Answers at MyShrink...

Free Affirmations...are you using only half a brain?

Dr. Suzanne LaCombe — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

I never liked the idea of doing affirmations. It seemed to me silly to clutter my day with them. But I've done a 180 on this recently. Here's why.

Maybe you've done affirmations before and maybe they kinda worked. Well, here's a right brain approach to put affirmations back to work! You see, if you only use your "thought-based" left brain when you make an affirmation you're using only half a brain!

Bring on the "emotion-based" right brain and you'll supercharge your affirmations. You see, when you read or have a thought, you're in the left brain. Conversely, when you feel an emotion, or any body sensation actually, you're "in" the right brain.

But just to make it even easier to get started I've added something special. When you click the image box, look for your affirmation in the upper left corner. Then watch. As the image appears you'll be drawn into a positive feeling state--a right brain-based state.

It's the left brain shaking hands with the right brain! Cool eh!

BTW, the more you're into spirit, the more meaning your daily affirmation will have for you.

Is spirituality in the right brain?

Dr. Suzanne LaCombe — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

I've undergone four years of fairly intensive body psychotherapy. Intuitively, I feel that it's brought me closer to my spirituality, but I can never articulate exactly how. This video comes as close to explaining what I feel as anything I've ever seen!

What would happen if you lost the ability to speak, to walk, or remember who you are, but could experience the extraordinary creative power of the right brain directly?

Watch this amazing and inspiring video (19 mins) as neuroscientist Jill Bolte Taylor describes what happened when a tumor completely shut down her left brain and forced her into eight harrowing years of recovery.

"Can't think straight? Feeling flustered?"

Dr. Suzanne LaCombe — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Did you know there's a reason for your foggy-headedness? It just doesn't hit us out of the blue. You were "activated"!

I use the term "activation" (a term from somatic therapy) to describe the level of energetic arousal of our nervous system. We've all been "activated" in our lives...you can't be human and not have this experience.

But for some folks the state of high activation is chronic. They are much more likely to suffer from poor concentration and memory recall.

As a rule, the more grounded we are the less likely we will be activated--that is, unless we get triggered. As an illustration, thought you might enjoy this little vignette...

Boost your counseling between sessions.

Dr. Suzanne LaCombe — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Want to give your counseling a leg up? My bodyworker has been using Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) with me for over a year...and it's been a real eye-opener. I like the changes I've seen in myself.

EFT is a series of techniques based on the meridian system of acupuncture. Like acupuncture, EFT works on your body's energy system. There are virtually no side effects and it's fairly easy to learn.

In my opinion it's a good complement to your holistic therapy. Not to mention, the beginners level doesn't cost a thing. Download your free manual through the link below.

To learn more check out the free Emotional Freedom Technique video for a quick tour of a genuine mind-body-spirit approach to holistic health.

Not for the faint-hearted: "Act of Depression" lyrics.

Dr. Suzanne LaCombe — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

These "Act of Depression" lyrics I recently discovered can make for some pretty grim reading. But taking a second look, I think they capture how quickly our moods or states can change at any given moment.

The moral is that although we don't normally choose our moods, there is something we can do to assist the natural healing of our recovery.

Neuroscience reveals that the energies in the brain are in constant flux, like the ocean's tides. In other words our "states of being" shift-shape continually, but they're so subtle that we ordinarily don't notice.

So, to learn what you can do, here's "Act" one, Scene two...

Yawning after the holidays? Here's one explanation.

Dr. Suzanne LaCombe — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Did you find yourself yawning repeatedly in the weeks after the holidays? It's not surprising.

The holiday fervor keeps our autonomic nervous system "buzzing" to a level that's higher than at any other time of the year. The increased activation usually begins in November (when I receive the highest number of phone calls in my practice) and subsides in early January.

Once the holidays pass, a natural compensatory mechanism in the nervous system kicks our system back into balance. It does this by means of discharge. And, yawning is one form that discharge can take.

We never pay much notice to these automatic processes. If we did, we'd better understand our mood swings (and the post holiday blues) and be less prone to pathologizing them.

What few people know is that yawning in counseling is often a good sign. Find this hard to believe?

Triggered over the holidays?

Dr. Suzanne LaCombe — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Are you feeling hyper or a little wired by the holidays? I know I am! This time of year can evoke some nice highs but the holidays are often a mixed bag emotionally for many people...the constant get-togethers, gift buying and stimulation overload...

Actually, all this external activity and stimulation can't account for the frenetic energy and ambivalence many feel at this time of year. And it has to do with the natural functioning of memory in the brain.

Also, if you're feeling exhausted and maybe a little blue after the holidays, consider the possibility that what's got you worried isn't what you think. It may just be your nervous system taking a "compensatory" break.

So, just in case you missed it, in our latest issue of our newsletter, MyTherapyWorks you'll find more details and a few remedies for coping when you've been triggered over the holiday season.

Holistic healthcare...what's the difference?

Dr. Suzanne LaCombe — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

The word holistic gets thrown around a lot and sometimes without a clear sense of the meaning of the word. Sometimes the terms "eastern" and "western" are used to define it. But what does it mean on a practical level for your healthcare?

For instance, when you're coping with a health problem do you see a naturopath, or your physician? When does acupuncture offer more effective results? Or should you be seeing a homeopath?

I don't promise an clear cut answer to these often complicated questions, especially for those new to holistic approaches. However, I can draw from own experience and that of my clients to give you an idea how the differences might show up.

Need immediate help...is online counseling for you?

Dr. Suzanne LaCombe — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Not in counseling yet? Hey, I thought you'd get inspired by MyShrink. Well, maybe you're already in therapy or you've got the first appointment booked? ...well, if you still haven't got your feet wet, consider online counseling. It's easy. And, it's an email away.

I think online counseling is really beginning to take off. I know it's been around since the 90's but with new technology it's become a popular choice for more people than ever before. And the reasons seem obvious. Convenience and anonymity. Not to mention internet counseling is a good place to start when you're feeling unsure. And, when you feel ready you can move on to face-to-face therapy.

If cost is a concern you might be pleased to know the fees are often lower than face-to-face. I pulled together a list of fees from a random sample of representative websites that offer online counseling. If you have the option consider using video in your connection.

"Can't stand your boss?" Maybe you have authority issues.

Dr. Suzanne LaCombe — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Your comfort level with authority can affect the decisions you make in your life. When I was younger I chose a sales job with straight commission and no draw just so I could avoid having to deal with the "boss" as much as possible.

Maybe you can't stand your boss? Or maybe you have employees who are always bucking the system? The boss' use of power and our response to it reveal the degree to which we have issues with authority. It shows up in our own use of authority (with our kids, our clients, our customers) in addition to how we respond to authority figures.

What do you do if an employee is raising a ruckus and creating a bad working environment? How would you use your authority? Here's a MyShrink response to a real life situation posted by a user.