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Information and Articles for Anxiety, Phobias, Worry, Stress

Body Memory Is Feeling Traumatized All Over Again

Bodies and brains are miraculous because they soak in an extraordinary amount of information on a daily basis. But, it's the very happy and joyous and also the very traumatic things that we remember the most. Our bodies hold onto the memories, this is called a body memory. Recently, my traumatic memory of my mother's sudden passing snuck into the crevices of my brain and cells like a thief in the night, stealing away little pieces of joy and replacing them with sadness without me even realizing it was happening. I found myself in the midst of body memory that caused an incredible low period. Body Memory is pent up negative emotions Your body remembers what you feel when you've been traumatized. To release

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  • spring stress

4 Ways to Deal with Spring Stress

In theory, spring is supposed to be the time of year when it’s easy to relax. We don't expect Spring stress, but of course, we are human. The sun starts shining again, the days get longer, flowers bloom and heavy winter coats get put away. However, according to some studies, The Washington Post reports that there are increased instances of depression in the springtime. These are attributed to the lengthening of daylight which can mess up your chemical regulatory system. This can also be a symptom of SAD which can be diagnosed and treated by a doctor. A good place to start is by seeing an Allen Counselor to assess your symptoms and feelings. There’s also Easter, a major holiday for some families, and there’s no

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  • optimism

Optimism: The Spring Thaw Your Mind Needs

Anyone who’s ever said that optimism is simply a state of mind probably never tried to be truly optimistic. The truth is, it’s not easy, especially if you’re going through a difficult time in your life or dealing with other troubles. Optimism is something you have to work for and work at, but in the end it can be very rewarding. Here are a few suggestions for how to find your inner optimism this spring. Optimism Is Not About Denial There’s a big difference between blind optimism, which amounts to denial, versus reconfiguring your perspective. NBC discusses that the brand of optimism that can positively impact your brain and increase life span is all about acknowledging stressors and dealing with them productively. Being in denial

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  • suffering through cancer

Suffering

Recently, a fellow cancer survivor friend was asked by a publication to write a piece about an experience that she had with her journey through cancer. She agreed, always happy to spread more awareness of the challenges of this devastating, harrowing feat that many go through. She poured her heart out, speaking authentically about both her challenges and her triumphs, but she quickly received feedback from the editors. They wanted a more "positive" piece, and wondered if she could simply edit out some of the struggle?  Simple? No. Absolutely not.  My Cancer Journey As a cancer survivor myself, I have frequently been put in a position where others have expected me to minimize, or even ignore, my lived experiences in order for them to feel

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  • suicide

Listening to Your Gut: How To Handle “Off” Situations

We have likely all experienced a time when we’ve noticed something “off” about someone we care for. It can often be unclear as to what our role is when we make this observation, but when our gut gets moving, I think it's important to take action! It could be something simply, like your friend is having a bad day. Or, it could be that this person is genuingly in trouble and thinking of something like suicide. Do you say something? Do you leave them alone to handle what they need to? Depending on your relationship with the person, you may say something immediately or wait until later. The fact of the matter is, we don’t know until we ask how we may be of help

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Assigning Words to Emotions: Why It’s a Learning Curve

I’ve got this amazing ability (no, really!), to know how my clients are feeling the moment I greet them in the waiting room. All of my clients know this is true! I can feel the energy they’ve brought to the space, and if you've ever walked into a room where someone has been arguing, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Emotion is more of an energy that creates a physiological response, but still, putting words to those feelings is extremely important, especially in relationships.  When I ask the clients how they are out in the waiting room, they always answer with “fine,” “all right,” “okay,” or “great,”— something along those lines. But when I get them back to the office I will say, “So,

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5 Tips to Prepare Your Overanxious Kid for the New School Year

For most families, the slide from summer to autumn is a time of excitement and perhaps a bit of sadness at the coming end of the carefree vacation days. For a growing number of children, though, the days leading up to school are racked with dread. Why such fear, when most of their peers are excitedly browsing backpacks and lunch boxes in the crowded stores? The simple answer is anxiety. Anxiety in Children Anxiety was once considered to be a purely adult affliction. What could possibly cause children to have anxiety? Today, the answer might surprise you. Some common fears children express about attending school include: Being the target of bullying or harsh judgement by peers Separation from their parents and/or families Separation from the

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Narrative Self: Insert Your Life Story Here

Your life script is so automatic, that to change, you need to stop and just be the audience in the play of your own life. Observe the writing, directing, production and set design of your own life's play - the one you're creating. As you begin to learn about who you are, understanding your powerlessness and power all at once, you will begin to realize that what you’ve learned about “who I am” is really an exercise in thousands of experiences which have occurred around you and which shape your mind into a story that you adopt as “mine.” The stories you hang on to about your life, and about the world around you, is what helps you make sense of ourselves and other people.

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The Legacy of Trauma

Guest Blog by Jenny Wang, M.A., LPC It was the middle of a difficult freshman year of college, and I found myself waiting in my lawyer’s office for the deposition to begin. I had been dreading this for weeks, so I called my most trusted confidant to pass the time. Finally, I was called in to meet with the opposing party’s attorney and the questioning began. I’m sure there were many questions that were focused on the specific recollections regarding the collision I was a survivor of. However, the questions that still burn clearly in my mind more than twenty years later were the ones centered around my (then) current emotional state: Do you sleep significantly less or more than you did before the accident?

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