The Last Best Cure

Trauma

Navigating Family Life When You Have a History of Trauma

Donna Jackson Nakazawa on September 28, 2024

Discover how your current stress and past childhood adversity impact your child's stress levels and the quality of your parent-child bond.

Discover how your current stress and past childhood adversity impact your child's stress levels and the quality of your parent-child bond.

Adverse Childhood Experiences

Your Story Matters to You and to Your Children

Donna Jackson Nakazawa on September 11, 2024

What if the one thing your kids are hoping and waiting for is for you to do the work to grow with them instead of staying stuck in old behaviors that never served you?

What if the one thing your kids are hoping and waiting for is for you to do the work to grow with them instead of staying stuck in old behaviors that never served you?

Adverse Childhood Experiences

Healing from Adverse Childhood Experiences Is Possible

Donna Jackson Nakazawa on August 9, 2024

Personal Perspective: After 30 years of research and interviews, I discovered that healing from childhood adversity is always possible

Personal Perspective: After 30 years of research and interviews, I discovered that healing from childhood adversity is always possible

Child Development

8 Ways People Recover From Post Childhood Adversity Syndrome

Donna Jackson Nakazawa on August 10, 2015

Recognizing that childhood emotional stress plays a role in adult illness and relationship challenges can be enormously freeing. Here are 8 steps you can take toward healing now.

Recognizing that childhood emotional stress plays a role in adult illness and relationship challenges can be enormously freeing. Here are 8 steps you can take toward healing now.

Child Development

7 Ways That Childhood Adversity Can Affect the Brain

Donna Jackson Nakazawa on August 7, 2015

If you’ve ever wondered why you’ve been struggling too hard for too long with chronic emotional and physical health conditions, a new field of research may offer you hope.

If you’ve ever wondered why you’ve been struggling too hard for too long with chronic emotional and physical health conditions, a new field of research may offer you hope.

Mindfulness

Is it True That we Have to Do Everything Twice Today?

Donna Jackson Nakazawa on July 4, 2014

My mom, 82, recently said something that stuck with me. "It used to be that we did everything once, and now we have to do everything twice. Nothing gets done right the first time." Call the cable man back. Track a lost package. Call the Rx in again. Is it true, do we have to do many things twice today? And if so, is it an invitation for frustration -- or mindful awareness?

My mom, 82, recently said something that stuck with me. "It used to be that we did everything once, and now we have to do everything twice. Nothing gets done right the first time." Call the cable man back. Track a lost package. Call the Rx in again. Is it true, do we have to do many things twice today? And if so, is it an invitation for frustration -- or mindful awareness?

Cognition

15 Ways to Get Someone Out of Your Head

Donna Jackson Nakazawa on May 26, 2014

We work hard to remove toxicity from our lives. But we put little effort into trying to remove toxic thoughts from our minds.

We work hard to remove toxicity from our lives. But we put little effort into trying to remove toxic thoughts from our minds.

Stress

The American Stress-Illness Crisis

Donna Jackson Nakazawa on May 13, 2013

Multiple studies tell us that rates of both stress and chronic illness are climbing, for both adults and young people. We're facing an American Stress-Illness Crisis. Why? Stress, it turns out, is as damaging to the immune system as are environmental hits and viruses. The good news: we can change our mind-state, and change our well-being and health.

Multiple studies tell us that rates of both stress and chronic illness are climbing, for both adults and young people. We're facing an American Stress-Illness Crisis. Why? Stress, it turns out, is as damaging to the immune system as are environmental hits and viruses. The good news: we can change our mind-state, and change our well-being and health.

Stress

Distressing Thoughts and Stressing our Cells

Donna Jackson Nakazawa on May 9, 2013

How do our thoughts affect our cells? Scientists are beginning to unlock the answers, in ways that promise to help us take life-changing steps to improve our health. When Western medicine has done what it can, your brain may be your last best cure.

How do our thoughts affect our cells? Scientists are beginning to unlock the answers, in ways that promise to help us take life-changing steps to improve our health. When Western medicine has done what it can, your brain may be your last best cure.

Stress

How Are You Handling the Wear and Tear of Today's Stress?

Donna Jackson Nakazawa on April 3, 2013

How we handle the wear and tear of simple day-to-day stressors predicts whether we'll suffer from depression and anxiety 10 years from today. Our long-term emotional health has less to do with what happens to us than with how we react to what happens to us. Learn to manage your reactive, ruminating thoughts to protect your mental health and well-being long into the future.

How we handle the wear and tear of simple day-to-day stressors predicts whether we'll suffer from depression and anxiety 10 years from today. Our long-term emotional health has less to do with what happens to us than with how we react to what happens to us. Learn to manage your reactive, ruminating thoughts to protect your mental health and well-being long into the future.

When we agonize and ruminate over past decisions that didn't turn out the way we wish they had we harm ourselves and our health. We get caught on The Pain Channel. And that's no way to live. Especially as we age, we do better to let go of those "what if?" tapes. Are you ready to let go?

Memory

Play Back Your Best Memories

Donna Jackson Nakazawa on March 24, 2013

Researchers say that when we recall our most vivid, positive memories and associate those memories with physical objects or locations that surround us, it makes it easier for us to not only recall those uplifting, positive memories, but "to elevate our mood in the long-term."

Researchers say that when we recall our most vivid, positive memories and associate those memories with physical objects or locations that surround us, it makes it easier for us to not only recall those uplifting, positive memories, but "to elevate our mood in the long-term."