The Brain Coaching & Psychotherapy Place

Traci Celeste Presley, Licensed Professional Counselor

444 E. Robinson Ste. A

El Paso, Texas 79902

915.588.9901

email: traci@braincoachingelpaso.com

website: braincoachingelpaso.com

we are all learners, doers & teachers

HI! I am Traci! (Those are my kids, Emma, 21, and Sebastian, 20 - Dominic, 23, is in florida!)

I help people restore the life balance between the brain/mind, body and spirit so they can become the best version of themselves and optimize thier lives to the fullest! Ir teach practical and evidence-based life and coping skills to help people get to the "top of their game" and/or manage mental health symptomatology. I customize a plan for each individual and we work together as a team to achieve personal/professional/educational goals and expectations.sical health. Using my 11-point system and an arsenal of modalies,I help people restore their life balance. I got your back and you are in a safe place.

How do we get this done?

I help people restore the delicate balance between the brain/mind, body and spirit so they can become the best version of themselves and optimize thier lives to the fullest! I teach practical and evidence-based life and coping skills to help people get to the "top of their game" and/or manage mental health symptomatology. I customize a plan for each individual and we work together as a team to achieve personal/professional/educational goals and expectations.

How to schedule an appt and/or contact me

How to make an appointment

Call me at 915.588.9901. You can call me anytime between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. This is my cell phone and if I can answer it, I will! If I can't answer, leave me a message I will get back to you as soon as I can.

The best way to contact me is via email: traci@braincoachingelpaso.com. Send me an email with your name and contact information and let me know if you would like to book an appointment. I will send you a welcome email with some links to start the process. Then, I will connect you via email or telephone and set up an appointment that works for you!

Sorry, I do not take any insurances. I see people ages 16 and over and couples. I specialize in anxiety, depression, OCD, trauma, sexual trauma, addictions, sexaul problems, and so much more. I am trained by the Amen Clinics for optimized brain functioning, I am trained by Myndlify for neruotherapy, and EMDR for trauma processing. We got this!

Directions to the office:

The Brain Coaching & Psychotherapy Place

444 E. Robinson Ste.

El Paso, Texas 79902 915.588.9901

Parking is in the back of the building. Keep going on Robinson Street and turn right onto Campbell Street. Make your first right and that is the parking lot. Go up the stairs and to the right is a red door and go on in. Go up the stairs and have a seat in the chairs by the window or at the table. I will come get you!

What is a Certified Brain Coach for the Amen Clinics?

ARe you ready to change your brain & change your life?

What is an Amen Clinic Certified Brain Health Coach?

All aspects of The Brain Health Coaching Certification Course ensures that I will be able to offer the best and latest advances in brain-health care.

Brain Health Coaching is an exciting new discipline. This certification ensures that I completed a comprehensive clinical course on the neurobiology of everyday life. Practical neuroscience makes me a better clinician that offers you cutting-edge neurobiological information on brain-behavior systems, nutrition/gut-brain connections, hormones and the brain and brain-directed supplements.

DR. AMEN IS A #1 NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR, DOUBLE BOARD-CERTIFIED PSYCHIATRIST, PROFESSOR, AND BRAIN HEALTH EXPERT.

He’s a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a pioneer in brain SPECT imaging. His research on brain imaging was ranked #19 out of the top 100 stories in science in 2015 by Discover Magazine.He believes that brain health is the key to all health, happiness, and success. He’s passionate about helping people have better brains to live better lives.His clinics see over 4,000 patients a month and continue to grow. His public television programs on brain and mental health have aired over 80,000 times and have been watched by millions of people.Thousands of healthcare professionals and coaches from around the world have become Certified Brain Health Coaches with Dr. Amen’s groundbreaking course.

PLEASE NOTE: I DO NOT DO BRAIN SCANS HERE BUT I HAVE A TOOLBOX PROVIDED BY THE AMEN CLINICS TO HELP DETERMINE WHAT DIRECTION WE CAN GO IN FOR YOUR BRAIN OPTIMIZATION. I will do this using sets of questionnaires for adults or teens that help me identify which part of the brain we need to work on. I work in tandem with Psychiatrist, Dr. H. Uga, here in El Paso, Texas who can help get you the GenoMind, a mental health DNA company whose mission is, "We empower your clinician with unmatched genetic insights to help you avoid the painful process of treatment by trial and error."

THIS IS WHAT I LEARNED AT THE AMEN UNIVERSITY - I CAN TEACH YOU THIS TOO!

Specify the 11 Principles to Change Your Brain and Life
Identify Brain-Behavior Systems: Functions, Problems, Solutions
Analyze 7 Subtypes of ADD, 7 subtypes of Anxiety, Depression, Obesity and Aggression
Apply Neuroimaging: How Looking at the Brain Changes Everything
Describe how to construct Amen Clinics Method/Healing in 4 Circles
List Brain-Directed Supplements
Identify Ways to Boost Brain Reserve
Discuss the importance of Physical Exercise and how it impacts Brain Health
Explain Nutrition/Gut-Brain Connections
Examine the Science of Self-Control
Kill the ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts) and Redirect Thoughts
Describe how to employ Innovative Treatments
Discuss the importance of decreasing the Risk for Brain Aging, Alzheimer’s and Other Forms of Dementia
Discuss methods for creating Brain-Healthy Communities
Demonstrate how to Coach Others to Brain Health
Identify Addictive Behaviors as brain-based disorders
Classify the 6 Addiction-based brain subtypes
Analyze Treatment Protocols specific to the 6 Addiction-based brain subtypes
Demonstrate how to implement a brain-healthy Addiction Treatment Protocol into your practice or treatment facility
Explore practical information about the complexities of Hormones and their influence on your Health and Relationships

Myndlift® neruofeedback

It is all about changing our brainwaves - neuroplasticity!

Brain activity

Electrical signals generated in the brain can reflect your current mental state. We use EEG to measure this brain activity in real time.

Brainwave decomposition

Myndlift separates the raw brain activity into distinct brainwaves that may be associated with a particular mental state. For example, alpha brainwaves usually signify a relaxed state.

Personalized training

Myndlift offers customized training plans.

After an assessment, your neurofeedback expert will create an individualized plan with a custom neurofeedback protocol given your current mental state and goals. For example: up-training alpha and down-training high beta.

Mental training

Train your brain by playing specialized games or watching videos. When your brainwaves are in the target range, you will advance in the game or have a crisper viewing experience. This real-time monitoring and rewarding is known as operant conditioning.

Practice makes perfect

By training consistently over time, operant conditioning can retrain your brain activity, optimizing your mental state, with implications for improved focus, reduced anxiety and more.

Over 50 years of application...now portable & affordable

How is the training done?

Before Myndlift

The only way to train using neurofeedback was in specialized clinics that required multiple visits due to the complexity of EEG.

After Myndlift

We work with the Muse EEG brain-training headband and an electrode for flexible sensing to offer neurofeedback training anywhere, anytime, with remote professional supervision.

Evidence-based research

There are 700+ peer-reviewed studies using neurofeedback in the scientific literature, with demonstrated efficacy in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), addiction and more.

Learn about the science and research behind neurofeedback →

Clinical caliber system

Myndlift is a clinical caliber system, built and implemented in clinical practice with the help of hundreds of mental health and neurofeedback practitioners worldwide.

Read the results of our most recent peer-reviewed study

"Preliminary Real-World Evidence Supporting the Efficacy of a Remote Neurofeedback System in Improving Mental Health: Retrospective Single-Group Pretest-Posttest Study".

Published on : JMIR Publications for Advancing Digital Health & Open Science

Getting to know you

Myndlift’s brain health assessment provides a detailed snapshot of your unique brain activity.

Remote care

Your professional neurofeedback expert will devise a personalized training plan and monitor your progress remotely so that you achieve the best brain training results.

Personalized brain health program. Made for you.

What Does Science Say About Neurofeedback?

Updated: Jul 6, 2022

Neurofeedback is a powerful non-invasive strategy to alter brain function, alleviate certain psychological symptoms, and enhance cognitive performance. It has been around for more than 50 years, with hundreds of neurofeedback research studies supporting its efficacy.

Many mental health professionals use it as a stand-alone therapy and as a complementary approach to counseling or medication as a way to provide comprehensive care. According to neurofeedback studies, due to its usability advantages, anyone can benefit from it, including clients with severe symptoms and resistance to other treatments.

We've done the work and looked over hundreds of these neurofeedback studies for you, categorizing them based on different brain use cases including:

Neurofeedback for Addictive Disorders

One of the main challenges of addictive disorders is regulating temptation and cravings for substances in individuals. Neurofeedback research studies have shown that neurofeedback decreases cravings and improves general mental health.

Specifically, EEG neurofeedback demonstrated positive outcomes in well-controlled intervention studies, good adherence, reduced addiction severity, and psychological benefits.

Read our comprehensive summary of neurofeedback for addictive disorders research

Neurofeedback for Cognitive Decline

Certain EEG features have been linked to symptoms such as poor cognitive performance, atrophy of thalamus, hippocampus, and basal ganglia, as well as the formation of amyloid-beta plaques.

According to neurofeedback research studies, there's a demonstrated evidence of improving cognitive function and reducing cognitive decline for conditions such as stroke, and multiple sclerosis, with a focus on Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a pre-dementia condition.

Read our comprehensive summary of neurofeedback for cognitive decline research

Neurofeedback for Depression

When there is an imbalance in brain wave activity, such as increased left frontal alpha (8-12 Hz), suggesting less activation and inability to regulate the subcortical regions that underlie depression, a physiological predisposition for depression occurs.

According to research, two neurofeedback protocols (alpha asymmetry protocol and enhancing beta and inhibiting theta or alpha at C3) can modify this suboptimal brain state.

Read our comprehensive summary of neurofeedback for depression research

Neurofeedback for Peak Performance

For 'peak' or 'optimal' performance, EEG neurofeedback focuses on enhancing brain activity in healthy individuals to attain maximum brain functioning and memory improvement. Peak performance neurofeedback protocols are specifically designed to manage levels of arousal, attention, and motivation while maximizing autonomic control and the ability to shift states.

Specifically, neurofeedback may optimize cognitive processing and learning by altering the white matter and gray matter volumes and speeding up neural network conduction.

Read our comprehensive summary of neurofeedback for peak performance research

Neurofeedback for Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety is frequently associated with decreased alpha waves and increased beta waves. It also alters brain function by weakening the connections between the amygdala and the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex.

According to studies, neurofeedback may improve the communication between the amygdala and the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex. When the connection is established again, the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex is better able to respond appropriately to possible threats, which reduces the impulsive, hyperactive behaviors commonly linked to anxiety. Read our comprehensive summary of neurofeedback for anxiety research

Neurofeedback for PTSD

In those with PTSD, the regions of the brain that detect danger are constantly on high alert, and even the smallest hint of a threat can set off an acute stress response. As a result, individuals may experience memory loss, lose control over their impulses, and run the danger of becoming stuck in a protracted state of intense emotional sensitivity.

With alpha-theta neurofeedback training, individuals can reach a state of deep relaxation, where memories can safely resurface and, as a result, be processed. This way, traumatic events may be safely re-experienced, and new associations fostered.

Read our comprehensive summary of neurofeedback for PTSD research

Neurofeedback for ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a neurobehavioral condition characterized by a persistent pattern of impulsivity and/or hyperactivity.

In certain studies, neurofeedback has been proven to be as effective as medication in addressing the symptoms of inattention and impulsivity. It may be used with other forms of therapy, such as medication or behavioral therapy.

Read our comprehensive summary of neurofeedback for ADHD research

In the series of articles linked above, apart from presenting scientific evidence of neurofeedback efficacy for different mental health issues, we also explained how this type of therapy could be utilized to alleviate certain symptoms and/or improve cognitive functioning.

A PDF containing the above neurofeedback research summaries and a categorized reference list is embedded here to provide the necessary information for readers to locate and retrieve any source that was cited in this article.

Feel free to view or download the research summaries from here.

Internal Family Systems

IFS for short

IFS is a transformative tool that conceives every human being as a system of protective and wounded inner parts lead by a core Self. We believe the mind is naturally multiple and that is a good thing. Just like members of a family, inner parts are forced from their valuable states into extreme roles within us. Self is in everyone. It can’t be damaged. It knows how to heal.

IFS is frequently used as an evidence-based psychotherapy, helping people heal by accessing and healing their protective and wounded inner parts. IFS creates inner and outer connectedness by helping people first access their Self and, from that core, come to understand and heal their parts.

But IFS is much more than a non-pathologizing evidence-based psychotherapy to be used in a clinical setting. It is also a way of understanding personal and intimate relationships and stepping into life with the 8 Cs: confidence, calm, compassion, courage, creativity, clarity, curiosity, and connectedness. Professionals from many different backgrounds such as, but not limited to, legal mediation, school administration, life coaches and religious leaders may utilize IFS to inform and guide their work. Our growing list of educational programs aims to serve not only therapists but the wider public and other professions.

Access Bars Certified Practitioner

What is Access Bars®?

Create greater ease, joy and abundance in your life with Access Bars®.There are 32 points on your head which, when gently touched, effortlessly and easily release anything that doesn’t allow you to receive. It’s like hitting the delete button on your computer.

All of the thoughts, feelings, and emotions that keep you stuck, that keep you repeating the same patterns in your life over and over again, are released.

Thousands of people have used Access Bars to change many aspects of their their life including sleep, health and weight, money, anxiety, stress and so much more. At worst you will feel like you have just had a great massage. At best your whole life can change into something greater with total ease.

How does life get better than that?

Why psychotherapy?

Does this really help???

Why do people go to therapy? You might think the top reason is that they have depression, anxiety, phobias, ADD/ADHD, addictions, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or some other mental health issue. Wrong!

After over 30 years of clinical practice and tens of thousands of patients at Amen Clinics, it has become abundantly clear that the #1 reason why people go to psychotherapy is to deal with the people in their lives who won’t go to therapy! It’s often the family members, friends, coworkers, and loved ones who don’t get the help they need for mental health problems (which are really brain health problems) that make everybody else’s lives so challenging.

When someone in your life has an undetected or untreated condition, it can make you want to get a divorce, quit your job, or take some other life-altering action. This can have a lasting impact on your own mental well-being and on your future. This is why going to therapy is important for anyone who’s in a relationship—whether it’s a romantic, work, or friendly relationship—with someone with a psychiatric illness.

Here is a really good article I found on the Huff Post. - I hope to see you soon! - Traci

11 Very Good Reasons To Go To Therapy

Because there's nothing wrong with seeking help.By Lindsay Holmes

03/10/2017 10:32am EST | Updated September 5, 2019

Therapy is so much more than sitting on a couch.

Misconceptions abound about what it means to talk to a mental health professional. The need to talk about your emotions is seen as something to poke fun at, weak or shameful. That stigma is often why people don’t seek help in the first place.

But here’s the reality: Therapy is an incredibly useful tool that helps with a range of issues, from anxiety to sleep to relationships to trauma. Research shows that it’s incredibly effective in helping people manage mental health conditions and experts say that it’s worth it even if you don’t have a medical problem.

If you still need convincing, here are a few reasons why you should give the practice a try:

1. You’re experiencing unexpected mood swings. If you’re noticing you’ve taken on a more negative mood or thought process ― and it’s persistent ― it might be worth talking to someone. This is typically a sign of a mental health issue. A therapist can help you get to the root of the problem, according to clinical social worker Rachel Fogelberg, who works with the University of Michigan’s department of psychiatry.

“You have the opportunity to open up about your thoughts, feelings and circumstances in a confidential environment,” Fogelberg told The Huffington Post. “Within the safety of this secure environment, individuals can feel comfortable to explore areas of themselves or their lives that they are struggling or unhappy with.”

2. You’re undergoing a big change.

This could be a new career, a new family or moving to a different city. New ventures are challenging and it’s normal to need assistance with that.

“You can work with someone with a neutral perspective to identify goals and to develop a plan to achieve them,” Folgelberg said. “Therapy often involves the development of skills and strategies to reduce or manage life stressors.”

3. You’re having harmful thoughts.

Suicide and self-harm are completely preventable with treatment by a licensed professional. If you’re thinking of hurting yourself immediately, seek help right away through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or the Crisis Text Line.

4. You’re withdrawing from things that used to bring you joy.

A loss of motivation could signal that something is up. If you’re normally a social butterfly and you’re suddenly pulling away from your weekly sports league, for example, you could be experiencing something deeper. A therapist is trained to help you uncover why this might occurring, Folgelberg explained.

“The truth is, therapy can be very helpful for many people and often helps individuals sustain their mental health,” she said.

5. You’re feeling isolated or alone.

Many people who deal with mental health issues feel like they’re singular in dealing with their experience, according to licensed master social worker Nancy McCorry, who works at the University of Michigan’s Addiction Treatment Services. Group therapy could help with this or even just having a medical professional recognizing the validity of your emotions.

“When you enter therapy ... you get the immediate sense of relief that you are not alone,” McCorry told HuffPost. “Your problem is well understood and shared by others. This can bring about a sense of both comfort and hope.”

6. You’re using a substance to cope with issues in your life.

If you find yourself turning to drugs or alcohol as a way to deal with what’s going on in your life, it might be time to reach out. Addiction and substance abuse are medical conditions ― not character flaws, McCorry stressed.

“There have been many breakthroughs in our understanding of the biology of addiction and evidenced based treatment to assist people in achieving their treatment goals,” she said. “Going to therapy allows a person to gain the knowledge needed to fully address their illness.”

7. You suspect you might have a serious mental health condition.

Serious mental illness affects almost 10 million adults in America in a given year. If you’ve been feeling off for a long period of time, reach out. Psychiatric conditions like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia rarely develop out of nowhere and people display signs for a while. Symptoms ― particularly ones like severe nervousness, apathy or intrusive thoughts ― should not be ignored. They’re treatable.

8. You feel like you’ve lost control.

This particular feeling arises when people are dealing with a substance abuse or addiction issue, McCorry said. This lack of control often keeps individuals in the in a repetitive circle of substance use.

“This can keep a person in the cycle of addiction ― using their substance in order to avoid painful feelings. Going to therapy can help to lift this heavy burden

9. Your relationships feel strained.

Relationships ― no matter what kind ― are hard work. You’re not expected to have all the answers. If you’re with a partner, therapy can help the two of you explore better ways to communicate and any other issues that seem to pop up. Couples therapy can even be beneficial if your partner is hesitant and doesn’t end up attending the session.

“The therapist can pinpoint how to help the spouse interpret misunderstandings and identify where they’re most at odds,” Debra Campbell, a psychologist and couple’s therapist in Melbourne, Australia, previously told HuffPost.

10. Your sleeping patterns are off.

A key symptom of depression includes a disruption in sleep, whether it be too little or too much. If you’ve noticed any significant change, it might be time to investigate the underlying issue (this even goes for insomnia, which also includes therapy as a method of treatment).

11. You just feel like you need to talk to someone.

Bottom line: There’s nothing wrong with seeking professional help for any health issue, including mental health. To put it as actress Kerry Washington once did, “I go to the dentist. So why wouldn’t I go to a shrink?”

If you have an inclination that you might need to speak with someone, do it. Therapy is a perfectly normal ― and valuable ― experience that works to many people’s benefit.