Evidence-based programmes
The science and treatment behind PTSD, depression and anxiety treatmentGiven the rate of discovery and the advancement of scientific research into the human brain and body, we continually research new evidence and published studies that will enable us to better uncover the root cause and provide better results in the treatment of PTSD, depression and anxiety.
It is this proven research and emerging science that drives your individual treatment and enables us to continually adapt to new findings and modalities of therapy.
Evidence-Based Modalities For Individual Therapy
All integrated therapies offered at Goodsky are one-on-one only. As the bulk of studies suggest these therapies are combined and integrated to optimise treatment results and facilitate best outcomes both mentally and physically. With programmes tailored to each individual's needs, Goodsky assesses and treats all facets of mental and physical health with adaptive protocols to align with current science, proven methods and published findings.
Many of the treatment methods offered provide excellent results when medication or traditional forms of therapy have not been effective. This bottom-up processing, holistic and integrated approach has proven to be successful when clients are guided to process the interconnected physiological responses to trauma with trauma trained therapists.
By learning to self-regulate and process the trauma safely and correctly, patients are then able to work on the psychological aspects of trauma, relationships, self-worth and mindsets, and make the prescribed lifestyle changes essential for long term health.
Evidence-Based Goodsky Treatments
Possible Root Causes
Unresolved trauma creates an overwhelming physiological impact that affects the body and mind as a whole and thus requires holistic treatment that targets this physical response to trauma. Left untreated, trauma impacts the brain, social interactions, family interactions, society and much much more.
- Transgenerational Trauma and Mental Health Needs among Armenian Genocide Descendants
- The disturbed caregiving system: Relations among childhood trauma, maternal caregiving, and infant affect and attachment
- The effects of early relational trauma on right brain development, affect regulation, and infant mental health
- Childhood trauma, the neurobiology of adaptation, and “use-dependent” development of the brain: How “states” become “traits”
Adverse childhood experiences is defined by traumatic experiences before the age of 18 and have been linked to severe mental and physical health issues and the likelihood of drug and alcohol dependency later in life.
Research
Sleep is the fundamental building block of good mental and physical health but it is often taken for granted when treating depression, anxiety and PTSD. For those dealing with mental health challengers sleep can be one of the hardest challenges with current data showing that 83% of people with depression also have insomnia.
Blue light exposure is a real issue that needs to be addressed during treatment with education and assistance to change habits and apply safeguards.
Research
- Linking Light Exposure and Subsequent Sleep
- Effects of blue light on the circadian system and eye physiology
- Sleep resources - youtube
Treatment
- sleep hygiene education
- nutritional changes to assist sleep
- lifestyle changes such as alcohol and excessive coffee dependance plus exercise by prescription
- CBT-I therapy to re-train habits around sleep
- supplementation support if required to assist sleep processes
- mindfulness and breath work training to assist getting to sleep and the reduction of anxiety
- tapping techniques taught to reduce hypervigilance, anxiety and repeating thoughts
Numerous studies have shown that individuals with depression demonstrate higher levels of peripheral inflammation biomarkers when compared to individuals without depression. Even though the levels of CRP (C-reactive protein) can be only mildly increased, it mimics similar levels for many disease states such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer diabetes and dementia. While this is not the case for all participants in major studies it is clear that inflammation plays an important role particularly when combined with immune challenges, lifestyle factors, childhood adversities, pain and sleep disturbances.
Research
- Depression and C-Reactive Protein in US Adults
- Is Depression an Inflammatory Disorder?
- Inflammation: Depression Fans the Flames and Feasts on the Heat
- Role of inflammatory cytokines in depression
- address gut health (microbiome) and permeability (leaky gut) to suppress immune response and enhance neurotransmitter function, transport and metabolism
- dietary changes to reduce/eliminate inflammatory foods and support gut health
- assess and treat musculoskeletal issues to alleviate pain and healp reduced inflammation
- assess and treat/educate lifestyle factors such as sleep, exercise and nutrition
- assess and treat adverse childhood experiences (ACE) with specific and integrated therapies.
Childhood adverse experiences influences throughout the lifespan
Optimum gut health is critical to your bodies ability to function on just about every level and is particularly true for mental health and treating PTSD, depression and anxiety. The gut-brain axis is an intricate nerve system (vagus nerve) that acts like an information super highway and control centre for your bodies neural, hormonal, and immunological signals that connect to your nervous systems.
By ensuring that the gut is healthy, diverse, balanced and functioning correctly it will assist to regulate and moderate the rest of your body and brain. It's not all in your head.
Research
- Gut Microbiota‑brain Axis
- Anxiety, Depression, and the Microbiome- A Role for Gut Peptides
- D-Lactate, Mental Health_Excerpt Gut Pathogens
- Gut-microbiota-brain axis and effect on neuropsychiatric disorders with suspected immune dysregulation
- Microbiota Signaling Pathways that Influence Neurologic Disease
Treatment
- test and treat for bad bacteria, parasites and infections
- address deficiencies with supplementation to optimise cognitive function and enhance neurotransmitter levels
- dietary changes to reduce inflammation, feed the gut microbiome and address any gut permeability
- increase microbiome diversity and improve digestion
There is growing body of research that points to early-life infections causing mood disorders later in life. These infections lay dormant and can be later activated causing cognitive and behavioural issues.
Research
- Anxiety and Depression: Linkages with Viral Diseases
- Autoimmune Diseases and Severe Infections as Risk Factors for Mood Disorders
- Reconceptualising major depressive disorder as an infectious disease
- Active HHV-6 Infection of Cerebellar Purkinje Cells in Mood Disorders
- Exploring the Link Between Persistent Infection, Inflammation, and Mood Disorders
Much like inflammation and gut health hormones play a big role in mental health and the regulation of mood, emotions and cognitive function. Imbalanced hormones have shown to effect the neurochemical pathways linked to depression such as estrogen and progesterone that influence the modulation of mood and behaviour in the brain (prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, thalamus and brain stem).
Research
Psychological stress, brain injury, depression and anxiety has shown to increase the consumption of certain foods which in turn affects the gut microbiome and alters the hormones/stress response, behaviour, inflammation, mood and emotions while also causing dysregulation of eating habits. This can upscale the severity of anxiety and depression while comprising the gut permeability and digestion.
Research
- A randomised controlled trial of dietary improvement for adults with major depression
- Nutritional psychiatry: Your brain on food
Treatment
Prescribed nutrition based on presenting conditions to:
- feed the good gut bacteria
- weed the bad bacteria, infections and parasites
- fix gut permeability if present
- nutritional education and lifestyle changes
- reduce sugar and starchy carbohydrates
- increase healthy fats and protein
- incorporate quality bone broths
There are of course many benefits to regular exercise but how does exercise play a role in mental health and the treatment of depression, anxiety and PTSD?
Positive effects of exercise have been related to moods states such as anxiety, depression and stress through biochemical changes in endorphins, mitochondria enhancement and neurotransmitter development.
Research
- Exercise and mental health
- Assessment of Bidirectional Relationships Between Physical Activity and Depression Among Adults
- Physical Activity and the Prevention of Depression
- Physical Activity and Incident Depression: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies
Treatment
Exercise by prescription is an exercise plan that is based on your needs and is tailored according to a full musculoskeletal assessment.
The Clay Field is a flat wooden box that holds 10-15 kg of clay. A bowl of water is supplied. This simple setting offers a symbolic "world" for the hands to explore. In their ability or inability to "handle" the material they tell the client's life story. The hands then can be encouraged to find ways to deal with situations and events, to complete actions that previously could not be coped with.
Art assisted psychotherapy is integrated with equine therapy and wide ranging modalities of psychotherapy (trauma-informed) and mindfulness. This is a unique opportunity for clients to experience all aspects of trauma-informed therapy in a safe and nurturing environment. Studies have shown that combining therapies such as these result in better outcomes and faster results, hence Goodsky's integrated shared care model.
Research
- The Effectiveness of Art Therapy Interventions in Reducing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptoms in Pediatric Trauma Patients
- Art Therapy with Sexually Abused Children and Adolescents: Extended Research Study
- Jogging the Cogs: Trauma-Focused Art Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with Sexually Abused Children
- The Efficacy of Art and Writing Therapy: Increasing Positive Mental Health Outcomes and Participant Retention After Exposure to Traumatic Experience
- A Task-oriented Approach to Art Therapy in Trauma Treatment
"The Eagala Model is a team approach that includes a licensed, credentialed Mental Health Professional, a qualified Equine Specialist, and horses working together with the client in an arena at all times.
When inside the arena, all the work is done on the ground with the horses front and centre, deliberately unhindered and never ridden, and allowed to interact with the client as they wish. This creates the space for the client, with the support of the professional facilitators, to reflect, project, and make deep connections." - eagala.org
Research
There is a growing body of evidence for the Eagala Model equine-assisted psychotherapy. The publications listed below are papers describing research investigating Eagala. They have been published in peer-reviewed journals, indicating they have passed the scrutiny of experts in the scientific community.
Trusted Equine Assisted Psychotherapy Provider
Equine Alliance - www.equine-alliance.com.au
Trauma resides in the body long after an event, or recurring event, and is why traditional talk therapy is not always sufficient for those suffering from PTSD. Somatic experiencing (SE) focuses on the role the whole body plays in trauma and the survival instincts it deploys for self preservation.
Research
Family constellation therapy is a therapeutic approach designed to help reveal the hidden dynamics in a family or relationship in order to address any stressors impacting these relationships and heal them.
TRE is a series os simple and innovative exercises that assists the body in releasing muscular patterns of stress, tension and trauma while returning the body back to a balanced state.
Combined with our other forms of therapy TRE is useful and an easy tool that can be applied in a safe and monitored session lending itself to the successful PTSD treatment.
Research
Tapping is a therapy that combines acupoint stimulation from ancient Chinese acupressure and current day psychology. Studies and trials have shown incredible efficacy rates for PTSD, anxiety, depression, stress and much more. Tapping like all therapies in a Goodsky programme is integrated and combined with other forms of psychotherapy to optimise efficacy and enhance outcomes.
Research
Neuroprocessing techniques which attend focused activation in Brainspots on in the visual field and mindfulness focused in a context of dual tuning, this is Brainspotting technique (BSP).
Brainspotting builds on EMDR and Somatic Experiencing (of which Goodsky also offers) but is dovetailed with neurophysiology and identifies the sources of emotional and physical pain, trauma, dissociation and more.
Research
- Effective treatments for generalized anxiety disorder
- Brainspotting Therapy: About a Bataclan Victim
- Brainspotting: a new therapy for treating PTSD
- Overlapping frontoparietal networks in response to oculomotion and traumatic autobiographical memory retrieval
- Brainspotting: Recruiting the midbrain for accessing and healing sensorimotor memories of traumatic activation
- Brainspotting: Sustained attention, spinothalamic tracts, thalamocortical processing, and the healing of adaptive orientation truncated by traumatic experience
As with all of our therapies trauma-informed mindfulness is combined with effective and proven psychotherapies to enhance outcomes and efficacy rates for anyone dealing with PTSD, anxiety and depression.
Research
- Trauma‐Informed Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction for Female Survivors of Interpersonal Violence
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy as a treatment for chronic depression
- Effects of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on a Behavioural Measure of Rumination in Patients with Chronic, Treatment-Resistant Depression
- HeartMath - Exploring the Role of the Heart in Human Performance
- HeartMath Research Library
Each client is seen by an independent GP during the residential stage of a programme to review their case, medical history and concerns. The doctor will also order pathology and share results with the treatment team and have follow up consultations to go over results and assist with referral or scans if required.
Trusted Medical Provider
Noosa Health Centres - www.noosahealth.com.au
Trusted SGB Partner and Provider
Stella - https://stellacentre.com.au/
Stella is Goodsky's trusted SGB procedure partner with a team of medical doctors, psychologists, Patient Care Coordinators and tireless advocates who are committed to your healing.
- From Post-Traumatic Stress Injury To Sustained Healing: A New Model For Care - Dr. Shauna Springer & Dr. Eugene Lipov 2021
"The stellate ganglion block (SGB) procedure has been used successfully for over 10 years to treat post-traumatic stress symptoms in thousands of US military service members, civilians, and veterans in select hospitals in Europe and North America. Primarily through targeting the autonomic nervous system, the SGB procedure serves as an invaluable adjunct to trauma-focused psychotherapy" - https://jim.bmj.com/content/69/5/989
- Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) is a rapid-acting intervention that may directly target PTSD biology.
- Effect of Stellate Ganglion Block Treatment on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms
- Evidence Brief: Effectiveness of Stellate Ganglion Block for Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
- Behavioral health clinicians endorse stellate ganglion block as a valuable intervention in the treatment of trauma-related disorders.
An independent psychiatric assessment is provided for each client during the initial stages of a programme to review their case, medical history, current medications and concerns while providing the treatment team with a complete report of findings and recommendations.
Trusted Psychiatry Provider
Cooinda Clinic - Buderim
For centuries acupuncture has been safely practiced and deemed as a proven method for treating many health issues. Acupuncture is integrated with other therapies to assist in neurotransmitter function, pain release, insomnia, the opening of meridian pathways and detoxification in the treatment of depression, anxiety and PTSD.
Research
- Effectiveness of Acupuncture Used for the Management of Postpartum Depression
- The Effects of Acupuncture on Glutamatergic Neurotransmission in Depression, Anxiety, Schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s Disease
- Acupuncture for perimenopausal depressive disorder
- Acupuncture for treatment of insomnia
Trusted Acupuncture Provider
AcuWellness: www.acuwellness.com.au
Near-infrared light exposure treatments have been studied for years with positive data and treatment benefits for diabetes, parkinsons diseases, brain injuries, cognitive performance, immunity response and mitochondria function.
Research
- Significant Improvements in Cognitive Performance Post-Transcranial, Red/Near-Infrared Light-Emitting Diode Treatments in Chronic, Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
- Mitochondrial signal transduction in accelerated wound and retinal healing by near-infrared light therapy
- Pretreatment with near-infrared light via light-emitting diode provides added benefit
- Red/near infrared light stimulates release of an endothelium dependent vasodilator and rescues vascular dysfunction in a diabetes model
- Near-infrared light via light-emitting diode treatment is therapeutic against rotenone- and 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion-induced neurotoxicity
Nutrition plays a huge role in mental health in particular the production and enhancement of neurotransmitters. Together with gut restoration nutrition serves as an integral long term fix for deficiencies in vitamins, nutrients, minerals, fatty acids and proteins.
Our team look to heal your gut, remove the bad bugs, feed the good bugs, optimise digestion, enhance cognitive function, improve sleep and support your other treatments in eliminating depression, anxiety and PTSD.
Research
- Treatment failure in patients with chronic Blastocystis infection
- Understanding nutrition, depression and mental illnesses
- nutritional medicine as mainstream in psychiatry
- Nutritional psychiatry-FeliceJacka
- Nutritional Aspects of Depression in Adolescents ‑ A Systematic Review
- Food as medicine - youtube resources
TMS is typically used when treatments have not been effective or depression resistant. TMS is used primarily for PTSD and depression and because it is also non-invasive TMS therapy makes for a powerful adjunctive therapy to lifestyle changes and the complete suite of modalities offered.
For many years Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) has been used but due to it many side effects on cognition and memory TMS is the new gold standard in treatment-resistant depression and PTSD.
Research
Trusted Neurofeedback Partners and Providers
- Melbourne: NeuroPerformance with Ryan Morgan (psychologist)
- Sydney: Sydney Neurofeedback Centre with Tim Lucas
- Sunshine Coast: NeuroHQ with Donna Allen
"In neurofeedback, we use non-invasive advanced computerised medical technology to conduct an EEG assessment to measure brainwaves in certain parts of the brain. Through this process we can identify the brainwaves that are causing dysregulation (i.e. causing the behavioural issues, lack of concentration, migraines, sleep issues, depression or anxiety) – and we can then train the brain to reset these brainwaves." - Donna Allen NeuroHQ
Extensive Research - https://isnr.org/isnr-comprehensive-bibliography