Introduction: What is CYM?
Welcome!
My name is Dr. Pat Yoder and I am a Fully Licensed Clinical Psychologist based in Clinton Township, Michigan. I have been at this location for twenty years. Prior to that I worked for the Macomb County Crisis Center, Turning Point (a domestic violence shelter) and Eastwood Clinic in East Pointe. My focus has been and continues to be trying to find the most effective methods possible to help people lead happy and productive lives. Every day people come to see me because they are thinking, feeling, and reacting in ways that they do not understand, don’t like and can’t change. The standard approach in psychological treatment, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, is very helpful in many cases. However, I believe that there are problems with this approach. First, it takes too long. Secondly, for the most part the therapist needs to be present -- the client cannot do the work on themselves. Meanwhile, we have learned some astonishing new information about human emotions and behavior as welll as new approaches which can speed up progress and can be done on our own, taught in therapy but practiced daily in the same way you straighten up your room.
One of the first things that is important to realize is that people don't hold onto old non-productive ways because they don't want to do better and be happier but because of the way the brain is wired. When we understand this, we can approach therapy with the goal of rewiring the brain. We are in a process of evolution where we have what Time Magazine referred to as "An Old Brain in a New World". A large and very powerful part of our human brains evolved in prehistoric times where physical survival was crucial. We needed to protect ourselves from wild animals and warring tribes. Our world has changed in many ways and the old protective methods now do more harm than good.
However, in the past few years many researchers have developed a new understanding of the workings of the human brain and many therapists, coaches, and others have developed treatment approaches coming from Ancient Chinese Medicine which can make changes rapidly. CYM combines what we know about the brain with these Energy Therapy approaches to give us a faster and safer way to heal. In addition to making our own lives better, I believe, by calming and healing our own individual painful emotions, this approach can also improve the function of our brains and promote a peaceful world. For more thoughts on how this may occur, check out the Ripple Effect.
The deliberate evolution of the brain
