Summary: Ever be in the middle of a fine day and then hear a song on the radio and you’re plunged into a deep depression? Ever walk along the street and see just the fragment of a shadow and find your stomach has leaped up into your chest? One of the most frustrating aspects of life after trauma is how your older brain regions (your reptilian and mammalian brains) so often hijack your human mind (the one that’s supposed to be in control) and create havoc. Today on “Changing Direction” Guy Oberwise from Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center joined me to discuss how to reduce anxiety and panic so that you reclaim control over how you feel, think and behave. We covered: 4 natural processes 3 supporting elements 1 major action 1 takeaway exercise Plus, we also covered tons of educational information about how to approach recovery and how to use a snippet from Dialectical Behavior Therapy to jumpstart your process. Later in the show I interviewed Rob Oliver about the body surfing accident that changed his life forever and how since then he's changed the direction of his life into something powerful, positive and proactive. About my guests: Guy is a licensed clinical social worker, specializing in the treatment of eating disorders, substance abuse recovery, and mood disorders. He graduated from Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Arts in clinical psychology and received his Master’s degree from Loyola University in Chicago in clinical and occupational psychology. He is a member of the National Association of Social Workers, the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals, and the International OCD Foundation. Guy oversees more than 20 primary therapists at Timberline Knolls who provide expert clinical treatment to adolescents and women. He provides clinical leadership and supervision for all four lodges. He specializes in mood and anxiety disorders and the treatment of OCD. As a member of the Timberline Knolls Clinical Development Institute, Guy offers presentations across the country on co-occurring disorders. Guy’s 20 plus years of broad-based background includes clinical and organizational psychology, business consultation, behavioral change management, and career development and training. Throughout his career, he has provided counseling and training within numerous schools, treatment centers, human resources departments and employee assistance programs on a variety of topics such as stress management, alcohol and drug addiction, drug free workplace, customer service, leadership development, self-esteem, depression and more. In August of 1993, Rob was paralyzed from the chest down as the result of a body surfing injury. At 21 years old, he was confronted with major life questions and decisions. How do the obstacles in my life affect me? Can I succeed in spite of personal limitations? What makes life meaningful? Rob took these questions to heart and began his work to develop a full and meaningful life. "You are responsible for your own life. The circumstances around you are things that may or may not change, it's your job to find the positive and relish that." Since his injury, Rob has accomplished what he sees as "everyone's goals". He went on to to complete his education with a Bachelors in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, followed by a Masters from Duquesne University. Rob married "the most wonderful woman in the world" and they have 7 year old triplets. (Everyone's goal might not be triplets, but the goal of marriage and having a family is pretty universal.) Today he is working full time. "We all have goals, we all have obstacles, we need to assess which will win in each of our lives. If you want to accomplish your goals, you're going to have to deal with the obstacles, but not be overcome by them." Find out more about Rob and his book, STILL WALKING, here.
