Lynne Friedman-Gell, PhD

Our bodies and emotions are connected. Smiling helps, standing or sitting straight instead of slumped, placing a hand on your heart or giving yourself a hug are a few somatic resources. #somatictherapy#thebodykeepsthescore#traumaandbeyond

Stress-eating for comfort in a time of anxiety? Here’s how experts say you should deal. How can I prevent or limit emotional eating in this uncertain time? Alt...hough food makes us feel better by releasing dopamine and serotonin in our brains, Selhub said the effect wears off quickly. To stop emotional eating, she suggested doing a gut-check before you reach for a snack: Am I about to eat because I’m physically hungry, or because I feel stressed or sad? If the answer is the latter, Selhub said you should consider turning to other sources of comfort: breathing exercises, movement, spirituality, social interactions, hobbies or time in nature, among others. Stick to your normal eating schedule of two or three meals a day, even if your daily routine has changed, she said. Whether you’re alone or with other people, make it a ritual of nurturing that you’re nurturing yourself, that you’re fueling yourself, Selhub said. What if anxiety has the opposite effect on me and I struggle to eat enough? Although many people eat extra when they feel anxious, you may have trouble eating at all. Stress can trigger in your body an elevated physiological state as if you were facing an immediate danger, like early humans may have felt when being chased by a lion, Selhub said. To digest food properly, we need a relaxed digestive system, Minich said. Warm teas can help your body loosen up, while protein shakes and electrolyte packets provide energy. At the very least, Minich said you should drink a lot of water to stay hydrated. To return to regular eating patterns, though, she said it’s important to address the underlying stress, like by physically moving or doing a simple meditation. Ultimately, Minich said eating well heightens our sense of well-being, increases our curiosity and makes us happier. And I think this is the time that we need more well-being and happiness, she said. https://www.washingtonpost.com//stress-eating-comfort-ti/

The Trauma and Beyond team enjoying dinner ! with Joanne Barron and Terre Bridgham, Leslee Cook, and Celeste Mendelsohn and Clyde Blair (not in picture)

A great article differentiating PTSD from C-PTSD. Some of you might know that the ICD-11 was just released last month which has finally officially recognized C-PTSD (Complex-PTSD). This is really important! #NARM