It is a common experience to feel excited and hopeful as we anticipate the coming holiday season. This is often a time for family gatherings and much needed break from your daily activities. Yet also many people find that they have some hesitations and worries related to the holidays. It is easy to find yourself dreading the potential difficulties and
There’s always that one friendship that feels more tough than easy. You find yourself often frustrated with that person and misunderstood. Maybe you feel like you put way more into the friendship than the other person does. At its worst, you feel used or manipulated. You wonder if the friendship might qualify as a toxic one. Perhaps this person even
“Almost all therapeutic work is grief work,” I remember one of my psychology professors saying. This stood out to me as ringing true. We feel grief in many dimensions of our life, in loss, of course, but also in change, even in renewal. We can feel grief when we enter a new phase of our lives, longing for times when
“I don’t feel right in my own skin.” That sensation, of not feeling comfortable in your body, is a signal that simply talking about difficult memories, experiences, and emotions may not be enough to fully process and heal from your discomfort. The dis-ease you feel may need to be treated with therapeutic techniques that don’t rely solely on the thinking
A panic attack can be really scary and overwhelming. A lot of people can get frustrated with themselves when they experience a panic attack. It can be something that happens constantly and as a “regular” thing in your life. Because of that, you don’t feel comfortable going out in social settings or to work or other places where you fear
I had this self critical moment the other day. I had made a plan for all the things I needed to get done. I was going to stop and get a few errands done before I headed into the office. I was sure I could get things completed and into the office with plenty of time to spare. But I
By Arianne MacBean Many clients come to therapy because they experience panic. Panic, or intense anxiety, can show up in the most random places and moments. You’re sitting there, doing your thing, and then suddenly you feel dizzy, your heart races, you feel nauseous, and a sense of doom overtakes you. This is panic, and it can feel overwhelming. However,
Somatic psychotherapy is the umbrella term for methods of therapy that are rooted in the body where trauma, stress, and memory are housed. Somatic psychotherapies are based on the theory that the body holds emotion and experience. When hard-to-handle feelings and traumas are not processed, they can manifest as anxiety, panic, depression, chronic pain or illness, relational issues, self-esteem problems,
Transitioning into parenthood through adoption is a journey filled with anticipation, love, and the promise of new beginnings. Yet, as you embark on this life-altering adventure, there are essential steps to consider. One of these steps is the Pre-Adoption Psychological Evaluation. In my previous blog, I detailed exactly what this process is and how to navigate it. You can read
Have you ever been driving somewhere, and a memory from the past suddenly overwhelms you and you forget where you are going? Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night and began to worry about all the things you need to do, until the thoughts take over and you cannot fall back to sleep? Or have you