What to Do When You're Triggered: 25 Tips From an EMDR Therapist

We all get triggered. Literally everyone. We find ourselves reacting strongly to something, and it makes us super-anxious, angry, or overwhelmed. I’m sure you know the feeling… your heart starts racing, you can’t think of anything else… it’s like tunnel vision. So what can you do to quickly recover, so it doesn’t wreck your day? It’s a question that comes up so often in EMDR therapy. In this post are 25 easy, practical methods for you to use right away. And better yet, they’re science-based and brain-based. Have at it!

mindfulness, traumaAndrew KushnickMarch 25, 2024anxiety, brain, compassion, EMDR, window of tolerance, self-help, neuroscience, stress

In a Time of Layoffs, Solutions from a Therapist for Tech

From front-end to back-end, from C-level to entry-level programmers, tech workers are worried. And understandably so. Layoffs are still happening, and it’s leading to anxiety, along with longer hours, concerns about whether to look for a new job, and burnout. I recently appeared on a podcast called “The Mental Balance,” in which I offered solutions on how to cope, whether all of this constitutes trauma, and common mental health concerns in the tech world.

techies, traumaAndrew KushnickJune 22, 2023anxiety, brain, EMDR, mindfulness, technology, self-help, trauma, neuroscience, stress

“Isn’t It Ironic?” Overcome Ironic Processes to Focus, Improve Sleep, and Heal Trauma.

We all have thoughts that trouble us. Rehashing conversations we’ve had. Feeling badly about ourselves. Worrying about things. The more we try to not think those thoughts, have those emotions, etc., the more they keep coming back. Especially when we’ve been through painful stuff. It’s called “ironic processes of the mind.” The good news: there are ways to overcome this.

mindfulness, traumaAndrew KushnickDecember 14, 2022anxiety, brain, change, depression, EMDR, mindfulness, self-help, self-critic, neuroscience, trauma

What Is Trauma Really? We Misunderstand It, and You’ve Probably Experienced It.

Trauma goes well beyond what we think it is. Unfortunately, when early caregivers are distracted or anxious, or make their child feel badly about emotions that happen naturally, it registers in the brain as traumatic. This leads to patterns that negatively affect us in our relationships, in our work, and in our daily functioning. In this post, we explore things that you wouldn’t expect to be trauma, and what you can do about it.