Shades of Color for Mental Health
In the vast and intricate symphony of sound that surrounds us, there are various shades of noise, each possessing its unique characteristics and purposes. White, brown, pink, and green noise are terms that might sound alien to many, but they play an essential role in both the natural world and our daily lives. In the realm of therapy, where healing and well-being take center stage, the symphony of white, brown, pink, and green noise becomes more than just an auditory delight. These shades of noise hold significant potential in enhancing therapeutic experiences, promoting relaxation, and facilitating emotional growth. Let's dive into the enchanting world of these colorful noises and explore their benefits and where they can be found.
In the vast and intricate symphony of sound that surrounds us, there are various shades of noise, each possessing its unique characteristics and purposes. White, brown, pink, and green noise are terms that might sound alien to many, but they play an essential role in both the natural world and our daily lives. In the realm of therapy, where healing and well-being take center stage, the symphony of white, brown, pink, and green noise becomes more than just an auditory delight. These shades of noise hold significant potential in enhancing therapeutic experiences, promoting relaxation, and facilitating emotional growth. Let's dive into the enchanting world of these colorful noises and explore their benefits and where they can be found.
White Noise: The Calm Amidst the Storm
White noise is perhaps the most well-known member of the noise family. It is a sound signal that encompasses all frequencies within the audible range, appearing as a gentle, consistent hum like the static heard on a television or radio without a proper signal. The name "white" is derived from the analogy to white light, which contains all colors in the visible spectrum.
Therapeutically, white noise can serve as a powerful tool to create a calming atmosphere. The gentle and consistent hum of white noise can help reduce distractions, ensuring that individuals stay present and focused. For those dealing with anxiety or racing thoughts, white noise can act as a supportive backdrop, helping them feel more grounded and centered as they explore their emotions.
Benefits of White Noise
Sleep Aid: White noise can mask disruptive sounds and create a soothing environment for sleep, helping individuals to relax and fall asleep more easily.
Enhanced Focus: In busy and noisy environments, white noise can aid concentration and improve focus by reducing distractions.
Tinnitus Relief: People suffering from tinnitus often find relief in white noise, as it helps lessen the perception of the ringing or buzzing in their ears.
Where it's Found
White noise is prevalent in nature and can be heard in various settings, such as the sound of waves crashing on the shore, the rustling of leaves in the wind, or even the hum of a fan.
Brown Noise: The Earthly Rumble
Brown noise, also known as Brownian noise or red noise, is a deeper and more powerful variation of white noise. Unlike white noise, it emphasizes lower frequencies, resulting in a deep, low-pitched rumble that resembles the sound of a distant waterfall or heavy traffic.
The deeper resonance of brown noise can be especially beneficial for people seeking grounding and resilience in their therapeutic journey. The earthy rumble of brown noise can provide a sense of stability, allowing individuals to connect with their emotions on a deeper level. Brown noise can be incorporated with mindfulness exercises, enabling individuals to cultivate a strong inner foundation and face challenging emotions with greater strength and composure.
Benefits of Brown Noise
Relaxation and Stress Reduction: Brown noise's lower frequencies have a calming effect on the human brain, making it an excellent tool for relaxation and stress relief.
Privacy and Confidentiality: In office spaces or public areas, brown noise can be used to maintain acoustic privacy by rendering conversations less intelligible to eavesdroppers.
Where it's Found
Brown noise can be found in natural phenomena like the sound of thunder, the rumbling of distant machinery, or the low growl of an engine.
Pink Noise: The Gentle Shush
Pink noise, often referred to as flicker noise, is a sound signal that decreases in intensity as the frequency increases. It is characterized by its balance of sound energy, with each octave having an equal amount of noise power. The result is a sound that has a more balanced, soothing effect compared to white noise.
Pink noise, with its soothing and balanced qualities, can be a valuable tool for those seeking emotional release and relaxation. Incorporating pink noise can create a safe and gentle space for people to unwind and explore their feelings. This can be particularly useful in trauma-focused therapy, where clients may need a soft and supportive environment to express their emotions without feeling overwhelmed.
Benefits of Pink Noise
Improved Sleep Quality: Like white noise, pink noise can improve sleep quality by promoting relaxation and masking background disturbances.
Tinnitus Management: Pink noise has been explored as a potential treatment for tinnitus, helping individuals cope with the persistent ringing in their ears.
Where it's Found
Pink noise is widespread in nature and can be heard in the sound of steady rainfall, the rustle of leaves, and even the crackling of a campfire.
Green Noise: Where Nature Sings
Green noise is not as commonly known as the previous three, and it is a term used to describe the composite of all natural sounds found in a specific environment. When we think of "green noise," we envision the harmonious symphony of nature, including the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves, the babbling of brooks, and the soft whispers of the wind.
In the therapeutic context, green noise plays a transformative role in reconnecting individuals with nature and their inner selves. Nature-inspired sounds, such as birdsong, rustling leaves, or flowing water, can evoke a sense of serenity and evoke memories of peaceful outdoor settings. Listening to green noise allows one to reflect on their relationship with nature, fostering feelings of relaxation, wonder, and connection with the world around them.
Benefits of Green Noise
Stress Reduction and Well-being: Exposure to green noise has been linked to reduced stress, improved mood, and enhanced overall well-being.
Connection with Nature: Listening to green noise can help individuals feel connected to nature, even in urban environments, fostering a sense of tranquility and grounding.
Where it's Found
Green noise is omnipresent in natural settings like forests, meadows, and parks, where the collective sound of various natural elements creates a harmonious audio backdrop.
How to Easily Access Shades of Noise
Of course, it is always best to access these sounds naturally; however, that is not always feasible. Thanks to modern technology, these sounds can be easily accessed right at your fingertips!
You can easily find these sound colors through:
YouTube
Spotify
Amazon Music
iTunes
Alexa
Google Home
Siri
You can also download some great apps that allow you to customize your experience:
In conclusion, the world of noise is far from chaotic and is instead a beautiful symphony of sounds, each serving its purpose in nature and benefiting our well-being in different ways. From the calming hum of white noise to the earthy rumble of brown noise, the gentle shush of pink noise, and the harmonious melody of green noise, these diverse auditory experiences enrich our lives and connect us to the natural world around us. Embracing and appreciating the variety of noise allows us to tune in to nature's hidden frequencies and find moments of serenity in an otherwise bustling world. As clients embark on their therapeutic journey, they can find solace and resonance in the gentle whispers of nature's hidden frequencies, paving the way for profound transformation and self-discovery.
*Note: Raelyn Mosher Counseling Services, PLLC and Raelyn Mosher is not affiliated with any of the above websites or apps. They are provided solely as a starting place to look for resource the reader may enjoy.
What is Brainspotting?
What is Brainspotting? How does Brainspotting therapy work? What can I expect during a session?
Brainspotting is a focused treatment method that allows us to connect with the brain and body to help release held trauma (physical and mental), anxiety, depression, mood dysregulation, lack of focus, or even lack of energy!
Your Brainspotting trained therapist supports you in session while your brain naturally guides your eyes to look in a particular direction so you can process whatever your brain and/or body is holding onto.
What is significant about the eye position?
David Grand states, “Where you look affects how you feel.” Finding a fixed eye position allows your brain to access the area your brain and/or body is storing the trauma.
Essentially, we are bypassing the “rational” part of your brain known as the frontal lobe and directly working with your limbic system, where all your trauma, anxiety, depression, etc. is held. Don’t worry, you are always in the driver’s seat while your therapist holds a safe space for you.
Why is this important?
The frontal lobe is where all your rational thinking and thought processes are located. This part of your brain allows you to drive, complete work tasks, and have conversations with people. The limbic system is where all your trauma is held. When things are going well, you can utilize coping skills to get through stressful moments and/or disagreements. Both your limbic system and frontal lobe are communicating, and all is well.
If you suffer from anxiety, depression, PTSD, or any other form of dysregulation, your frontal lobe and limbic system stop communicating and you are now in a fight or flight mode. You’re JUST surviving. You may be irritable, and lose your temper easily. You may be unable to effectively communicate your emotions and needs to people and then withdraw. You may find it hard to focus causing you to struggle at work, or even perform simple daily tasks. Anxiety and/or depression may flare up and feel unbearable.
You may not feel like the type of mom, dad, partner, child, employee, etc. that you want to be. Brainspotting can help you find relief, regulate, and heal your brain, allowing you to lead the kind of life you desire.
Ready to learn more?
What can you expect during a Brainspotting session?
Your therapist will ask questions to help identify the Frame, or Topic, you are wanting to process during your session. It could be topics like: remembering a time your parent shut your feelings down and made you feel alone; why you need to snack at 9 o’clock at night even though you’re not hungry; a time you were assaulted; a sports injury; or, fear of an upcoming speaking engagement. Your topic may even something as simple as being exhausted that day and really needing more energy and focus to push through the rest of your day.
You will identify what you are feeling in your body when you think about this topic. Tightness, tingling, restlessness, nauseous, butterflies, etc. Next, your therapist will ask you where you feel this (or these) sensations. Your head? Maybe in your chest, arms, or legs? It could be your eyelid or even your pinky toe!
Once you have established the topic, felt sensations, and locations, it is now time to put a number to the strength of that feeling, or as we learn in our Brainspotting training, the strength of the activation. Many therapists will use a scale of 0-10 with 10 being the highest. This helps us to measure how much relief you have received during the Brainspotting therapy session.
From here, you and your therapist have several Brainspotting techniques to choose from.
Some Brainspotting therapists will utilize a pointer to help identify when you have found your eye position that correlates with your felt body sensations. Often, you will know when that spot has been found. You may notice an increase in your “felt sensations,” emotions increase, etc. Your therapist may notice when you have found your eye position because of reflexive signals your body involuntarily makes. These can include yawning, eye twitching, coughing, rapid blinking, rubbing your neck, etc.
There are many techniques used in Brainspotting therapy sessions, here we will explain a few of them.
The two techniques that most often utilize a pointer are Outside Window and Inside Window.
Outside Window is typically used when it is hard for you to identify a “felt sense,” or you may be so inside your own head it is hard for you to notice changes. The therapist will be watching closely for those reflexive signals previously mentioned.
Inside Window is the basic Brainspotting technique used. Here, you are noticing the changes you experience, and let the therapist know when you have found your spot.
Sometimes your eyes naturally flit to a location while you are talking about the chosen topic. This eye flit is called a Gaze spot. No pointer is used with this technique. Your therapist may notice this happening, draw your attention to it, and ask you to just notice what is happening. Other times your therapist may simply ask if there is a spot in the room you feel drawn to look.
A great, everyday, example of this naturally occurring in your daily life is when you are trying to recall information. Personally, I tend to look up and to the right when I am trying to remember information.
Some advanced techniques may also include the use of an object blocking your vision in one eye such as blacked-out glasses, an eye patch or a bandana. This technique can help further process a specific situation or even intentionally identify the strongest activated eye position.
You may also utilize relaxing music during your session. This music is specifically designed to cross both hemispheres of your brain and stimulate your vagus nerve. This helps your body relax and feel safe while processing things that could be upsetting and hard to focus on.
I found my spot, now what?
Your Brainspotting therapist will hold the space for you while your brain and body lead the way through your healing journey. Some people, especially those that have trouble turning their thoughts off, may find no thoughts come. This is okay and perhaps even a bit of a relief! Some people have a flood of thoughts, memories go by like a movie or even a rolodex. Some people notice different body sensations as their bodies process and release held trauma. A few people end up napping while they process. The most important thing to know is that you are in complete control and your therapist is right there with you holding a safe space for you.
Ending the session
A few minutes before your therapy session ends, your therapist will let you know how many minutes you have for processing. This helps signal your brain that it needs to find a natural close to the processing. Your therapist will check in on a scale of 0-10 and see how activated you are feeling. Typically, your therapist will also debrief and see whether there was anything that came up that stood out. If you are still feeling too activated, a grounding or meditative exercise may also be completed.
Want to learn more or schedule your free 20-minute consultation to see if Brainspotting is the right treatment for you? Contact me here.
Sources
Goenka, R. (2021, December 5). How does brainspotting help to heal from emotional trauma? How Does Brainspotting Help To Heal From Emotional Trauma. Retrieved September 24, 2022, from https://insightfulcounselling.com/how-does-brainspotting-help-to-heal-from-emotional-trauma/
What is brainspotting. Baltimore Brainspotting Collective. (n.d.). Retrieved September 24, 2022, from https://brainspottingtherapists.squarespace.com/whatisbrainspotting
What is brainspotting? Brainspotting. (n.d.). Retrieved September 24, 2022, from https://brainspotting.com/