How to Make This Heart ❤️ Day Connection-Filled
Brickel and Associates LLC
by Robyn E. Brickel, MA, LMFT
1M ago
February might elicit thoughts of hearts, candy, roses, and romantic dinners … and we probably think of these things because that’s what we’ve been taught or nurtured to see in society through portrayal on TV, through marketing, and on social media. (I tend to call it a bit of a “Hallmark holiday.”) Today I’m here to remind you that chocolates are not what’s important; they are only on the surface of the biggest, most real gifts in our lives: connections! So how do we go deeper? How can we make heart day really mean something? How can we foster meaningful connections this Valentine’s Day (and ..read more
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How to survive this trauma, in the least harmful way possible.
Brickel and Associates LLC
by Robyn E. Brickel, MA, LMFT
5M ago
At times it feels like the world is crumbling around us. We cannot look away from these heartbreakingly difficult times. They must be noticed and acknowledged to not be ignored. We also cannot let the horror of war take more casualties. This is one of the hardest articles to write. There’s nothing I can say that’s going to make the news of the last week better. Here are a few ideas to help you find ways to tolerate this current pain. Because having this destroy you as well, doesn’t do anybody any good. While we are powerless individually to stop the atrocities, we are powerful (on some level ..read more
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Worried that lack-of-trust is getting in your way?
Brickel and Associates LLC
by Robyn E. Brickel, MA, LMFT
6M ago
Do you notice yourself second-guessing most people?  Is the lack of trust you feel with others impacting your relationships? Did you know that lack of trusting others can be a trauma response? Do you worry that your trauma responses are getting in the way of healing? Do you feel your inability to trust people is holding you back? Trouble trusting can be a familiar struggle on the road to recovery from complex trauma. And if you’re wondering about this, you’re not alone! Today we’re going to talk about why trauma survivors don’t trust, and how to continue on your road to healing, while al ..read more
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Trauma-informed Care With Robyn Brickel M.A., LMFT
Brickel and Associates LLC
by Robyn E. Brickel, MA, LMFT
7M ago
Recently, Brickel and Associates Founder and Clinical Director, Robyn Brickel, MA, LMFT sat down with Diana Clark from Beyond the Balance Sheet to discuss all things trauma. During this episode, they discuss the true nature of trauma and dispel any misconceptions surrounding it. Furthermore, Robyn delves into the three-stage trauma model, encompassing safety, stabilization, and addressing the root cause. This episode promises valuable insights into treatment methods, the dispelling of stigmas and myths, and the recognition of the significance of emotions. If you or someone you know is grappli ..read more
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Where did all this judgment come from? Why are we such harsh critics?
Brickel and Associates LLC
by Robyn E. Brickel, MA, LMFT
1y ago
Do you judge yourself? Do you judge others? Do you find yourself critically responding (out loud, or in your mind) with demeaning or derogatory statements when you have a thought or notice a feeling? Or when you see someone taking an action or having dialogue with others?  Trauma survivors especially tend to have harsh, inner-critic voices. This inner, critical voice almost always spends some time internally disparaging self, and sometimes can also be aimed at others.   This critical voice sounds judgmental — whether it’s “She looks terrible in those pants!” or OR “I look terri ..read more
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Four ways to really take care of yourself in the new year
Brickel and Associates LLC
by Robyn E. Brickel, MA, LMFT
1y ago
As the world starts a new year, we start a new day — and every day is an opportunity for growth and change. Every day is a good day to take care of ourselves. You don’t have to start on January 1st with a New Year’s Resolution, and you don’t have to wait until next year if you have already missed starting on the first. Give yourself permission to start taking care of yourself every day!   Last blog post article I wrote, I provided some guidance on how to notice your needs with compassion. Once you notice, here are 5 ideas of what you can do next. Speak to yourself compassionately ..read more
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Are you able to hold hope in life?
Brickel and Associates LLC
by Robyn E. Brickel, MA, LMFT
1y ago
“People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you make them feel.” – Maya Angelou Finding hope, let alone holding hope as a thread through life these days, can seem like a tough task for so many. Trauma survivors often struggle to find or hold hope in their lives. It’s understandable when so much pain has been endured in life — when you have not been able to trust anyone to do the relational job they were supposed to. It’s so very hard to believe things will get better, when they haven’t, over and over again. It’s easy to get stuck in a c ..read more
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6 ways to calm your nervous system right now and understand it.
Brickel and Associates LLC
by Robyn E. Brickel, MA, LMFT
1y ago
Do you always feel like you’re on high alert? Or do you just feel numb? Perhaps you bounce back and forth between the two? Have you wondered how to feel calm or peaceful?  If you find the state of the world today especially triggering, you are not alone! Fortunately, by understanding our nervous systems and trauma responses, we can also understand and adopt new ways of calming our nervous systems to achieve enhanced wellbeing. Trauma changes the nervous system. Complex, developmental and relational trauma (CPTSD) can alter the nervous system to remain in a constant state of being prepare ..read more
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A strategy for coping with the hard parts of life
Brickel and Associates LLC
by Robyn E. Brickel, MA, LMFT
2y ago
The hard parts of life happen every day. Sometimes everything feels like a hard part — especially for trauma survivors. Being in traffic Arguing with partner Running late A dog growling Rising gas prices A certain smell Someone’s tone of voice An interaction that feels uncomfortable The news / war / lack of safety / COVID The list goes on… Hard parts could be anything, really. And finding a healthy coping strategy can be challenging. For people without trauma in their history, they know that they can navigate these hard parts — and move past them rather quickly. Experiencing, feeling and be ..read more
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Heartfelt wishes for healing, compassion and safety in the new year
Brickel and Associates LLC
by Robyn E. Brickel, MA, LMFT
2y ago
You and I have endured yet another year experiencing the impact of a global trauma. We all need healing, hope and compassion more than ever! In everything we do at Brickel and Associates, our goal is to allow for and aid in healing for our clients. We strive to empower more people to live life using a trauma-informed lens. And we continue to invite you to join us in decreasing the stigma toward mental illness and those in therapy for mental health. Through the articles we’ve shared this year, we hope to have supported you along your journey towards health, compassion, empowerment and healing ..read more
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