Anxiety is not a one size, fits all mental health issue. It is as diverse as the people who suffer from it. Therefore, do not jump in with stereotypic solutions such as “I heard that all anxious people get better with mindfulness practice”. It is best to listen rather than talk. Then ask what the ... [Read more now]
Today a client of mine was complaining about the fact her husband works long hours. When I questioned her further it turns out that he has a corporate job and earns mega bucks. Moreover, he loves his job and can talk about it for hours. My client has been having mild anxiety lately which causes ... [Read more now]
Technology has been increasingly shown to assist individuals struggling with anxiety and depression. Technology can be used in many different ways. Here are a few: Online or e-therapy. This can consist of regular emails with exercises and information. Information can be delivered by video, e-book or a simple word document. Telephone support. Telephone counselling has been ... [Read more now]
As a teenager, my friends and I used to listen to the song: “Love hurts”, by Nazareth, over and over. Here are some of the lyrics: Love hurts, love scars Love wounds, and marks any heart, not tough nor strong enough To take a lot of pain Take a lot of pain Love is like ... [Read more now]
This is one of the tools that I teach in my CBT anxiety management course. Romanticism is your need to have your life look perfect. Romanticism is when you want to prove that you have it all and can cope with anything that comes your way. Romanticism is when you have an idealised picture of ... [Read more now]
Change is known to exacerbate anxiety, stress and sometimes even depression. This is because human beings are creatures of habit and find it excruciating to do things differently. Sometimes individuals will stay in awful situations because the fear of change paralyses them. Positive psychology researchers look at individuals who cope best with life and inquire: ... [Read more now]
A major trigger for anxiety is feeling helpless. The hostage situation on Monday 15th December 2014, in Sydney, was the kind of event that exacerbates feelings of anxiety and depression. Differing reactions to a tragedy After the hostage taking, many of my clients spent their sessions talking about the incident. Each one had a different ... [Read more now]
Psychoanalytic theories go a long way to explaining the roots of anxiety. For example, attachment theorists explain that it is essential for a mother to attach to her baby from birth. If a mother does not attach to her newborn, that baby may develop an insecure attachment which will manifest later in life as anxiety, ... [Read more now]
Grit is a word that has come back in use. In 2013, educators were writing about grit, saying that it is the single most important factor in success at school, work, business and relationships. This makes sense because, in order to be successful, one needs to stick at things despite hard times. Anyone who has ... [Read more now]
It is easy to be fearful in today’s world. Just listening to the news, can set off anxiety. Terrorist attacks, beheadings and rampant shootouts have become daily occurrences. How is it possible not to panic? One main method of helping a client to reduce anxiety is to ask the question: “Where is the evidence?” When ... [Read more now]
