[Music] I’m a clinical health psychologist and I
I’m a clinical health psychologist and I
I’m a clinical health psychologist and I specialize in treating combat related
specialize in treating combat related
specialize in treating combat related post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD I
post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD I
post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD I help people cope with the trauma of war
help people cope with the trauma of war
help people cope with the trauma of war trauma can have a big impact on the
trauma can have a big impact on the
trauma can have a big impact on the brain which comes out through thoughts
brain which comes out through thoughts
brain which comes out through thoughts emotions and behaviors with PTSD the
emotions and behaviors with PTSD the
emotions and behaviors with PTSD the nervous system is hijacked if a soldier
nervous system is hijacked if a soldier
nervous system is hijacked if a soldier survived a bombing the brain might say I
survived a bombing the brain might say I
survived a bombing the brain might say I will never let that happen again and may
will never let that happen again and may
will never let that happen again and may react to something back home like
react to something back home like
react to something back home like fireworks as if there’s a similar level
fireworks as if there’s a similar level
fireworks as if there’s a similar level of threat but there’s not logic is
of threat but there’s not logic is
of threat but there’s not logic is overridden and the survival brain is in
overridden and the survival brain is in
overridden and the survival brain is in control it’s very disruptive as a
control it’s very disruptive as a
control it’s very disruptive as a psychologist I’ve studied for years how
psychologist I’ve studied for years how
psychologist I’ve studied for years how to treat the effects of negative
to treat the effects of negative
to treat the effects of negative experiences and I’m currently working
experiences and I’m currently working
experiences and I’m currently working with the world’s largest Research
with the world’s largest Research
with the world’s largest Research Consortium for post-traumatic stress the
Consortium for post-traumatic stress the
Consortium for post-traumatic stress the bulk of my work and PTSD has been in
bulk of my work and PTSD has been in
bulk of my work and PTSD has been in using cognitive behavioral therapy which
using cognitive behavioral therapy which
using cognitive behavioral therapy which boils down to facing thoughts and facing
boils down to facing thoughts and facing
boils down to facing thoughts and facing fears to retrain the survival brain it’s
fears to retrain the survival brain it’s
fears to retrain the survival brain it’s very effective and it’s not just for
very effective and it’s not just for
very effective and it’s not just for PTSD it’s effective for many other
PTSD it’s effective for many other
PTSD it’s effective for many other issues as well the common thread for
issues as well the common thread for
issues as well the common thread for symptom improvement often comes down to
symptom improvement often comes down to
symptom improvement often comes down to one key thing do the opposite of what
one key thing do the opposite of what
one key thing do the opposite of what feels right get counterintuitive with
feels right get counterintuitive with
feels right get counterintuitive with depression getting active helps with
depression getting active helps with
depression getting active helps with insomnia getting out of bed and
insomnia getting out of bed and
insomnia getting out of bed and restricting sleep help and with anxious
restricting sleep help and with anxious
restricting sleep help and with anxious thoughts thinking positive is not the
thoughts thinking positive is not the
thoughts thinking positive is not the answer that would make too much sense
answer that would make too much sense
answer that would make too much sense the brain is so much more complicated
the brain is so much more complicated
the brain is so much more complicated than that
than that
than that getting counterintuitive means welcome
getting counterintuitive means welcome
getting counterintuitive means welcome the worst of the thoughts examine them
the worst of the thoughts examine them
the worst of the thoughts examine them feel the discomfort to move through them
feel the discomfort to move through them
feel the discomfort to move through them and make lasting change how many of you
and make lasting change how many of you
and make lasting change how many of you have ever had to give a presentation but
have ever had to give a presentation but
have ever had to give a presentation but anxiety made you want to quit
what about feeling nervous to drive
what about feeling nervous to drive after a car accident anxiety in
after a car accident anxiety in
after a car accident anxiety in situations like this is normal but doing
situations like this is normal but doing
situations like this is normal but doing what anxiety tells you to do
what anxiety tells you to do
what anxiety tells you to do the fear instincts what they tell you to
the fear instincts what they tell you to
the fear instincts what they tell you to do to quit or avoid creates a bad cycle
do to quit or avoid creates a bad cycle
do to quit or avoid creates a bad cycle getting counterintuitive to face
getting counterintuitive to face
getting counterintuitive to face discomfort helps us stay functioning and
discomfort helps us stay functioning and
discomfort helps us stay functioning and healthy one in four people will
healthy one in four people will
healthy one in four people will experience significant mental health
experience significant mental health
experience significant mental health issues and most of us struggle with
issues and most of us struggle with
issues and most of us struggle with something a little depression anxiety
something a little depression anxiety
something a little depression anxiety difficulties and relationships no one is
difficulties and relationships no one is
difficulties and relationships no one is immune to struggles I’ve treated the
immune to struggles I’ve treated the
immune to struggles I’ve treated the same symptoms in someone facing
same symptoms in someone facing
same symptoms in someone facing homelessness as I have in doctors and
homelessness as I have in doctors and
homelessness as I have in doctors and judges and I too have had to face my own
judges and I too have had to face my own
judges and I too have had to face my own mental health difficulties which is not
mental health difficulties which is not
mental health difficulties which is not what a psychologist usually talks about
what a psychologist usually talks about
what a psychologist usually talks about when I was 19 away at college I woke up
when I was 19 away at college I woke up
when I was 19 away at college I woke up in the middle of the night and there he
in the middle of the night and there he
in the middle of the night and there he was standing over me was a man a
was standing over me was a man a
was standing over me was a man a stranger in my apartment in my room with
stranger in my apartment in my room with
stranger in my apartment in my room with the door closed staring down at me I was
the door closed staring down at me I was
the door closed staring down at me I was confused and terrified and screamed
confused and terrified and screamed
confused and terrified and screamed think about that moment for a second
think about that moment for a second
think about that moment for a second what would you do your wife or your
what would you do your wife or your
what would you do your wife or your daughter when I screamed the intruder
daughter when I screamed the intruder
daughter when I screamed the intruder ran thankfully the police said that
ran thankfully the police said that
ran thankfully the police said that they’ve been trying to catch him and he
they’ve been trying to catch him and he
they’ve been trying to catch him and he had hurt other people so I was lucky for
had hurt other people so I was lucky for
had hurt other people so I was lucky for months I slept with a hammer under my
months I slept with a hammer under my
months I slept with a hammer under my pillow to cope but my true struggle laid
pillow to cope but my true struggle laid
pillow to cope but my true struggle laid dormant until years later during the
dormant until years later during the
dormant until years later during the high stress of graduate school when the
high stress of graduate school when the
high stress of graduate school when the trauma flooded back I began to have
trauma flooded back I began to have
trauma flooded back I began to have nightmares about this waking up I
nightmares about this waking up I
nightmares about this waking up I couldn’t tell what was reality versus a
couldn’t tell what was reality versus a
couldn’t tell what was reality versus a dream I felt unsafe sleeping in fact I
dream I felt unsafe sleeping in fact I
dream I felt unsafe sleeping in fact I wasn’t really sleeping I kept trying to
wasn’t really sleeping I kept trying to
wasn’t really sleeping I kept trying to make I kept wanting to make sure all the
make I kept wanting to make sure all the
make I kept wanting to make sure all the doors were locked and was even putting a
doors were locked and was even putting a
doors were locked and was even putting a chair in front of the door because it
chair in front of the door because it
chair in front of the door because it made me feel safer if someone were to
made me feel safer if someone were to
made me feel safer if someone were to break in maybe I would hear it and wake
break in maybe I would hear it and wake
break in maybe I would hear it and wake up this was starting to affect my daily
up this was starting to affect my daily
up this was starting to affect my daily life and the irony was I was spending my
life and the irony was I was spending my
life and the irony was I was spending my days helping others with post-traumatic
days helping others with post-traumatic
days helping others with post-traumatic stress and anxiety in my patients I
stress and anxiety in my patients I
stress and anxiety in my patients I began to see myself that was happening
began to see myself that was happening
began to see myself that was happening to me I realized that I was hijacked by
to me I realized that I was hijacked by
to me I realized that I was hijacked by my survival brain the real threat was in
my survival brain the real threat was in
my survival brain the real threat was in the
the
the past miles away I was living in a very
past miles away I was living in a very
past miles away I was living in a very locked insecure small building but the
locked insecure small building but the
locked insecure small building but the survival brain pays attention to threat
survival brain pays attention to threat
survival brain pays attention to threat and fear not logic and it was making me
and fear not logic and it was making me
and fear not logic and it was making me choose thoughts and actions that seemed
choose thoughts and actions that seemed
choose thoughts and actions that seemed like they were helping me manage my fear
like they were helping me manage my fear
like they were helping me manage my fear but they were only maintaining it what
but they were only maintaining it what
but they were only maintaining it what felt like managing was only maintaining
felt like managing was only maintaining
felt like managing was only maintaining I knew I had to break the cycle I knew I
I knew I had to break the cycle I knew I
I knew I had to break the cycle I knew I had to face my fears and stop responding
had to face my fears and stop responding
had to face my fears and stop responding to my brain survival instincts I had to
to my brain survival instincts I had to
to my brain survival instincts I had to get counterintuitive and so but
get counterintuitive and so but
get counterintuitive and so but grudgingly I began to go to bed with my
grudgingly I began to go to bed with my
grudgingly I began to go to bed with my front door unlocked unlocked it was
front door unlocked unlocked it was
front door unlocked unlocked it was terrifying and a huge struggle just as I
terrifying and a huge struggle just as I
terrifying and a huge struggle just as I guide my patients to do I took a deep
guide my patients to do I took a deep
guide my patients to do I took a deep look at my catastrophic thoughts and
look at my catastrophic thoughts and
look at my catastrophic thoughts and actively worked to put them into context
actively worked to put them into context
actively worked to put them into context after a couple of nights passed and
after a couple of nights passed and
after a couple of nights passed and nothing bad happened
nothing bad happened
nothing bad happened my survival brain started to learn that
my survival brain started to learn that
my survival brain started to learn that there wasn’t somebody outside my door
there wasn’t somebody outside my door
there wasn’t somebody outside my door just waiting for the chance to get in
just waiting for the chance to get in
just waiting for the chance to get in and the reality must be that I was safer
and the reality must be that I was safer
and the reality must be that I was safer than I thought my symptoms started to
than I thought my symptoms started to
than I thought my symptoms started to lift as my survival brain and nervous
lift as my survival brain and nervous
lift as my survival brain and nervous system chilled out through leaving the
system chilled out through leaving the
system chilled out through leaving the door unlocked and getting
door unlocked and getting
door unlocked and getting counter-intuitive I also unlocked myself
counter-intuitive I also unlocked myself
counter-intuitive I also unlocked myself from my anxious cycle we always need to
from my anxious cycle we always need to
from my anxious cycle we always need to lock our doors but it shouldn’t be
lock our doors but it shouldn’t be
lock our doors but it shouldn’t be something as attached to anxiety and
something as attached to anxiety and
something as attached to anxiety and fear when it is that’s a sign when you
fear when it is that’s a sign when you
fear when it is that’s a sign when you to make a change because it’s the
to make a change because it’s the
to make a change because it’s the anxiety that’s in control we aren’t we
anxiety that’s in control we aren’t we
anxiety that’s in control we aren’t we also need survival instincts and gut
also need survival instincts and gut
also need survival instincts and gut feelings can serve us well but if this
feelings can serve us well but if this
feelings can serve us well but if this threat isn’t immediate if there’s a
threat isn’t immediate if there’s a
threat isn’t immediate if there’s a certain negative emotion you just can’t
certain negative emotion you just can’t
certain negative emotion you just can’t shake or you notice yourself with the
shake or you notice yourself with the
shake or you notice yourself with the same old struggle yet again pay
same old struggle yet again pay
same old struggle yet again pay attention it’s here the trusting sneaky
attention it’s here the trusting sneaky
attention it’s here the trusting sneaky misplaced instinct maybe keeping a
misplaced instinct maybe keeping a
misplaced instinct maybe keeping a problem locked in how many of you
problem locked in how many of you
problem locked in how many of you whether you do it or not believe that
whether you do it or not believe that
whether you do it or not believe that physical exercise is important for
physical exercise is important for
physical exercise is important for health
health
health pretty much everyone because we know
pretty much everyone because we know
pretty much everyone because we know that it is would you agree that mental
that it is would you agree that mental
that it is would you agree that mental emotional well-being is also important
emotional well-being is also important
emotional well-being is also important for overall health of course it is and
for overall health of course it is and
for overall health of course it is and brain exercise can help us maintain
brain exercise can help us maintain
brain exercise can help us maintain it research shows that getting
it research shows that getting
it research shows that getting counterintuitive going against your own
counterintuitive going against your own
counterintuitive going against your own grain it helps flex the brain muscles or
grain it helps flex the brain muscles or
grain it helps flex the brain muscles or neural connections that help us stay
neural connections that help us stay
neural connections that help us stay balanced we can strengthen the area of
balanced we can strengthen the area of
balanced we can strengthen the area of the brain called the frontal lobe which
the brain called the frontal lobe which
the brain called the frontal lobe which is a key region in helping us maintain
is a key region in helping us maintain
is a key region in helping us maintain and control and regulate emotion
and control and regulate emotion
and control and regulate emotion attention and behavior doing exercise
attention and behavior doing exercise
attention and behavior doing exercise for your brain might be as small as not
for your brain might be as small as not
for your brain might be as small as not scratching an itch but simply observing
scratching an itch but simply observing
scratching an itch but simply observing it or as large as not running away from
it or as large as not running away from
it or as large as not running away from a situation out of fear but moving into
a situation out of fear but moving into
a situation out of fear but moving into it mindfulness is a great brain exercise
it mindfulness is a great brain exercise
it mindfulness is a great brain exercise it’s about just simply observing without
it’s about just simply observing without
it’s about just simply observing without judging or reacting you can do it
judging or reacting you can do it
judging or reacting you can do it anywhere I want you all right now
anywhere I want you all right now
anywhere I want you all right now to just simply notice what it’s like to
to just simply notice what it’s like to
to just simply notice what it’s like to be where you are listening noticing who
be where you are listening noticing who
be where you are listening noticing who or what is next to you around you and
or what is next to you around you and
or what is next to you around you and also notice what your next inhale feels
also notice what your next inhale feels
also notice what your next inhale feels like anchor yourself in this moment when
like anchor yourself in this moment when
like anchor yourself in this moment when you control your attention like that
you control your attention like that
you control your attention like that you’re exercising the frontal lobes you
you’re exercising the frontal lobes you
you’re exercising the frontal lobes you can be more aware of what emotion you’re
can be more aware of what emotion you’re
can be more aware of what emotion you’re experiencing and then also then act
experiencing and then also then act
experiencing and then also then act intentionally rather than automatically
intentionally rather than automatically
intentionally rather than automatically you can practice that at any point check
you can practice that at any point check
you can practice that at any point check in with yourself throughout the day
in with yourself throughout the day
in with yourself throughout the day noticing what emotion you’re
noticing what emotion you’re
noticing what emotion you’re experiencing and then how your actions
experiencing and then how your actions
experiencing and then how your actions might be guided by that if you’re
might be guided by that if you’re
might be guided by that if you’re feeling uncomfortable or nervous
feeling uncomfortable or nervous
feeling uncomfortable or nervous standing like this tends to reinforce
standing like this tends to reinforce
standing like this tends to reinforce that cycle and change how people act
that cycle and change how people act
that cycle and change how people act toward you if instead you stand like
toward you if instead you stand like
toward you if instead you stand like this you break your own cycle and can
this you break your own cycle and can
this you break your own cycle and can create a new reality how many of you
create a new reality how many of you
create a new reality how many of you have ever gotten angry in traffic don’t
have ever gotten angry in traffic don’t
have ever gotten angry in traffic don’t lie getting angry is normal but can be
lie getting angry is normal but can be
lie getting angry is normal but can be damaging if it’s happening consistently
damaging if it’s happening consistently
damaging if it’s happening consistently instead of allowing that instinct to
instead of allowing that instinct to
instead of allowing that instinct to rule your mood and affect your health
rule your mood and affect your health
rule your mood and affect your health notice the uprising frustration and then
notice the uprising frustration and then
notice the uprising frustration and then replace angry behavior which will only
replace angry behavior which will only
replace angry behavior which will only reinforce the frustration with the
reinforce the frustration with the
reinforce the frustration with the opposite welcomed the time in the car
opposite welcomed the time in the car
opposite welcomed the time in the car practice wishing others well find a
practice wishing others well find a
practice wishing others well find a podcast practice deep breathing or pick
podcast practice deep breathing or pick
podcast practice deep breathing or pick up the harmonica both hands on the wheel
up the harmonica both hands on the wheel
up the harmonica both hands on the wheel when the car is moving please
when the car is moving please
when the car is moving please getting counterintuitive can help not
getting counterintuitive can help not
getting counterintuitive can help not only us but also those around us when
only us but also those around us when
only us but also those around us when someone comes to us feeling bad and
someone comes to us feeling bad and
someone comes to us feeling bad and makes us feel bad and we want to change
makes us feel bad and we want to change
makes us feel bad and we want to change it to make it better but that’s a little
it to make it better but that’s a little
it to make it better but that’s a little bit of the survival brain sneaking in
bit of the survival brain sneaking in
bit of the survival brain sneaking in saying this is dangerous fix it getting
saying this is dangerous fix it getting
saying this is dangerous fix it getting counterintuitive might be to provide
counterintuitive might be to provide
counterintuitive might be to provide space for the struggle sit in the muck
space for the struggle sit in the muck
space for the struggle sit in the muck of it together research so is that
of it together research so is that
of it together research so is that simple human connection can be more
simple human connection can be more
simple human connection can be more healing than problem-solving or thinking
healing than problem-solving or thinking
healing than problem-solving or thinking positive we all answer to a similar
positive we all answer to a similar
positive we all answer to a similar brain and life can be tough am i right
brain and life can be tough am i right
brain and life can be tough am i right we will all have our struggles
we will all have our struggles
we will all have our struggles guaranteed these cycles are very
guaranteed these cycles are very
guaranteed these cycles are very complicated and getting professional
complicated and getting professional
complicated and getting professional help when it gets too much or better yet
help when it gets too much or better yet
help when it gets too much or better yet getting a head start before it gets that
getting a head start before it gets that
getting a head start before it gets that point is a great idea sometimes the
point is a great idea sometimes the
point is a great idea sometimes the counterintuitive approach is to simply
counterintuitive approach is to simply
counterintuitive approach is to simply acknowledge the struggle be open about
acknowledge the struggle be open about
acknowledge the struggle be open about it through being open about our own
it through being open about our own
it through being open about our own difficulties actively working on
difficulties actively working on
difficulties actively working on ourselves and practicing empathy toward
ourselves and practicing empathy toward
ourselves and practicing empathy toward others together we can better support
others together we can better support
others together we can better support the mental health of humanity my
the mental health of humanity my
the mental health of humanity my traumatic experience and getting
traumatic experience and getting
traumatic experience and getting counterintuitive changed my life and so
counterintuitive changed my life and so
counterintuitive changed my life and so has helping other people in this way I
has helping other people in this way I
has helping other people in this way I stand here today on this red dot as a
stand here today on this red dot as a
stand here today on this red dot as a clinical psychologist and also a fellow
clinical psychologist and also a fellow
clinical psychologist and also a fellow human who gets tripped up on my own
human who gets tripped up on my own
human who gets tripped up on my own brain to tell you that we all need to be
brain to tell you that we all need to be
brain to tell you that we all need to be thinking more counter-intuitively to
thinking more counter-intuitively to
thinking more counter-intuitively to stretch grow and break negative patterns
stretch grow and break negative patterns
stretch grow and break negative patterns so what do you struggle with what is one
so what do you struggle with what is one
so what do you struggle with what is one counterintuitive shift you can make
counterintuitive shift you can make
counterintuitive shift you can make today that will help you go against your
today that will help you go against your
today that will help you go against your grain a benefit of being human is that
grain a benefit of being human is that
grain a benefit of being human is that we can override our own biology to train
we can override our own biology to train
we can override our own biology to train the brain for a healthier state I
the brain for a healthier state I
the brain for a healthier state I challenge us all to step more into the
challenge us all to step more into the
challenge us all to step more into the counterintuitive life thank you
”
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