Animal Instincts - Guest Blog by Julie Davis, MFT

When a monkey sees another monkey messing with his monkey he gets angry, rushes forward, bites the other monkey and other monkey runs away. Two seconds later, both monkeys are eating a banana. When Suarez saw some guy messing with his soccer ball, his mind activated the same primitive system as a monkey to get him to do something to make the guy stop messing with his soccer ball: Anger. Blood rushed upward

Image from The Chive

into Suarez’s hands, feet and jaw setting him up to fight – which is what anger is designed to do - and he bit the guy. Two seconds later Suarez is calm and re-positioned for play.

Two hours later video of the bite was all over the internet. Protests were launched as players and fans alike expressed outrage at the aggressive behavior and Suarez has been temporarily banned from future tournaments.

We expect aggression in sports events yet are shocked when we see the results of primitive mind doing its job of removing a threat. What makes Suarez an expert soccer player is possibly the very thing that got him kicked out of soccer: his ability to access and operate out of primitive mind – and, sometimes, oops, bite people.

Julie Davis
704-807-1101
Certified Rapid Resolution Therapist
Licensed Marriage Family Therapist (CA & NC)
www.juliedavismft.com julie@juliedavismft.com

Autumn Hahn is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist practicing at Clear Mind Group in Weston, Florida. Call 954-612-9553 for a consultation. Follow Autumn on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. Sign up for the e-newsletter HERE.

Halfway to Goals

We're halfway into the year and I'm wondering about your resolutions. Are you on track? Are you a bit behind? Are you way behind?

This year I resolved to be much more mindful. I've been successful at that in most areas of my life. I've not been so great all the time, but have put effort in those directions.

The books are coming along a bit more slowly than I'd desired as I had some family stuff throw an energy-wrench into my life for a couple of months, but it's resolving. However, it's not what I'd call "way behind", so I'm fine with the progress.

The dice game for Butter Knife Concepts is also coming along and is only held up for financial reasons at this time; lawyers are expensive! This, too, is only "a bit behind" and energy is spent regularly on its progress.

I hope you are not having to run to catch up on your goals, and that if you are, you get to running.

If you are interested in using hypnotherapy for motivation or goal-setting, please call for an appointment.

Autumn Hahn is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist practicing at Clear Mind Group in Weston, Florida. Call 954-612-9553 for a consultation. Follow Autumn on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. Sign up for the e-newsletter HERE.

Thoughts & Feelings Without Meaning

Here's a cycle:
I had a sudden thought about harming someone.
If I can produce thoughts about harming people, I must be a bad person.
If I'm a bad person, others should avoid me.
I should keep myself away from others.
I fear that others will know that I had a thought of harming them.
I am fearsome.

Here's another cycle:
I felt sexually excited by that person.
I'm in a relationship with another person.
I must want to cheat with that other person.
I am a bad person.
I should avoid that other person.
Or maybe I should cheat with that person.

Here's one more:
I'm a recovering addict.
I had a drug dream.
I must want to use drugs.
I should have fear of relapse.
Being afraid makes me nervous.
I'm thinking all the time about drugs now.

Did you see where meaning got assigned in each of those scenarios? Thoughts or sensations or dreams don't have to mean anything at all. Respond to neutral stimuli neutrally, attaching zero meaning. If you never act on them, they remain neutral. If you have fear and obsess over the meaning, and the meaning of the meaning, that's where we get tripped up and act irrationally.

Here's those scenarios redone with neutral stimuli response:
I had a sudden thought of harming someone.
I'm not going to harm anyone.
I'm going to go on with my day.

And:
I felt sexually excited by that person.
I'm in a relationship with another person.
Gee, that was a nice feeling.
I'm not going to act on that.

Last one:
I'm a recovering addict.
I had a drug dream.
Dreams sure are strange.
I'm going to appreciate the sober life I've built.

Learn how to respond to neutral stimuli with neutrality. Call for an appointment. 954-612-9553

Autumn Hahn is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist practicing at Clear Mind Group in Weston, Florida. Call 954-612-9553 for a consultation. Follow Autumn on Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe on the right under Follow by Email for the weekly blog delivered directly to you.

Anger Management

Anger is bad for the body, increasing heart disease, disrupting digestion and sleep, and creating distance in relationships. Learn to be centered, in the moment, calm, and strategic in both everyday and difficult circumstances with this solution-focused anger management class.

You will learn 10 techniques in 11 weeks!

The standard class takes place in a small group of up to 8 persons. Alternately, the curriculum can be taught on an individual basis.

The course is approved by the Department of Juvenile Justice for adolescents, and is suitable for ages 13 and up. Separate groups are held for adults and adolescents. No court intervention is necessary, however, and self-referral is welcome.

Do you know someone who could benefit from working through situations with more calm and rational responsivity? Refer them or send them this link to refer themselves.

Autumn Hahn is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist practicing at Clear Mind Group in Weston, Florida. Call 954-612-9553 for a consultation. Follow Autumn on Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe on the right under Follow by Email for the weekly blog delivered directly to you.

Women's Group Therapy - Now Forming

Group therapy is an inexpensive way to get support and a new perspective while helping others. Our women's group is positive and upbeat while being honest and holding members accountable.

Want to know how to work through a difficult situation with a spouse, work, kids, or friends? Want another way of thinking of the daily "stuff" of life? Bring it to the group!

We'll keep the pace moving, give everyone a chance to speak, and allow you time to reflect, contribute, and get assistance.

This is a "no whiners" group. We won't be rehashing the same problems every week or simply complaining. This group is for women ready to make a difference in their lives and tackle their problems head on with a supporting and nurturing cheering squad to ask you how it went and what's next.

Groups will be held Tuesdays from 7-8pm, but if I have enough response, a 2nd slot will be added, so please call with a preferred time and day for consideration at 954-612-9553.

New members must schedule a 1-hour intake session prior to attending group for the first time, but do not need to be ongoing clients in order to attend group. Cost is $20 per meeting. Size is limited to 7 attendees.

Please share this information with any women 18 and older that you feel might benefit from attending and call 954-612-9553 to reserve your spot.

Autumn Hahn is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist practicing at Clear Mind Group in Weston, Florida. Call 954-612-9553 for a consultation. Follow Autumn on Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe on the right under Follow by Email for the weekly blog delivered directly to you.

A Therapist's Resolutions

Everyone is reflecting this time of year and thinking of the year that's passed and the future to come. People are setting (hopefully reasonable) resolutions for themselves for the next year and celebrating successes.

This year's successes have included:

• The publishing of my second book, Bubble Wrap Your Kids, a parenting guide for the prevention of childhood trauma
• Some added success in marketing my practice including joining a mastermind group. Said mastermind group is also planning travelling 2-day presentations for next year. 
• I bought and renovated a house this year, which has been expensive. 
• I've also begun teaching college this year, which has been interesting. 
• Some of you know I also started another business this year wherein I'm producing a game that should be available in just a few months in physical (dice) form and an app. 

Lots of busy-making things, all of which I'm proud of and require my continued nurturing.

In the next year, I resolve to work weekly on the following goals:

1. Be available to friends and family and reach out to those I don't see as often.
2. Be present. 
3. Be mindful of diet/exercise and doing what my body needs.
4. Manage time cautiously and waste a little less during my set work hours. This will help me to meet my deadlines and not feel stress from being rushed.
5. Put energy toward 2 more books (one on RRT® and therapy and one on etiquette in the modern age - send me your suggestions/comments/questions).
6. Spend time growing my practice including doing a pro bono project.
7. Give more presentations and do more public speaking.
8. Produce the game and keep working on other games - there are a few in progress. 
9. Pay off the debt to the house and do additional house projects. Spend mindfully.
10. Spend some time on Twitter for my businesses. 

I hope our resolutions overlap and our combined energy expands to fuel our mutual transformations! Have a prosperous new year.

To support my various projects, follow me at:
Clear Mind Group, Facebook & Twitter, and refer your friends/coworkers/family
Butter Knife Concepts, Facebook & Twitter
Amazon
Email your questions or thoughts on etiquette or on RRT therapy

Autumn Hahn is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist practicing at Clear Mind Group in Weston, Florida. Call 954-612-9553 for a consultation. Follow Autumn on Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe on the right under Follow by Email for the weekly blog delivered directly to you.

Enjoy the Now

This is becoming a theme in the world around me. I'm noticing so many people - on their cell phones, on their computers, working, feeding the machine - instead of living.

We get a short time to be alive. We get to meet all sorts of interesting people and filter out those we aren't into and keep those we really like to stay in our lives. We get to be exposed to all sorts of things and filter out those things we're not into to keep the things we dig. Let's do that stuff together. Let's share the stuff we dig with the people we like. Let's do that every day!

Let's not hashtag out lives away.

I was at Universal Studios last weekend, grateful to be taken along for free on my husband's company trip. We left our cell phones in the hotel room and talked to one another in line. We people-watched, made up stories about the relationships of others that we saw, rode rides, talked about life, and generally just enjoyed each other's company.

We saw ton's of people on their cell phones and it grated on the both of us - both of us are technophiles, I should mention; I have 3 Twitter accounts and am no stranger to the amazing wonders of technology. But you're on vacation; enjoy it. Don't #vacation #rollercoasters #havingagreattime. Actually do that stuff. Talk about it later.

Enjoy the now. There is nothing more.