Anxiety is used as a catch-all term today. Anxiety effects so many people in a variety of circumstances and across demographics, so a cogent argument could be made for the need to understand what the word actually means. The word anxiety comes from the Latin root word, angere, to choke or cause pain. What a …
Dr. Daniel Amen uses the pneumonic BRIGHT MINDS for 11 risk factors that can result in symptoms of anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder and other mental health conditions. Often, the DSM-V guides clinicians to assess solely from a psychiatric lens, but there is an abundance of evidence of physical illness, trauma, over medication, mimicking mental health …
BRIGHT MINDS: Neuroscience to decrease symptoms of mental illness? Read More »
Questions regarding boundaries have come up frequently lately with my therapy clients, so let’s see if I can help make sense of this. One client stated, “I feel weird that I don’t know much about you.” Another, “I’d like to be your friend.” Earlier in the month, “My girlfriends therapist talks about herself a lot. …
Therapists with Poor Boundaries + Why this Matters Read More »
I savor sessions in which we talk about attachment styles. Understanding the degree to which bonds with our caregiver effect our intimate relationships is fascinating. Still, language like “dismissive attachment” or “anxious attachment” feels, at best, stale, and at worst, deficit based. Recently (and if I’m being honest, in my own therapy), I learned about …
An Original Look at Attachment Styles: Waves, Islands or Anchors? Read More »
Has your partner ever told you, “you’re acting like a child?” Has a friend ever called you super judgmental and harsh? Does your boss make you feel insecure, even when they are giving you constructive feedback? Do you act one way as a parent, authoritative and confident, and another as an employee, passive and compliant? …
What is Ego State Therapy and Why Might it Help Me? Read More »
Compassion fatigue is caused by exhaustion and secondary trauma, with both emotional and physical symptoms evident. While most common in healthcare professionals (i.e: nurses, therapists), empaths who are not in typical helping roles can certainly suffer from compassion fatigue, too. In fact, due to endless images of the after effects of COVID 19, I’m sure many …
What you eat has a direct, considerable impact on your physiology and biochemistry. Some natural substances can reduce your anxiety, while others may leave you keyed up. Coffee is the most common culprit, but there are other small dietary revisions that won’t hurt your pallet and can decrease your anxiety. I’m a fan of easier …
Undoubtedly, what I consume dictates my therapy practice. August’s read, Irvin Yalom’s, Staring at the Sun, made quite an impression on me. Yalom, a 20th century psychiatrist, writes about the human condition, particularly instructing readers on how to find meaning in death. Many of my current clients have heard a mouthful about Yalom’s ideas regarding …
I’m continuing to transition to an earlier practice, seeing people for counseling sessions as early as 7A. Like many, with age, I’ve become more of a morning person (insert luxurious fantasy of sleeping in). When building my practice, a couple folks shot me dirty looks when I first offered them early sessions, but now they’ve …
Bright + Early Therapy May Benefit You in a Surprising Way Read More »
The beginning of long summer days, getting active with friends, and ice cream cones can lead us back to our most fond childhood memories. Who wasn’t ramped up about, “no school for the Summer!?” While some people have plenty of childhood memories, many cannot come up with more than fuzzy images that drift away upon …
Trauma Healing: Returning to the Time of Tonka Trucks and Troll Dolls Read More »
