Change You Choose

4 natural ways to reduce anxiety would be so cool to have the next time you're feeling a little jangly, wouldn't it? Well, today's episode delivers just that. My guest, co-Founder of Anxiety Slayer, Shann Vander Leek, came ready to rock the mic with her personal experiences of anxiety (including one that occurred this morning!), plus some incredibly useful and simple ideas for how to reclaim control the next time things feel like they're spinning out of control. We started our conversation with a definition of anxiety. For example, Shann labeled it as feeling "overwhelmed", "an electric current", paralysis, fear and paranoia. From there we moved into: Shann's and my personal stories of anxiety 4 easy-to-do strategies for reducing anxiety info about Anxiety Slayer podcasts After you listen to this podcast, check out some other resources for how to reduce anxiety and panic naturally, wrangling anxiety (how-to tips you can use today), and how to overcome anxiety + posttraumatic stress disorder. MEET MY GUEST: Shann Vander Leek is the founder of True Balance International, co-founder of the popular Anxiety Slayer podcast and creator of the Sacred Heart Teachings digital program. Shann mentors women in transition who are ready to put themselves at the front of the line and transform their precious lives. She is an expert at guiding women through an intimate exploration of self-study, self-care and compassionate anxiety release techniques. Find more at AnxietySlayer.com.

Trauma resolution -- what does it look like to you? Do you have an idea of what you're trying to do and how to get it done, and then what happens next? Whether you're at the beginning of treatment or someone along the process it always helps to have clarity about what you're doing and why. On today's program Judy Crane, founder of The Refuge - A Healing Place, offered insights about what trauma resolution is and the shape it takes treatment. We covered a definition of trauma resolution, plus what: the work of resolution looks like to expect when you're doing the work to expect when the work has been completed One of my fave quotes from our interview is Judy saying that an important element of healing is "finding the miracle in the the trauma." Sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it? Take a listen to how Judy means it and get a glimpse into what that might mean in your personal path to freedom. Judy Crane has over 2 decades of experience working in both residential and out-patient settings. In 2003 she brought her years of specialized training and her distinctive insights on treating trauma and addiction to create The Refuge-A Healing Place. Under her leadership, The Refuge has grown to become one of the foremost leaders in treating Trauma/PTSD and Addiction. She earned her B.A. at Rutgers, M.A. from New York Institute of Technology and is a Certified Addiction Professional in Florida, Certified Sex Addiction Therapist, a Certified Hypnotist, EMDR and a specialist for healing trauma and PTSD. Judy Crane’s presentation and seminars on PTSD and sexual trauma resolution are known throughout the country. Judy’s specialized training, experiential methods, and holistic concepts are now being provided through a Visceral, Spiritual, and Profound 5 module training, Spirit2Spirit Trauma healing. The Refuge-A Healing Place was founded to begin where many other treatment modalities end: rebuilding emotional trust and regaining one’s resiliency takes time, encouragement and vigilant therapeutic support for each client. The Refuge philosophy and practice has been to establish a protected environment and safe milieu in order to allow the client to explore the intensity of their fear and the strength of their resources. Specifically focused on trauma resolution, Judy’s perception of healing comes from the client being able to re-establish a profound trust between the client and the healing process. The Refuge has grown from an adult residential facility to a full continuum of care center that can assist our clients from detox through to sober living. Judy Crane has been able to put into practice this successful healing technique for the past decade. The conception that persistent addictions and chronic relapse is often the result of unresolved trauma is not unique to Judy Crane, yet she was able to found a treatment program in the tranquil setting of Ocklawaha, Florida in the midst of the Ocala National Forest allowing the surroundings to help in the healing process.

There are lots of treatment approaches to overcoming trauma and PTSD. Usually they involve sitting in a practitioner's office and going through repetitive processes to release trapped traumatic energy. And then there's a wholly different way to add power to your process: You could get into the ring and fight it out! On today's episode I spoke with film director, Jill Morley, about her new documentary, "Fight Like A Girl" which takes an inside look at women using boxing to fight the past and empower the present. The film has been shown at many festivals and even won “Best Documentary” at the Other Venice Film Festival. In our conversation Jill and I covered:  A summary of the film How Jill decided to make the film Jill's personal PTSD & recovery experience 1 easy way to practice being present any time MEET MY GUEST: Jill Morley just  finished the feature doc, “Fight Like A Girl,” about women using boxing to fight their demons and empower themselves.  It played at several festivals, winning “Best Documentary” at the Other Venice Film Festival, and was presented with an award from the World Boxing Council for inspiration, education and courage.   “Fight Like a Girl”  is still in the process of finding distribution. To contribute to the crowdfunding campaign, click here. Jill’s critically acclaimed documentary film, “Stripped” won awards at festivals, ran theatrically in New York and LA, and ran on the Sundance Channel. Other shorts she directed and shot, played festivals such as, AFI, Santa Barbara Film Festival, and the International San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. She worked as a researcher on Davis Guggenheim’s “The Dream Is Now” about immigration reform, and produced/shot “behind the scenes” videos for David La Chapelle and John Byrne. Morley wrote and performed the critically acclaimed play, “True Confessions of a Go-Go Girl,” which was published in “The Best Women’s Plays of 1998,” ran Off Broadway for several years, was performed across the country, including the San Francisco’s “Solo Mio Festival;” and was made into a Lifetime Movie of the Week. A contributing writer to several periodicals including; “The Village Voice,” “Bust Magazine,” and “The New York Press,” she was a producer/correspondent with Michael Moore for “The Awful Truth.” Jill also produced radio documentaries for NPR’s “This American Life” and “The World.” Her short stories and monologues are published in several anthologies, including “True Tales of Lust and Love,” “Everything You Know About Sex is Wrong,” “Ho’s Hookers, Call Girls & Rent Boys,” and “Honey On a Razor,” Jill is honored to have her monologues published in several monologue collections by Gerald Lee Ratliff along with Arthur Miller, Steve Martin, David Hare,and Wendy Wasserstein.  Shooting Ninjas Productions is Jill’s production company.  Shooting Ninjas specializes in humanistic documentary style promotional videos for businesses. Some clients are Activision, Gerber, Avon, The US Marine Corps, Mercedes, Time Magazine, and the government of Philadelphia.

Meditation and trauma, why you need a practice and how to heal are all like spokes in your wheel of healing: they go into the center of what it means to overcome the past. On today's episode I shared how my first attempt to learn meditation in my recovery was a complete disaster! And also how I came around to develop a thriving meditation practice that has lasted for over fifteen years. Science proves that meditation improves many areas of your functioning. From immune system to cortical tissue to emotional regulation meditation helps put you back in control of your faculties. But Trauma Therapy Coordinator, Megan Ross, of Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center has an even better reason why you should meditate: Taking away the science Megan makes the process personal. It's all about space, opportunity and a little thing called equanimity that can change both who you are and how you live. In our conversation Megan and I covered all that, plus how meditation helps you develop discernment, and what that can mean in how you approach every moment. MEET MY GUEST: Megan Ross, LPC, R-DMT, Trauma Therapy Coordinator, Megan’s role at Timberline Knolls is to develop, train and uphold a campus-wide integrative approach to trauma. This involves the promotion of present moment resilience for both resident and staff through awareness, information and treatment. Prior to becoming the Trauma Therapy Coordinator, Megan was an expressive therapist at Timberline Knolls and a member of the Clinical Development Institute. Additionally, she was co-founder and consultant at Ozias and 11hundred in Chicago. Megan received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Cultural Anthropology and Movement Science from The Evergreen State College. She was awarded a Graduate Certificate in Laban Movement Analysis (GL-CMA) and a Master’s in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling from Columbia College in Chicago. Megan is a member of the American Dance Therapy Association.

Healing childhood sexual abuse (CSA), says David Pittman, Executive Director of Together We Heal (TWH), happens because "Ultimately, you have to make a choice." For Pittman that choice happened when he was incarcerated for drug possession. Getting clean, facing the truth, healing and founding an organization that provides free counseling is the amazing transformation that David has brought to his life. In this interview we discussed: David's incredible story of trauma to triumph How he cleaned up his act and turned his life around 2 things that help any CSA recovery 3 steps that can help you achieve success The TWH mission and their "turn no one away" counseling policy MEET MY GUEST David Pittman is the Executive Director of "Together We Heal", a non-profit organization whose purpose is to provide cost-free counseling and guidance for those who have suffered the trauma of childhood sexual abuse. It works to educate through public speaking, collaborates with other groups to raise awareness and expose the sexual predators methods. David spent years on a healing journey that continues to this very day. This led him to seek out groups specifically for men as well as those who had been through a similar trauma and ultimately inspired the foundation of Together We Heal. TWH now works with therapists, counselors and groups aiding both men AND women in their efforts to heal, grow and thrive. Their motto is: "To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.”    

Is your mind without boundaries? Is it unlimited? And if it is, how can you use it your trauma recovery? These and other questions were answered by Dr. Larry Dossey, author of One Mind: How Our Individual Mind Is Part of a Greater Consciousness and Why It Matters. In our conversation we covered the idea of how our interconnectedness might support trauma recovery, including: Psychologically – One Mind means we’re all in this together; you are not alone. Emotionally – Daily living can separate you from it, but One Mind and its comforts are your natural state. Physically – Connecting to One Mind can help prevent poor health and heal ill health; the collective energy can infuse your own and give it a much needed boost. Achieving the state of One Mind means permitting a level of unrepressed knowing by shifting out of the rational mind. That interconnection with the energy of the world can be done in a variety of ways as Dr. Dossey explains in our interview. MEET MY GUEST: Larry Dossey is a distinguished Texas physician, deeply rooted in the scientific world, has become an internationally influential advocate of the role of the mind in health and the role of spirituality in healthcare. Bringing the experience of a practicing internist and the soul of a poet to the discourse, Dr. Larry Dossey offers panoramic insight into the nature and the future of medicine. The author of nine books and numerous articles, Dr. Dossey is the former Executive Editor of the peer-reviewed journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, the most widely subscribed-to journal in its field. The primary quality of all of Dr. Dossey's work is scientific legitimacy, with an insistent focus on "what the data show." As a result, his colleagues in medical schools and hospitals all over the country trust him, honor his message, and continually invite him to share his insights with them. He has lectured all over the world, including major medical schools and hospitals in the United States --Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, the Universities of Pennsylvania, California, Washington, Texas, Florida, Minnesota, and the Mayo Clinic. The impact of Dr. Dossey's work has been remarkable. Before his bookHealing Words was published in 1993, only three U.S. medical schools had courses devoted to exploring the role of religious practice and prayer in health; currently, nearly 80 medical schools have instituted such courses, many of which utilize Dr. Dossey's works as textbooks. In his 1989 book Recovering the Soul, he introduced the concept of "nonlocal mind" -- mind unconfined to the brain and body, mind spread infinitely throughout space and time. Since then, "nonlocal mind" has been adopted by many leading scientists as an emerging image of consciousness. Dr. Dossey's ever-deepening explication of nonlocal mind provides a legitimate foundation for the merging of spirit and medicine. The ramifications of such a union are radical and call for no less than the reinvention of medicine. In 2013, Larry Dossey received the prestigious Visionary Award that honors a pioneer whose visionary ideas have shaped integrative healthcare and the medical profession.

Treatment for trauma has two essential approaches -- from both sides of the fence. On one side you have the clinical perspective about what trauma treatment means, its purpose and what it looks like. On the other side you have the survivor perspective of how it feels and what it requires to manage and survive. Put together, both points of view offer a road map to creating a successful bid for reclaiming yourself, your life and your ability to live into a future that is productive, meaningful and even joyful. My guests on this episode represented the full spectrum: one clinician, one survivor. Together we covered: A full definition of "trauma treatment" Why and how to tell "your story" 2 central themes for how to achieve trauma recovery 1 inside look at healing from child abuse, alcoholism and intergenerational trauma How to move from diagnosis and recovered memory to "freedom" How to work with your inner child MEET MY GUESTS: Judy Crane has over 2 decades of experience working in both residential and out-patient settings. In 2003 she brought her years of specialized training and her distinctive insights on treating trauma and addiction to create The Refuge-A Healing Place. Under her leadership, The Refuge has grown to become one of the foremost leaders in treating Trauma/PTSD and Addiction. She earned her B.A. at Rutgers, M.A. from New York Institute of Technology and is a Certified Addiction Professional in Florida, Certified Sex Addiction Therapist, a Certified Hypnotist, EMDR and a specialist for healing trauma and PTSD. Judy Crane’s presentation and seminars on PTSD and sexual trauma resolution are known throughout the country. Judy’s specialized training, experiential methods, and holistic concepts are now being provided through a Visceral, Spiritual, and Profound 5 module training, Spirit2Spirit Trauma healing. The Refuge-A Healing Place was founded to begin where many other treatment modalities end: rebuilding emotional trust and regaining one’s resiliency takes time, encouragement and vigilant therapeutic support for each client. The Refuge philosophy and practice has been to establish a protected environment and safe milieu in order to allow the client to explore the intensity of their fear and the strength of their resources. Specifically focused on trauma resolution, Judy’s perception of healing comes from the client being able to re-establish a profound trust between the client and the healing process. The Refuge has grown from an adult residential facility to a full continuum of care center that can assist our clients from detox through to sober living. Judy Crane has been able to put into practice this successful healing technique for the past decade. The conception that persistent addictions and chronic relapse is often the result of unresolved trauma is not unique to Judy Crane, yet she was able to found a treatment program in the tranquil setting of Ocklawaha, Florida in the midst of the Ocala National Forest allowing the surroundings to help in the healing process. Dan L. Hays has been diagnosed with chronic and severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from two incidents in his childhood, only remembered when he was an adult. In 1987, as his life was spinning out of control, Dan was trying to put together pieces of his past, to remember some piece of his past that struggled to come to the surface. He was broke, unable to go look for a job, at times suicidal and mystified by it all. After years of struggle with PTSD symptoms, in 1988 Dan remembered a violent incident with his Dad when he was 17. Dan has published a book about that healing journey entitled Freedom’s Just Another Word, which describes the steps he took – out of desperation – to try to make sense of his life. As he revealed old wounds and began to heal them, he was able to embrace the journey toward forgiveness of his father. In 2003 Dan began to remember events when he was eight years old,

Trauma and tragedy challenge how perceive yourself others and the world. But does everyone who’s traumatized end up struggling with post-traumatic stress symptoms for years afterward? A recent study in Detroit shed interesting light on the answer to this question. As you may have heard, Detroit is a city in pain. With high crime and a crashing budget many people have survived or witnessed events that threatened their lives or the lives of others. After extensive interviews the data reported that 90% of those exposed to trauma moved forward without effects; 10% developed PTSD. If you, like me, are one of the 10% in your world who developed PTSD you might look at those statistics and ask, “What does that have to do with my life?” And in a sense you’d be right: Who cares about the other 90% when you’re overwhelmed with how to cope with staggering depression, insomnia, flashbacks, anger, mood swings and a relentless, unstoppable anxiety? Except, you should care. There are things we can learn from those who move forward after trauma. While our paths to peace may be more long and tortuous than others what we learn from the statistics is the great possibility for human resilience. My guest today, Bill O’Hanlon, shared the details of the study and ideas for what the results mean - and how they apply to your recovery - with me in our live interview today. Then, he went on to outline his top three strategies for how to thrive after trauma. In addition to the strategies (all of which you can begin applying today – they’re free!) our discussion also covered: Can PTSD be healed? What is posttraumatic growth and how do we achieve it? How to define trauma to someone who’s never experienced it. The difference between posttraumatic stress and posttraumatic success. Throughout the conversation Bill shared many stories to illustrate his points, including his own story as a childhood trauma survivor who overcame the past and has gone on to create a terrific present and future. MEET MY GUEST Bill O'Hanlon, MS, LMFT, has authored or co-authored 36 books, the latest being Out of the Blue: Six Non-Medication Ways to Relieve Depression (W.W. Norton, April 2014). He has written several books on trauma, A Quick Guide to Resolving Trauma and  Even From a Broken Web, also from W.W. Norton and Thriving Through Crisis: Turning Tragedy and Trauma Into Growth and Change, published by Penguin. He has published over 60 articles or book chapters. His books have been translated into 16 languages. He has appeared on Oprah (with his book Do One Thing Different), The Today Show, and a variety of other television and radio programs. Since 1977, Bill has given over 3000 talks around the world. Bill is a Licensed Mental Health Professional, Certified Professional Counselor, and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.

How to set goals in trauma and PTSD recovery is critical to success. Achieving anything you desire in life starts with having a goal. Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “Start with the end in mind.” I like that idea because you achieve anything by having the right pictures in your mind, the right thoughts and taking the right actions. What recovery goals do you want to achieve this year? With the fresh start of 2014 you have the opportunity to design a path for yourself (to be tweaked as you go along) that puts you on course more than ever before to accomplish what you want in this post-trauma life. Setting goals begins with knowing what you want. January is a great time to focus and become clear on what you want to change. All of the things that bug you give you an opportunity to consider the opposite and decide if that’s what you want! Seeing the big picture of a goal can be overwhelming. Maybe you’re thinking of your whole recovery being finally achieved this year. (That was my New Year resolution many years ago.) But then, the minute you think about that the idea can seem so huge, like a mountain you’re attempting to climb in one big leap. Feeling overwhelmed is one sure way to put on the brakes. There is, however, a sure way to rev up your motor and feel good about moving forward. Setting recovery goals makes forward progress focused, organized and manageable. Recently, I interviewed Dr. Kim Dennis, the CEO and Medical Director of Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center about how to set recovery goals. Here’s a quick overview of what she suggested: Set goals that are tangible – Choose things that you will be able to know have been accomplished. For example, if you’re going to commit to more self-care, choose things that you will be able to see, “Yes, I did that.” Set achievable goals – Trying to make the big leap to a finished goal makes the process very difficult. Breaking down the big goal into smaller increments that you feel are attainable can make all the difference between feeling motivated to take action versus feeling motivated to take a nap. Discover your goal-setting process – You are a unique individual. Your process for goal-setting can be customized to what makes you feel comfortable. That may mean you map out several goals at once, or just detail one specific goal at a time. Trust yourself to develop a process that feels right to you. The more comfortable you are with the process the more likely you are to succeed with it. Have another person involved – Accountability can be key in actually following through. When you know someone is waiting for you to take an action you’re more likely to do it. Accountability partners can be anyone: professional, personal or colleagues. Set timeframes for each goal – When you have a date by which you have to take an action you create a sense of urgency and focus. Your mind will begin forming a strategy for how to achieve the task(s) involved. In all of the goal-setting process, practice self-compassion. There are goals that will be easy to accomplish, and others that are more challenging. When things don’t go as planned, accept what happens as “unexpected outcomes”. Pause, take a step back, reflect, asses and take a new action. Developing a goal-setting process is one more way to reclaim control. The more you do this the more you will be able to direct your recovery and steer yourself toward the ultimate goal: Being free from the effects of the past.

Dr. Bernie Siegel shares tips about the art of healing all the time -- and this week he shared them with me! As a best-selling author and a doctor who's unafraid to go outside the box when it comes to imagining what's possible in recovery, Dr. Siegel is one of my fave peeps. You'll see why when you hear both the energy of his voice and the creativity of his thoughts. Plus, his ideas are all backed by the science of experience: the stories he tells are about real people doing the impossible and overcoming the odds. Did you know that you have intuition and inner wisdom the can help you diagnose and even heal your mental, physical and emotional problems? On today’s episode of Changing Direction, Dr. Bernie Siegel discussed how you can access your intuition and use it to heal, plus his new book, The Art of Healing: Uncovering Your Inner Wisdom and Potential for Self-Healing. Take a listen and then let me know which story most resonated with you by leaving your thoughts in the comments. Bernie Siegel was born in Brooklyn, NY, and attended Colgate University and Cornell University Medical College. He graduated with honors and holds membership in two scholastic honor societies, Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha. He trained to become a surgeon at Yale New Haven Hospital, West Haven Veteran’s Hospital and the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. In 1989, Bernie retired from Yale as an Assistant Clinical Professor of General and Pediatric Surgery to speak to patients, their families and caregivers. In his book, his 12th, published in September 2011, entitled A BOOK OF MIRACLES—Inspiring True Stories of Healing, Gratitude, and Love, Bernie is described in the Foreword written by Deepak Chopra who tells us “Bernie Siegel began his writing career twenty-five years ago, and from the outset he didn’t shy away from miracles. The title of his first book—LOVE, MEDICINE & MIRACLES (1986)—flaunted his disagreement with mainstream medicine. An MD who advised more love as a path to healing would have been in enough trouble. Opening the possibility of miracles was grounds for dismissal. In his new book, Bernie reaffirms his original beliefs, and with a lifetime’s wisdom and experience, he trusts in miracles more than ever.”  

Healing PTSD gains immeasurable power when you answer the question, "What is trauma?" So many times I've heard civilians say, "You mean, major trauma that leads to PTSD happens outside of the military?" The answer is a big, resounding, YES! The more you know and understand about trauma the more you develop self-compassion, which can have huge effects on your recovery process. On today's show I spoke with Judy Crane, found of The Refuge - A Healing Place, about how she defines trauma. We also covered: how to access your resilience (and the #1 thing that impacts it) how to balance the definition of trauma with a healing definition the difference between Trauma and trauma the top 2 types of trauma may have experienced but not realized MEET MY GUEST: Judy Crane has over 2 decades of experience working in both residential and out-patient settings. In 2003 she brought her years of specialized training and her distinctive insights on treating trauma and addiction to create The Refuge-A Healing Place. Under her leadership, The Refuge has grown to become one of the foremost leaders in treating Trauma/PTSD and Addiction. She earned her B.A. at Rutgers, M.A. from New York Institute of Technology and is a Certified Addiction Professional in Florida, Certified Sex Addiction Therapist, a Certified Hypnotist, EMDR and a specialist for healing trauma and PTSD. Judy Crane’s presentation and seminars on PTSD and sexual trauma resolution are known throughout the country. Judy’s specialized training, experiential methods, and holistic concepts are now being provided through a Visceral, Spiritual, and Profound 5 module training, Spirit2Spirit Trauma healing. The Refuge-A Healing Place was founded to begin where many other treatment modalities end: rebuilding emotional trust and regaining one’s resiliency takes time, encouragement and vigilant therapeutic support for each client. The Refuge philosophy and practice has been to establish a protected environment and safe milieu in order to allow the client to explore the intensity of their fear and the strength of their resources. Specifically focused on trauma resolution, Judy’s perception of healing comes from the client being able to re-establish a profound trust between the client and the healing process. The Refuge has grown from an adult residential facility to a full continuum of care center that can assist our clients from detox through to sober living. Judy Crane has been able to put into practice this successful healing technique for the past decade. The conception that persistent addictions and chronic relapse is often the result of unresolved trauma is not unique to Judy Crane, yet she was able to found a treatment program in the tranquil setting of Ocklawaha, Florida in the midst of the Ocala National Forest allowing the surroundings to help in the healing process.  

Integration in PTSD and trauma recovery is one of those topics that's really essential to the process and that we don't talk about often enough. But I did this week! One of the things I love about my job interviewing experts about how to change direction in recovery is that I get to connect with cutting-edge, leading experts with ideas that inspire, activate and support new ways for you to move forward. Today I interviewed Dr. Daniel Siegel, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine where he is on the faculty of the Center for Culture, Brain, and Development and the Co-Director of theMindful Awareness Research Center. Our conversation covered two of Dr. Siegel's books: MINDSIGHT: The New Science of Personal Transformation and BRAINSTORM: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain. Some highlights of our conversation include: a definition of mindsight and how to apply it in trauma and PTSD recovery an explanation of integration and its purpose in healing five myths about the development of the adolescent brain the role and process of identity in teenage development My favorite quote from our conversation: Dr. Siegel said, "If you have a trauma it's never too late to integrate." Find out what he meant by that and how you can start doing it today by listening in on our conversation.

How your brain develops motivation in PTSD recovery is critical to healing. Do you know how to activate your brain's natural motivation factor? Everyone has a down day now and then when we just simply don’t feel like doing much of anything. When recovering from trauma, a day can turn into weeks, if not months, of not feeling up to par. Sometimes, finding the strength to move through trauma seems completely impossible. But, in order to move into a future filled with joy, deep down inside you must find the strength and the will to heal. You have to find the motivation to move past your trauma into who you’re meant to be. On today’s episode of Changing Direction, I welcomed Megan Ross, Trauma Therapy Coordinator at Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center. Megan shared why many times trauma survivors can’t seem to find the inner strength to push through trauma recovery, plus how that can be changed by rediscovering what individually motivates each of us to move forward. In addition we covered: why motivation is so often absent after trauma why fatigue is such a large part of the PTSD experience the science behind your brain's motivating capabilities 3 ways to facilitate your brain's motivation action MEET MY GUEST: Megan Ross, LPC, R-DMT, Trauma Therapy Coordinator, Megan’s role at Timberline Knolls is to develop, train and uphold a campus-wide integrative approach to trauma. This involves the promotion of present moment resilience for both resident and staff through awareness, information and treatment. Prior to becoming the Trauma Therapy Coordinator, Megan was an expressive therapist at Timberline Knolls and a member of the Clinical Development Institute. Additionally, she was co-founder and consultant at Ozias and 11hundred in Chicago. Megan received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Cultural Anthropology and Movement Science from The Evergreen State College. She was awarded a Graduate Certificate in Laban Movement Analysis (GL-CMA) and a Master’s in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling from Columbia College in Chicago. Megan is a member of the American Dance Therapy Association.

Many of our veterans return home wounded not only physically and also in the spiritual, moral, and emotional sense. Because these wounds are invisible, many times the pain and suffering goes unnoticed and untreated. Such is not the case for individuals that find Soldier’s Heart. An organization that uses a comprehensive model to treat the wounds that the rest of us simply just can’t see. On today’s episode of Changing Direction, I spoke with Dr. Edward Tick, founder of Solder’s Heart. He shared insights from his groundbreaking book, War and the Soul, plus offered support for the holiday to military and veteran families. In our conversation we covered: the definitions of trauma and identity how trauma affects identity the role of identity in recovery veterans stories about post-trauma experiences and healing how we make meaning after trauma tips for how to reduce stress during the holidays About my guest:  Edward Tick, Ph.D. is an internationally recognized transformational healer, psychotherapist, writer and educato.  He is Founding Co-director of Soldier’s Heart, a non-profit veteran healing initiative. He is an expert on veterans, PTSD, and the psychology of military-related issues and has conducted trainings, retreats and workshops across the country and overseas. He was the U.S. Army’s Expert Trainer in PTSD for its 2012 Chaplain Sustainment Training, training over 2,000 military chaplains in the holistic and spiritual response to PTSD.  Ed has trained staff and conducted retreats at numerous DOD and Veteran facilities, including West Point, Walter Reed Medical Center, Forts Bragg, Hood, Knox, Altus Air Force Base and VA hospitals across the country. Dr. Tick is the author of the groundbreaking book War and the Soul: Healing Our Nations Veterans from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.  He is also the author of The Golden Tortoise, The Practice of Dream Healing and Sacred Mountain, as well as over 100 articles.   His next book, Warrior’s Return: Restoring the Soul After War will be published on Veterans Day 2014. Ed is a tireless advocate for war-healing and peace-making, lecturing around the world and leading semi-annual educational, healing and reconciliation journeys to Viet Nam and Greece.  His organization Soldier’s Heart is an NGO in Viet Nam. Ed is a gifted healer, teacher and guide.  He specializes in using psycho-spiritual, archetypal, cross-cultural, and international reconciliation practices to bring healing, ttransformation and hope to veterans, communities and nations recovering from the traumas of war and violence.

The David Lynch Foundation (DLF) raises awareness for healing traumatic stress. A transcendental meditation (TM) devotee for 40 years, David Lynch founded and runs the DLF for at-risk populations who suffer from epidemic levels of chronic stress and stress-related disorders. In order to reduce violence, crime, soaring health costs, and the compromised effectiveness of education, health, rehabilitation and vocational programs now in place, DLF teaches TM to foster recovery and healing. On today’s episode I spoke with Jenny Cimaglia, Special Events and Development Coordinator at the David Lynch Foundation (DLF). Jenny shared the overall mission of DLF, the many ways that they are penetrating at-risk populations and details about the upcoming benefit gala, Change Begins Within, on December 3rd. Jenny and I covered: The DLF history and mission The definition of TM, plus our personal stories of practice and results How you can do TM, overcome resistance, and an easy tip to begin your practice today A behind-the-scenes peek at the Change Begins Within Gala with Jerry Seinfeld and Hugh Jackman About my guest:  About Jenny Cimaglia: At the David Lynch Foundation, Jenny puts to use her various experiences organizing academic conferences, art installations, and even fashion shows to create events that highlight the David Lynch Foundation’s work and expand awareness of its programs. Jenny plans and executes both large-scale galas and small intimate events for the David Lynch Foundation. These include a friend-raiser in East Hampton in summer 2013, a conference on Women, Meditation, and Stress at the Paley center in Autumn 2013, and the David Lynch Foundation’s annual Change Begins Within Gala in winter of 2013. She also works in stewardship and development, cultivating new connections for the foundation and working with current donors on annual giving campaigns and outreach. To learn more about Jenny, you can find her information here. The David Lynch Foundation: The David Lynch Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, was established in 2005 to fund the implementation of scientifically proven stress-reducing modalities, including the Transcendental Meditation program, for at-risk populations such as underserved inner-city students; veterans with PTSD and their families; women and girls who are victims of domestic violence; American Indians suffering from diabetes, cardiovascular disease and high suicide rates; homeless men participating in reentry programs who are striving to overcome addictions; and incarcerated juveniles and adults. The Foundation also funds university and medical school research to assess the effects of the program on academic performance, ADHD and other learning disorders, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, cardiovascular disease, post-traumatic stress disorder and diabetes. The effectiveness of the Foundation’s programs have been researched at leading medical schools, including Harvard Medical School, Stanford Medical School and Yale Medical School, and have received the endorsement of and support from private foundations and government agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, General Motors Foundation, the Chrysler Foundation, the Kellogg Foundation, the American Indian Education Association, Indian Health Services, many school districts and state departments of corrections.