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Anxiety is a natural emotional response involving feelings, thoughts, and body sensations. It’s a signal that something might be going on in or around us that poses danger. Anxiety gets us ready to keep ourselves safe by preparing for fight or flight. When signaling true danger or the need for extra attention, anxiety is an […]
Anxiety is a natural emotional response involving feelings, thoughts, and body sensations. It’s a signal that something might be going on in or around us that poses danger. Anxiety gets us ready to keep ourselves safe by preparing for fight or flight.
When signaling true danger or the need for extra attention, anxiety is an uncomfortable, but short-lived reaction, that occurs in particularly stressful times. However, for some, anxiety may be more persistent and influence their daily life. Sometimes, anxiety even becomes a painful chronic condition that hurts so much that it causes people to hide and lose out on much of the joy in life.
Here are some healthy coping strategies you can use to start to manage anxiety more effectively:
Breathe
While it sounds basic, attention to your breathing is one of the best strategies for calming down acute anxiety flare ups. Slow, deep breaths have been shown to quickly calm a person. You can slow your heart rate, relax your muscles, and even slow racing thoughts, by putting your attention on your breathing in a purposeful way.
Understand Your Anxiety
Anxiety is strong emotions of fear or nervousness, physical sensations like tightness in the chest, rapid heartbeat and shortness of breath, and thoughts about what horrible things could happen. In the midst of intense anxiety or a panic attack, it can feel like you are dying, but remind yourself that what you are feeling is normal as your body prepares for fight or flight. Check in with if this response is needed and if not, work to calm yourself by talking yourself down and breathing.
Learn to Observe and Change Your Thought Patterns
How often are you aware of your own thoughts? Many times are thoughts are so automatic that they occur without much control from our conscious mind. For those experiencing anxiety, many of these thoughts will be negative and frightening, based on worse case scenarios.
Starting to pay attention to the thoughts behind the feelings gives you power. Challenge your thoughts by checking on the realistic likelihood. What are the chances of this really happening on a scale of 1 – 10? What is more likely? Is your level of anxious preparation right for the more likely outcomes?
The more you do this, the more you will retrain your mind to process life differently.
Learn Your Triggers
Once you learn to pay attention to your thoughts and remain calm knowing you are having a natural reaction to what you perceive as a threat, find the trigger. Observe your surroundings to find what activated your panic reaction. If it is an external trigger, and there are other people in the room, notice their reaction to your trigger. Do they seem uneasy or concerned? If it is an internal trigger, take a minute to observe and breath. Notice what parts of your anxiety are really for the present situation and which parts are from the past.
When you identify your triggers, store this information to avoid being blindsided again. You can work on reducing your reactivity by calming yourself each time this trigger occurs.
Ask For Help
If you find you need more help learning to control your anxiety, please feel free to call me for a free consultation. I would be more than happy to discuss treatment options.
Filed Under: Anxiety
Why is Your Teen Glued to Their Phone? When your child was small, they might have needed their favorite “blanky” or stuffed animal to feel safe. Well, just because your child is “all grown up” doesn’t mean teenagers don’t still seek comfort items. For most teens today, their phone has become their security blanket. They […]
Why is Your Teen Glued to Their Phone?
When your child was small, they might have needed their favorite “blanky” or stuffed animal to feel safe. Well, just because your child is “all grown up” doesn’t mean teenagers don’t still seek comfort items. For most teens today, their phone has become their security blanket. They can’t seem to go to bed, or anywhere else for that matter, without their precious smart phone by their side.
Why is This Phone Dependency a Problem?
The University of Maryland conducted a study as part of The World Unplugged project where researchers evaluated students from 10 different countries to see what would happen when the students had to forgo their phones for 24 hours. Their results were eye-opening, as they found that the majority of students experienced distress during this time without their phones.
Another large-scale study involving more than 2,500 college students found that 60% of them admitted to being addicted to their phone.
The danger is that this addiction can sometimes be linked to unhealthy mental behaviors. For instance, researchers at the Catholic University of Daegu in South Korea found that teens who used their smartphones the most showed troubling psychological issues such as aggression, depression, anxiety, and tended to withdrawal more.
Also, adolescents need a high level of peer interaction, but now even though they still go out in groups, they all have their heads down with their eyes glued to their phones. So, are they really getting the peer support and interaction that they need to help them through this difficult developmental stage?
While more research is needed, and cellphone addiction is not yet categorized as a real disorder, it is clear that teens are having trouble putting their phones down even for their own good.
What Are Some Signs That Your Teen May be Addicted to Their Phone?
How do you prevent your own kid from experiencing the aggression, depression, or anxiety associated with overuse of a smart phone? First, you must recognize signs that there may be a problem:
– Does your child feel the need to respond to everything immediately? Do they seem unable to resist that urge?
– Does your child constantly check their phone, even when it isn’t ringing or vibrating? This behavior actually called ‘phantom vibration’. This is a definite sign that your teen may have an addiction.
– Does your child seem disconnected from the real world and ignore what is happening right in front of them?
– Does your child express or show symptoms that feel anxious or angry when they are away from their phone?
What Can You Do To Help?
First, try speaking with your teen about their phone use and your concerns. Changing this behavior is easiest if you can get your child to understand that making rules about phone use is to protect them. They may or may not be receptive to the talk, but it’s a good idea to invite your adolescent to be part of making the rules and regulations.
Next, set some rules, preferably with your teen. Understand that changing this behavior will be difficult, so try to start slow. You may want to start by saying phones are not allowed at the dinner table. Of course, you as a parent must follow your own rules if you want your teen to.
Next, you might want to enforce a “no bedtime” rule. Studies have found electronic equipment like laptops and cellphones hinder sleep. Try and encourage your teen to leave their phone out of their room and try some quiet time before bed by reading or listening to music. Some families find a charging station in the kitchen or living room is a good way to get everyone to unplug before bed.
What’s Next?
Once the new pattern is established, encourage your teen to start regulating their own behaviors. That’s what growing up is all about, but know that your job as a parent is to enforce healthy rules until your child is ready to take over. Check in and help them as needed to stay on the right path to cell phone use, not dependence!
If you are worried that your teen is getting into trouble, a trained therapist can help you get on the right track. I work with adolescents and adults to help you figure out how to find balance in this fast paced world.
Filed Under: Anxiety, Parenting, Teens/Children
How long has it been since you checked your Facebook, Twitter, or Intragram account? If you’re like most people, you probably use social media many times throughout the day and may even have notifications set up that prompt you to check even more often. While social media can be fun, studies have suggested that it […]
How long has it been since you checked your Facebook, Twitter, or Intragram account? If you’re like most people, you probably use social media many times throughout the day and may even have notifications set up that prompt you to check even more often.
While social media can be fun, studies have suggested that it can take a toll on our emotions. One such study by researchers at the University of Missouri focused on the effects of Facebook on mental health. They discovered that regular use could lead to symptoms of depression if the site triggered feelings of envy in the user. A co-author of the research, Professor Margaret Duffy, noted concern about social media from the findings, “If it is used as a way to size up one’s own accomplishments against others, it can have a negative effect.”
Other studies have revealed that most people tend to edit photos and only show the ones that make their lives seem more attractive to others. That makes sense, who would post the worst pictures of themselves? However, we often forget this when we are comparing ourselves to our “Facebook friends.” It is this constant measuring of ourselves against others that causes the grief and suffering. It is the not feeling as “good, smart, pretty, wealthy, or funny” as others through comparison.
If you are wondering whether maybe your happiness has taken a hit from social media use, here are 3 signs it has:
1. You Need Positive Feedback to Feel Good
We all love feeling appreciated and valued. It feels great when a friend tells you that you look good or gives you positive feedback when you share something about your life. However, if you feel that you need to get “likes” on your pictures and posts, and only have good days based on getting that positive feedback online, you are too dependent on social media.
2. You’re an Instant Gratification Addict
With such easy and constant access to technology, we have become a society of people who seek out instant gratification. While it’s okay to sometimes want fast food and instant movie streaming, having a need to instantly feel worthy and good through social media is very harmful.
If the promise of instant gratification is driving your desire to post or share bits of your life, you may have become too dependent on social media.
3. You’re Reliving the Popularity Contests All Over Again
Adults can be just as susceptible to getting caught up in caring about how many “Facebook friends” and “likes” they get as teenagers. Anyone can struggle with putting down their phone to eat dinner or go to bed. Social media has created the opportunity to feel that we are constantly reliving the high school popularity contests. At the end of the day, are all of those “Facebook friends” really your friends?
True happiness is having authentic connections with the loved ones in your life. If you’re paying too much attention to how many online friends you have and not enough on whether or not your face-to-face relationships are healthy, you may have a problem. We all need connection, but think quality not quantity.
The next time you find yourself on your social media sites feeling jealous, envious, or somehow less than the people on those pages, remember that people tend to present very biased accounts of their lives. You “Facebook friends” are just as caught up in wanting to look good and feel that they measure up as you are. Struggling to feel worthy is something we all have in common, so see if you can take a step back to try to feel compassion for yourself and others as you watch this struggle play out on social media.
If you or someone you know is having a hard time with self-worth issues, therapy can be very helpful. I offer a free consultation session to discuss how I may be able to help.
Filed Under: Anxiety, Depression, Self-Esteem
Often the most challenging time to start a new activity is when you need it the most. When you are suffering with depression or anxiety, you might feel hopeless, worthless, irritable, and tired. You may have difficulty falling or staying asleep, and your disrupted sleep patterns will increase fatigue and negatively impact your already low […]
Often the most challenging time to start a new activity is when you need it the most. When you are suffering with depression or anxiety, you might feel hopeless, worthless, irritable, and tired. You may have difficulty falling or staying asleep, and your disrupted sleep patterns will increase fatigue and negatively impact your already low mood. Your depression or anxiety will have you believing that there’s no hope in sight, but help may be right outside your front door.
How Sports Can Help
When you’re feeling low and irritable, the last thing you want to do is to get out and move around or spend time with people, and yet, that might be the very thing to get you moving towards health. Participating in sports will not only help you get some much-needed sunlight, fresh air, and exercise, but you’ll meet new friends and have fun doing it.
Improved Mood
Exercise can be an effective treatment component for people with depression or anxiety. Along with the many physical health benefits provided by regular exercise, your mental health will also be supported. Regular exercise releases the body’s endorphins, which help to relieve pain while inducing feelings of pleasure or euphoria. Exercise also improves your mood by reducing the activity of the stress hormone cortisol, which, when in excess, can make you more susceptible to stress and impairs your brain’s ability to function properly.
Better Sleep
According to the National Sleep Foundation, just 2.5 hours of moderate to vigorous activity a week will cause you to have a deeper sleep. Better sleep will improve your mood during the day and cause you to feel more alert with increased concentration.
Social Interaction
Depression and anxiety can often cause you to withdraw from friends and family, isolating yourself. We all have a profound need to connect with others and feel a sense of belonging, even though we may feel like hiding. Making the effort to interact socially through a sports activity can help distract you from your worries while you have fun and make new friends.
How to Get Started
Think back to when you were a kid and the fun activities you used to do to find inspiration for sports you’d like to participate in as an adult. Check out activities like yoga, water aerobics or workout classes, or sign up for a neighborhood softball, basketball or flag football league. You can also look into dancing classes or dance groups. Check the sports category on Meetup.com to find a sport that’s fun and familiar, or new and unique. You can even make a post on your neighborhood app (like Nextdoor.com) to start a group of your own!
Get More Support When You Need It
While exercise is a great way to start moving and connecting, you may need support to get started or work on other aspects of your depression or anxiety issues and therapy can help. Feel free to contact me today to schedule a free consultation session.
Filed Under: Anxiety, Depression
If your child seems to have more intense emotional reactions, shows a high level of sensitivity to other’s emotions, and easily overwhelmed by changes or transitions, you may have a highly sensitive child. Parenting any child is demanding, however, parenting a highly sensitive child can present additional challenges. With a few simple strategies, you can […]
If your child seems to have more intense emotional reactions, shows a high level of sensitivity to other’s emotions, and easily overwhelmed by changes or transitions, you may have a highly sensitive child. Parenting any child is demanding, however, parenting a highly sensitive child can present additional challenges. With a few simple strategies, you can support your child to better manage everyday problems and create a more peaceful home for the both of you.
Change Your Viewpoint
First, it’s important to check in with your perspective and assumptions. It’s easy to want our children to be “normal,” so your initial reaction might be to see your highly sensitive child’s special needs as a problem, rather than an asset. However, highly sensitive children tend to be more creative, insightful, and empathic. With proper guidance, understanding, and patience you can support your child to grow into a successful and happy adult.
Encouragement and Praise
Your highly sensitive child will maintain sensitivity into adulthood. Therefore, it’s very important that your child learns to embrace and manage emotions. Feeling shame about sensitivity could cause your child to develop anxiety and depression later in life.
Validate by encouraging your child to express how they are feeling and really listen when your child speaks. Encourage your child to manage emotions, rather than suppress them. Don’t ask or expect your child to “toughen up,” rather to understand their emotions and make choices about how to handle these “big feelings.”
Your sensitive child will also benefit from praise on a job well done, as this will help to develop confidence. Even better than telling your child that you are proud, encourage your child to make choices that make them feel an internal sense that they are doing the right thing. Building a strong internal sense of integrity and self-worth will help your child prosper, even in the face of challenges.
Help Them Prepare
Sensitive children can become easily overwhelmed by new environments and people, so a little preparation can be helpful to both of you. Help your child by physical or mental exposure to the new situation. This may mean going to a new school and walking around before classes start or imagining with your child what new situations they may face and coming up with coping strategies to prepare. Reassure your child that it’s natural to feel anxious with change, and that the other children are nervous as well.
Create a Safe Space
It’s often important for highly sensitive children to retreat to a quiet place to calm and sooth. Having a cozy area for your child to read, draw, or snuggle with stuffed animals can be helpful. Some children respond well to certain sensory soothing items, so you might try giving clay, kinetic sand, or a weighted blanket to help your child sooth. Having a smaller version of their soothing items to take out of the house may also be helpful, like a soft blanket, stuffed animal, or silly putty. You can redirect your child to use these items when they are overwhelmed and need help calming down.
Get Involved
If you notice that your child tends to isolate or have great difficulty in social situations, try volunteering for field trips or as an occasional recess or lunch monitor. Encourage your child to participate by interacting with the other children. When your child sees you having fun, they might join in and you can help coach them in social interactions. You might also be able to advocate for support from the school staff to help with encouraging your child in appropriate social interactions and helping to understand and manage any conflict.
With love and gentle guidance, your highly sensitive child will develop a confidence and self-acceptance that will carry into adulthood. I often work with adults and older teens who started as highly sensitive children and did not always get the support they needed, leading to developing anxiety, depression, and/or relationship issues. If this sounds like you or if you are parenting a highly sensitive child and would like some support, feel free to call me for a free consultation.
Filed Under: Anxiety, Parenting, Teens/Children
Low self-esteem has become an epidemic in this country, and one that negatively impacts our quality of life. Feelings of being unworthy can begin at a young age and build up over time leading to depression and anxiety for some people. Finding ways to feel better about ourselves and our abilities is important part of […]
Low self-esteem has become an epidemic in this country, and one that negatively impacts our quality of life. Feelings of being unworthy can begin at a young age and build up over time leading to depression and anxiety for some people.
Finding ways to feel better about ourselves and our abilities is important part of enjoying life. Here are 5 ways to increase your self-esteem:
Negative self-talk is a common issue for people with low self-esteem. If you’re one of those people whose inner critic is constantly beating them up, it’s important you learn to turn the volume down or change the channel. The first step is to have awareness of the negative comments and then see if you can re-frame them to neutral or positive. For example, “I’m so stupid, I never do anything right” would feel better as “math is challenging for me, so I need to give my self more time and ask for help if I need it.”
Also, work on resetting the balance on where you put your attention. We naturally tend to focus more on weaknesses, so make an effort to focus on your strengths and abilities.
We are all so unique. Sadly, instead of celebrating what makes us individuals, many of us spend time comparing ourselves to others. Then, in the areas where we find we don’t quite measure up, we feel inadequate. When you recognize that all people have strengths and weaknesses, you can stop comparing yourself to others and instead concentrate on being the best version of you that you can be.
Being human means being imperfect. We all have flaws, we are all works in progress, and that’s okay. Striving for the impossible is futile and exhausting. Even Hollywood’s A-listers are often photoshopped and many have been treated for depression and addiction. They are human and struggling like anyone else.
Stop setting yourself up for failure by trying to be perfect. Instead set attainable goals for yourself and let yourself feel successful!
Many people struggle with body image issues. Much of it is because of the perfectionism and photoshopping I just mentioned. It’s hard to love your body when you are expected to look like the people who grace the covers of magazines.
Instead of focusing on what you don’t like about your body, focus on being healthy. Be grateful for what is working and nurture you body and mind with healthy choices that make you feel good.
Social media has its good points, but it can also set unrealistic expectations regarding relationships and lifestyles. It’s important to remember that online, people tend to only post images that make their lives seem awesome, but that’s only part of the story. How many of us post the picture that made us cringe when we looked at it? Spending too much time looking at other people leading fun lives can lead us to spending less time enjoying our own.
If self-esteem issues have become a serious problem in your life, leading to anxiety and depression, consider working with a therapist who can help you work through your memories and emotions. If you or a loved one is interested in exploring treatment, please contact me today. I would be happy to speak with you about how I may be able to help in a free initial consultation to discuss your needs.
Filed Under: Anxiety, Depression, Self-Esteem
Do another person’s wants and needs come before your own? Do you find yourself trying to solve the unsolvable problem of changing someone else’s thoughts, feelings, or behaviors because you have accepted responsibility them? Are you constantly trying to please others even at the expense of yourself? Does setting healthy boundaries sound impossible and rejecting […]
Do another person’s wants and needs come before your own? Do you find yourself trying to solve the unsolvable problem of changing someone else’s thoughts, feelings, or behaviors because you have accepted responsibility them? Are you constantly trying to please others even at the expense of yourself? Does setting healthy boundaries sound impossible and rejecting to someone you love? Are you stuck in an unhealthy relationship because you just can’t let go?
If you said “yes” to some or all of the above questions, you have some of the symptoms of co-dependency. Co-dependent people tend to look to others to tell them what they should feel, need, and act like. While most would agree that sensitivity to others is a wonderful trait, people with co-dependent tendencies take it to an extreme and are hurt because of an inability to create healthy boundaries.
So why do we need boundaries? Just like the having walls and doors in our home, boundaries separate us from the outer world and allow us to choose what gets in. They help us understand what is ours and what is someone else’s. That way you don’t have to hold responsibility for other’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and get hurt and frustrated in the process. Rather, you can be caring and supportive to others while letting go of the guilt and pressure to fix them.
While all long-term patterns take time and effort to change, there are things you can do to overcome co-dependency. Just keep in mind that there is extra challenge, because the other person or people in your life might not like or support these changes, at least at first. Just remember that the hard work is worth it to build healthier relationships with yourself and others!
1. Recognize Any Denial
The first step to change is to be honest with yourself and acknowledge the problem. Our brains are really good at justifying what we are doing or want to believe. “It’s okay if I have a second piece of pie, I had a really hard day and I’ll go for an extra long walk tomorrow.” While it can feel scary to admit to being involved in a dysfunctional relationship, honesty is the first step toward healing. Facing the problem allows you to build a better relationship dynamic or let go of people who can’t or won’t be healthy partners for you.
2. Study Your Past
The next step on your path to healing is to take a look at your family history to uncover experiences that may have contributed to your co-dependency. What were relationships like in your family of origin? What messages or events led to you to disconnect from your inner emotions? Who told you that their reality was more valid than what your inner voice told you?
This can be a difficult process and one that involves reliving childhood emotions. You may find that you feel guilty for admitting you were wounded in your formative years by people who you care about. This type of work can be difficult and is best done in a safe therapeutic relationship.
3. Detach from Unhealthy Involvements
In order to truly work on ourselves, we have to first detach from what we are obsessed with. Personal growth will require giving up the over-involvement with trying to change, control, or please someone else. While this sometimes means letting go of the relationship, it can also mean changing how we see our role in the relationship. Learning to differentiate what is ours or not ours and letting go and acknowledging we cannot fix problems that are not ours.
4. Learn Self-care
Giving up your excessive attempts to please others is a good start to healing, but learning self-care is absolutely necessary. It’s important that you first begin to become aware of your own thoughts, feelings, and needs. Then learn how to communicate them in a relationship. This may feel selfish, but try thinking of it as putting on your oxygen mask in a plane. If you put yours on first, you can help all of the people around you, if you don’t you will passed out in the isle. Self care not only makes us feel better, but it also gives us more resources to share.
5. Get Good at Saying “No”
One of the best ways you can begin to set healthy boundaries is to learn to say “no” to situations that are not healthy for you. This will feel awkward at first, but the more you do it, the easier it will become. It will also mean that when you say “yes,” you can feel good about what you have agreed to.
Seeking the guidance of a therapist will be beneficial as you work your way through these five steps. They will be able to help you safely explore your painful feelings and experiences and learn healthy ways of relating to yourself and others. If you or a loved one is co-dependent and interested in exploring treatment, please contact me today for a free initial consultation session.
Filed Under: Abuse/Neglect, Anxiety, Depression, Self-Esteem
Our early interactions with our parents, or primary caregivers, form the basis of how we see ourselves and others. Growing up, many of us heard messages like kids are meant “to be seen and not heard” or “don’t speak until you are spoken to.” These messages are not a problem when it is pulled out […]
Our early interactions with our parents, or primary caregivers, form the basis of how we see ourselves and others. Growing up, many of us heard messages like kids are meant “to be seen and not heard” or “don’t speak until you are spoken to.” These messages are not a problem when it is pulled out selectively, like to survive holiday dinners with as little stress as possible. However, when a child is consistently given the message that he/she doesn’t matter, it is difficult to grow into an adult capable of healthy relationships with self and others.
Children who suffer from Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN), were raised to believe that not only do their ideas not matter, but neither do their feelings or needs. This chronic neglect, this lack of being treated as a valuable person, gives the message “you don’t matter.”
These children grow up to become adults who still believe they don’t matter, and that they shouldn’t burden others with their needs or feelings. This cycle of worthlessness is painful and destructive, but it can be broken.
Here are 3 ways you can start to heal from childhood emotional neglect:
You most likely grew up believing your own needs and emotions were the enemy or would get you in trouble. You may have even been made to feel ashamed because of them.
In order to heal you must change your relationship with these aspects of yourself. Learning to recognize and to embrace your needs and emotions allows you to have a fuller life experience. You can start to do this by observing and validating your own emotions. When understood and managed, emotions can provide valuable information, propel us, and help facilitate positive change.
Growing up, you might have felt like adults were dangerous. After all, it was the adults in your life that made you feel worthless. Now that you are grown, you may still have a natural instinct to keep people at a safe distance to protect yourself. In order to heal, you have to stop pushing people away, instead, invite them into your life. When we form relationships with genuine, caring and honest people, we feel good about ourselves while adding value to our lives.
Survivors of CEN all have one thing in common: they don’t really know themselves. That’s because the people in their lives who should know them the best and accept them unconditionally wouldn’t or couldn’t connect in this way.
Now is the time for you to fully recognize the truth, you are absolutely worth knowing! It is your responsibility to get to know yourself and show yourself the love and acceptance that you did not receive as a child. Knowing who you are, what you like, want, need, love, value, desire in this life will give you a firm foundation from which to propel yourself into an awesome future.
Recovering from any kind of emotional trauma is not easy. It is a personal journey that will contain many highs and lows. However, taking the journey, one step at a time, will lead you to a wonderful life, one that you deserve. If you or a loved one is suffering from CEN and would like to explore treatment options, please get in touch with me for a free consultation session.
Filed Under: Abuse/Neglect, Anxiety, Depression
Life is full of moments that cause us to feel stressed or nervous. Situations like public speaking, starting a new school, and trying to ace that important job interview can make us fearful, resulting in sleepless nights and performance jitters. However, when the fear becomes persistent and overwhelming and interferes with everyday life, “normal fear” […]
Life is full of moments that cause us to feel stressed or nervous. Situations like public speaking, starting a new school, and trying to ace that important job interview can make us fearful, resulting in sleepless nights and performance jitters.
However, when the fear becomes persistent and overwhelming and interferes with everyday life, “normal fear” becomes a full-blown anxiety disorder.
While a licensed therapist should be consulted to develop a plan for treating your anxiety disorder, yoga can be helpful addition. It is an effective and natural way to get some relief from symptoms like trouble sleeping, muscle tension, and chronic digestive upset.
Yoga, it turns out, can help in anxiety management in a few different ways:
1. Yoga Builds Confidence
Anxiety can result from a lack of confidence in our ability to handle negative situations that may arise. We are not so much fearful of public speaking, as we are fearful that we are somehow going to “mess it up” or “look like a fool.”
Yoga is a major confidence-builder because it works to strengthen the body and mind at the same time. The practice includes body postures, breathing techniques, and meditation, which can help a person feel calm, centered, and ready to take on new challenges.
2. Yoga Distracts Your Mind from the Negative Loop
What can you do when your mind seems to be stuck on an endless loop of negative and worrisome thoughts? Purposefully put you mind somewhere else.
Yoga trains a person to focus their thoughts on the moment, specifically by thinking only of their rhythmic breath and body posture. As soon as the mind wanders to its typical negative thinking, the practitioner simply guides it back to the breath and body without anger or judgement. Feelings of calmness and acceptance naturally follow intense breath work and mindfulness.
3. Yoga is like Your Inner Therapist
Yoga is a wonderful compliment to therapy because, like your therapist, yoga helps you to observe how your inner world. And, also like your therapist, there is no judgement involved. Mediation is simply about paying attention to the thoughts and feelings that you are having, thereby giving you choice in how you respond through awareness.
If you or a loved one is interested in exploring treatment for your anxiety disorder, please contact me today for a free consultation session.
Filed Under: Anxiety, Depression, Mindfulness
While having kids can be the greatest joy in the world, the hard work and unpredictability cause also a great deal of anxiety. Here are some simple ways to bring yourself to a place of calm. Make a To-Do List Being a parent means that you are always “on.” It can be easy for your […]
While having kids can be the greatest joy in the world, the hard work and unpredictability cause also a great deal of anxiety. Here are some simple ways to bring yourself to a place of calm.
Make a To-Do List
Being a parent means that you are always “on.” It can be easy for your mind to get stuck in overdrive and think about the never-ending “to-do” list items over and over. Help yourself by writing down an actual list, so that you can prioritize more easily and not feel the need to keep rehearsing. When new items pop up add them to the list and remind yourself that they won’t be forgotten, so you can let go for now.
Watch Your Language
Many times parents believe things will get better when their children move on to the next phase of their maturity. However, the truth is that the worry will continue until you change your thought patterns. You deserve to enjoy your life now and so do your children. Let yourself focus on what you value and how to build more of that in to your current situation.
To do this, watch the language you use to describe things. Try and avoid extreme or rejecting language phrases such as, “this will be a disaster if I don’t get it done on time” or “I can’t wait for the terrible twos to be over.” Instead, re-frame to neutral or positive, “this is important to me to complete” or “this phase has many wonders and challenges.”
Also change thoughts of “I have to” to “I want to”. For example, instead of saying “I have to sign the kids up for karate” say, “I want to sign the kids up for karate because it will enrich their lives.”
Get Some Fresh Air
There’s nothing like some fresh air and sunlight to ease anxiety. Put your baby in a stroller and go for a walk around the block, to a neighbor’s house, or a local park. Take your kids to an outdoor mall or sit on the patio of a frozen yogurt shop and share a frozen treat. Your local library may also have outdoor patio areas where you can read with your kids.
Practice Mindfulness Exercises
If your anxiety is difficult to control, try deep-breathing from your belly. While you do this, concentrate on five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste. This can help calm you when you’re feeling a panic or anxiety attack start to arise.
Use Your Support Network
Call your friends or family to chat or ask for advice. It may also help to vent with a Facebook parenting group or other online message board. You can also call your therapist and make an appointment and work through your challenges.
Try these tips to control and cope with your anxiety, and enjoy the time with your children without anxiety getting in the way. If you find your anxiety to be impacting your ability to be a happy, successful parent, it might be time to speak with a professional who can help. Please contact me today for a free initial consultation session.
