MindMe

04/04/2026

Regulating our nervous system has been shown to be very important for our well being and life satisfaction.

This diagram gives the various ways we can use.

I’ve added in comments an excellent summary (from someone else) of how trauma can occur and how resilience (and self/regulation) is not a stand-alone responsibility of the victim’s.

And another comment with a diagram showing that emotional regulation is just one tool we can use amongst many.

Heal Your Nervous System

03/04/2026

28/12/2025

This time of year can be hard. Here’s a few ideas to help yourself.

27/12/2025

Do you follow Oprah? Maybe not, but these suggestions are based in scientific research.

Joy is an act of rebellion. Here’s how to leverage it every day in 2026.

17/12/2025

We know that for major depression one of the go-to treatments is CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) . Now we learn that this actually changes - ie improves - our brain as you’re training yourself to challenge negative thoughts and replace them with realistic ones.

What if talking through your problems could literally reshape your brain? That’s what researchers found when they studied people with major depression who went through cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. This form of therapy trains you to challenge negative thought patterns and replace them with healthier ways of thinking. But the surprising twist is that it doesn’t just change how you think, it seems to change the physical structure of the brain itself.

In the study, participants had brain scans before and after 20 CBT sessions. The results showed real growth in grey matter, especially in the amygdala, which helps process emotions, and the anterior hippocampus, which plays a role in memory and emotional regulation. These aren’t minor changes, either. People who had the biggest boost in amygdala volume also showed the greatest improvement in controlling overwhelming emotions. That means the structural changes are directly tied to better mental health.

Not every region grew, though. Some areas actually shrank, suggesting the brain was reorganizing, strengthening helpful circuits while trimming back unhelpful ones. This paints CBT as more than just “talk therapy.” It’s a workout for the brain that sparks neuroplasticity, the ability to rewire and rebuild itself. For people struggling with depression, it’s proof that healing happens both in the mind and deep inside the brain’s wiring.

Research Paper 📄
DOI: 10.1038/s41398-025-03545-7.

06/12/2025

‘One of the most powerful tools..for better mental health.’

Your brain is neuroplastic. 🧠

This means that it can be reshaped by what yo do repeatedly—behaviors, emotions, even thoughts. Mindfulness is one of the most powerful tools to guide brain change for better mental and physical health. 👍 👎

Mindfulness has become a front line mental health therapy tool. There are mindfulness practices that are proven to improve the brain's physical form and function through neuroplasticity. 🙏

You can discover the science behind mindfulness and neuroplasticity in my book, "How to Use Mindfulness as a Mental Health Tool." It tells you exactly what mindfulness is, simple ways to incorporate it into your or a client's life, and what the most current research says it can and can't do. ✔️

Anyone can build a stronger brain and healthier mind. 🧘♀️ Here's how: https://buff.ly/41cQ76p

03/12/2025

We’ve heard quite a bit about mindfulness. What is it? This is one way of practising it.

05/11/2025

Rarely do we consider this!

How Dehydration Contributes to Depression
💧 https://buff.ly/OaiVP7O

Feeling foggy, tired, or down? 😔
You might just need... water. 💦

Even mild dehydration can:
🧠 Disrupt brain function
😣 Worsen mood and fatigue
⚖️ Throw off neurotransmitter balance

Staying hydrated supports mental clarity, energy, and emotional well-being. It’s one of the simplest (and most overlooked) ways to care for your brain.

29/10/2025

Did you know?

The research is clear. Movement is mental health and brain care. When you move more, you’re nurturing your mind and protecting your brain.

19/10/2025

A helpful list to have if you experience depression. Check with your doctor for a blood test to know if you’re low in any of them.

Research shows that supplements can definitely improve depression in people — provided they are the right ones and that you're low in them.

13/10/2025

If you’ve been through traumatic events or experiences this is an uplifting read.

“When I tell people that I had a brother who was kidnapped and murdered, I’m often asked how my parents survived,” David Kushner writes. “I was only four when Jon died, so for a long time I had the same question. My family suffered an unfathomable loss. Yet I grew up as free as most kids in the 1970s: my friends and I biked around town for hours, losing ourselves in the woods, the lakes, the arcades, with no cell phones to find us. When I finally had children of my own, I wondered more than ever how my mom and dad had done it. How had they found the strength not only to survive but to let me go?” A psychological phenomenon called post-traumatic growth helped Kushner contextualize his family’s experience. Psychologists have long studied resilience—the ability to bounce back and move on. But post-traumatic growth is different; it’s what happens when trauma changes and deepens life’s meaning. Read more: https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/B8FCm9