 As a psychotherapist who regularly uses Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy (EMDR) to help people with anxiety, depression, relationship conflict, and trauma, people often ask me why EMDR works.
When you attend an EMDR therapy session, eventually (after preliminary work) we will identify target memories that relate to your current difficulties. For example, from a young age you might have formed the belief that you are ‘unsafe’ or ‘unlovable’, or you might carry around an overwhelming sense of shame or abandonment. Focusing on a target memory, we will guide your eyes laterally (left and right, rather than vertically, up and down). This process helps to quieten your amygdala (your brain’s alarm system) in relation to that target memory, and the triggering belief or emotion. Why do we know this works? Because research shows that when we walk or otherwise move forward, and things move past us, this causes our eyes to move laterally, and thus quietens our amygdala. So the lateral eye movements in EMDR replicates the brain’s natural ability to quieten the amygdala. But that is not all… When you are triggered, or experience a threat (whether that is in the present, or a distressing memory of a past event), you might fight, flee, or freeze. According to research, the part of your brain that is responsible for the fight response, or “forward confrontation”, is linked to the dopamine reward pathway (and this plays a big part in us experiencing pleasure). Faced with a threat, when we move forward in a safe way, we suppress the amygdala, and we send signals to the dopamine reward centers of our brain to reward us for forward effort. So in the face of a threat, a sense of forward action will help, and that can be replicated through the use of the lateral eye movements in EMDR - the brain thinks you are moving forward, and this suppresses the fear/alarm system of the amygdala, and it also rewards you through the production of dopamine. EMDR delivered to the comfort of your home When the pandemic hit, we were all required to use an online format to deliver EMDR therapy. I use a HIPAA compliant portal to meet you online; we still get to face each other, and use the EMDR protocol effectively, and the only difference is that we face each other on a video screen, rather than sit with each other in an office. The benefit is that you can benefit from therapy in the comfort of your home, and you can schedule your sessions with more ease (cutting out any travel time). This has worked extremely well with my clients, and therapists have been using this format long before the pandemic. Here is some research to support the use of EMDR in a virtual setting -
I hope you found this as interesting as I did! If you have any questions, get in touch. Chris Warren-Dickins LLB MA LPC Explore Transform LLC Counseling and Psychotherapy in Bergen County, New Jersey www.exploretransform.com +1 (201) 779-6917 #EMDR, #FindanEMDRtherapist, #EMDRTherapy, #EMDRTherapist, #TraumaTherapy, #FindATraumaTherapist, #HealingFromTrauma, #FindATherapist, #ridgewood, #BergenCounty, #NewJersey, #teletherapy, #FindACounselor, #Counseling, #Psychotherapy, #psychology, #MentalHealth, #Depression, #Anxiety, #Trauma, #Stress  Panic attacks are terrifying and debilitating. You cannot breathe, your head spins, your limbs are buzzing with energy, and you are sweating like a pig. At the time you believe that you are going to die, but you don’t. You are sure that you have something physically wrong with you (perhaps your heart or lungs), but the doctors can find no cause for all of this.
Without any explanation for this, you start to do some of the following things -
Each time you look back and realize that this is your mind playing tricks with you, rather than a serious physical health concern. But there is hope for change. With a bit of guidance, we can help you to -
To plan for the next panic attack, here are some things to consider -
Panic attacks are scary at the time, but they do not have to rule your life. There are simple tools for you to use and regain control of your life, and if these do not help, there are treatments such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy) that can help. Either way, you do not have to continue to struggle. Contact use today. Chris Warren-Dickins LLB MA LPC Explore Transform LLC Counseling and Psychotherapy in Bergen County, New Jersey www.exploretransform.com +1 (201) 779-6917 #PanicAttacks, #PanicDisorder, #Anxiety, #Stress, #FindATherapist, #ridgewood, #BergenCounty, #NewJersey, #teletherapy, #FindACounselor, #Counseling, #Psychotherapy, #MentalHealth  More and more people are experiencing burnout. I do not need to point to the contributing factors, you just have to turn on the news, but I do need to point out the significance of burnout to the way your brain functions.
You can recognize burnout via a whole range of symptoms, and these are just some for you to think about: An apathy for the things that you once cared about, a sense of exhaustion, and an overall negative outlook. Why you should care about burnout There is a worrying trend amongst some to wear burnout as a badge of honor. They confuse the terms ‘grit and resilience’ with ‘burnout’, and so they shut off the warning signs that tell you that you need to rest. Eventually, you will cause harm to your mind and body, and ultimately this has a negative impact on all the things that you hold dear. Burnout should be taken more seriously because research shows that it can thin the gray matter of your prefrontal cortex (the part of your brain that is responsible for important functions such as reasoning and decision-making), and it can enlarge the amygdala (the brain’s alarm system). As a result, our alarm system goes into overdrive, sensing threat when there is none, and we are less able to mediate this heightened state with cool, calming reason. When our amygdala is in overdrive, this activates the sympathetic nervous system, our ‘fight-or-flight’ response, and this can lead to excess production of cortisol (the stress hormone). There is plenty of research to show the health implications for excessive cortisol levels, including increased blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. What you can do Any attempts to calm the amygdala will help to reduce burnout. This can be tackled on a couple of different fronts – your body, by activating your parasympathetic nervous system (your natural rest and digest state), and your thought process, by challenging the short-circuited thought patterns that lead to these heightened states of stress. In terms of your parasympathetic nervous system, you can activate this through various different methods, including simple breathing exercises or calming visualizations. I have set out some exercises on this page, so try each and start to repeat (on a daily basis) the ones you enjoy. In terms of your short-circuited thought patterns, try to watch for assumptions or beliefs that might trigger the amygdala. For example, you have been working late and you see your boss talking to HR. By assuming that they are talking about you, you are personalizing the situations and jumping to conclusions. They could be talking about a whole range of issues other than you. You are also catastrophizing, because even if they are talking about you, you are assuming it will lead to something bad, such as losing your job. You need to calm your mind by looking for evidence against this, such as a recent positive performance review, or the fact that the Great Resignation has left companies currently desperate to keep their employees. A key component to all of this is to adopt a compassionate tone to your self-talk. Throughout my years as a psychotherapist, I have found this to be one of the most underrated factors in recovery from burnout. When we judge ourselves, we end up feeling even more alienated, and this serves to worsen the symptoms of burnout. The first step to recovery is to recognize how much pressure we have been experiencing, and adopt a kind, compassionate voice, talking to ourselves as if we were talking to a young child. When we can direct compassion inwards, we are in a better position to then direct that compassion outwards, and learn to connect with, and help, other people. There is no better antidote to the cynicism and apathy that burnout can create than recognizing some sort of good that we have thrown out into this challenging world. If you need more support with this, contact us today. Chris Warren-Dickins LLB MA LPC Explore Transform LLC Counseling and Psychotherapy in Bergen County, New Jersey www.exploretransform.com +1 (201) 779-6917 #Burnout, #anxiety, #stress, #panic, #MentalHealth, #FindATherapist, #ridgewood, #BergenCounty, #NewJersey, #teletherapy, #FindACounselor, #Counseling, #Psychotherapy, #Depression  We need safety. Without feeling safe, our nervous system activates protective responses (we become over-activated or under-activated, we become anxious or shut-down). When these protective responses are activated, it is hard to connect to others, to stay focused on conversations, to become intimate, and to trust others.
It can really help when we understand that our responses, in body and mind, are because we are hard-wired to respond that way. If we cannot sense safety in our environment, it is inevitable that we will try to fight or flee the danger, and if we cannot escape, we will shut-down, so we do not feel the full force of that danger. What I am explaining has been conceptualized by Dr Stephen Porges as a sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and a dorsal vagal response (shut-down). According to Polyvagal Theory (Dr Stephen Porges), depression is a dorsal vagal response, and anxiety is a sympathetic response. Depression is under-activation or hypo-activation, and anxiety is over-activation or hyper-activation. Only when we sense safety can we connect with others. This makes sense because we are hardly going to have a chat with a friend, make love, or watch a favorite movie if fear that we are in mortal danger. The trouble is, when we have experienced trauma, the slightest smell, sound, touch, or image can activate these protective responses. When you work with a trauma therapist who uses Polyvagal Theory, they will help you to identify your own nervous system, and when you have been in a shutdown (dorsal vagal) state, when you have been hyperaroused (a sympathetic state), and when you have been in a more connected, ventral vagal state. For example, when you are in the sympathetic state, you might notice that you talk quickly or have racing thoughts, or you feel more angry. In the dorsal vagal state, you might notice that you are sleepy or blank-minded, or your breathing is slow, and in the ventral vagal state, you might feel warm, contented, or peaceful. Some therapists like the analogy of your nervous system as a ladder; at the top is the ventral vagal state, the most evolved. This is when we feel connected to ourselves and others, and it is only activated when we feel safe. The vagus nerve runs up from the brain down to the abdomen, so breathing and tapping exercises are helpful to activate this nerve. Some have even referred to the vagus nerve as the compassion nerve. At the middle of the ladder is the less evolved sympathetic state of fight or flight, and then at the bottom, the least evolved part, is the shutdown dorsal vagal state. Once you have identified your differing states, it can be useful to complete the following sentences for each state (whether that is dorsal vagal state, sympathetic state, or ventral vagal state): When I am in this state, I am…. And When I am in this state, the world is… Your trauma therapist will also help you to move out of a shutdown (dorsal vagal) or hyperaroused (sympathetic) state into a more connected, ventral vagal state. For example, they might help you to remember a moment when you felt safe and calm, and they will encourage you to bring this moment back using an image of that memory. If you cannot find such a time, your therapist might help you to create one. Some people even find the visualization of a certain color calming. Trauma work is not just about the client. The therapist needs to be attuned to your state (whether it is shut-down, activated, or calm), but that therapist also needs to identify their own state. This is why, unlike many other professionals, experienced trauma therapists truly practice what they preach; they do the work and become attuned to their own body and mind by doing many of the things that they might suggest for you to try in therapy. For example, they engage in mindfulness exercises, breathing and grounding exercises, and they engage in their own extensive personal therapy. I hope you found this useful. Please reach out if you would like to explore this further. Chris Warren-Dickins LLB MA LPC Explore Transform LLC Counseling and Psychotherapy in Bergen County, New Jersey www.exploretransform.com +1 (201) 779-6917 #EMDR, #FindanEMDRtherapist, #Polyvagal, #PolyvagalTherapist, #EMDRTherapy, #EMDRTherapist, #TraumaTherapy, #FindATraumaTherapist, #HealingFromTrauma, #FindATherapist, #ridgewood, #BergenCounty, #NewJersey, #teletherapy, #FindACounselor, #Counseling, #Psychotherapy, #MentalHealth, #Depression, #Anxiety, #Trauma, #Stress  Ever heard of the ‘tyranny of the shoulds’ ? Psychoanalyst Karen Horney coined the phrase, and it is an unhelpful thought pattern that we can all end up using if we are not careful. We have ideas about how we should (or must) live, and how others should respond to us, and how society as a whole should be. When our expectations do not match reality, and we hold on too tightly to these shoulds, we can end up alienating others because we appear like a petulant child making impossible demands. Alternatively, if we stay silent about how we think things should be, we can end up feeling like we have been taken advantage of, which can leave us feeling devalued. Either way, our depression intensifies.
So what can we do about this?
I hope you find this helpful. If you need more support, or you have any questions, get in contact. Chris Warren-Dickins LLB MA LPC Explore Transform LLC Counseling and Psychotherapy in Bergen County, New Jersey www.exploretransform.com +1 (201) 779-6917 #CBT, #ThoughtPatterns, #EmotionRegulation, #CBTTherapist, #FindACBT Therapist, #FindATherapist, #Ridgewood, #BergenCounty, #NewJersey, #Teletherapy, #FindACounselor, #Counseling, #Psychotherapy, #MentalHealth, #Depression, #Anxiety, #Trauma, #Stress  It is great to work with clients and see how they heal and grow. Unlike other professions, I cannot share any positive feedback from clients but I can share with you some of the kind words offered by my colleagues in mental health -
“Chris is an accomplished therapist with extensive experience. I am grateful to have Chris in my network of mental health professionals.” Dr. Shavar Chase, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, DNP, PMHNP-, BC "Chris is discerning, wise, and warm. Important combination not always found in one therapist!" Leigh Polin, Clinical Social Work/Therapist, MSW, LCSW "Chris is extremely dedicated to helping others, and his caring is matched by his skill." Jill Fellner, Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW "Chris is a stellar therapist! His compassion and clinical expertise provide the best environment to support client growth and healing." Pamela Brodie, Psychologist, PhD, LPC "Chris Warren-Dickins is especially well-prepared to deal with patients who have experienced trauma. Contact him directly for more information about this challenging area." Suzanne Saldarini, Licensed Professional Counselor, MA, LPC, NCPsyA To learn more, book a free telephone call with psychotherapist Chris Warren-Dickins. Explore Transform LLC Counseling and Psychotherapy in Bergen County, New Jersey www.exploretransform.com +1 (201) 779-6917 #EMDR, #FindanEMDRtherapist, #Polyvagal, #PolyvagalTherapist, #EMDRTherapy, #EMDRTherapist, #TraumaTherapy, #FindATraumaTherapist, #HealingFromTrauma, #FindATherapist, #ridgewood, #BergenCounty, #NewJersey, #teletherapy, #FindACounselor, #Counseling, #Psychotherapy, #MentalHealth, #Depression, #Anxiety, #Trauma, #Stress  As a survivor of trauma, it is not a coherent story that needs to be told but a nervous system that needs to be rebalanced. Trauma can leave us feeling too much or too little, hypervigilant or shutdown, alarms burning throughout our every nerve, or ice-cold, numbed and flattened.
So, when you meet with your trauma therapist, they will help you to become curious about what is unspoken and felt as much as what might be verbalized. That is why EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy) is particularly effective for trauma, because you do not need to retell the story of your trauma. Unlike other approaches to counseling and psychotherapy, which often make use of the rational brain, what is involved with trauma, and therefore the healing process, includes parts of the brain that cannot rationalize, that cannot verbalize. Trauma is a felt sense (often of overwhelm), and so healing is also a felt sense. When you start to heal, the nervous system can feel balanced again, and your bodily responses are proportionate and appropriate. Until then, the slightest thing can trigger your nervous system: A smell, a sound, the sight of something, the touch or taste of something; any of these can make past very much present. When past is present, your brain’s alarm system becomes activated, and you fight, flee, freeze, or fawn. These are protective modes because your nervous system senses that it is unsafe. Your rational brain might disagree, but it has gone offline for a while, so you are not able to connect with someone, focus on your work, engage with your children, or enjoy that long-awaited holiday. Awareness is a really big step in trauma therapy. Just to understand your body and mind a little bit more can allow for self-compassion, which is a great healer in itself. Once you know why you are sweating so much, or shaking, or you have a blank mind, or your partner seems distant, it can be really helpful to go a bit more gently with yourself. Another important part of going gently is to accept what is going on, with a sense of curiosity and compassion. Our brain and body is functioning in a certain way for a very good reason, so once we are aware of how it functions, we must accept that this is what it is doing. Only when we are accepting of ourselves can we hope for change, but change must be gradual and gentle. If we don’t go gently, we can end up re-traumatizing ourselves. Going gently can involve a concept Peter Levine called pendulation; we pendulate between, or dip in and out of, the activated parts of our body as we become more familiar with how our body and mind is responding to these triggers. To pendulate, we need resources to keep our nervous system balanced. A trauma therapist will help you discover resources you already have, or help you to create new ones. By resources, we mean experiences when you have felt safe and calm. As an EMDR therapist, I use slow eye movements to reinforce those resource experiences. Taking that first step and meeting with a trauma therapist can seem daunting. Why should we trust someone we barely even know? But the good thing about trust is that it is something that is earned over time, it is not a given, simply because of someone’s job title, professional experience, or even the broadness of their smile on their website. Go gently and listen to your body and mind. There may be questions you want answered before you disclose anything, and you might want to check that they are affirming and validating as they claim to be. Get in contact if you need to discuss this. Chris Warren-Dickins LLB MA LPC Explore Transform LLC Counseling and Psychotherapy in Bergen County, New Jersey www.exploretransform.com +1 (201) 779-6917 #EMDR, #FindanEMDRtherapist, #Polyvagal, #PolyvagalTherapist, #EMDRTherapy, #EMDRTherapist, #TraumaTherapy, #FindATraumaTherapist, #HealingFromTrauma, #FindATherapist, #ridgewood, #BergenCounty, #NewJersey, #teletherapy, #FindACounselor, #Counseling, #Psychotherapy, #MentalHealth, #Depression, #Anxiety, #Trauma, #Stress  Invalidation of emotions really sucks. Invalidation sends a message that the emotions are not heard, and so this can result in the emotions being escalated. Example: ‘You shouldn’t feel like that because no one else does.’ Your emotions are valid, whether people hear or understand them
No? The half of me that has Scottish heritage is crying inside. The point is that, contrary to the song’s message, we don’t have to split up and make life a race to the finish. Could we not take a path that is some place halfway between the high and low roads? In other words, we could try one of those crucial relationship-cementing C-words: compromise. Neither party should silence the other, and even if a decision is made by one person, they need to at least consider the other person’s thoughts and emotions. To form a relationship with one of your travel companions, you do not have to surrender your individuality, any more than you should demand this of someone else. This is, after all, a relationship, and not a power grab. To compromise in a relationship means that you are communicating respect for that other person’s thoughts and emotions. It does not mean that you have to agree with what they think or how they feel, but you should at least respect that these are their experiences. Compromise allows space for the thoughts and emotions of your travel companions. Some refer to this as validation, and when it does not take place, it can lead to a whole avalanche of scary consequences. If you grew up in a household where your caregivers did not understand the concept of compromise, where your thoughts and emotions were constantly invalidated You can end up pursuing more unbalanced, unhealthy relationships where there is a glaring lack of compromise, and your thoughts and emotions are invalidated on a daily basis. You can end up trying to express those thoughts and emotions through other, less helpful, means, such as
As a result, your travel companions are even less likely to strike a compromise with you (not least because you have scared the living daylights out of them with this scary behavior). And so you become invalidated again. If any of this resonates with you, and you need to speak to an experienced psychotherapist, get in contact today. Chris Warren-Dickins LLB MA LPC Explore Transform LLC Counseling and Psychotherapy in Bergen County, New Jersey www.exploretransform.com +1 (201) 779-6917 #EMDR, #FindanEMDRtherapist, #Polyvagal, #PolyvagalTherapist, #EMDRTherapy, #EMDRTherapist, #TraumaTherapy, #FindATraumaTherapist, #HealingFromTrauma, #FindATherapist, #ridgewood, #BergenCounty, #NewJersey, #teletherapy, #FindACounselor, #Counseling, #Psychotherapy, #MentalHealth, #Depression, #Anxiety, #Trauma, #Stress  Explore Transform LLC offers a tailor-made counseling and psychotherapy service in New Jersey, Maine, and the United Kingdom. Since the pandemic, we have operated fully online via a confidential video portal (teletherapy). In order to offer you an exceptional level of service, we have chosen to remain out of network.
We are committed to adopting an inclusive, person-centered approach to our psychotherapy and counseling service. We also recognize our privilege (and inevitable bias) and how this might influence our worldview. We are invested in continuously working to address this privilege and bias. Our lead clinician, Chris Warren-Dickins LLB MA LPC, is an experienced psychotherapist (Licensed Professional Counselor) in New Jersey, Maine, and the United Kingdom. Chris specializes in anxiety, depression, and trauma. Chris makes regular use of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy (EMDR), and they also integrate Mindfulness and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). No matter the approach, at the core of Chris' work is a person-centered perspective; this means that they will work hard to understand you, placing your voice at center-stage. Fun facts about Chris: Chris started out life as an attorney in the UK, and since then, Chris has been awarded a Masters in Counseling & Psychotherapy in 2010 (University of East London). That same year, Chris published research into male experiences of suicidal ideation and counseling interventions. More recently, in 2021 and 2022, Chris published two mental health books on depression, anxiety, and trauma, and Chris is currently working on a third. Aside from psychotherapy, their true passion is being a parent to two elementary-aged children. Chris finds that writing and parenting complement their approach to psychotherapy and counseling, as we are all continuously in a state of growth and change. Chris' work is greatly influenced by: Irvin D. Yalom, Dan Siegel, Jamie Marich, Jim Knipe, and Stephen Porges. Chris' roles and memberships-
Get in touch today. We would love to hear from you. Chris Warren-Dickins LLB MA LPC Explore Transform LLC Counseling and Psychotherapy in Bergen County, New Jersey www.exploretransform.com +1 (201) 779-6917 #EMDR, #FindanEMDRtherapist, #Polyvagal, #PolyvagalTherapist, #EMDRTherapy, #EMDRTherapist, #TraumaTherapy, #FindATraumaTherapist, #HealingFromTrauma, #FindATherapist, #ridgewood, #BergenCounty, #NewJersey, #teletherapy, #FindACounselor, #Counseling, #Psychotherapy, #MentalHealth, #Depression, #Anxiety, #Trauma, #Stress |
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Psychotherapy in Ridgewood, New Jersey. Covering Bergen County, Essex County, Morris County, Hudson County, Middlesex County, Sussex County, Passaic County, Union County, Somerset County, Warren County, Cumberland County, Hunterdon County, Ocean County, Atlantic County, Salem County, Gloucester County, Mercer County, Cape May County, Camden County, Burlington County, and Monmouth County.
Due to the COVID-19 health crisis, we are only offering sessions online.
Our address is 143 E Ridgewood Ave, #1484, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Telephone: +1-201-779-6917
Lead clinician: Chris Warren-Dickins LLB MA LPC
EXPLORE TRANSFORM LLC
Due to the COVID-19 health crisis, we are only offering sessions online.
Our address is 143 E Ridgewood Ave, #1484, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Telephone: +1-201-779-6917
Lead clinician: Chris Warren-Dickins LLB MA LPC
EXPLORE TRANSFORM LLC
© COPYRIGHT 2025 CHRIS WARREN-DICKINS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NJ LICENCE # 37PC00618700