#therapy

#therapy

For many people, Thanksgiving week kicks off the most psychologically intense stretch of the year. Those in therapy or actively working to improve family relationships often feel the pressure most acutely. As a therapist, this is a week filled with conversations about anxiety, dread, and longing. Many clients share some version of the basic sentiment: "I've built an independent, responsible life, but the moment I walk through the Thanksgiving door, I'm suddenly a miserable teenager all over again." This is the week when many clients prepare to approach the holiday differently, hoping that by changing themselves, they can influence the family system.

I grew up in a household where therapy was not an option, but after seeing a great therapist for anxiety during the pandemic years, I was sold on its benefits. I moved states and couldn't see my therapist anymore, and tried a few different ones in my new city. After many duds, I found a fantastic one, and I've been seeing her for two years. I love working with her, and we've worked through a lot of things and I've seen a lot of growth in myself with her help. Now I have to say goodbye, and I really don't want to.

When we were supposed to be on holiday but weren't, I kept feeling a tug towards finding the positive: I can book a replacement trip; At least we have travel insurance; This'll give me something to write about. But I never felt better, just a bit depressed. And then I would bump up against the reality that this holiday really was gone: my husband's surgery required frequent agonising dressing changes, and there is a limited time window for an enjoyable break on the Belgian coast.

I know I mentioned my profession to him, but I am pretty sure he was the one who engaged me that way. I also know how diabolically good a chatbot can be at saying what is on the tip of your tongue, and doing it before you can, and better than you might have. That makes me feel less troubled by my uncertainty.

While the catchphrases have evolved - "How does that make you feel?" has been replaced more recently by "Notice, don't evaluate" - the core idea remains the same. And this approach isn't a modern invention. Even as far back as the Stoics, we've recognized that a great deal of anxiety and suffering come from how we evaluate and label things.

A young woman asked, "Did you always want to direct or did casting work inspire you to direct?" My response was immediate: "I always knew I wanted to direct but my self-worth was in the gutter. So, I had to work on that most of all." She gave that answer some very enthusiastic snaps, as did others in the audience. I thought, oh yeah, a lot of people feel that

You're making an assumption about your wife's position on alcohol that might not be accurate. Is it really that she thinks a bottle of wine in the house means one of you will end up addicted? Or could it be that the sight of someone drinking, or even the smell of alcohol, brings up upsetting memories for her? Is it possible that it takes a lot for her to resist drinking, and she doesn't want to have to use that willpower at home?

Every week in my psychology practice, I meet people from around the world who share stories marked by loss, hope, fear, love, displacement, and resilience. Listening to them has deepened my understanding of how culture and tradition influence identity, relationships, and a sense of belonging. Yet I also see how these very foundations can be used to justify war, leaving individuals and families caught in an impossible dilemma: whether to uphold

Jerry, there is some bad in the best of people and some good in the worst of people. Look for the good!

Therapy thrives when clients can be incoherent and play with language, allowing for incoherence to prove valuable as an experiment in living.

The design of therapywarsaw.com is driven by a live generative system, creating a digital threshold that visually embodies the principles of psychotherapy.

"The people of Illinois deserve quality healthcare from real, qualified professionals and not computer programs that pull information from all corners of the internet to generate responses that harm patients," IDFPR Secretary Mario Treto, Jr. said.

A diagnosis can be helpful—it can give a name to your suffering, open access to treatment, and create a sense of shared experience. But it can also trap you.

"We know that long wait times worsen symptoms, so that is the gap we were trying to address: to provide immediate access to affirming clinical therapy."

Empathy is perceived as an unqualified good, with societal belief suggesting that feeling each other's pain can heal issues such as relationship divides and social injustices. However, in romantic relationships, there can be an overemphasis on empathy, leading to an imbalance where one partner's pain overshadows the other's needs.

In modern society, being a trauma-informed clinician is essential as it involves understanding how trauma influences a person's behavior, emotions, and relationships.

"Being a perfectionist and being kind of always on was very protective for me. It was the one thing in my control to kind of keep my dad's moods at bay."