Just a Minute with Dr Kumari

Mood Boosting Strategies Backed by Science

Low or depressed mood affects EVERYTHING. I am a clinical psychologist with almost two decades of clinical experience as well as previously having been a researcher and lecturer in psychological science. In this episode, I share some evidence based tips for lifting low mood or maintaining mood. The awful thing when you feel low is that it feels like "this is it"! It isn't! You can improve your mood.
Stress also affects mood. Would you like some additional quick strategies to help soothe the nervous system, decrease stress, and feel better? download at: https://drkumari.ck.page

Mindfulness and Relational Trauma

Mindfulness has many benefits but can also be misunderstood. I talk about what mindfulness is and how it can be useful when we are dealing with relational trauma. 

The Gut Brain Axis and Polyvagal Theory in a Nutshell

Episode 47: There is so much to the Gut Brain Axis but I give you a very quick overview and briefly cover Polyvagal theory. 

People Pleasing and Fawning in Response to Relational Trauma

Do you struggle with people pleasing and perhaps even identifying your own needs? In this episode I talk about the "fawn" response to relational trauma. 
My deeper self care course is available here:
https://kumari.gumroad.com/l/deeperselfcare

The Body in Stress and Six Things I did during an Extra Stressful Week

I often talk about the nervous system and soothing it for dealing with stress and trauma. Here I talk about what I mean by the nervous system. A couple of weeks ago, I had an extra stressful week and was pleased with a few things I put into place - I'm always learning! I hope these tips are useful to you too! 
Here is a download to the handout I talk about: 5 strategies to soothe the nervous system and cope with stress:
https://drkumari.ck.page

Some Reflections on Waitangi Day 2024

Waitangi Day is pretty important in New Zealand and a day I have mixed feelings about. One the one hand, it is really important, I feel, to honour our known guardians of the land and the special history and culture. On the other hand, there has been so much wrong doing, bias, racism, and disadvantage to the indigenous people of this country. 

New Year Goals Driven by VALUES

Best wishes for the holiday season! This is often a time of year when we start thinking about "resolutions" and "goals". These are more likely to succeed when they are driven by values. In this podcast, I talk about how we might discover or re-discover our values and some tips. 
 
Goal setting and values clarification are always easier when coming from a place of a more soothed nervous system. Here are 5 strategies I commonly teach, as a clinical psychologist, to help soothe and reset the nervous system: https://drkumari.ck.page/9f339e3e2b

Intergenerational Trauma

I'm Dr Kumari Valentine, Clinical Psychologist. I'm interested in trauma, including relational trauma. I'm an EMDR therapist amongst other things. I'm talking about intergenerational trauma and intergenerational resourcing on this podcast.
 
I talk about soothing the nervous system and talk about 5 strategies I commonly teach and use. Here is the link for that download (on signing up to emails from me; unsubscribe when you would like):
https://drkumari.ck.page/9f339e3e2b
 
Take care everyone! 

Using Terror Management Theory to understand Conservative Leanings

Terror Management Theory is one of Psychology's "Grand Theories", explaining how existential terror influences decision making and choices. This is my contribution to an observation that we are moving into a time of more right leaning politics. Change can be hard to manage and mean that dysregulated nervous systems struggle more. Download five strategies to help soothe a nervous system:
https://drkumari.ck.page/9f339e3e2b 

Somatisation, Conversion, and Somatic Symptom Disorder

What do we mean by Somatisation? In this episode I look at the connection between body and mind and what we mean by these diagnostic terms. I read some lines from the amazing book by Professor Bessel van der Kolk: "The Body Keeps the Score".
 
Relearning to be in our body means resetting our nervous system. Sign up to my newsletter to download five powerful strategies to soothe the nervous system:
https://drkumari.ck.page/9f339e3e2b