Dr. Nicole Davis, Clinical Psychology

02/26/2023

Always soaking up Arielle’s wisdom!

I’m so pleased to share that my article on EMDR and Somatic Psychology for Chronic Pain and Illness Has been published in the Go with That Magazine. Today I received my author copies in the mail. Here is a little bit of what is covered…
“Trauma interferes with the integration between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Developmental trauma interferes with the development of the corpus callosum, impairing the integration between the left and right hemispheres of the brain (Teicher & Samson, 2016). The right hemisphere is specialized for processing emotions and identifying threats, and the left hemisphere houses Broca’s area, which is involved with language and speech (Van der Kolk, 2015). When the two sides of the brain are not functioning as a cohesive unit, it becomes increasingly difficult for the individual to create a coherent narrative about their life experiences leading to a disorganized sense of self. Over time lack of hemispheric integration encapsulates the traumatic sensory information within the right brain. When functioning in isolation, the left hemisphere is more likely to isolate parts from the whole in a way that can create unnecessary analytical distance from our emotions, leading us to feel rigid and cut-off from ourselves or others…
Brain integration allows us to contextualize the individual events of our lives. The left brain uses language as a primary tool of understanding the world; however, when integrated with the right hemisphere we are better able to reflect upon our emotions and sensations to develop more realistic predictions for our future. Communication between the left and right hemispheres is necessary for creativity and allows us to apply new information in a meaningful way within our lives (McGilchrist, 2009). Because many of us have grown up in cultures that emphasize left hemisphere and upper-brain processing, we often need right-hemisphere and sensory-based interventions to facilitate balance…
EMDR is the invitation for the client to cultivate attentional flexibility. During reprocessing of traumatic memories, clients are invited to focus on specific images, thoughts, emotions, and sensations which activate left hemisphere processing. However, they are then invited to “trust the process” by attending to their experience with curiosity which broadens the attentional field to a more spacious perspective that invites right hemisphere processing. Throughout therapy, the client is invited to notice their present moment experience and report any new discoveries. The novelty is then integrated back into the left brain as the client is invited to discuss how this new information is relevant to the current circumstances and future goals.”

02/20/2023

03/12/2021

CAUTION ADVISED: this podcast contains mild bad language and themes of an adult nature. Today’s conversation is all about one of my favourite topics – compassion. But it’s not about compassion for others, it’s about compassion for ourselves and how this can lead to a happier and healthier li...

01/08/2021

Between coverage of COVID and the 2020 election alone I have easily logged dozens of hours of media-watching. And I am absolutely sure I am caught in an emotional and behavioral feedback loop …with anxiety at the wheel.
Here are my top five tips for what to do if you, too, are experiencing media-induced stress:
Mindfulness — Bring non-judgmental awareness to yourself in the moment. Practice observing your emotions and sensations, and use the describe skill to name what you notice. Gathering this data about what is here right now helps in various ways — it can shift attention to something other than the content of your thoughts, ground you in the present moment, and give you really good information about what to do next!
Rate your SUDs — an extension of mindfulness, giving your emotional experience an objective rating will help you to decide what other skills may best suit your needs in this moment.
Bringing intentional attention to my stress allowed me to see that I was feeling more stressed when I watched the news versus when I watched game shows … which helped me make the decision to limit my news intake to mostly written news instead of televised programming. You too can decide that limiting your media intake might help mitigate your stress, and instead of watching the news you can go for a walk outside, call a friend or otherwise distract with the pleasant activity of your choice.
Breathe. Whatever breath practice you prefer — square breathing, bringing mindfulness to the breath as it is, or the classic paced breathing — bringing attention to your breath can calm the nervous system and is one of my favorite strategies to manage stress of any kind!
Checking the facts can also help reduce stress that comes from watching the news. I know it is often hard to decipher what is true from what is opinion in the media these days, and it is even harder when the news content is about distressing topics. But checking the facts can still help us to identify any assumptions or interpretations we are making (beyond information we are provided) that may be leading to more intense feelings than may be warranted at this moment.
- Dr. Nikki Davis, PsyD, JD

12/22/2020

05/21/2020

Emotions aren’t Good or Bad
Our feelings are always valid.
Our emotions give us important information about situations. Check in with what your feelings may be trying to tell you and identify healthy responses to those emotions. If you are feeling anxious there may be a need for calmness. Remind yourself that you are safe and practice grounding techniques. If you are feeling sad there may be a need for interaction or accomplishment. Remind yourself that feelings aren’t permanent and acknowledge what you are grateful for.
💜💚💙Karen Moore, LCSW💙💚💜

05/15/2020

May is Mental Health Awareness Month!

Mental health issues can be overwhelming for both the individual and their loved ones. Keep these four suggestions in mind when having discussions with others about their mental health.

1. Listen to their experience without viewing it as right or wrong.
2. Resisting the urge to “fix it”, ask instead how you can be helpful.
3. Letting them know that you care and that they are not a burden.
4. Talking with them when you have time to listen without distraction.

Karen Moore, LCSW