Helping Clients Rediscover Real Life

Linda Graham

We’re used to exploring how addictions can lead to broken relationships with family and friends, but what about ways in which our digital addictions can negatively affect those same things? Think about it: on average, American adults check their cell phones every 6.5 minutes. American teenagers spend almost half their waking time on a digital device. People brag about having thousands of friends on social media, but research indicates there’s a steep decline in “real life” friendships. In this workshop, you’ll explore:

• How to to assess digital dependence and educate clients about the impact of excessive screen time on the brain, physical health, and relational skills
• Specific protocols of digital detoxes and electronic fasts that can reduce brain fog, mood swings, and withdrawal/isolation, while promoting better sleep, clearer focus, deeper relationality, and enhanced resilience
• Skills to reawaken clients to “real life” relationships, such as tolerating messy emotions, becoming comfortable again with both solitude and intimacy, and using digital devices while also living a fully-embodied life

Linda Graham, MFT, has a private psychotherapy practice and leads trainings nationwide on the emerging integration of relational psychology, mindfulness, and neuroscience. She’s the author of Bouncing Back: Rewiring Your Brain for Maximum Resilience and Well-Being.