Traumtic events in life cause many reactions

An event may occur in our life for which we are totally unprepared – especially if it happens in childhood. A child may not have the experience base, vocabulary or analytical skills to understand and process the traumatic event. For everyone of any age, the aftermath of the event is the struggle to understand, accept and heal from the wounds that the event inflicted. The symptoms: flashbacks, intrusive memories, depression, intense anxiety, nightmares, dissociation, insomnia, rage and disruptions of normal life as we have known it seem bizarre – but they represent the path to healing and restoring some semblance of normalcy.

In the wake of recent events like the fires in Colorado and the natural gas line explosion in California, there is more proof that things happen in life we just don't see coming! "Many feel shocked, lost, anxious, and depressed... For many, the pain from their loss can be intense and unrelenting," says Katherine Shear, PhD of the US Dept of Veterans Affairs.

As a mental health professional for many years, I pulled from my experience in treating individuals and families with PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder, to create an extraordinary meditation audio. It is designed to assist the listener to release trapped trauma energy and restore balance and harmony to the mind and body. Listening to the audio recording repeatedly over time trains the body to relax, allowing the listener’s body to produce serotonin and endorphins naturally. Don’t wait a minute longer to start your recovery from PTSD!

Meditation allows kids to de-stress when times get crazy...

Stress is not a chronic condition confined to adults. Sadly, our most vulnerable population, children and teens, are also plagued by overwhelming demands on their time and attention. The age of innocence comes to a screeching halt, usually by the time children begin to attend school. Pressure and tension gradually accumulates until it erupts in the early teen years, manifesting as bullying, alcohol/substance abuse, promiscuity, depression, anxiety disorders, delinquency, plummeting grades, diminished motivation and even violence.

Children often find meditating easier than adults due to the fact that the prefrontal cortex of the brain has not fully matured. Their facile, creative brains quickly learn to customize images so they become more vividly reflections of their own internal guiding system. "Relaxation works for all ages," says Marcia Eckerd, Ph.D., attending faculty in the Department of Psychiatry at Norwalk Hospital. It may take the adult brain months to establish a body memory; often it is accomplished by a young brain in a matter of a few days.

As the mother of four grown daughters, I know first hand how stress can impact children. As a licensed professional counselor, I've worked with troubled youth in a residential setting and understand how desperate children and teens are for a sense of stability and feelings of self-empowerment and validation.

I've developed a series of meditation audios and specialized this recording to reach out to children and teens struggling to navigate the turbulent demands of growing up. In a time when "mental disorders affect nearly 12 percent of the world’s population – about 450 million or one out of every four people around the world.." as stated by the World Federation for Mental Health, isn't it time to ensure our children have the tools for staying healthy in body and mind?

Catching up on sleep this Labor Day?

Sleep doesn't work that way, you never catch up on what you've missed! It doesn't matter what your situation, nothing is more important to your health than a renewing, restorative night’s sleep.

Stress is rampant, worries about the economy, keeping your job if you have one, finding one if you don't, it goes on and on. As a result, insomnia is a national epidemic. Drug companies are banking billions of dollars making empty promises to help insomnia sufferers' with medications that are addicting, ineffective or have toxic side effects. Sleep is a natural process that is being corrupted by the excessive worries and stress that plague the majority of Americans today.

Ahhhh.... to sleep perchance to dream... Like Hamlet, you have some serious sleep problems. You don't expect to sleep tonight, much less to dream. You may begin feeling tense and anxious as bedtime approaches. You have learned to anticipate another restless, sleepless, frustrating night of tossing and turning, and wondering how you are going to function tomorrow with so little rest. No doubt, sleep deprivation is making you exhausted, cranky and careless. Fatigue is interfering with your work, your relationships, your health and most of all, your enjoyment of life.

Over the years in my counseling practice, I found some basic meditation strategies that can help create the restful night you seek. This powerful audio recording is designed to relax your body, and induce an alpha brain wave pattern that will guide you into a peaceful night's rest. It will allow your brain to focus on something soothing and healthy before you turn out the light tonight. Claim your right to a good night’s sleep today!