Taming the Lizard Brain

Shannon Hodges, Ph.D., LMHC has been a long-time professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC), co-founder and Assistant Coordinator of the Center for Mindful Practice and served as department chair and Coordinator of the CMHC program at Niagara University. He has taught at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia for the past few years. Shannon has 25 years of experience providing counseling and training in community agencies, university counseling services, residential living communities, South African orphanages and remote Australian schools. He is a former director of a university counseling center, former director of a community mental health clinic, and specializes in trauma treatment utilizing Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MCBT). He has authored numerous professional publications, including books, book chapters, journal articles and essays. His videos, Trauma Informed Mindfulness-Based Care and Self-Care for Professionals: Preventing Burnout and Creating a Healthier Life, are popular training videos (www.mentalhealthacademy.com.au).During a 40-year career, Shannon has been awarded for his research and teaching, served on and chaired national committees and task forces, and sat on editorial boards of professional journals, including the Journal of Counseling & Development, Journal of Mental Health Counseling, and Journal of College Counseling, among others. He is a longtime member of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and holds membership in the Australian Counselling Association (ACA). Shannon has taught internationally (in Australia) and delivered professional trainings and keynotes on 6 continents.

• Chapter 1 Understanding and Managing TraumaTrauma defined (ASD vs. PTSD) Type I Trauma (Single Episode), Type II Trauma (Complex & Ongoing), Pre-Event Factors & Post-Event Factors, PTSD Symptoms, Self-Compassion, PTSD Assessment, Various Narrative Exercises related to self-soothing and treating Trauma, Lessons LearnedChapter 2 Establishing Safety and SecurityNarrative Exercises regarding Safety and Security, Safe Space Visualization, Safety Checklist, Progressive Relaxation, Meditation, Box Breathing, List of Safe Persons to Contact, Listing Reasons for Living, Crisis Intervention Plan, My Strengths Exercise Reflection, Lessons LearnedChapter 3 Addressing Your TraumaSUDS Scale, Dissociation, Trauma Inventory, Addressing Flashbacks, Lucid Dreaming, My Courage to Heal Reflection, Trauma Timeline with Narratives, Writing My Trauma Story, Journaling for Healing (Ways I am healing my trauma…), Lessons LearnedChapter 4 Self-Soothing Interventions When You Are TriggeredRecognizing and managing Triggers, The Mind-Body-Breath & Spirit approach, Treating Traumatic Memories, Narrative Exercises, Present Time Question, Identifying Your Triggers (Narrative and Practical Interventions), The Empty Chair Conversation with Your Triggers (What are My Triggers Trying to Teach Me?), Lessons LearnedChapter 5 Managing Trauma when it ArisesSeparating a Trauma Memory into Smaller Sections, Procrastination, What is the Purpose of a Trauma Memory? Dissociation: Why We Do It, Addressing Dissociation, Behaviors Resulting from Trauma/Dissociation (Avoidance, Depression, Anger, etc.), How I Wish to Change My Trauma Behaviors Exercises (e.g., List triggers and Ways to manage them, Stopping Self-Injurious Behaviors (SIBS) Gradual Exposure Therapy, Empty Chair Conversation with Your Trauma, Lessons LearnedChapter 6 Regaining Trust and Developing Self-CompassionTrauma’s Impact on Self-Beliefs and Self-Reflective Exercise, the 3 Cs of CBT, People Who Have Betrayed Me Exercise, People Who Have Earned My Trust Exercise, Journaling on Trust: What is trust? Forgiveness and Trust, Establishing Boundaries, How Earned and Lost? Power and Control Exercise: Beliefs Regarding Power & Control, Challenging Power & Control Beliefs, Self-Compassion Defined and Exercises, Forgiveness: Healthy Forgiveness for Self and Others, Forgiveness Exercises, Self-Compassion Affirmations, Lessons LearnedChapter 7 Addressing Trauma Symptomology: Negative Self-Talk, Social Isolation, and Incongruent Emotional ExpressionListing & Challenging Negative Beliefs Exercise, Cognitive Reframing, Addressing Self-Talk’s Messages, Fear: Unpacking My Fears, Listing Negative Thoughts, Expressing my Anger and Rage: How Anger has Wounded Me Exercise, Healthy Expressions of Anger, Addressing Depression and Guilt, What’s My Responsibility Exercise, Survivor Guilt: Addressing Survivor Guilt: Origination, Who’s Responsible for my Guilt?, My Shame Beliefs, Healing My Shame Beliefs, Grief and Healing, Emotional Regulation: Mind, Body, Breath & Spirit Exercises, Communication and Active Listening, Lessons LearnedChapter 8 Calming the Lizard Brain for Improved Work Relations, Home Life and Quality SleepGratitude Practice, Grounding exercises, Cognitive Reframing, Asking, “What is the difficult colleague teaching me?” type questioning, Challenging Negative Beliefs, Positive Visualization, Meditation, Forgiveness Routine, The Second Arrow, Releasing Angry Thoughts, Boundaries, Lessons LearnedChapter 9 Managing Stress: EFT Tapping, Breathwork, Meditation, and MovementTapping for Self-Soothing, Box Breathing, Vagus Nerve Breathing, Meditation (variations), Healing Movement (aerobic and anaerobic), Lessons LearnedChapter 10 Helping First RespondersAsking for Help Exercise, Professional Quality of Life Test-5, Assessing Compassion Fatigue and Burnout, Survivors' Guilt, Developing Presence to Assist Others, Narrative Response and Exploration Exercises, My Trauma Healing Journal, Lessons LearnedChapter 11 Creating a Meaningful Life: Practical ExercisesDefining Meaning, Assessing Meaning in Life, Narrative Self-Reflective Meaning Exercises, A Meaning Journal, What Meaning in Life Looks Like, Drawing Meaning Exercise, Lessons LearnedChapter 12 Lessons Learned Through HealingPost-Traumatic Growth, Self-Reflective Exercises, Charting Healing Experiences, Self-Forgiveness, Meditations on Healing, What Disappointment is Trying to Teach Me, What Trauma Healing and Post-Traumatic Growth Has Taught Me, Empty Chair Talk with My Younger Self, Empty Chair Talk with My Future Self, Lessons Learned