Podcasts about soar the breakthrough treatment

My guest this week is Captain Tom Bunn, a former airline pilot who is now a psychotherapist. Tom specializes in treating panic, which he got into through helping people with a fear of flying. Now he’s written a book, Panic Free: The 10-Day Program to End Panic, Anxiety, and Claustrophobia (affiliate link), which describes a way to use human connection to stop the panic response. This was a really interesting book and a fascinating conversation. You’ll discover in this episode how oxytocin can stop panic from developing, and how to engage the parasympathetic nervous system to put the brakes on a runaway fear reaction. Other things we talked about included: Why panic is so distressing What is missing from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for some individuals with panic How Tom developed his treatment approach for panic The types of memories that can trigger oxytocin release Stephen Porges’s research on the social engagement system and Polyvagal Theory The important of the quality of another person’s voice in activating the calming response (see this previous episode with YogaVoice creator Mark Moliterno) How Tom transitioned from being a pilot to being a therapist Why knowing the safety facts doesn’t eliminate fear of flying The limitations of relying on what is conscious when treating panic The importance of quieting the hyperarousal “alarm” in order to deal effectively with panic Linking panic-related situations to memories of social engagement to activate the calming system The imperative of practicing the techniques Tom recommends The function of a “safety person” in panic disorder The importance of picking the right person to provide the appropriate calming response The limits of control in panic The problem with emotional reasoning (that feeling unsafe means you’re in danger) “Psychic equivalence”: not being able to distinguish between one’s fears and reality The kind of meditation that can be most useful in managing panic Training the brain such that fear triggers calming rather than more arousal Toward the end of the episode I noted the overlap between Tom's approach and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), developed by Dr. Steven Hayes. Here's more background on what ACT is and how it works. Here is Tom's first book: SOAR: The Breakthrough Treatment for Fear of Flying (affiliate link) If you suffer from panic attacks and claustrophobia in tight spaces, there’s a lot to take from this episode. Please share it with someone you care about if they’re dealing with panic and could benefit from the information. Tom Bunn, LCSW, is the author of SOAR: The Breakthrough Treatment for Fear of Flying, and Panic Free: The 10-Day Program to End Panic, Anxiety, and Claustrophobia. These books are the result of his many years addressing flight panic in his role as an airline pilot. He is also a licensed therapist, regular contributor to Psychology Today, and a former U.S. Air Force captain who flew the Air Force’s first supersonic jet fighter, the F-100. Visit him online at http://www.panicfree.net. Find Tom online at his website, and visit his treatment website where you can sign up to participate in a free live chat every Wednesday at 9:00 pm Eastern time.

Tom Bunn is a return guest to this podcast where in an early episode he talked about the fear of flying based on his earlier book SOAR: The Breakthrough Treatment for Fearing of Flying. He recently published Panic Free: The 10-Day Program to End Panic, Anxiety and Claustrophobia which is the topic of the current interview. His creative approach to panic utilizes the latest insights from neuroscience. His approach is especially useful for panic triggered by infrequent events such as flying, thunderstorms, trips to the dentist and getting shots.

Captain Tom Bunn, MSW, LCSW, is a leading authority on panic disorder, the founder of SOAR Inc., which provides treatment for in-flight panic sufferers, and the author of SOAR: The Breakthrough Treatment for Fear of Flying. He lives in Connecticut.www.PanicFree.net

Summary: In this episode I talk to Captain Tom Bunn about how he has helped people to be less anxious when flying. Captain Tom Bunn, a retired airline captain and licensed therapist, is founder of SOAR, Inc.He has helped over 7,000 people overcome difficulty with flying. His book, "SOAR: The Breakthrough Treatment for Fear of Flying" was chosen Amazon editors' 2014 favorite book. Captain Bunn was part of the first fear of flying program, which was started at Pan Am in 1975 by Captain Truman Cummings. Though the Pan Am course was helpful for many, it did not help those subject to claustrophobia or to panic. He founded SOAR in 1982 to offer more effective help, and develop a therapy that has made it possible for everyone to fly. In this particular episode you will learn: - How linking flying to memories can be beneficial - How oxytocin can be useful to quieten the amygdala - What the vagus nerve does - How you can think of a calm friend to keep us grounded - When we make a decision we chill out because the amygdala stops sending stress hormones - When we are in control we are OK - This is why choosing to embrace Anxiety is so important because we are empowering ourselves - How you can tap into a "flow state" - How alcohol and medication can affect us when flying Captain Tom's Top 10 Tips: Tip Number One - The 5-4-3-2-1 Exercise This is nothing more than a focusing exercise, something to intensely occupy your mind so disturbing thoughts can't take hold. Prove to yourself that you have the means to control anticipatory anxiety. Start by doing the 5-4-3-2-1 every fifteen minutes. Then every hour. Then, whenever you feel the need. If you are not troubled by panic, this exercise can (though it is a lot of work) get you through a flight. If you suffer from panic, you will need one of the SOAR courses to establish control that works automatically. Sit or recline comfortably. Focus on some object in front of you. Keep your focus on that throughout the exercise. (If you eyes drift off, just bring them back.) Do it out loud first. Then, try it silently. See if one works better for you than the other. Say "I see" and name something in your peripheral vision. Say "I see" and name something else in your peripheral vision. Continue until you have made five statements. For example: I see the lamp, I see the table, I see a spot on the lamp shade, I see a book on the table, I see a picture on the table.

Captain Tom Bunn, MSW, LCSW is a pilot who has flown for the Air Force and several commercial companies. He is also a licensed therapist. His book SOAR: The Breakthrough Treatment for Fear of Flying  has highly praised. You can learn more about his program at www.fearofflying.com