Self-Talk and Giving your Power Away If you are prone to engage in negative self-talk, then guess what, you are probably suffering from anxiety, panic attacks and some type of fear based thinking. By the repetition of statements that are negative, opinions, and distorted thinking you are causing yourself to be stuck and paralyzed every [...]
This year, make Thanksgiving about gratitude. Whether your looking forward to seeing loved ones, or dreading holiday travel, whatever your state of mind, research shows that focusing on gratitude can produce many benefits to your mind, body and spirit. Improve mood Increase positivity and optimism Reduce stress Decrease inflammation Improve sleep Reduce tension and worry [...]
When I came into the office last week one of my coworkers was complaining about the dreary, rainy day we had. I smiled and said "Yes, but at least my grass and flowers are getting watered!" That got a laugh from my co-worker. We went on our ways feeling happier. Yes, I am an optimist. Optimism [...]
As a licensed professional counselor, I have observed increases in clients reporting anxiety, with some reporting higher levels of anxiety than they've ever experienced before. You may even notice that those around you are talking more about anxious feelings. Perhaps you've experienced anxiety, or an increase in anxiety, yourself. There are probably a lot of [...]
Clients sometimes make comments like, “How do I empower myself? I don’t even know how to go about healing. How do I start?” Self-empowerment is a path towards setting goals and strengthening and developing oneself. It requires taking personal responsibility and having a belief in an internal locus of control where one has the power [...]
Most of us are often thinking about making changes in our lives. Whether big or small, change if often an inevitable part of life itself. When we desire a change, we often want to make that change RIGHT NOW and we want it to be quick and painless. The problem is that with any life [...]
Throughout our lives, we naturally develop defenses to protect ourselves from thoughts, feelings, or experiences that seem uncomfortable. For example, we might deny that an uncomfortable situation is happening because we don't want to face that discomfort. You might think of defenses as rose-colored glasses that we put on so we can try to change [...]
More and more in the media, we see articles focused on aging in the American public. What are the risks inherent in aging? How do we find strategies to protect our parents or ourselves as we age? What services are available for aging family members? While there are all important questions, I don't see much in the media [...]
When we think about addiction and recovery, it is vital to prepare for relapse prevention by minimizing daily stressors and following a solid plan to avoid relapse. Relapse prevention planning also typically includes strategies for avoiding triggers for relapse, including people whom you used to use substances with, places where you used to obtain or use [...]
Wow, we've completed October, Happy Halloween! Happy Thanksgiving 3 weeks later. Hanukkah in another 3, Christmas and Kwanzaa 2 weeks after that and New Years in another 1. Six holidays in 10 weeks and, oh I forgot, election day is in there too. Happiness to all in this holiday season. With all these holidays, we should [...]