Aloha!
Just arrived at the Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Tomorrow we start with Yoga at 7:45 AM and then we begin the "Energy
Psychology" seminar with Dr. George Pratt. I wil be learning new
tools to help clients Snap Out of their negative patterns! Stay tuned
for daily postings!

As I prepare for a seminar on the big island of Hawaii, I find myself
hanging out at sunset at 15th Street in Del Mar. The waves are glassy,
the palm trees sway, the balmy air kisses my skin and I'm listening to
Mariachi music as people populate the beach for the big moment when
the sun sinks into the ocean.

I will keep you posted with sunset moments and you tell me whether
Hawaii or Del Mar is more blessed by our magnificent sun.

With an open heart,
Adrianne

Though many of us yearn for positive change and transformation, our conscious or unconscious conditioned beliefs may tell us that we really do not have the ability to become substantially different or better than who we have been.  Do any of these statements ring true to you?

• You can't teach an old dog new tricks 
• This is just the way life is; we have to accept it
• You have to be born in the right place at the right time to make it
• You have to get the breaks and the right circumstances to be successful
• You can't have it all.  Getting by is good enough
• Most of us just aren't cut out for greatness

Some of us firmly believe these statements to be true.  Others claim that they believe in unlimited human potential.  But when it gets right down to it, almost all of us honestly experience life in terms of one or more of the limiting statements above. 

Human potential is the hope, but life's limitations feel like the reality.

You may not ever say these statements out loud. You may even argue against them, using the positive self-talk of recent decades. But take a moment: In your heart of hearts, do any of those statements seem like the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Deep down, do you trust these "reality" statements more than the possibility of transformation? If so, these beliefs have been hardwired into your brain and will sabotage any personal growth program you begin--and probably have done so in the past.

I am not asking you to just believe and trust in the possibility of your own transformation.  Those limiting "reality" statements, like all conditioning, are hardwired in and need to be unplugged and rewired to release their power. ...  I'll show you how to do this in future chapters....

(Above is an excerpt from the fist chapter of, "Back in Charge!")

Let's see how your brain operates to discern subtle information.  Here are two videos of the same person. In one, he is telling a story which is true. In the other, he is telling a lie. I have the sound turned off, so just by looking at him, see if you can guess which is which. 

By the time we become adults, we're all unconscious experts at body language, so pay special attention to his eyes, his gestures, his breathing and see if you can tell who's the liar?

How many of you think that he's lying in the one on the right? 

How many think it's the one on the left?  

If you thought it was the one of the right, think for a moment, "why?"   

And, if you thought he was lying in the one of the left -- think of your reasoning for making this decision.

Okay.... so, now that you've come up with a very good rationale for your opinion, let me just tell you that the only liar in this situation is ME!  This guy in the video was actually reciting poetry, the same poem in fact.  But because I convinced you that one was a lie, your brain pulled itself together and gave you concrete, well-thought through evidence for one or the other.  You actually "saw" things differently.  

Pretty amazing, huh?

"Anyone can become angry--that is easy.  But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, and at the right time, and for the right purpose, and in the right way--that is not easy."  -- Aristotle

My friend and colleague, Dr. George Pratt, writes in his book, "Instant Emotional Healing" (Broadway Books, 2000) that there are "no bad emotions."  (I really recommend you pick this book up on Amazon.)

I quote directly from the book: "There is no such thing as a wrong emotion, only the wrong amount of the emotion at the wrong time. ... Even emotions we tend to think of as "negative" serve natural and useful regulating roles in our overall functioning: Frustration, impatience, disgust, and anger can spur us into productive action.  Anxiety and irritability let us know when we've been pushing too hard and can remind us to slow down and relax.  Loneliness can lead us to a deeper understanding of ourselves.  Grief helps us heal from loss.  Guilt keeps us honest. ..."

I really like the way George and his co-author Peter Lambrou guide the reader toward heightened levels of self-awareness, assisting him/her in seeing that when they are aware of the "negativity" within, they instantly have the power to use it to their benefit.  And, if the negative emotion is no longer serving them, he shows the reader how to release it from their system entirely!

Let's see how the brain operates to solve problems...  If you want to experience this exercise, it is very important that you do not skip ahead and read the material below where you are at the moment.

I’m going to show you two sets of puzzles.  This isn't a test where you get graded on how well you do. But I want you to pay attention to how your brain approaches these puzzles. The first set is very easy and almost everyone can solve it with no problem. But, however you see it, don't worry about it. Just pay attention to your process. 

Take just a few minutes with this set of puzzles:

1) What common 3-letter word can go into every blank below to make another word?

                        NIS

S                        CIL

KIT                       

2) What number goes in the blank box so the 4 numbers in both sets total the same number?

The next set of puzzles is much more difficult. I've seen Mensa members who couldn't solve it. The problems may look obvious on the surface but they aren't. Even when you think you've got the right answer, you probably won't. But still just work on the problems and see what you come up with. And notice how your brain is trying to tackle them.

Take a few moments with these puzzles:

3) Cross off 4 letters in this word to come up with a vegetable:   

CHLORINE

4) A deli has 2 types of bread, 3 kinds of cheese, and 3 kinds of meat. Customers can choose one type of bread, one cheese and one meat for their sandwich.  How many variations of sandwiches can there be?

• 17
• 18
• 24
•  27

Now, think about for a moment how those two experiences were different for you.

Before we go any further, let me confess that the second set of puzzles was not really harder. Both of these come from an elementary school level puzzle book. But what happened to your ability to solve the puzzle when you believed it was impossible?

How many of you saw the moon-walking bear the first time through?
How does that relate to us right now? Well, if you’re conditioned to focus on how bad the economy is, how many businesses have closed in your industry, how many other people have lost money…well, that's what you are going to see. Your brain will not let you see the moon-walking bear or that unusual opportunity or that potential solution to your situation. But if you re-wire your brain—your internal authority—to start looking for the moon-walking bear, your brain will let you see it.  
Start confronting the limiting beliefs and attitudes that are holding you back from achieving all you want to have, do, and be in life!

Science has figured out that repeated thoughts actually carve neuro-pathways into the brain. The thought becomes hard-wired into your brain. And when a thought is carved in like that, it doesn't just affect your thinking. It affects your entire physiology.  

For more info, call your local Public Television Station (click the link under the video monitor) and ask them about "Snap Out Of It NOW! with Dr. Adrianne Ahern."

I will be doing a radio interview tomorrow morning with “The Coaching Show with Christopher McAuliffe.” Find out more and listen to archives from the show.

As I think about the interview, I think about the most often asked question I get these days – about why I claim that affirmations, goal setting and positive thinking do not work?

I often get heat from clients when I say that repeating affirmations is a self-improvement tool that doesn’t work!   This is NOT because I believe affirmations and positive thinking can not be powerful tools in manifesting our dreams.  It is because I know that unless we acknowledge and release our underlying negative thought or belief that is currently directing our entire system – brain, heart-rate, perceptions, behavioral reactions, blood pressure, breathing, etc… -- we will continue fighting ourselves:  “I have all that it takes to be successful” vs. “I’m doomed to fail!”

There are ways, however, to make affirmative statements effective. But just plopping a happy, fluffy, shiny thought over grimy, nasty, negative one does not work.  The way to make affirmations effective is to unearth the negative belief that’s fighting it before attempting to rewire yourself with a new truth that you want to start living by.

Here is the way to make those affirmations start working for you!  

1) Acknowledge the negative thought

2) Breathe with attention directed toward the feeling.  Experience how that thought makes you feel—whether the feeling is physical (tight neck, jittery stomach) or emotional (frustrated, angry, panicy),

3) Cleanse that negative thought and it’s associated feeling from your brain and physiology. Breathe in – acknowledge the thought and its associated feeling.  Breathe out – release it from your system.

4) Rewire in a new truth that you want to start living your life by. 

Using these 4 steps you are paving the way for your affirmation to take root and start supporting all you want to have, do, or be.

The LA Times tackles “Job Stress.”  

In an article, “Sick of it” about how on-the-job stress is detrimental to your health, you’ll learn all the things you should “do,” to lessen the effects of on-the-job stress (e.g., take a quick walk around the office), or the things you should “not do” (e.g., don’t eat junk food), or the things you should “avoid doing” (e.g., consuming caffeine and simple sugars).  But what you will not learn in this article is what to do in-the-moment when the frustration, feelings of overwhelm or anxiousness flood your system and seem to take charge of your experience, making you “do” all the things you know you shouldn’t do!  What is missing is how to manage these emotions that trigger the unhealthy behaviors that keep us stuck feeling stressed and reacting in ways that do not serve us. Well, here’s a powerful and effective way to instantly get back in charge of your emotions.

The ABC’s of stress management:

1. Acknowledge the feelings of stress within you whether they are physical or emotional.  Maybe it’s tight shoulders or jittery stomach, maybe a feeling of anger or panic, or the inability to concentrate.  Simply acknowledge you are feeling stressed!).
2. Breathe with attention directed to the feeling wherever you feel it – allow yourself to experience it. Stay with the feeling (e.g., stiff neck, jittery stomach or frustration, impatience) and feel it.   
3. Cleanse that feeling from your physiology.  Again whether it is a physical or emotional feeling—use the power of your breath to release the feeling.  As you inhale slowly, acknowledge the feeling.  As you exhale slowly, release the feeling.  So inhale – acknowledge; exhale – release. 

Using these 3 steps of acknowledging, experiencing and releasing the feelings of stress, we will feel more calm, and when we are calm we will find ourselves thinking more clearly, making better decisions, and maybe getting the job you’ve always wanted!

When we don’t acknowledge and allow ourselves to experience the feelings of stress within, these feelings will continue to trigger unhealthy reactions—eating chips/cookies, drinking more caffeine, multi-tasking our way to anxious distraction, blaming our co-workers, and staying stuck in a life of reacting!  Learn to take charge of your emotions by turning toward them and letting yourself feel them (rather than “doing” something to avoid them).  We have been conditioned to believe that by facing negative emotions we will intensify them, but that it just wrong!  As I always say, “face it or get chased by it!”

Matt Liebowit, a journalist with the Rancho Santa Fe Review, the Del Mar Village Voice, and the Carmel Valley News, called me last week to interview me about my KPBS-TV Special and my recent return to full-time therapy and coaching private practice in Del Mar and Carmel Valley.  Matt's article came out today in all three papers.  I've copied a bit of it below and if you're interested, you click on the link at the bottom to read more!  I feel so grateful for the exposure to my work now that I am back home building my private practice.

Local psychologist Dr. Adrianne Ahern takes breakthrough ‘Snap out of it NOW!’ approach to national spotlight

By Matt Liebowitz


In matters of psychological health and well-being, often it’s the simple solution that warrants the most focus. Such is the case with the Dr. Adrianne Ahern, whose groundbreaking approach to psychology—simple and deeply scientific at once—is gaining widespread, national attention.


Ahern, a clinical psychologist who lives and practices locally, is the author of two books, Snap Out of it NOW! (2007), and Back in Charge, which came out in June 2009. Both books outline Ahern’s techniques of how to “rewire” the brain, as she puts it, to break out of conditioned habits and thought patterns and use the brain’s intrinsic physiology to achieve personal and professional success.


read more here....

I want to share a bit a feedback that I just received from a San Diego business woman about "Snap Out Of It NOW!" that aired in San Diego on KPBS August 8th:


"I was going through all the channels on Saturday evening and stopped when I saw your show on Channel 11 PBS.  I had not heard of you before.  I started Facebook about three weeks ago and started Twitter a couple of days ago and I signed up for both with you.  I would like to have a private session with you sometime in the future.  I sell real estate.  In this economic market, do you have room to schedule sessions for all 21,000 San Diego County real estate agents?  Ha, Ha.  Did you ever think of contacting SDAR--The San Diego Association of Realtors to put on a seminar.  Here is my psychological assessment of your program.  Assessment of you--I expected you to be intelligent so I will not mention that, but what came through on the television program and was most impressive was your "sincerity."  There is a new era coming soon in personal development and you are in the right place at the right time."

My in-studio interview at KPBS on Saturday night was really fun!  Thank you to all of you who watched and to those of you who set your DVR or Tivo to watch at a later time.

If you recorded "Snap Out Of It NOW!" and didn't have the chance to call in to join or renew your KPBS membership, you can do that NOW! online by clicking here.  Make sure to select, "Snap Out Of It NOW!" in the "Search by Program" drop down menu and choose the "thank you" gifts you would like.

The DVD of the special is only available through pledging your support to KPBS.  And, remember that my second book, "Back In Charge!" was written to support the material offered in the Public Television special, so the combo package will be the best way to begin rewiring your brain to start supporting your efforts at self-improvement!

Wishing you focus, fitness, and flexibility in body and mind!

The power of your brain has much more effect on our health, wealth and general well-being than any external circumstance.  Most of us have it backwards because we haven't understood how the brain works -- and how we can consciously re-wire it to support our goals and desires.

Whether it's coming up with creative business solutions, increasing income, losing weight, or healing relationships, tonight's show, "Snap Out Of It NOW!" on KPBS-TV San Diego, Channel 11, at 7 P.M. will give you practical tools to get the wiring of your own brain to work for you, not against you!

Be sure to watch, or set your Tivo or DVR -- you won't want to miss it!


If you would like to become a member of KPBS-TV, or continue giving your support, please call in (Toll-free: (888) 399-5727) or go online and make a pledge!  Be sure to reference, "Snap Out Of It NOW!"

Train your brain to support optimal health, success, and well-being! 

In my KPBS-TV special, "Snap Out Of It NOW!," airing Saturday, August 8 (that's tomorrow night!) at 7 p.m., I will show you how to rewire your brain to meet and conquer life’s challenges.  

Be sure to watch and call in (Toll-free: (888) 399-5727) or go online and make a pledge to support KPBS-TV.  Please remember to reference my show, "Snap Out Of It NOW!"

Feeling depressed, overwhelmed, frustrated, stressed out?  

Here's the a solution – Snap Out of It NOW!®. I will be in-studio at KPBS-TV on Saturday evening--that's tomorrow night!---answering questions about my new American Public Television special. 

Tune in Saturday August 8 at 7 p.m. on KPBS TV, San Diego Channel 11, to learn how you can get your efforts at self-improvement to start working for you, and unleash your maximum potential. 

I am pleased to announce the opening of my therapy private practice’s new location in the Carmel Valley area of San Diego, CA. Click "play" on the image above and it will let you cruise around my office. You can even zoom in to check out the books I read and the artwork on the wall. 


I will be offering both in-person and telephone consultations (including via SKYPE). So now, no matter where you live, you can make an appointment and begin working with me on breaking free from negative conditioning NOW!  


To schedule an appointment, please call my office in San Diego, California at 858.764.2422 or toll-free at 1.800.753.1417.

Please remember to watch "Snap Out Of It NOW!" if you live in the San Diego area, and if not, please share this info with family and friends who do!

Learn how to make your efforts at self-improvement start working for you! Snap Out Of It NOW! puts you back in the driver's seat, gives you the tools you need to face challenges with confidence, and provides the key to unlocking and rewiring the brain so you control it instead of it controlling you.

Be sure to watch on August 8 at 7p.m. on KPBS-TV! 

Call in (Toll-free: (888) 399-5727) or go online and make a pledge to support KPBS, and make sure to reference "Snap Out Of It NOW!"

Show details:

Event: KPBS TV Special, "Snap Out Of It NOW! with Dr. Adrianne Ahern" "Face it or get chased by it!"
Date/Time: Saturday, August 8 at 7:00pm
Where: KPBS-TV Channel 11 for cable , but please check your local listing

Want to watch clips from this Show?  Click here!


Wishing you focus, fitness, and flexibility in body and mind,

 

Unlock Your Brain's Power on KPBS-TV Channel 11, Saturday August 8th at 7 PM

The power of the brain has much more effect on our health, wealth, and general well-being than any external circumstance. Most of us have it backwards because we haven't understood how the brain works – and how we can consciously re-wire it to support our goals.

So many of us have been hit hard by this economy, and we are doing all we know to do to keep afloat and repair the damage to our lives. But all of our activity will be fruitless unless we get our brains on board.

The intrinsic power of our brains holds the key to surviving and thriving during these difficult times—not outside forces.

Though it's great to understand how the brain works, just understanding the science of the brain won't change your life. During my KPBS-TV Special on Saturday, August 8th at 7pm, I will show you how to apply this science through simple and practical tools designed to:

    * Reduce stress and relieve anxiety related to financial and career issues

    * Re-wire neuropathways that hold limiting or counter-productive beliefs regarding money, occupation, what is possible and impossible

    * Enhance creative problem-solving mechanisms and tap intrinsic wisdom to address current challenges

    * Reclaim our identity as strong, capable, and resilient