Linda Busch, PhD

07/19/2025

One of the few real things I share here. I need a Facebook manager!

Yikes—they're pretty common.

05/18/2025

“Take the time to prioritize your mental and spiritual well-being. Engage in activities that bring you joy and take care of yourself. Don't feel rushed or judge your progress, simply be kind and patient with yourself as everything falls into place.”

♥️💛💚

02/06/2025

02/03/2025

PUBLIC HEALTH ANNOUNCEMENT: Ignore if you already have and use an anxiety reducing breathing exercise. Almost everyone I know is going through unprecedented stress, anxiety or illness right now. It’s amazing what 1.5 minutes of deep belly breathing can do including STOPPING a panic attack from coming or ending a panic attack, lowering heart rate and even blood pressure. Elevated heart rate with no or just slight increase in BP is usually how you know it’s panic or anxiety. Usually. Not in all people.

1. Sit comfortably. Tense shoulders up and then drop/relax them down. Do it twice.
2. Place one hand on your belly. This is how you know you are belly (diaphragmatic) breathing deeply.
3. INHALE THRU NOSE 5 seconds. Feel your Belly expand out (not shoulders) as if you were smelling the most perfect flowers.
4. HOLD 4 seconds
5. EXHALE THRU NOSE 7 seconds. Belly should go in as if blowing out a balloon or candles. On the exhale pick your relaxation word. Most people think “Relax” but it can be “I’m ok”, “Peace” anything. Exhale can even be audible. Never skimp the exhale. It sets up your next awesome deep belly inhale.
6. Repeat 3 times like doing 3 reps at a gym. Make sure belly goes OUT when you INHALE thru nose and belly poofs out when you EXHALE through MOUTH

7. Exhale must always be longer than inhale.

Practice makes perfect. Do this 3x a day and as needed. I often don’t do my first inhale through my nose correctly with belly going out (5 seconds smelling rose) so I keep my hand on my belly to check the entire exercise. Lower shoulders again if needed. You can breath in 7 seconds but exhale (belly out/blow out balloon or candles) must always be longer (9 seconds) to make room for the next deep breath.

It works. If you have a blood pressure cuff or even a pulse oxometer that gives heart rate, use it and be amazed.

Yes the sky may be falling; but sending this nice big oxygen signal to your brain that everything’s OK works.

01/25/2025

WORDS OF WISDOM ONLINE Version 1. “A CONNECTION was made among STRANGERS, willing to embrace their own messes, and to recognize we are ALL CONNECTED.”

From HULU’s (and sometimes on ABC) “Only Murders in the Building.” Season 1 Episode 10’s ending, spoken by Brazzos, aka Charles Hayden Savage aka Steve Martin).

11/21/2024

Finally! Looks good!

Acknowledge and Heal: A Women-Focused Guide To Understanding PTSD (PTSD Recovery Book 2)

11/20/2023

Holiday blues? You are not alone. Its a hard time for those grieving and especially for the elderly who have lost so many and may not be able to do what they used to do....that's when "The Golden Years Turn Blue."

11/10/2023

This post is for you if…

💜 You're a trauma survivor

💜 You care about someone who has experienced trauma

I’m sure you’ve seen some version of this quote…

"You can’t always control what happens to you, but you can control how you respond."

While this may be true in some cases, there are many experiences where we have little or no control over how we respond.

You can’t always control how you respond…

🔹 Because you’re a human with an autonomic nervous system.

🔹 Because your autonomic nervous system can respond without your direct control.

🔹 Because the ability to “control how you respond: requires a level of safety that may not be present.

🔹 Because your nervous system prioritizes survival over making deliberate choices.

🔹 And your nervous system does its best to help you survive when things are our of your control.

🔹 And shaming you for processes outside of your control is dehumanizing.

🔹 And there’s no shame in being a human with an autonomic nervous system.

🔹 And it’s okay to reject misguided toxic positivity that ignores your humanity.

When we tell folks to control processes that are outside of their control, we are ensuring failure, inviting shame, and justifying blame.

Insisting that “you can control how you respond,” overlooks basic survival biology and often ignores the conditions that led to the autonomic survival response.

While we can’t opt out of living with an autonomic nervous system, we can do our part to create safer and more supportive contexts that enhance our ability to respond.

I would love to hear your thoughts!

-Brian

10/22/2023

This is Truth.

Lovelies read the message from the top to bottom. Thank you 😊

09/29/2023

I've been meaning to post this for weeks!

Wondering how to overcome procrastination? We’ve got you covered. Here are 7 ways to overcome procrastination.

09/16/2023

Look for glimmers. The tiniest thing can make life feel like living or inspire you to great things.