In recent years, more Americans will seek mental health information from the Internet or attend a self-help group than will consult all mental health professionals combined. Self-help is, frankly, big business. According to recent market research, Americans spend an estimated $10 billion a year on self-improvement products! While it is big business, it's not always … Continue reading How to choose good self-help resources
Here we are in part three! Hopefully by now you'll have been practicing regularly, and have an increased ability to breathe correctly in a way that can be applied during periods of anxiety or panic. Now that you're able to breathe at a slower rate, it's time to practice in a variety of places, not … Continue reading Breathing Skills for Panic Attacks, part 3
Last time I discussed a basic breathing skill. Let me ask some questions of you: Did you feel like you were getting the air down toward your stomach? This is what diaphragm breathing feels like Are you getting symptoms of anxiety when you practice? If you do, it's probably due to breathing a little fast … Continue reading Breathing Skills for Panic Attacks, part 2
As I've noted before, panic attacks can be pretty awful. What most people don't know (or don't believe) is that panic attacks are not actually harmful. This is why the first stage of counseling or therapy is focused on education about what panic attacks are, what can cause them, what they do and what they … Continue reading Breathing skills for panic attacks, part 1
Maybe you don't have PTSD, but someone you love does. A spouse, significant other, parent, child, other relative. They may not seem like the person you knew before. You love them but aren't sure how to support them. What do you do? Here are some tips. Gain some knowledge! The first thing to do is … Continue reading How to be in a relationship with someone who has PTSD
Sleep. So many of us take a good night's sleep for granted, until we hit a time in our lives when it seems like some elusive unicorn we start chasing and can't quite catch. Insomnia can be very difficult for anyone who has it. Let me share some information that can be helpful for those … Continue reading Do’s and Don’ts for a good night’s sleep
You've decided the problems or challenges you have need the attention of a professional, and have decided to seek one out. Congratulations, that decision takes courage. The first thing I tell clients during our initial session is how much I respect their decision to push out of their comfort zone and talk to me. After … Continue reading How to find the right therapist for you when searching online
The importance of tracking your pain Many folks with chronic pain feel helpless to do anything about it. One important way to gain control over your pain is to record it. This helps you to see what increases or decreases your pain, as well as to learn what times of day tend to be more … Continue reading These two things will help you start to take control of your pain
What is a panic attack? Panic attacks feel awful. Panic is different from anxiety, which is something not a lot of people know. Anxiety is the feeling of being nervous, uneasy, or awkward--that you've been forced into an uncomfortable situation. Often this can include worry about something that may happen in the immediate or distant future. … Continue reading Panic attacks, Panic Disorder, and Agoraphobia
Depression is hard. One of the most difficult parts of depression is the double-bind it creates: depression tells us to do things that will make us more depressed. Depression tells us to not get out of bed, to not eat, to isolate from other people, to do nothing. When we do the things depression tells … Continue reading These 4 things will help you fight depression
