​Over the years, the words “trauma” and “Trauma Informed Care” have been used in various settings, including outpatient and inpatient. The sole purpose is to bring attention to the providers of a potential trauma history with the patient/client/family, so that the provider can respond accordingly. Recently, “Trauma Responsive Care” has been added to the mix, but to an outsider it may sound similar, if not the exact same as the other phrases being used. So what is “Trauma Responsive Care” exactly?

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Trauma Responsive Care has many components to it, so it’s best to break it down to the basics. This particular certification is offered through Finding Hope Consulting, LLC, which is a local consulting firm that specializes in Trauma Informed and Trauma Responsive trainings for professionals in various fields. The certification series utilizes neuroscience and resilience based interventions to rebuild neuronal networks that have been damaged by trauma and to assist people in healing from their trauma in order to lead resilient lives.
 
Mary Vicario is a Certified Trauma Specialist and founder of Finding Hope Consulting, LLC. She put together a curriculum that is based upon the ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences study) and included research from leading scientists in the field, including Drs. Bessel van der Kolk (author of The Body Keeps the Score), Gabor Mate (author of In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction), Dan Siegel, Louis Cozolino, Pat Ogden, Sandra Bloom, Stephen Porges and others.
 
What are ACEs and why are they so important? I’m glad you asked! As stated above, ACE stands for “Adverse Childhood Experiences” and laid the groundwork for the links between trauma in childhood and medical conditions, psychiatric problems, addiction, and/or other unsafe behaviors later in life. The study actually happened quite serendipitously; it resulted from a researcher (Vincent Felitti, head of Kaiser Permanente’s Department of Preventive Medicine in San Diego) noticing that about half of the participants in a weight loss program dropped out, despite being successful in losing weight. Upon further investigation, he noticed that a number of the participants also endured childhood sexual abuse. He conducted interviews with participants in this program and was able to uncover more links between childhood abuse and the various outcomes listed above. The results were remarkable. According to the CDC, the questions referred to the experiences that the respondents had during their first 18 years of life. They include emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, mother being treated violently, substance abuse in the household, mental illness in the household, divorce/separation of parents, a member of the household being incarcerated, emotional neglect and physical neglect (https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/acestudy/about.html).

The results of the study found that ACEs are frequent: according to the CDC website, “almost two thirds of the study participants reported at least one ACE and more than one in five reported three or more ACEs.” The research and its findings were officially published in 1998.
 
The study showed that the more ACEs that someone reported, the higher the risk of having co-occurring medical and psychiatric issues and behavioral problems. Problems such as chronic illnesses (cancer, diabetes), risky behaviors (alcohol and drug abuse), bodily injuries (TBI, fractures, burns), mental health issues (depression, anxiety, suicide, PTSD), maternal health issues (unintended pregnancies, pregnancy complications, fetal death), and infectious diseases (HIV,STDs)are some examples.
(https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/acestudy/about.html)

ccording to the TRCC handbook, research has identified additional stressors that could play a role in a person’s mental and physical development. These are called Compounding Adverse Toxic Stressors or CATS. These include poverty, war/community violence, witness to or experiencing violence (includes seeing abuse of siblings), bullying, homelessness, early childhood intrusive surgeries and discrimination (Garner et al, 2012). Some additional statistics show the affects of ACES without resilience based experiences to offset them (Vicario, 2019). They include:

• Four or more ACES result in a 1,350% increase in becoming a victim of opiate abuse.
• Six or more ACES result in a 4,600% increase in becoming a victim of opiate abuse.
• With or without smoking, individuals with an ACE score of 5 or greater have 2.6 times the risk of developing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) (Anda, 2008)
• Individuals with 7 or more ACEs have 5 times the risk of reporting hallucinations (Whitfield, 2005)
• Six or more ACEs in infancy, childhood, or adolescence shorten an individual’s life expectancy by almost 20 years (Brown, 2009).

Physical health effects were not cause by poor health habits. They were a result of organs that were damaged by the stress chemicals repeatedly released in connection with the adverse childhood experiences (Vicario, 2019).
 
Building upon this research and utilizing the need of “felt safety”, we begin to redefine what safety is and how someone can identify it within themselves. We also utilize techniques that assist the client in feeling safe in unpredictable situations, identifying Vagus Nerve responses and calming techniques, education surrounding the Limbic System and its purpose, and rebuilding their lives. This task is no small undertaking, but with validation and support from the appropriate people, healing can be a reality.
 
If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma, depression, anxiety or any other related issues, feel free to schedule an appointment with me! I’m happy to utilize TRCC interventions or any other interventions that will assist in ensuring your success.
 

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Compass Point Counseling Services, a mental health private practice, is partnering with Lee Side Wellness, a psychiatric practice, to bring comprehensive mental health and psychiatric services to a brand new location in Mason.

The new Mason location will open Monday, August 5th in a 1,600-square-foot located conveniently right off of interstate 71 at 3615 Socialville-Foster Rd, Mason, Ohio 45040.
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This partnership will allow a “one stop” comprehensive experience to our mutual clients who are looking for quality mental health care In addition to medication management as well as TMS treatment for chronic depression. Both mental health facilities are grounded in the core values that all people matter, are of sacred worth, and warrant the finest in mental health and psychiatric healthcare.

The office will open with 7 clinicians: Chrisha Anderson, Stephanie Baker, Debra Bruemmer, James Canfield, Geralyn Cleary, Mariah Goodwin and Dana Mcdonald. The new location will have 5 individual therapy rooms along with a large group therapy space.

Mindfulness has become a bit of a buzzword over the last few years. But just what does being mindful mean and how does it work?

In this guide, you'll learn why being mindful matters and how to practice the art of mindfulness. You'll discover how you can enjoy the rewards of being mindful by integrating it into your everyday life.We’ll also run through five quick mindfulness trainings you can practice at home.

Interested in learning more about mindfulness hands on with one of our Compass Point Clinicians? Charity Chaney offers her Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction to Improve Medical Outcomes. You can learn more about this group by clicking the "learn more" link below

This is for family/friends of people who have an addiction.  NOT the person with the addiction.  

Group Lead: Greg Pratt MSW,LISW-S has worked in the Mental Health Field in the Greater Cincinnati area for over eleven years.  He graduated from Thomas More College with a BA in Psychology and from the University of Kentucky with a Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW). He has worked with individuals and families struggling with a wide range of concerns and specific needs, including individuals with both mental health and substance use struggles.

$25 per group paid upfront at our Anderson Office or Dayton office

Frequency: Once a month for 12 months (in addition to standard weekly DBT groups)
Schedule: Monthly
Location: Anderson

This group is for anyone currently in DBT or recently graduated (within the last year) who would benefit from learning additional DBT skills specific to changing behaviors that they do not feel in control over yet.

These are additional skills that are covered more fully than in standard DBT.   By the end of the group, clients will have learned specific skills to help them to decrease their problem behaviors.

This group would be helpful for anyone currently in DBT who continues to struggle with controlling certain behaviors.

The group would especially be helpful for those with:
Problems over spending/ shopping
Treatment Resistant Depression
Eating Disorder behaviors 
Self-Harm behaviors
Drinking and Drug use
Gambling and other addictions. 

If interested, clients should speak to their Individual Therapist about a referral or discuss this in their DBT intake.  

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 Until recently, it was thought that sleep deprivation can only be the cause of mental health conditions over time. Recent research now however shows that it can be the other way around, that mental health conditions can actually cause sleep deprivation, where sleep issues are more prevalent with people who already have mental health issues. Research shows that through the practice of mindfulness, sleep quality can be improved for those who experience sleep disturbance due to mental illness like depression, anxiety, ADHD, and bipolar disorder.
 
More and more research is showing how mental health conditions can actually impact sleep. Harvard Medical School says that “chronic sleep problems affect 50% to 80% of patients in a typical psychiatric practice, compared with 10% to 18% of adults in the general U.S. population.”  According to NAMI, sleep problems can be a sign of an impending illness like bipolar disorder, and certain mental health conditions can be worsened by lack of sleep. NAMI says that more than one half of insomnia cases are related to depression, anxiety, or psychological stress. OCD, PTSD, ADHD, Schizophrenia, as well as substance abuse disorders are also each specifically associated with poor sleep. Both Harvard Medical School and NAMI recommend relaxation techniques, including deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and meditation to increase mindfulness. This mindfulness exercises reduce anxiety and help people feel aware and present in their bodies so they can sleep.
 
There are a number of benefits to such relaxation techniques used to achieve mindfulness that aids sleep. Mindfulness and meditation help in three major ways with regard to sleep problems that can be caused by mental illness:

• Mindfulness and meditation combat stress through training your body to elicit the relaxation response. Chronic stress leads to a fight or flight response when you are trying to sleep, where high cortisol levels make it impossible to sleep. Mindfulness and meditation help reduce high cortisol levels so your body is capable of sleeping.
• Mindfulness and meditation strengthen different regions of the brain through having a direct impact on neural structure and functioning, including the part of the brain responsible for REM sleep.
• Mindfulness and meditation increase melatonin levels as well. Research shows a link between meditation before bed and increased amounts of melatonin, the chemical that makes your sleep possible.

 
In combination with the relaxation techniques that NAMI and Harvard Medical School recommends to limit the effects on sleep caused by mental health conditions, consider your overall bedroom environment and how it contributes to mindfulness and serenity. Consider your sleep space as well, where you invest in the right bedding and mattress for you. Once your sleep space and environment are ideal, focus on one or more specific meditation techniques to practice before bed. It may take time for meditation to work, so be patient with yourself and remember that self compassion isn’t selfish!

To learn more about mindfulness and the positive effects it can have on your body, join our Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Group. The group will meet weekly for 9 weeks and include a time of teaching and a time of practicing techniques. There is daily homework that is essential to getting the most out of the group.

MBSR Group
​Cost: $240 Private Pay
Meets weekly in Fairfield for 9 weeks from 4-6pm
Each group is 2 hours long, There is also an 7 hour session between weeks 5 and 6 for a total of 25 hours
Presenter: Charity Chaney

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​Anxiety comes in many forms, from the general worry that comes from everyday life to the intense fear caused by major psychiatric disorders. As debilitating as anxiety can be to our mental and physical health, it’s also corrosive to our quality of sleep—whether you’re a college student pulling an all-nighter or a veteran jolted awake from a nightmare caused by PTSD. This guide covers how anxiety and sleep are interrelated, change with age, and what you can do to improve both.
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Anxiety and Sleep
Nearly 40 million people in the US experience an anxiety disorder in any given year. More than 40 million Americans also suffer from chronic, long-term sleep disorders. Those numbers aren’t a coincidence. Anxiety and sleep are intimately connected: The less sleep you get, the more anxious you feel. The more anxious you feel, the less sleep you get. It’s a cycle many insomnia and anxiety sufferers find hard to break.

Common anxiety symptoms like restlessness, increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and gastrointestinal (GI) problems make it difficult to fall asleep.
Because insomnia and anxiety are so closely linked, one of the first steps in treatment is to determine which is causing the other — that is, which is the primary cause and which is the secondary symptom. “Sometimes, insomnia is secondary,” says psychotherapist Brooke Sprowl, “in that it is caused by another primary disorder such as depression, anxiety, or a medical condition. In this case, usually treating the primary disorder [improves] the insomnia.”
Whether insomnia is the primary or secondary cause, natural remedies like magnesium glycinate and melatonin have been shown to help with sleep, says Sprowl. Non-medication treatments like cognitive behavior therapy along with good sleep hygiene are also effective at combating insomnia and anxiety.
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Health Risks of Insomnia
Insomnia affects cognitive functions and cripples school and work performance. According to one study, 70% of college students with lower GPAs also had difficulty falling asleep. Insomnia also slows reaction times, raising the risks of driving a car or operating heavy machinery.
Sleep deprivation is also bad for your physical health, increasing your risk for developing high blood pressure and heart disease. And long-term sleep disruptions may even raise the risk of some forms of cancer.

Common Sleep Disorders
There are many forms of sleep disorder besides insomnia. All interrupt sleep, threaten our health, and increase nervousness and stress. Here are a few common ones:
Delayed Sleep Phase SyndromeAnyone who has changed time zones or experienced “jet lag” understands the effects of delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS). When your sleep and wake cycles don’t align with the current time zone, you feel groggy when you shouldn’t.
While these symptoms are temporary for most, people with DSPS stay out of sync for long stretches of time, negatively affecting their work and activities. Because people with DSPS are forced to conform to the external clock rather than their internal one, they suffer from lack of sleep and increased anxiety.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea is when a sleeper’s relaxed airways close and obstruct breathing. Interrupted breathing episodes occur numerous times during sleep and are usually accompanied by snoring.

Obstructed airways result in lowered oxygen levels and increased carbon dioxide in the blood. Sufferers are often unaware they have the condition. Sleep apnea increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. Sleep studies are required to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea.

Forms of Anxiety
How do you know if you have garden-variety nervousness or a more serious anxiety disorder? Usually, the difference is how significantly your anxiety affects your life.
For someone at a party who doesn’t know anyone, a certain level of anxiety is normal. However, if their anxiety is interfering with daily activities (e.g. making friends, school work, job performance), They may have a serious anxiety disorder.Whether social nervousness or a serious phobia, every form of anxiety will affect your quality of sleep if it goes on long enough. Below are descriptions of the five major anxiety disorders. If you think you may have one, consult your physician or therapist about diagnosis and treatment.

​If you’re like many people, you spend a good deal of energy and time beating yourself up! You may frequently engage in an internal monologue about how lame it was for you to have said something or how you’re not successful enough, or not good looking enough. This toxic internal self-speak merely adds to your troubles. Self-compassion, on the other hand, helps us build resilience to difficulties that have the potential to sink us into a state of self-defeat. When we make mistakes or experience a rough day, having self-compassion allows us to get back in the game and try again, rather than being swallowed by a self-centered swamp of self-pity.  
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​What Exactly Is Self-Compassion?
Self-compassion is the antidote to self-deprecation. Sadly, many people put themselves down with self-loathing comments. In the movie Annie Hall, Woody Allen plays a character named Alvy who says, “I would never want to belong to any club that would have someone like me for a member.” Some people think putting themselves down is cool, funny or charming. In Self Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind, renowned self-compassion advocate, psychologist, professor and speaker, Kristin Neff, Ph.D., promotes a very different message. Neff explains that self-compassion is a must in today’s day and age. She states that it is very different from selfishness. Neff says self-compassion is comprised of three distinct ingredients: mindfulness, empathy and connection.

Mindfulness
By now, you have likely heard the word Mindfulness a few hundred times. It is quite the buzzword these days! But what exactly does it mean to be mindful and how does mindfulness relate to self-compassion? Mindfulness means being aware of what is. It does not require changing anything. Rather, mindfulness means paying attention to or drawing our awareness to our own thoughts, feelings, reactions, emotions or surroundings, in the moment. Sounds simple, right? Well, not so much because we often go through life reacting without thinking. Have you ever driven to work and then wondered how you got there or not remembered anything about the drive itself? Often, we ruminate about something that occurred in the past or worry about something that could occur in the future, so much that we have little awareness of what is occurring right here and now, in front of us. Mindfulness draws us in to notice and become more aware of what is--a requirement of having self-compassion. You cannot have self-compassion if you are not mindful of what is.  

Empathy
The second ingredient of self-compassion is empathy. When we have self-compassion, we treat ourselves with the same empathy that we would a good friend. Why must we be quick to forgive our friends when they make an honest mistake but we hold ourselves to such high demands that we cannot do the same for ourselves? We are only human, after all. We pride ourselves on being empathetic to others’ needs, treating others with kindness and love, just as we should. Yet, at the same time, when it comes to how we treat ourselves, we are downright relentless. What would happen if we gave ourselves the same sort of empathy that we provide so freely to others? How might that change the way we operate in our daily lives? I believe we would feel calmer, cared for, happier and more peaceful.    

Connection
Neff describes the third and final ingredient of self-compassion as connection or connectedness to others. When we notice our connection with others and appreciate that we’re all human and “we’re all in this together,” it makes facing life’s challenges more tolerable. Conversely, when we believe that we are the only ones in the world with a particular difficulty, we become self-absorbed, we isolate ourselves further, and we pity ourselves. In effect, we become more selfish and self-centered. Whereas, when we feel a connection with those around us, we have confidence that everything will turn out ok—that others face this difficulty too and if we can’t tackle it by ourselves, we know people who have already faced a similar challenge who can help us.

Take Care of Yourself So You Can Take Care of Others
I attended a workshop about a year ago led by Neff who instructed participants to think of the video that airlines show passengers before taking flight on an airplane. The video instructs you to first place an oxygen mask on your own face before helping others with their oxygen masks because if you cannot breathe, you cannot possibly help anyone else. Similarly, when we practice self-compassion, we are better equipped to help those around us. Without adequate self-compassion, we sink into self-absorption, making it more difficult to support others.
This is the distinction between self-compassion and selfishness. It is with mindfulness, empathy toward ourselves, and the recognition that we are all in this thing called life together, that we can practice self-compassion, and more effectively help ourselves and each other. This recipe can be difficult to follow but if you keep at it, the end result can bring you more satisfaction in life.

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REBECCA MORRA, MA, LPC ​

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​So, first things first, why expand “the talk” to your child beyond giving them a book, showing them a video, or describing anatomy without further explanation? As a sex therapist, the majority of my clients come in feeling embarrassed to talk about sex or have a lot of misconceptions about it as adults because no one ever talked to them about it. Many people were raised with the underlying message that sex is awkward, taboo, or shameful to talk about – some were fortunate enough to have parents that were a bit more open to talking about it, but may still have only learned about anatomy, and not much else otherwise.

​By closing off our kids from talking about sex, we’re modeling the notion that there’s something inherently wrong with sex – that it needs to be hidden and can only be discussed with our partner. The problem with this is that as adults, most people have no one to turn to when they’re experiencing sexual difficulties. Forget about talking to a friend, co-worker, spiritual leader, etc. – most people just avoid the topic. And if the doctor doesn’t bring it up (which they probably won’t since they too feel awkward talking about sex), who can one turn to for guidance and advice? Porn? The industry that takes sex and scripts and edits it to look more like a movie than real life? I don’t think so. While porn might teach a technique or two, it doesn’t address issues such as pain, dysfunction, lack of desire, etc. Therefore, by setting a new trend and talking to your child about sex, you’re setting them and society up for better sex education and therefore better sexual health.

            So, when is the best time to start talking to your child about sex? The reality is, as early as possible, so that it never becomes a taboo topic in your home. Teach your child from an early age to label their anatomy properly. Teach girls the difference between vulva and vagina and let boys know about their penis and how sometimes it might grow, and that’s normal! Also, teach your children from an early age about consent. Rather than forcing hugs, kisses, or tickles, ask them if it’s okay to give them a hug, or ask them if they’d like to give Grandma a kiss. Teaching them from an early age that it’s okay to say “no” will help give them a voice early on to advocate for their own rights when it comes to their bodies. This is important not only for lessening any potential shame around sex and our bodies, but it’s also very important in the court of law. There have been cases where a perpetrator did not receive a full conviction because the child didn’t know how to describe the assault that happened to them, since they didn’t know how to properly label their body parts. And while this is an extreme example, it highlights the importance of teaching children proper anatomy and consent.

            As children get older, continue to have the conversation about sex. Answer questions honestly and make yourself available as someone to talk to. If you catch your child self-pleasuring, rather than yelling, smacking hands, shaming, etc., provide a gentle tone and have a discussion with them in private and set the standard that you and your household value. If your values indicate that self-pleasure is not okay, calmly explain to your child why without including shame messages. If your values align more with self-pleasure being acceptable, try explaining to your child that it’s fine for them to do it, but in the privacy of their own room, etc. It’s natural for children to explore their bodies, including their genitals as they age. It’s very likely that at a young age, they will discover masturbation and experiment with it. However, by addressing it in a way that reduces shame through a gentle tone and explanation (rather than just telling them “no” or “don’t do that in public!” ), they are much more likely to be open to coming to you when sexual issues arise. In addition, shame around their body and their natural desires will be much lower.

            Into adolescent and teen years, continue having the conversation. Explain to them about puberty changes so it doesn’t come as a shock when their bodies begin to change. You can give them a “welcome to puberty” package (razor, shaving cream, deodorant, tampons, pads, etc.) and let them know they can come to you with any questions they have about these changes. Make sure you explain to your kids not only the physical repercussions of sex (some potential side effects such as pregnancy, STIs, potential physical enjoyment, etc.) but also the emotional side effects (potential feelings of joy, connectedness, sadness, shame, etc. depending on the outcome of their experience) and again, that they can come to you to process any of these feelings/outcomes. Check and see if your child has a mentor with whom they’re comfortable talking about sex in case they still feel awkward talking about it with you.

            While there is plenty of other information to be considered regarding the sex talk, the biggest highlights are these:

1. Get comfortable with it yourself. If your kids see that you’re feeling shameful/embarrassed about sex, they’re likely going to feel that way too. That might mean that you practice giving “the talk” to yourself first in the mirror, or practice saying the proper anatomical parts out loud by yourself or with your partner.
2. Be open and reduce shame-based messages as much as possible. By showing your kids that sex isn’t something they need to keep hidden and that you’re a safe person to talk to about it, they will hopefully come away with less shame around sex and be more open to discussing any difficulties they’re having in the future.
3. Explain the reasons behind any values that your family has about sex. Kids are less likely to push the boundaries if they understand why they’re in place. If you simply tell them “because I said so,” they’re probably going to try and figure out the why on their own, versus if they had a clear understanding of why something is on- or off-limits.

 
By being open with your kids about sex and their bodies, the hope is that in the future they will experience less shame and be more empowered with making their own decisions regarding their choices. No matter what phase of life they are in right now, it’s never too late to have the talk. You’ve got this!