Free Your Mind Workshop

Writer Martin Laird shares this story…

While on a walk, he came across a man with four Kerry Blue Terriers.

Three of the dogs would run wild through the open fields in front of him, but one stayed behind, running in tight circles next to its owner.

Laird finally stopped and asked about this odd behavior.

The owner explained it was a rescue dog that had spent most of his life locked in a cage.

Even though the dog is now free, the dog continues to run in circles as though contained inside a tight box…

There are physiological cages.. changes in our baseline cortisol levels, gaps in our memories, changes to how we reflexively react to things…

(The influence of trauma on the brain and potential methods for addressing its physiological impact were the topic of my first workshop on trauma…)

Then there are psychological and social cages. These often show up in unexplained ways…

You’re supposed to be connecting with someone you love Maybe a spouse, a child, or a gathering of friends, but instead you feel depressed or irritable, or nothing at all…
You experience suspicion and anxiety out of nowhere Without knowing what triggered it…
You keep running into the same problem over and over Yet you can’t figure out why…
Relentless anxiety and stress That is impervious to logical explanations
You’re constantly being misunderstood, betrayed, or let down And maybe you blame yourself for how others respond to you…

No matter what the case may be…

When these scenarios show up in our lives…

1. We try to get control

Picking apart every bad thing we do…

Berating ourselves for our faults, mistakes, and regrets… People pleasing to control other’s opinions of us…

Losing our temper with the people we love, saying things we don’t mean or nagging even when we don’t want to…

Or…

2. We avoid, numb out, or disassociate

That feeling of being a million miles away…

Those moments when we are SUPPOSED to feel something…but feel nothing at all.

Those moments when it feels like our emotions just black-out…

We do our best to forget our problems, and along with them our dreams and hopes!

But there’s good news:

I recently recorded a new workshop on the subject of trauma. I’m calling Trauma Workshop - A Free Mind.

We talk about the dynamics that keep us stuck and prevent us from engaging in the meaningful process that brings real healing.

Specifically, we’ll break down the architecture of traumatic wounds and their effect on the psyche. We’ll discuss both (1) the stories we tell ourselves and the world around us as a result of a past wound or trauma, and (2) the protective strategies we employ that are informed by those stories.

Often, the coping strategies we use to protect a wound wind up unintentionally reinforcing the wound. Let’s discuss how to make healing changes to that story and approach the wound in a new way.

That’s what this workshop is designed to help you unpack…

What are the cages that bind your mind and keep you stuck in grasping for control or avoidance/numbing?

What’s keeping you from experiencing all the things in life you want to experience?

What stops you from feeling the warmth of relationships closest to you?

How could you better approach dynamics like stress, triggers, hard memories, and the emotions that are attached?

In the workshop, we will:

1. Help you better understand the story that keeps you stuck (And how to engage with it in a more meaningful way)

2. Show you how to “update” both the story and its resulting protective strategies (So you don’t unintentionally reinforce the wound and keep spinning your wheels)

You may walk away with tools and strategies you can use to break through the hidden cages in your mind that act as a glass ceiling on your happiness and fulfillment.

You’ll better understand why you’re reacting the way you do.

And you’ll know what you can do in response to excessive self-criticism, unexplained emotions, and other ways your mind’s protective response can disrupt your sense of calm.

My teaching style is approachable, not filled with psychobabble, backed by the latest research, and offers step-by-step instructions.

You don’t need a master’s degree to understand and put it to use.

To help you decide if it’s for you…

The first step to understanding and updating the stories that keep us locked up (Once you’re able to see your mind’s protective strategies for what they are, you can begin to untangle yourself from them)
How to interact with the wounded part of you in a more meaningful way (Unless you do this, you’re likely to get stuck in patterns of behavior that are hindering your progress)
How to break down the components of the story that animate your protective mechanisms (Understanding these will empower you to better evaluate whether your decisions – or reactions – are based in old wounds, or values that align with you as a person)
How to make subtle shifts in your thinking that open the door for bigger breakthroughs (Bring these to a mentor or therapist to introduce new opportunities for healing)
Tools to dialogue with the part of you that holds your trauma (The cage that surrounds your mind was built to protect you…here’s how to reassure the parts of you that need reassurance)
A new way to approach healing from past wounds (Also, why “trying harder” to get yourself in order might be making the problem worse)
Why the story we write about a traumatic event can have a deep imprint in the body (And a suggested list of therapies that help “get at” these physiological triggers)
Control or avoid: two categories of protection you need to know about (And how to avoid getting caught up in them without noticing)
Key questions you must ask yourself to get in touch with the origins of psychological “cages” (This includes finding the root of the protective mechanisms that hold you back)
A simple exercise designed to raise your awareness of the story you live within (A deeper understanding of the underlying story that informs your coping mechanisms can be beneficial in avoiding repeating patterns.)
Simple routines and habits to help you improve parts of the brain you need to function better as a whole
An innovative idea that has the potential to change your life (When I first encountered this, something unlocked for me; I felt less tempted to argue with, dismiss, or perform for the wounded part of me)
And much more…

That’s just a taste of what you’ll discover in the workshop.

It runs one hour long, and you’ll walk away with actionable information you can use right away to better process how a past trauma may be affecting you — and move forward in a more meaningful way.

The workshop retails for just $99.

Get instant access to this workshop for one payment of just $49.

PLUS: You'll also get instant access to...

This workbook is meant to be a personal inventory you can bring into counseling to get the most out of therapy.

Depending on where you are in your journey, it can also be used as a tool to gain further clarity and insight into your healing process.

It contains simple explanations and examples, as well as an exercise you can do to better understand the story you live within, its origins, and the resulting protective strategies keeping you from living life on your terms.

A $35 value, you'll be able to download the digital workbook with your order today.

So if you’re interested, I recommend you click the button below and fill out the order form (which takes just a few minutes) right now:

Within minutes, you’ll be emailed a link to view the workshop on any of your devices.

Bottom line:

If you want to move forward, you need to understand with sophistication the story that is animating your mind’s protective strategies.

It’s why I hope you’ll trust me to be your guide with this new and groundbreaking information, and join me inside the workshop.

Warmly,

Matthias J. Barker

P.S. Here are some of the questions most commonly asked about the workshop:

How Is This Workshop Different From Matthias' Original Trauma Workshop?

The ‘A Free Mind: Trauma Workshop’ is essentially the sequel to the ‘Understanding My Trauma Workshop’. If you found value in it, this is your next step. If you do not have Matthias’ original Trauma Workshop, check the box in the checkout form to add that to your order!

The ‘Understanding My Trauma Workshop’ focuses on how trauma can negatively affect the development of the brain and how it can predict major negative health outcomes. Matthias will provide you with tangible and practical daily routines designed to untangle the effects of trauma on the body and repair the damage.

The ‘A Free Mind: Trauma Workshop’ looks instead at how trauma psychologically shapes the way we view the world and ourselves, how the things we do to protect ourselves often reinforce bad habits and keep us stuck. Matthias will offer you step by step tools to help increase your autonomy over that story and allow you to regain peace of mind.

Do I need To Share Anything Personal?

Is This Like Therapy?

If I’m Already In Counseling, Will This Help Me?

Yes! It can feel strange, difficult, or intimidating to talk about the more traumatic events of your life. This workshop is meant to give you a window into what this might look like, but pulling up all these stories around our wounds…it can feel overwhelming.

This is where being in counseling can be especially beneficial. Someone to help process and synthesize these insights could feel grounding and empowering. This workshop is meant to give you tools and understanding you can use to approach that experience in a more meaningful way.

Hi, I’m Matthias. I have a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and I've been formally trained for treating high-acuity sexual trauma and problematic sexual behavior.

I discovered psychotherapy during a crisis in my 20s that led to processing my own struggle with depression and childhood trauma. Today, I love seeing the principles that saved my life help others too.

I'm about showing you how to move towards what's meaningful in the midst of hardship. My clinical practice is based in Nashville, Tennessee where I specialize in treating childhood trauma and marital issues.