2012 written in the sand on a beach with an incoming wave.

New Years Resolutions Success

Posted on: January 19, 2011by Dr Kim Dr Hil

If you are not getting the results you want from your New Years Resolutions than it may be time to apply the Law of Exposure. Simply stated, what you expose yourself to dramatically shapes your thinking, feeling and acting. In other words, you are a product of your environment. Consider that watching the news can be hazardous to your health. Research reveals just minutes of watching the news can increase your heart rate, blood pressure and irritability while decreasing your immune response. The Law of Exposure applies not only to those elements of your environment that directly tempt you but also to those indirect elements that cause high stress.

High Stress & Relapse

High stress is the number reason people relapse, fall off the wagon or get sidetracked from following through on their New Years Resolutions. Direct temptations include; hanging out at your local dessert shop or purposely walking by the open box of donuts at the office if you are trying to lose weight. They also include going to a smoky bar if you are attempting to quit smoking or cut back on your alcohol intake. Indirect factors include anything that causes high stress levels such as watching the news, hanging out with people who complain or focus on the negative side of things, procrastinating, overfilling your schedule or whatever you perceive to be stress producing.

Consciously choosing what you take in, what you allow to influence you in the form of people, all forms of media and technology, your environment etcâ€¦ is one of the most important choices you make on a practical level each day to create results with your New Years Resolutions.

Coaching and Counseling

Hilary Stokes Ph.D. and Kim Ward Ph.D. have been a team for 20 years, specializing in mind, body, spirit psychology. They are the authors of the bestselling books The Happy Map: Your roadmap to the habit of happiness and Manifesting Mindset: The 6-step formula for attracting your goals and dreams and founders of Authenticity Associates Coaching and Counseling. They are passionate about combining the best of holistic and traditional approaches to health and happiness. If you are interested in learning the answers to the most frequently asked questions on how to decrease stress and increase happiness sign up for their free video series.

About the Authors

Hilary Stokes Phd

HIlary Stokes, Ph.D., LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist in California with more than 25 years of clinical experience, specializing in trauma therapy, PTSD treatment, anxiety, depression, and nervous system healing. She holds Master's degrees in Clinical Social Work and Kinesiology and Sports Psychology and a Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology with a specialization in Tibetan Buddhist Psychology. Dr. Stokes is extensively trained and certified in brainspotting, EMDR, somatic therapy and other mind body approaches. Her integrative work bridges neuroscience, mindfulness, and holistic psychology to help clients process unresolved trauma, rewire stress patterns, and build emotional resilience.

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Dr. Stokes’ clinical approach is informed by advanced professional training and her own healing journey from complex trauma, which shaped her commitment to therapies that go beyond traditional talk therapy. She has worked in psychiatric hospitals, addiction and PTSD treatment centers, universities, integrative medical facilities, and private practice. As co-developer of the psychology and wellness programming at Sanoviv Medical Institute, she witnessed firsthand the power of integrating mind and body for lasting transformation. Today she helps individuals heal trauma, strengthen emotional regulation and reclaim purpose through brainspotting, EMDR, somatic therapy and mindfulness interventions.

Kim Ward Phd

Kim Ward, Ph.D. holds both a masters and a doctorate in Transpersonal Psychology with a specialization in Tibetan Buddhist Psychology. She brings more than 25 years of experience in trauma recovery, Brainspotting and mind-body transformation. She is extensively trained and certified in Brainspotting, somatic therapy, and trauma-informed approaches. Dr. Ward integrates neuroscience, nervous system regulation and consciousness-based psychology to help individuals process unresolved trauma, shift limiting beliefs, and access greater emotional resilience. Her work focuses on healing at the root, beyond symptom management, through brain-body therapies that create lasting change.

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As co-developer of the psychology and wellness programs at Sanoviv Medical Institute, Dr. Ward brings a uniquely holistic perspective to trauma therapy and personal growth. Her path from corporate leadership into psychology shaped her commitment to helping clients move beyond external success toward embodied fulfillment and emotional freedom. Dr. Ward's expertise combines Brainspotting, emotional intelligence, contemplative psychology and purpose-driven coaching. Drawing from both advanced academic training and lived experience navigating complex family mental health dynamics, she supports clients in transforming stress patterns, reclaiming vitality, and aligning with authentic purpose.