If you have a lot of anxiety, you're not alone. According to the National Institute of Mental Health approximately 40 million adults suffer from a Anxiety Disorder. Although anxiety can be a very treatable condition, only one-third of people receive any treatment. If you are looking to find freedom from worry, chronic stress, fear, and anxiety then you are in the right place. For years, I have worked with women experiencing many forms of anxiety, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety, and Panic Attacks. In working with women with anxiety, I utilize a CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) approach which has been researched and proven to be an effective mode of treatment for Anxiety and Depression. The link below has some helpful information about anxiety. If you are interested in learning more about how I can partner with you to help you find freedom from worry, then contact me about scheduling a consultation.
EQ:Emotional Intelligence
Every day I see evidence for the importance of emotional intelligence for positive self-esteem, healthy relationships, life satisfaction, and overall personal success. Take a look at this article, about not only the importance of our own EQ, but of teaching kids about it too.
Creative Therapy
Every person is inherently creative whether they recognize it or not. Sometimes, creativity is thought of in a limited way, in regards to making art, or other external creative designs. However, the definition of create shows us differently:
create:
- to cause to come into being, as something unique.
- to evolve from one's imagination, as a work of art or an invention
- to arrange or bring about, as by intention or design
One of the aspects that sets me apart from other therapists, is my ability to integrate creativity into the therapeutic process. Being creative in therapy, is about tapping into each client's ability to create something unique. From utilizing metaphor, to art making, to creative problem solving, I am always trying to keep the therapy experience interesting and evolving. Growth and change requires a movement away from sameness or stagnation, towards bringing newness into existence. In other words, therapy is a collaborative creation.
Taking Care of You
No matter what season of life you find yourself, with age, relationships, career, or family status, taking care of yourself is not only vital to your own health and well being, but also to those who rely on you. As women, we often strive to support and give to others with our time, money, energy or individual talents. We work hard to give our best to our careers, families, friendships, and all the other aspects of our lives in which we are involved. Sometimes we feel like we are giving so much, and that there is hardly any time or energy left to devote to nurturing ourselves. However, it is vital for us, no matter what season of life that we are in, to be nurturing ourselves, inside and out. Most women I talk to do agree that it is important to take care of themselves not only to be healthy themselves, but so that they can continue giving of themselves in all the ways they do. Yet, so often there are hindrances that stand in the way of being able to practice self care at all, let alone do it well. Sometimes women think that focusing on themselves is selfish or they experience a sense of guilt about it. Other times, women have difficulty setting clear boundaries around their commitments and end up giving all their time or selves away. Take some time to reflect on your own life and assess whether you are giving yourself the amount of time and focus that you need to nourish yourself in body, mind and spirit. For today ask yourself these questions: How well am I caring for myself and my own needs? Do I tend to prioritize the needs of others to the detriment of my own? What hindrances are prohibiting me from giving myself the care that I need?