Brain Dump: 1-Minute Emotion Coping Skill

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Brain Dump Exercise
A brain dump is where you take a pen and a piece of paper (preferably one you can throw away instead of a page in your favorite journal or something), and you sit down and write every single thing that comes to your mind. You dump out your brain, no matter how crazy or ridiculous, and just put it on paper. Just write as fast as you can without any editing or censoring. Don’t worry; you don’t have to show it to anyone. When you’re done you can throw it away, burn it, or flush it down the toilet - it doesn’t matter. The purpose is to take this overwhelming cloud of thoughts and just make it concrete. You’ll be surprised at how calming this simple coping skill is.

Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC, and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.

About Me:
I’m Emma McAdam. I’m a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and I have worked in various settings of change and growth since 2004. My experience includes juvenile corrections, adventure therapy programs, wilderness therapy programs, an eating disorder treatment center, a residential treatment center, and I currently work in an outpatient therapy clinic.

In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.

Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC
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[musicallyok]

I am actually surprised i discovered this myself last year. It was just that i casually decided to maintain a personal diary i discovered how calming it was when i was writing everything without any sort of filter. It was unbelievable, better than any of the therapist i used to visit

[KasiaZosia]

I not only love what you teach Emma but how you deliver your message. You are amazing! Thank you.💜

[joeker]

You should have way more people following you.
I will try this out today. Thank you

[OldManPaxusYT]

*_P.s._* I use *_cue-cards_* (index cards) whenever i do this! Coz i use brain-dump not just to clear my head but to deal with anxiety, organise, prioritize, plan etc
Cards let me keep categories separate! - then just go, exactly as described here - No thinking, after a while categorizing becomes subconscious...} -
*E.g.* Work stuff on one card, things i want to tell ppl, ideas for YT, ideas for business, health concerns, worries about future, maintenance/chores... etc etc...
I know the point is to dump without thinking, believe it or not, i DO... I didn't start with, say 10 cards.. I started with just 3 or 4, like, Health, Work, Chores and once that became a sub-conscious habit, i could add more, so i'm still dumping thoughts, worries, even feelings, without actually thinking about the fact i am categorizing them basically.
^ Aside from head-clearing it helps me immensely (i have mental health issues like mild ADHD, bipolar, depression and anxiety) with the following:
(1) Halts the brain-freeze i got from losing control: 'spiraled into over-thinking/worrying'-state, so i can then set goals & plan again!
(2) Reduces anxiety etc (I.e. Great maintenance and therapy to fix mental health issues)
(3) Avoid forgetting things.
(4) Regain perspective in general.
Has helped with emotional state and the actual problems have gotten less.
Helped with relationships too (i'm less likely to get anxious, agitated or angry). - This is becoming too long a rant! Hahahaaha! Sorry - HELPS W NEARLY EVERYTHING!

[lindsays]

This brain dump reminds me of LCSW Nichole Sachs’ JournalSpeak method for chronic pain and illness. She worked with Dr Sarno on TMS aka mind-body illness: physical symptoms with an emotional cause. Journaling / dumping is a great idea, IMO. I do believe repressed emotions, trauma and nervous system responses make us physically ill. 🙂❤️

[go_better]

Thanks. Sometimes there is a problem, that I don't want my thoughts written anywhere. This mechanism can be a solution!

[jamilaakhtar]

Your videos are such a great help! Thank you soo much!😁

[dmtdreamz]

My first impression was a very strong one, ’ repeated  the prince. ‘When they took me away from Russia, I  remember I passed through many German towns and  looked out of the windows, but did not trouble so much  as to ask questions about them. This was after a long series  of fits. I always used to fall into a sort of torpid condition  after such a series, and lost my memory almost entirely;  and though I was not altogether without reason at such  times, yet I had no logical power of thought. This would  continue for three or four days, and then I would recover  myself again. I remember my melancholy was intolerable;  I felt inclined to cry; I sat and wondered and wondered  uncomfortably; the consciousness that everything was  strange weighed terribly upon me; I could understand that  it was all foreign and strange. I recollect I awoke from this  state for the first time at Basle, one evening; the bray of a brain dump aroused me, a brain dump in the town market. I saw  the brain dump and was extremely pleased with it, and from  that moment my head seemed to clear.’  ‘brain dump? How strange! Yet it is not strange. Anyone  of us might fall in love with a brain dump! It happened in mythological times, ’ said Madame Epanchin, looking  wrathfully at her daughters, who had begun to laugh. ‘Go  on, prince.’  ‘Since that evening I have been specially fond of brain dumps. I began to ask questions about them, for I had  never seen one before; and I at once came to the  conclusion that this must be one of the most useful of  animals—strong, willing, patient, cheap; and, thanks to this brain dump, I began to like the whole country I was  travelling through; and my melancholy passed away.’

[hanar.]

Love this to-the-point video❤ subscribed

[leilanilott]

I'm actually going to try this. I'll update you on how it worked out.

[Ra-jrnf]

It would matter if my brain dump would clog the bathroom! Jk. Love your channel, thanks for sharing.

[lmld]

Hello Emma, I really like your videos, however I can't seem to find the coupon offers for the Udemy classes. Could send me one I am interested in the Neuroplasticity one. Thanks.

[rachelcorinnaford]

Ummm....if I flush all the papers I wrote on down the toilet, I will have a stopped up toilet. 😅😅 Think I'll just buy me a shredder and dispose of the paper that. It's so satisfying to watch paper going through a paper shredder lol

[johnathanlivingstonseagull]

Great work and way to spend a life.
Outstanding

[kimrackstraw]

Hi this is great I cant find a coupon code for udemy though? Please can you assist?

[shoebkhan]

Can I do a brain dump on a voice note ?

[ekeener]

I don't you want to flush a piece of paper down the toilet in will clog

[OldManPaxusYT]

Very good video. Short & To the Point is how ALL 'how-to' or tutorial vids should be on YT! ← ↑ Comment for algorithm + 👍 'd
#OldManPaxus Rating: ☆☆☆☆

[alchenerd]

Hypotheses: prayers are never heard by deities, and are basically vocal brain dumps people perform on themselves