Upcoming DC/MD/VA group merger & Zoom meeting 11-17-20

DC/MD Tinnitus support group: 

Our group hasn’t met since the pandemic began, but here is what’s happening going forward: 

Since we still can’t meet in person, a few of us involved in the organizing of our meetings at Potomac Audiology in Rockville (thank you so much, Drs. Gail Linn and Tricia Terlep!) have decided the best thing (rather than keep on waiting) is to try something new. 

We realize that not all members are open to “virtual” (i.e. Zoom) meetings, but we figure at least some of you will be. And it’s better to have some way for the group to continue to meet rather than no way at all. The leader of the group in Northern Virginia (Elaine Wolfson) has reached out to us. So we are going to merge the groups. Remember the old days when DC/MD/VA all gathered at Georgetown Medical School? Well, now we’re back *together* again, but virtually - so no traffic!

Our membership list has been supplied to Elaine and you should have received a Zoom invitation from her for this Tuesday, November 17th at 6:30. By the way, your former head of Programming (Ann R.) is retiring from her job at the end of December, leaving the area, and stepping down from regular ATA support group duties. So she will attend on Tuesday and hopes to say farewell. 

Your leadership contacts going forward are: 

-David Treworgy email: david_treworgy@yahoo.com ; text: 703 621 6191 
David is liaising with ATA, keeping our mailing list, and is also in charge of the FaceBook group, which is at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/353002085496089/ 

-Gerry Baill email: gsbaill@yahoo.com ; text/cell 240 460 3781 
Gerry, with David, are listed in the ATA Directory as primary new-member contacts for DC & MD. 

-Cindy Polasky email: cindypolasky@yahoo.com ; text/cell (732) 718-5941 
Cindy was our former “refreshments captain,” and she has offered to work on Programming with Elaine. 

-Elaine Wolfson email: erwolfson@comcast.net ; text/cell 240 470 5365 

Elaine has been running the N. Virginia group, and has orchestrated that group’s migration to Zoom meetings. She is inviting everyone to join the Zoom meeting on Tuesday; see you there! 

Link to Zoom meeting coming up 11-17-20 @ 6:30 pm: Join Zoom Meeting https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76680359050?pwd=UlhTRUpMaUNWQTFTaE5aRU1KMTVlZz09 Meeting ID: 766 8035 9050 ; Passcode: jS6WyP
 

BTW We’re leaving the old DC Area blog site up for reference (although inactive), because it has 3 years of our Rockville meeting information including speaker contacts on it: http://dcareatinnitus.blogspot.com

March 19th meeting postponed

DC/MD Support Group:
Due to COVID-19 we are exercising an abundance of caution and postponing the meeting set for next Thursday, March 19th at Potomac Audiology. Our speaker from Otolith will join us just as soon as it seems wise for us to get together again.
Thanks to all and stay safe!
Questions? Email TinnitusDC@gmail.com.

Meeting announcement Thursday March 19

DC/MD Tinnitus support group:

Our next meeting is Thursday, March 19. Snacks will be provided. Our guest speaker is Sam Owen, founder of Otolith (www.otolithlabs.com), an ATA-vetted research firm. Otolith has a clinical stage device, designed to treat vertigo/vestibular issues, which has given tinnitus relief to some research subjects. The device is a non-invasive, wearable device that emits low-frequency vibrations. Otolith is now conducing an Institutional Review Board-approved study at their offices in Washington, DC. Sam will explain their research and demo the device. This promises to an interesting gathering!

N.B. For anyone opting to participate in clinical trials, ATA recommends this article: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/about-studies/learn.

Our next meeting:
Date:Thursday, March 19th, 2020, at 7 pm
Location: Potomac Audiology, 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 105, Rockville, MD 20852 (the practice of Dr. Gail Linn) Office tel: 240 477 1010
Getting there: See the map: www.potomacaudiology.com/contact-us . If you drive, turn onto Security Lane off of Rockville Pike, across from White Flint mall. Building is One Central Plaza, and parking is free in the structure adjoining the building or on the street. Via Metro, take the Red Line to White Flint and walk south on Rockville Pike past the Whole Foods sign and turn right on Security Lane. Enter at One Central Plaza and office is on the 1st floor.
Questions? Our email is: TinnitusDC@gmail.com .
See you then!

Meeting write-up for Feb. 4

Dear MD/DC members:

Last Tuesday we heard from Joy Onozuka of the American Tinnitus Association. She serves as Research and Communications Officer, and Managing Editor of Tinnitus Today Magazine. She explained the activities of the American Tinnitus Association, including tinnitus and hyperacusis research and support. To know more, or if you missed Joy’s informative talk, her slides can be downloaded here: http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=81217743523954959619

Besides our own support group, Joy referred us to a couple of special ATA resources for help:
 -If you are new to tinnitus, are in immediate distress, or are confused about where to turn, you may access the panel of 18 expert audiologists who make up the ATA Tinnitus Advisors Program. Call ATA at 1-800-634-8978 and select option 3 to leave a message. An expert will respond back to you within 72 hours for a free 15-minute consultation.
-If you need someone to talk to, you may access the ATA Support Network of 100 volunteers who offer peer support. Go to www.ata.org, and select “Support Network.” Then, select the Telephone/Email Support Listing to find a volunteer by state. Direct link is: www.ata.org/managing-your-tinnitus/support-network/telephoneemail-support-listing 

Issues that came up in the our discussion on Tuesday:
-What is hyperacusis? Here’s a brief summary: https://www.canadianaudiologist.ca/the-quick-and-dirty-on-hyperacusis/

-What is ATA’s research plan? See ATA’s “Roadmap to a Cure 2017” available here: https://www.ata.org/research-toward-cure/research-program/roadmap-cure

-What is the latest on pharmaceuticals? See Tinnitus Today, Summer 2018 vol 43 no 2, “Making Sense of Medications and Tinnitus” available here: https://www.ata.org/sites/default/files/Tinnitus_Today_Summer2018_web_updated.pdf

-What is habituation? See Tinnitus Today, Spring 2018 Vol 43 No 1, “Ha-bit-u-a-tion” available here: https://www.ata.org/sites/default/files/TinnitusToday-Spring2018.pdf

Our next meeting is Thursday, March 19th at Potomac Audiology - see you then!
Questions? Email TinnitusDC@gmail.com .

Meeting announcement for February 4th, 2020

DC/MD Tinnitus support group:

Happy New Year! Our next meeting is Tuesday, February 4. Snacks will be provided. Our guest speaker is Joy Onozuka, Staff member of the American Tinnitus Association. Joy will give us an update about ATA activities on behalf of tinnitus patients. She'll talk about her work as Editor of Tinnitus Today magazine, and as Manager of the Tinnitus Advisors Program. She’ll also share some remarks about her own situation. Joy has had bilateral tinnitus for five years and uses a range of management techniques to cope.

The winter issue of Tinnitus Today is out and the cover story is very helpful: “Unraveling the Complexity of Tinnitus Research.” Also check out the inside cover article: “Sound Gifts for Friends and Family with Tinnitus,” which is based on suggestions shared by this support group at our “Show and Tell” events.

One more item: right now, one of our prior guest speakers, Rebecca Hines, is forming a multi-week class for Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, which will start in February. For more information: https://www.mindfulnesstraining.org/classes-and-workshops/

Our next meeting:
Date:Tuesday, February 4th, 2020, at 7 pm
Location: Potomac Audiology, 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 105, Rockville, MD 20852 (the practice of Dr. Gail Linn)
Office tel: 240 477 1010
Getting there: See the map: www.potomacaudiology.com/contact-us . If you drive, turn onto Security Lane off of Rockville Pike, across from White Flint mall. Building is One Central Plaza, and parking is free in the structure adjoining the building or on the street. Via Metro, take the Red Line to White Flint and walk south on Rockville Pike past the Whole Foods sign and turn right on Security Lane. Enter at One Central Plaza and office is on the 1st floor.
Questions? Our email is: TinnitusDC@gmail.com . See you then!

Meeting write-up for 11-19-19

POST MEETING WRITE UP

On November 19 we got together in Rockville and heard from Cheryl Taylor, MSW, LCSW. She has had tinnitus for decades and taught herself to manage her symptoms. She talked about the emotional issues that can arise from tinnitus, such as anxiety, irritability, depression, and grief. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a technique she uses for her individual and group therapy clients. This method helps address crises by building these primary skills: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
She has referred us to some resources. DBT worksheets and handouts are here (large document): https://projecticee.files.wordpress.com/2018/12/lin-c-dbt-handouts.pdf
Not all of this material is relevant to what she talked about, so here is a key:
-For Mindfulness, she referenced the “wise mind/mindfulness” (handout 3)
-For Emotion Regulation, she mentioned “checking the facts” (handout 8) and “opposite action” (handout 10)
-For Distress Tolerance, she talked about managing crisis situations without making them worse, and accepting reality as it is (pages 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 11a, and 11b).

Finally, for those really tough moments we sometimes experience, here is the 10-minute, calming breath exercise on YouTube that she described: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXItOY0sLRY&t=0s&index=4&list=PLhVjmKWJcv4KVgm0WFlWOEy7ih9dqVaCD&app=desktop

Our next meeting will be in January - happy holidays! Questions?  Email: TinnitusDC@gmail.com
If you haven’t registered your email, please do so on http://dcareatinnitus.blogspot.com

REMINDER - DC/MD support group meeting Tuesday Nov. 19th

Hello DC/MD Tinnitus support group:

REMINDER. Our next meeting is Tuesday, November 19th, at our usual Rockville location. Our guest speaker is Cheryl Taylor, MSW, LCSW. Refreshments provided. Cheryl Taylor is a Bethesda-based therapist who also has tinnitus. She will talk about alleviating some of the emotional and stress-related difficulties arising from tinnitus and hyperacusis. Her methods include Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and mindfulness. Her profile in Psychology Today: https://tinyurl.com/ydeohsbm Bring your questions!

Date: Tuesday, November 19th, at 7 pm
Location: Potomac Audiology, 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 105, Rockville, MD 20852 (the practice of Dr. Gail Linn)
Office tel: 240 477 1010
Getting there: See the map: www.potomacaudiology.com/contact-us . If you drive, turn onto Security Lane off of the Pike, across from White Flint mall. Building is One Central Plaza, and parking is free in the structure adjoining the building or on the street. Via Metro, take the Red Line to White Flint and walk south on Rockville Pike past the Whole Foods sign and turn right on Security Lane. Enter at One Central Plaza and office is on the 1st floor. 
Questions? Our email is: TinnitusDC@gmail.com.

See you then!

Meeting announcement Nov 19th 2019

Hello, DC/MD Tinnitus support group:

Our next meeting is Tuesday, November 19th, when we’ll catch up, hear from a guest speaker, and support one another. Snacks will be provided. Our guest speaker is Cheryl Taylor, MSW, LCSW.

Cheryl Taylor is a Bethesda-based licensed clinical social worker. She focuses on anxiety, trauma, stress, and other difficulties. Her approaches include Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and mindfulness. She helps people to “live in the present moment; to become successful at regulating their emotions; to tolerate and manage stress; and to develop coping skills.” She also has tinnitus. Cheryl will share how tinnitus has impacted her life, how she manages it, and how she works with others to do the same. See her profile in Psychology Today: https://tinyurl.com/ydeohsbm

Ever feel your tinnitus is taking you around the bend? Here’s a pertinent article from the British Tinnitus Association: “Is Tinnitus a Psychological Condition?” https://www.tinnitus.org.uk/is-tinnitus-a-psychological-condition

Date: Tuesday, November 19th, at 7 pm Location: Potomac Audiology, 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 105, Rockville, MD 20852 (the practice of Dr. Gail Linn)
Office tel: 240 477 1010
Getting there: See the map: www.potomacaudiology.com/contact-us . If you drive, turn onto Security Lane off of the Pike, across from White Flint mall. Building is One Central Plaza, and parking is free in the structure adjoining the building or on the street. Via Metro, take the Red Line to White Flint and walk south on Rockville Pike past the Whole Foods sign, and turn right on Security Lane. Enter at One Central Plaza and office is on the 1st floor.
Questions? Our email is: TinnitusDC@gmail.com .

Happy Halloween & see you then!

Write up from Sept. 17 group meeting

DC/MD support group members:

On Tuesday September 17 we met in Rockville. We welcomed new members, got caught up, and heard from guest speaker & new member, Lisa Yuan. She is a cochlear implant user, and also, through the Hearing Loss Association of America, is a Community Assistive Technology Trainer. She explained cochlear implants, and told us (and showed us) a lot about home devices that can help us address hearing loss and hyperacusis. We learned that there are many providers supplying useful devices in this area.

Lisa was kind enough to provide extensive hand-outs, and to compile a single-page list of resources with all kinds of useful links, which you can download as a PDF by going here: http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=14982677162841893362
FYI - A 2016 webinar from ATA on cochlear implants & tinnitus is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZxA_qImkDs - Lisa has participated in studies by this researcher.

Our next meeting will likely be in November. 

Questions? - our email is: TinnitusDC@gmail.com .

Reminder! Support group meeting Tuesday Sept. 17th

Reminder to DC/MD support group members:

On Tuesday September 17 at 7 pm we will meet at our usual location in Rockville. We’ll catch up with one another, welcome new members, and hear from guest speaker & new member, Lisa Yuan, a cochlear implant user, and also, through the Hearing Loss Association of America, a Community Assistive Technology Trainer. She’ll tell us about her experience with cochlear implants, and also discuss: local fire safety laws regarding smoke detectors, and alternative alerting devices for people with hearing loss or hyperacusis who can’t use sound-alarms.

For further reference: A 2016 ATA webinar on cochlear implants & tinnitus is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZxA_qImkDs - Lisa Yuan has participated in studies by this researcher.

Finally, ATA is asking all support groups for our “wish lists” as to what kind of support we would like to see from ATA. Bring your suggestions. Or, if you can’t come, send your ideas by email to: TinnitusDC@gmail.com . If you prefer not to go through the support group volunteers who manage the DC/MD area support group, email ATA directly: joy.onozuka@ata.org .

Date: Tuesday, September 17th, at 7 pm
Location: Potomac Audiology, 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 105, Rockville, MD 20852 (the practice of Dr. Gail Linn) Office tel: 240 477 1010
Getting there: See the map: www.potomacaudiology.com/contact-us . If you drive, turn onto Security Lane off of the Pike, across from White Flint mall. Building is One Central Plaza, and parking is free in the structure adjoining the building or on the street. Via Metro, take the Red Line to White Flint and walk south on Rockville Pike past the Whole Foods sign and turn right on Security Lane. Enter at One Central Plaza and office is on the 1st floor.
Questions? - our email is: TinnitusDC@gmail.com. See you then!

Meeting announcement for September 17th

Hello DC/MD Tinnitus support group -

Our next meeting is Tuesday, September 17th, when we’ll catch up, learn more about tinnitus tools and technologies, and support one another. Snacks will be provided. Our speaker/discussion leader will be Lisa Yuan.

Lisa Yuan is a new support group member who wears a cochlear implant. Cochlear implants are surgically implanted devices that restore the sensation of sound to the deaf and can also alleviate tinnitus symptoms. Lisa will give us personal insight into this technology. Also, through the Hearing Loss Association of America, Lisa is a member of the Network of Community Assistive Technology Trainers. She volunteers to speak to groups about hearing loss-related issues and about tools and resources. For example, soundless alerting devices (alarm clocks, telephones, doorbells, etc.) are useful to those with hyperacusis as well as those with hearing loss.

Date:Tuesday, September 17th, at 7 pm
Location: Potomac Audiology, 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 105, Rockville, MD 20852 (the practice of Dr. Gail Linn)
Office tel: 240 477 1010
Getting there: See this map. If you drive, turn onto Security Lane off of the Pike, across from White Flint mall. Building is One Central Plaza, and parking is free in the structure adjoining the building or on the street. Via Metro, take the Red Line to White Flint and walk south on Rockville Pike past the Whole Foods sign and turn right on Security Lane. Enter at One Central Plaza and office is on the 1st floor.
Questions? Our email is: TinnitusDC@gmail.com .

Happy end-of-summer, and see you then!

July Meeting Wrap-up

On Sunday, July 21st the support group met in the afternoon for “Show & Tell.” Over hot dogs & other yummies, we shared some of the doo-dads we use. A summary with links embedded:

EARPLUGS Over The Counter:

Deftget - 2-in-1 (green/yellow) decibel reducers with stronger/less-strong options

Earplanes – pressure-equalizing and noise reduction   

HEARING AIDS WITH MASKERS – through your audiologist & vetted by ATA:

The ones with the chimes – Widex, great for some people

The ones with white noise - Phonak, very common

SOUND THERAPY - Over The Counter:

The pillow with 2 binaural speakers, variety of natural sounds/music tracks included - vetted by ATA; call Scott Armbruster & ask for discount.

Cube-shape external speaker can play the soundpillow tracks

Single under-pillow speaker – with soft cover, inexpensive, portable

Wide/flat-shaped Pillow Sleep Sound System by Serene
 
Dream Egg D1 White Noise Machine - for bedside

Ear Pajamas for sleep - wearable earphones inside a soft headband

Have a great August and see everyone in the fall!

Reminder to DC/MD support group members:

A week from Sunday, on Sunday July 21st (we had to change it from the 14th some time ago -- this is by way of confirmation, to be extra sure no one thinks the meeting is THIS Sunday the 14th) from 3 to 6 pm we will meet at a member’s residence, for our annual open house/picnic style “show and tell”. We’ll catch up with one another, welcome new members, and share our helpful apps and gadgets — so bring your favorite ear-plugs, sound devices, relaxation aids, etc., etc., so show off. We can also make CDs of tracks that people would like to have.

 If it’s not too hot we’ll go out on the patio. Menu is hot dogs, beans, cole slaw, potato salad, chips, sodas, and cookies (already have contributors). If there’s anything you’d like to eat or drink that’s not on the menu, please bring it along… :-)

Date: Sunday, July 21st from 3 to 6 pm
Location: xxxx
Land line: xxxx

Questions? - our email is: TinnitusDC@gmail.com . See you then!

Announcing July 21 support group meeting

Dear DC & MD Tinnitus Support Group,

 Our next meeting is coming up Sunday, July 21, and will be an informal gathering/open house “Show & Tell.” This is a chance for old and new members to share ideas, tips and tricks – and demo our favorite gadgets. From phone apps to ear-plugs, meditation CDs to soundpillows – bring what works for you! We can make copies of CDs, share Web links, etc., on the spot. Bring a pal/spouse if you’d like.

We already have one volunteer to bring snacks, and the host will provide hot dogs (meat & meatless), soft drinks, blank CDs & a CD burner – as well as many tracks & gadgets to show. If you want a special food or drink, bring it along (optional). Please respond to TinnitusDC@gmail.com so we can get a head count. We’ll go out on the back patio if it’s not too hot.

Date: Sunday, July 21 from 3 to 6 pm
Location:  xxxxx
Cell/text:  xxxxx

NOTE: If you haven’t already, think about signing up for AmazonSmile with ATA (American Tinnitus Association) as your selected charity. A small donation goes to ATA with every Amazon purchase you make. It adds up! No cost - here’s how: https://blog.aboutamazon.com/community/how-to-sign-up-for-amazonsmile

Write-up from May 16th support group meeting

“Between the stimulus and the response is a space. In that space lies our ability to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom.” —Viktor Frankl

Training in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is one way to help ourselves lower our reactivity, and thereby reduce the intensity of tinnitus & hyperacusis symptoms. For those of us for whom other approaches are not working or who are open to additional, self-directed methods, these techniques can be well worth a try. MBSR is neither expensive nor invasive.

As Rebecca Hines shared with our group this last week, the MBSR course introduces a number of practices, from which the learner can select the most effective to continue. More than a relaxation program, MBSR is a proven approach to addressing chronic, intractable conditions, which teaches us to live in the moment, without ruminating over the past or fearing the future.

The ‘father’ of MBSR is Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of “Full Catastrophe Living” and many other related works. Trained in his methods, Rebecca introduced us to MBSR theories, and also led us in a couple of experiential exercises during the meeting. Rebecca pointed out that the Chinese translation for “mindfulness” is “present heart” - emphasizing that mindfulness, despite the name, is about more than just the mind - it’s about the whole self.

 For more information and resources on MBSR, Rebecca gave us a hand-out, which is downloadable here .  Other resources mentioned during the meeting: www.soundpillow.com and also Dr. Stephen Nagler (see Tinnitus Today 2018).

Stay tuned for next meeting announcement! In the meantime, we have received this request from a journalist that you may be able to respond to: “Hi everyone! I have an assignment from the Washington Post involving local restaurant music. I am looking for a real person to quote on the subject. This person must have hearing loss and/or tinnitus, and be willing to talk about a bad experience trying to get the volume lowered in a restaurant - for example, you asked for the music to be durned down and the restaurant refused, so you left. The person will be quoted by name and some identifying information in this format: ‘Pat Smith, age XX, a butcher/baker/candlestick-maker who lives near Anytown.’ Please sent me a PM on Facebook or write me a joycehohen@verizon.net. Thanks!”

Reminder for May 16 support group meeting

Reminder for DC/MD support group members:

This Thursday, May 16 at 7 pm we will meet at our usual location in Rockville. We’ll catch up with one another, welcome new members, and hear from our guest speaker, Rebecca Hines, a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction instructor.

According to a 2015 tinnitus study by the National Institutes of Health, participation in a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program is “associated with decreased severity in tinnitus symptoms and depression.” Additionally, study participants with tinnitus displayed “connectivity changes in neural attention networks” that improved with practice. NIH concluded that MBSR is “a promising treatment option for chronic, bothersome tinnitus,” one that is neither invasive nor expensive.

MBSR was developed by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn of the University of Massachusetts medical school to help their patients with chronic pain and other intractable conditions. Rebecca, who was formally trained in Dr. Kabat-Zinn’s methods, will introduce us to MBSR and how to access the full MBSR course, as well as find drop-in classes and other helpful resources. During our meeting, she will lead us in a brief mindfulness exercise. Rebecca provided a helpful reading selection by Dr. Kabat-Zinn (optional): download it here.

Date: Thursday, May 16th, at 7 pm
Location:  Potomac Audiology, 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 105, Rockville, MD 20852 (the practice of Dr. Gail Linn)
Office tel:  240 477 1010
Speaker:  Rebecca Hines teaches with the Insight Meditation Community of Washington.  She completed her training in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in 2006 and has been teaching the eight-week MBSR course in the Washington DC area since then through her organization, Mindfulness Training. She is also a graduate of the Spirit Rock Mindfulness Yoga and Meditation Training Program.
Getting there:  See the map here.  If you drive, turn onto Security Lane off of the Pike, across from White Flint mall. Building is One Central Plaza, and parking is free in the structure adjoining the building or on the street. Via Metro, take the Red Line to White Flint and walk south on Rockville Pike past the Whole Foods sign and turn right on Security Lane.  Enter at One Central Plaza and office is on the 1st floor.
Refreshments will be provided.
Questions? - our email is: TinnitusDC@gmail.com. See you then!

May Meeting Announcement

Hello DC/MD Tinnitus Support Group & Happy Spring!

Our next meeting is Thursday, May 16, when we’ll get to catch up, learn about a helpful therapy from an experienced practitioner, and support one another. Snacks will be provided. Our topic will be Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, or MBSR. According to the American Tinnitus Association, MBSR is:

“A therapy that emphasizes 'mindfulness' — an acute and non-judgmental awareness of one’s physical sensations, sensory perceptions, emotional reactions and cognitive processes. Rather than struggling (often in vain) to ignore tinnitus, MBSR teaches patients to wholly accept, embrace, and control their experience. In doing so, patients put themselves in a better position to manage their condition. It can also addresses negative feelings of anger and apathy that so often accompany tinnitus.”

Date: Thursday, May 16th, at 7 pm
Location:  Potomac Audiology, 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 105, Rockville, MD 20852 (the audiology practice of Dr. Gail Linn)
Office tel:  240 477 1010
Speaker:  Rebecca Hines teaches with the Insight Meditation Community of Washington.  She completed her training in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in 2006 and has been teaching the eight-week MBSR course in the Washington DC area since then. She is also a graduate of the Spirit Rock Mindfulness Yoga and Meditation Training Program. More information on Rebecca's work can be found on her website.
Getting there:  See the map.  If you drive, turn onto Security Lane off of the Pike, across from White Flint mall. Building is One Central Plaza, and parking is free in the structure adjoining the building or on the street. Via Metro, take the Red Line to White Flint and walk south on Rockville Pike past the Whole Foods sign and turn right on Security Lane.  Enter at One Central Plaza and office is on the 1st floor.

Questions? - our email is: TinnitusDC@gmail.com. See you then!

Write-up from February 21st support group meeting

If you are reading a book and you are wearing glasses, you have large rims around your area of vision. Are you distracted by those glasses frames? So severely that you can’t read? No – because your brain has habituated to them. You focus on the words on the page, and the rims fade into the background. This is one of the ways psycho-therapist Virginia Lindahl illustrates to her tinnitus patients the goal of habituating to the sound they hear in their heads. 

Dr. Lindahl addressed our support group on February 21st. Years ago, she explained, she developed hearing loss and tinnitus herself. Her doctors told her they could treat her hearing loss. But the ringing? No. “I wasn’t happy with that answer,” she related. “The doctors said – you’re a psycho-therapist, so use the tools you know.” Dr. Lindahl settled on CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) and treated herself. This is still her main tool for her tinnitus patients. “To habituate, we have to get out of our own way,” she told us. “The ringing is a false alarm, and the more we pay attention to it, the more our brain thinks it’s important. We need to convince the brain that the opposite is true.” Negative emotional responses only raise anxiety and worsen our symptoms.

Make no mistake – CBT is an incremental healing process, and re-training ourselves from the inside out is no mean feat. “We are hard-wired to react to sudden noises,” Dr. Lindahl said. “For our ancestors living in trees, it could have meant life or death.” Some of her tinnitus patients arrive severely distressed, and may require referrals to specialists to get on medications (for pain or anxiety). She might work with patients for months to relieve their panic attacks, insomnia, related depression, and other issues. On the other hand, some tinnitus patients are less distressed and may only need a couple of sessions to internalize that: A) they are not going crazy, and B) they can improve their symptoms with CBT methods in her office or at home.

She finds hyperacusis to be the other side of the tinnitus coin. Whether distressing sounds are coming from without or from within, for those in a state of hyper-vigilance, the way out is de-sensitization, which CBT promotes. She helps her patients challenge their catastrophic thinking, so they can turn around avoidance-type behaviors. If a patient thinks she will be fired from her job if she doesn’t sleep tonight – is that really true? If a patient is terrified that engaging in some former activity will make his tinnitus get worse, is that a fact? What small step can he take to try it again? With CBT, Dr. Lindahl helps her tinnitus patients to make steady progress toward habituation.

Reminder! – Thursday February 21st support group meeting

We’ll meet on Thursday, February 21st, at 7 pm at Potomac Audiology.
Address: 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 105, Rockville, MD 20852 (near White Flint Metro) Refreshments will be provided.
Office phone: 240 477 1010
Map is here.

Our guest will be Licensed Clinical Psychologist Virginia Lindahl, PhD. She runs an Alexandria-based therapy and psychological testing practice for adults and children, volunteers with the American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health team, and is a Silver sponsor of the American Tinnitus Association. Having struggled herself with the symptoms of tinnitus, she helps her patients with tinnitus to deal with the condition.

Have you experienced anxiety, depression, or other negative emotions as a result of tinnitus?
Come and meet Dr. Lindahl.
Questions, RSVPs: TinnitusDC@gmail.com
See you then!

Now! FaceBook group for members

Announcing:
DC/MD Tinnitus/Hyperacusis support group now has a private FaceBook Group! Members can ask questions, share advice, notify each other of resources or events, post videos – whatever you like. Your posts won’t be visible to anyone who's not in the group. We’ll continue to make meeting announcements on the existing Blog site as well as on the FaceBook page. We hope this new platform will facilitate conversations and interactivity amongst our members.

So let’s get this going - join today using this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/353002085496089/

While we’re on the subject of social media – if you like to use Twitter, these are some great feeds to follow: @Tinnitus_USA ; @BritishTinnitus ; @TinnitusHub ; @TRI_TinnitusRes .

See you on line!