Practical insights and advice regarding anxiety, depression, trauma, parenting and more.
The intensity and unpredictability of panic attacks cause many to believe that there is nothing that they can do to turn the situation around. They feel helpless and end up retreating from activities that had once brought them great satisfaction if not joy. If you are one of these folks, here is some good news: panic attacks can be overcome.
Anxiety can get in the way of achieving important goals. One of these goals is something nearly everyone shares: building a healthy, long-lasting, intimate relationship with someone with whom they will share a lifetime of experiences. Instead of remaining frustrated with a series of failed romances that have been sabotaged by anxiety, wouldn’t it be better to learn how to tame these fears and then enjoy what you’ve long sought after?
Most adults find themselves settling down at some point in a committed relationship, and yet some choose to avoid any significant commitment to a partner. There are four common reasons that people are “commitment phobic.” If you are wondering why your current partner won’t commit (or why you’ve never managed to commit to any of your own past partners), the answer is likely one of the four reasons explained here.
Healthy intimacy combines a sense of belonging with a sense of being deeply appreciated and desired. Because healthy intimacy involves being prized despite your flaws and shortcomings, this depth of belonging is rare. It requires building a sturdy foundation of trust, a prerequisite for genuine self-disclosure. This process is risky and consequently, time-consuming. Many people, however, try to take shortcuts. They substitute…
Teens, known for being anxious and insecure, are given the opportunity through smartphones and social media to relentlessly compare themselves to idealized versions of their peers. At the same time as they judge themselves to be failing in this regard, the same technology also opens a portal for them to be bullied and criticized by peers throughout the day. In the pre-smartphone era, a teenager’s home could be a ‘safe’ place free from the influence of negative evaluations by peers at school. No longer.
Working with a psychotherapist requires a significant investment of time, energy and money. Knowing that your efforts in counseling are leading to success is important. But sometimes it is difficult to judge whether progress is being made. This is particularly true if you have no previous experience with psychotherapy.
Selecting a therapist for your child or teen can be confusing. Parents need to figure out not only whether a therapist has the skills to help, but can they be trusted to keep mom and dad ‘in the loop’ about important matters, be supportive of the parents’ priorities, and more. Choosing the wrong therapist can lead to months of wasted time, squandered expenses and possibly a worsening of the youngster’s mental state.
I’ve worked with many patients who had grown so accustomed to being anxious that they assumed this state of mind was fixed… forever. Part of the permanent furniture of their life. One of the most difficult parts of helping them was having them realize that this was not true. They could become much less anxious and enjoy much more of life. Without medication! One way of doing this that works with many people is
People who commit or attempt suicide often report feeling hopeless. Struggling with emotional turmoil, feeling helpless to bring about a solution, the suicidal person most often simply wants to escape the pain that unceasingly presses in on them from all sides. Contrary to popular opinion, they are not looking to obtain heaven. Their primary wish is to escape the hell of their current experience.
The very shy child holds back from taking chances. Fearful of dropping their guard, or being assertive, they play it safe. As a result these children miss out on experiences that would otherwise build their confidence, expand their understanding, and increase their happiness. What’s more, extremely shy children are at higher risk for anxiety, depression and other forms of distress. Parents hold the key to reversing these trends and unlocking the more carefree side of their shy child. Doing so can be life changing.
Many parents struggle to find ways to help when their teen is anxious. This is especially true when the teen is beset by chronic or severe anxiety. Victoria Chialy Smith is a psychologist who has helped many parents and teens resolve these difficult moments. In this article she spells out five ways that parents can effectively help their teens break free from anxiety.
The odds are you’ve wrestled with relationship anxiety at some time in your life. This is true of most people. And that’s OK. It doesn’t have to be a big deal. For most people, this anxiety arises briefly and then recedes. A bump in the road. But for some folks, it is much more than that and instead becomes a huge stumbling block with life-changing consequences. Fortunately, you can change all of that by following some simple steps.
Socially awkward? Not sure what to do when meeting new people? Conversations don’t come naturally? Trouble connecting at a deeper more meaningful level? In group settings you frequently feel as though you are on the outside looking in? Not to worry. With a little effort, a streak of persistence, and some common sense strategies, you can go from socially awkward to socially savvy in no time at all.
I’ve listened to hundreds of men and women talk about their biggest fears and their most exciting triumphs. They have spoken about what brings them the most joy, and that which creates clouds of discontent.
Through these privileged conversations, I have detected a common thread. A set of core beliefs that lead to frustration and self-doubt. Once these false assumptions are jettisoned, greater happiness follows.
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