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We have all had moments when our negative thoughts get the best of us. But sometimes we may find that we are starting to operate regularly on the side of negative thinking and are consistently preparing for the worst even in minor situations. We have crossed over into full-on catastrophizing as a way of thinking or, at least, something close. Living this way does not ever feel good even if we are not quite sure how to break out of the cycle. So, here are a few ideas for how you might start to turn the ship either on your own or with a helpful therapist.
At this point, we all pretty much know that digital overload contributes to anxiety, poor sleep, decreased focus, and impaired social connections. Multiple studies connect decreased mental health with screen time, particularly leisure screen time. Using devices for work or school did not seem to have as much of a negative impact as spending large amounts of time on screens as a leisure activity. So, once your work is done, log off and call a friend, make a cake, take a walk or any number of other activities. Here are more ideas.
Receiving positive feedback should be easy, right? Yet for many of us, accepting praise can feel surprisingly uncomfortable. We might deflect compliments, minimize our achievements, or quickly change the subject. This reluctance to embrace positive feedback can diminish our accomplishments and the joy we can feel from the acknowledgement. There are ways to feel and believe the true things that others see in you.
Many folks struggle with feeling invested in relationships with their friends or family members but often do not feel others are as invested in the relationships in the same way. This can be a frustrating and lonely experience. It can also feel hopeless and difficult to know how to manage these feelings and relationships. If you have been feeling this way, there are a few things you can consider.
Many have heard of, or may even be familiar with, the experience of imposter syndrome. It can be defined as feeling like a fraud when you are not. People from any background can experience it, but women and people of color tend to suffer more often with the feelings and thoughts related to the phenomenon. Here are some ideas to help manage.
We are moving towards the final quarter of the year and it feels like a good time to think about any goals you may like to accomplish in the coming months. I’ve created some gentle accountability journal prompts that may be helpful for reflection. The prompts are meant to help provide clarity and accountability while also pacing ourselves along the way.
This presidential election season has already turned out to be quite the roller coaster. Many of us likely expected as much. Even if we did not know all the specific details, I think a lot of us were at least somewhat prepared for this to be an intense time. Even so, we talk some, but maybe not enough, about the emotional drain that can happen as the election season drags on.
Someone recently asked me what self care practices do I discuss with clients that I also use for myself. I really appreciated the question as a way to check-in with myself regarding my own coping skills and thought I would share a list of a few that I feel are really helpful to me.
Loneliness and isolation have become a major issue in our current society and it’s affecting our health. In recent decades, we have experienced a significant decrease in social engagement and community connections and it has started to take an increasing toll. The Surgeon General has declared the issue to be a health epidemic but there are ways to start addressing it.
Therepeutic groups can be intimidating to a lot of people but there can actually be a lot of benefit to utilizing therapy in group form. Aside from support and deeper validation from people having similar experiences, groups also allow us the opportunity to have therapeutic discussions that we may not regularly get to have in every day life or in a one-on-one setting in individual therapy.