Trauma leaves its mark not just on the mind but deep in the body—and the range of tools now available to treat it reflects just how complex that reality is.
On “Vital Signs with Brendon Fallon,” clinical psychologist Jessica D. Russo, Psy.D, breaks down an array of drug-free trauma treatments. Drawing on decades of clinical experience, Russo moves from the origins of talk therapy in 19th-century free association through to the latest evidence-based approaches.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR, receives close attention. Russo explains the two leading theories behind its effectiveness—the REM sleep model and the working memory hypothesis—and why bilateral stimulation may help the brain finally process what it has kept frozen for years, sometimes decades.
The conversation extends to Focusing, the body-awareness practice developed by Eugene Gendlin, Neuro Emotional Technique and its roots in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the role of meditation, movement, yoga, and diet in supporting recovery outside the consulting room.
Running through every approach is a single thread: healing requires bringing the unconscious into conscious awareness—and feeling, at last, that you are no longer alone with your pain.
Up Next with Dr. Russo:
WATCH Uproot Fear ⇒ A 3-step visualization for reducing anxiety and negative emotion.
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Contact Dr. Russo for appointments and other inquiries here.
International Focusing Institute: https://focusing.org/
Dr. Russo’s Guided Visualization Resources
|Websites
MentalHealth.com, Visualization Techniques to Reduce Stress
Healthline, The Benefits of Guided Imagery and How to Do It
National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health
|Apps
|Books
The Beginners Handbook to the Art of Guided Imagery, Virginia Thompson
Staying Well with Guided Imagery, Belleruth Naparstek
Healing and Transformation Through Self-Guided Imagery, Leslie Davenport
|Programs and Podcasts
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Tune-in to these Top Vital Signs titles:
Watch EMDR for Anxiety and Depression ⇒ How Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing can relieve trauma and stress | Marilyn Luber
Watch Ease Back Pain 2 ⇒ Resolving rage and trauma for chronic pain relief | Howard Schubiner
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Vital Signs’ host, guests, and contributors offer general information on improving health and wellness. This is not intended as diagnosis or medical advice. You should consult your medical doctor or holistic doctor before enacting any suggested strategies for health and wellness improvement, including those in relation to preventing or treating specific diseases featured on this program.
