Anxiety
“An emotion characterized by apprehension and somatic symptoms of tension in which an individual anticipates impending danger, catastrophe, or misfortune. The body often mobilizes itself to meet the perceived threat: Muscles become tense, breathing is faster, and the heart beats more rapidly. Anxiety may be distinguished from fear both conceptually and physiologically, although the two terms are often used interchangeably. Anxiety is considered a future-oriented, long-acting response broadly focused on a diffuse threat, whereas fear is an appropriate, present-oriented, and short-lived response to a clearly identifiable and specific threat.” Adapted from the APA Dictionary of Psychology
Anxiety can be a powerful influencer over our thoughts and as a result our body. My way of thinking about it is that when anxiety becomes the influencer of our thoughts, it is like being in a time machine. One minute you are in the future seeing the worst thing occur in a cycle of “what if’s” , or in the past replaying the scene over and over again hoping to make meaning of it.
My therapeutic counseling approach is to give you a safe space to explore the worries, while learning and implementing new tools to regulate that mind and body connection. Together we will work towards building a foundation of regulating tools, uncover and challenge those distorted thinking patterns, and discover new meaning to old memories that continue to “hijack” your brain and body into the fear responses. Learning and practicing being in the present, allows you to truly explore how the mind and body are connected and your choices in the journey.
Depression
“A negative affective state, ranging from unhappiness and discontent to an extreme feeling of sadness, pessimism, and despondency, that interferes with daily life. Various physical, cognitive, and social changes also tend to co-occur, including altered eating or sleeping habits, lack of energy or motivation, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, and withdrawal from social activities.” Adapted from the APA Dictionary of Psychology
Depression may look different or similar to the definition above or how others have described it to you. I think of it as being in quick sand, no matter how much you struggle to move, it seems to pull you deeper. It is difficult to see options or even remember what has worked for you before when this thoughts, emotions, and behaviors occurred to you.
My therapeutic counseling approach is to give you a safe space to explore the depression, while assessing your immediate needs. Together we will work towards building a foundation of strengths, skills, supports and goals that you may choose to implement in your journey. We will discover what you value, how you communicate, and ways to add engagement in situations that interest you. Just as in quick sand, when you slow down the struggle, the sand lifts you out and up just enough to see the choices to continue your life journey.
Grief
“Grief is a normal reaction and process of emotional and life adjustment one goes through after a loss. Though grief is often associated with the death of someone significant, it can accompany many types of losses. Grieving after a loved one’s death is also known as bereavement. The grieving process is a way of making sense and meaning across a multitude of loss experiences. Grief is not a linear process with a defined endpoint, and people experience it in different ways at different stages. Grief also affects various parts of one’s life differently, and there is no one "right way" to grieve. Grief is a natural process that does not always require professional treatment, but it is important to seek help if the pain of loss is so constant and severe that it interferes with daily functioning.” Adapted from counseling.vcu.edu.
Grief can feel overwhelming and empty at the same time. The best way I saw grief described was a large black ball taking up so much room in a box. The ball is grief and the box is you. Through your life journey, the grief does not get smaller, you get bigger.
My therapeutic counseling approach is to give you a safe space to express your grief and find meaning to how it is impacting your daily functioning. Together, we will honor the loss, discover the meaning of the thoughts and feelings that are holding you in this time and space, and discover the growth changes in your journey. You may see your box grow and even the color of the ball change.