Tag: anxiety

Anxiety: a Tool to Help You Disengage

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anxiety; A Tool to Disengage

Anxiety is something that has become all too common in our modern world, and is something many of us do not enjoy. Can you think of anyone who appreciates the dread and worry that comes from paying extra attention to an uncomfortable situation? For some people, it can even have a physical element, from headaches and upset stomachs to all out panic attacks.

Disengaging from the discomfort of anxiety can be as simple as breathing, when you know  what you need to do and when. First, we have to know a few things about feelings. Feelings are also called emotions…energy in motion.

All emotions trigger in the same way:

An event occurs;

  1.  There is a physical response;
  2.  You process the event in your thoughts;
  3.  There is an evaluation of the meaning of the event.

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6 Ways Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Can Help You

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psychoanalytic psychotherapyWould you want to work with just any therapist, or would you rather work with one who could be more effective than his or her peers?

Recent research has shown therapists in the psychoanalytic tradition can be more effective with their clients because their goal is not just symptom relief but to find the underlying causes of what is hurting you.

Psychoanalytic psychotherapy has been developing for more than 100 years. Sigmund Freud, a

pioneer in the field, has a bad reputation in some circles because of his emphasis on sexual fantasies. While his theories were not completely correct, he is acknowledged for making revolutionary advancements in the field. Continue reading →

Expectations and Patterns in Relationship

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Expectations and patterns: relationshipWhat Does Love Have to do With it?

In last week’s blog,  we talked about  memories, feelings or thoughts from the past being activated in present experiences and relationships. When this happens, we will feel and think in ways that are influenced by previous events. This dynamic  can be seen in romantic relationships

You meet someone and from the first moment, they feel just right. They seem to know what you are thinking before you speak. You have shared interests and similar backgrounds. You feel comfortable with him or her from the beginning  and feel comfortable telling them anything.

Fast forward six months, a year, even ten years, and that same person has become someone whom you both love and hate. It’s as if you can’t live with him or her, yet you can’t live without that person either.  He or she irritates you almost every time they speak.  You don’t feel that person understands you any longer and you sure don’t understand him or her.

The meaningful talk has stopped. You do small talk, you argue, or you don’t talk at all.

You wonder what happened in the relationship; did the other person change or did you? Continue reading →

Questions to Ask Yourself After a Breakup

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Questions to ask yourself after a breakupIt is an understatement to say it hurts when you breakup. We have all felt it. Not only does it hurt, it turns your life upside down. In many cases, large parts of your routine must be rearranged, changed and rebuilt.

You go from being a couple or a family to being a partial family or just one person. Your routines change, activities change, and friends change. You may even have to find new living arrangements and/or new sources of income.

Breaking up is, indeed, hard to do.

The “moving on” process takes time and is better done if you pay attention to yourself and where you are in the process. If you find yourself having a hard time moving forward, letting go of your ex, and building your own life, it might be helpful to ask yourself some important questions.  The answers can guide you to better understand yourself.

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