Emotional fitness training
Break the mold for mental health with one solution: enhance brain performance by working directly with the autonomic nervous system (ANS).
What We Do
myShrink is dedicated to heralding a paradigm shift in mental health. With our signature program, DeCoding the Brain, it showcases a new understanding of the mind-body connection. The science behind this revolutionary approach promises to provide relief and in some cases, complete remission of many so-called mental health "disorders". myShrink has isolated one application of this approach giving recipients a way to achieve maximum level of emotional fitness and maintain a lasting sense of well-being.
How's your nervous system doing? Take this quick quiz.
*Be sure to put the audio on.
What is Emotional Fitness?
Emotional fitness is the ability to respond and recover with equanimity to life's challenges while staying true to oneself.
The simplest indicator of emotional fitness is the health of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS communicates with every organ, so improving its functioning has a reparative effect throughout the body. Click the video to learn more.
science first
Emotional Fitness & the Polyvagal Theory
DeCoding the Brain - our signature product - and our Coaching Practices are based on somatics and the Polyvagal theory.
The Polyvagal Theory explains that one's emotional fitness is reflected in the combination of our connection needs and the fight, flight, freeze response of the autonomic nervous system.
When the autonomic nervous system is working optimally we can get charged up by stress and a little while later, easily and seamlessly release it through our body. We don't hold onto the stress, we're free to relax in the evening.
When the nervous system is NOT working optimally, we run into these types of problems:
Fight
Impatient, irritable, frustrated, rageful, tight jaw & fists
Flight
Fidgety hands & legs, restless, anxiety, panic, tight chest, "frequently feel like moving".
Freeze
Numb, collapsed, heavy, exhausted, unmotivated, staring off, frequently cold in hands & feet.
GOOD NEWS: the nature of the autonomic nervous system is infinitely malleable.
myShrink utilizes this knowledge and helps you to achieve emotional fitness using these two strategies:
- Tracking psychophysiological states and repeatedly returning to states of balance and,
- Resolving our connection needs (ie. addressing the patterns of how we connect to ourselves and others).
Emotional fitness
When our "connection needs" are met and our nervous system is working optimally, we're comfortable in our own skin.
Engaging with others is easy; we're joyful, curious and resilient (ie. we bounce back from stress).
Emotional fit-ness = A balanced brain
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
Albert Einstein
GREATEST FACTOR FOR CHANGE
IT'S ALL ABOUT CONNECTION
When two people meet, two nervous systems shake
hands. Your nervous system LEARNS from the nervous
system of your coach/therapist.
It's an energetic exchange.
GREATEST FACTOR FOR CHANGE
IT'S ALL ABOUT CONNECTION
When two people meet, two nervous systems shake
hands. Your nervous system LEARNS from the nervous
system of your coach/therapist.
It's an energetic exchange.
3 Research driven forces behind myshrink
A positive connection generates deeper results
Decades of clinical research has shown that the biggest factor controlling positive change is the relationship between the practitioner and the client. We believe the health of your coach's nervous system determines how much your nervous system benefits.
Growth is possible at any age
Humans experience exponential growth in the first years of life. Based on burgeoning research into neurobiology and infant development, we've identified key conditions that assure positive changes in the brain no matter what your age.
Somatics for faster growth
Growing research into the area of right-brain to right-brain interactions is the source of change in therapeutic interactions. At myShrink we believe the use of somatics* —right-brain activities—optimizes brain growth and development.
*For our purposes, we define somatics to include body-based sensations, visualizations and mindful movement.
Measurable Results
The Problem
Traditional therapeutic and life coaching methods rely on self-reports to evidence changes in functioning. However, while useful for tracking purposes, "self-report" is notoriously unreliable as an objective measure of progress.
The Solution
New scientific methods that track biomarkers of health and well-being are now available through "wearables" and other devices that measure autonomic nervous system (ANS) health, especially heart rate variability (HRV).
The power of neuroscience
myShrink is committed to exploring—in measurable ways—how somatic techniques and emotional regulation improve different aspects of human functioning. One biomarker in particular, heart rate variability (an important marker for biological age) has been shown to steadily improve with these methods. (Yes, by improving emotional fitness you'll look younger! (in time :-))
What we offer
To Boost Your Emotional Fitness
One nervous system to another
The fastest way to change the autonomic nervous system is by "connecting" with someone else's nervous system. This 'co-regulation' technique is the secret power behind most therapeutic and coaching endeavours.
Emotional fitness training
DeCoding is an online program that's like an app for the mind-body. Just apply the techniques anytime your mental/emotional state declines.
Release any backlogged emotion and then gently shift into positive states using proven somatic techniques.
”Turned my life around ”
"I have a most wonderful life and I love it! This is the shortest way of me expressing how timely, fitting, tailor made, completely appropriate and helpful your program was and is, and (I am sure of it) will be. It has helped me turn my life around, make lasting changes to the quality of my life, and you have most certainly kept your initial promise!"
Doris S., Founding Member
Serving the needs of Startups
Being part of a StartUp often means pushing the envelope for an extended period of time. Deadlines and financial stressors keep the nervous system in a constant state of heightened arousal.
The result: overall decreased productivity, heightened distractibility, poor peak-time concentration and over-the-top emotional reactivity.
Serving the needs of Nerds, Misfits and Entrepreneurs...
. . . in other words, anyone who wants to make a difference in this world
A nervous system reset using these cutting-edge techniques will not only flush out negative symptoms but also optimize your mental and emotional functioning to previous unattained levels.
The result—improved adaptability to change, expansive out-of-the-box thinking, heightened concentration and finally - peace of mind.
About Dr. LaCombe, Founder
After years of declining powers in concentration, comprehension, and struggling with a general malaise—that she was unwilling to attribute to the aging process—Dr. LaCombe began a journey of personal transformation (described here). She ultimately came to see that the dependence on pharmaceuticals and an over reliance on arbitrary diagnostic categories within the mental health field had to be recognized and overcome.
2006. Launched website myShrink while on a mission to promote a revolutionary idea to the mental health field. Led ultimately to 'emotional fitness training'.
2010. Developed the first version of DeCoding the Brain (formerly called the Brain Coaching Program). Based on neuroscience, polyvagal theory and instructional design. Ultimately attracted over 600 members.
2021. Based on years of research & testing, DeCoding the Brain launched with a focus on emotional fitness training. An Introductory Coaching Package was launched in January 2022.
Click here to learn more about Dr. LaCombe.
The 12-Second Chill
Somatics the easy way.
Focus your mind and clear your head within seconds.