this to your practice.

Magical thinking in people with childhood trauma can manifest as a coping mechanism rooted in a belief that thoughts or actions can influence events or outcomes in seemingly irrational or fantastical ways. This mindset may emerge as a way to regain a sense of control or agency in situations where they feel powerless or overwhelmed. For example, a person might believe that performing a certain ritual or holding a particular belief can protect them from harm or alter the course of events. Magical thinking can serve as a means of finding comfort or creating a sense of safety in the face of past trauma, even if it involves beliefs that defy logical explanation.

Nature-based therapeutic practices involve incorporating natural environments and outdoor activities into therapy sessions to promote healing, relaxation, and emotional well-being. This may include activities such as hiking, gardening, or simply spending time in nature. Do you include any of these in your work?

Personification in people with childhood trauma can manifest as a coping mechanism where emotions, memories, or aspects of the self are projected onto external objects or entities, often imbuing them with human-like qualities or characteristics. This can serve as a way to externalize and manage difficult emotions or experiences from the past.

I am often asked how I offer a brief, entry level, explanation of our “parts of self” to my clients. I use a puzzle to demonstrate. I’d love to hear how you discuss “parts” with clients.

Mentalization is the capacity to understand and empathize with what another person may be experiencing. People with developmental trauma may have more difficulty with this compared to their peers.

Sunflowers!!! They are my favorite flowers and bring me so much joy! Send me photos of your favorite flowers.

Spring is springing all over the place. Flowers popping up, schools on spring break, snow is melting and the air is warmer. How are you taking time to celebrate spring this year? Maybe a hike? Planting flowers? A trip? Some time off? I’d love to hear about your spring transition plans.

I am curious about something? How much time do you all plan for between clients? How do you spend the time (rest room break, eat something, return a call, etc). One of my intentions to increase my self-care glimmers is to do something for me during that time, even if it’s just a few lines in a journal or gentle stretching. Ten minutes goes so fast doesn’t it? So please tell me, how much time between clients and how do you spend the time?

Some of you may know me already, but to those who don't: hello and welcome! My name is Amy Wagner, and I am a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and Mental Health Counselor. I am EMDR certified and an EMDRIA approved consultant. Here are a few fun facts about me!

The term "Developmental Trauma" keeps the focus on the reality of the situation - this person has had traumatic experience at earlier developmental stages, impacting them and their functioning to this day.

Throughout the next month, each Wednesday we will explore a different facet of Developmental Gaps due to childhood trauma.

Let’s talk about self-care glimmers! Do you have a self-care kit in your office? Elements that make your day better? TBH, my kit isn’t really a “kit”, it is about things that are at my work space just for me. Here is a list of somethings that in my “kit”: water bottle, scented lotions, diffuser, candle, chapstick, pain relievers, theradoh (by my chair), a Selenite crystal under my chair, sea salt, mixed nuts, green tea bags, favorite mug, a book I am reading, MIO for my water, fuzzy warm socks (for zoom sessions) and a journal. What’s in your “kit?"

Attachment styles are not necessarily permanent fixtures. What are some factors that can influence attachment?

Happy long President’s Day weekend. Struggling with the winter blues? Even though I live in Florida, the winter blues hit me too. Hard sometimes. Stuck in the middle between the excitement of the New Year and the blossoming of spring The messy middle for sure. Maybe the magic is in the messy middle? Maybe that is the birthplace of the good, juicy stuff. Are you wondering how to bring vitality to your practice, your personal life, or something else? Could this be the time to sit in the wintery dads and allow the garden of possibility to be planted? I am excited to hear what comes up for you.

How do you address trauma history in the intake stage?

Does anyone else not love Valentine’s Day? I really don’t want to be a downer about this, yet Valentine’s Day typically fills me with dread and sadness. The manufactured commercialism around love sort of turns my stomach. Who gets me? I have a loving husband, family and friends. I feel loved and I hope I love people in a way that they can feel my love. I hope to leave a legacy of love. Yet…this “once of year run for the candy, roses and commercialism” doesnt feel like love, it feels like an obligatory financial drain (or gain) and a one way ticket to the shame place for so many. Thanks for reading my perspective on the day, and please know that I am sending you abundant love and hope you feel that all the time in so many areas of your life, not just on February 14th.