by Jay Reid This blog post is the second in a series about how some people must sacrifice some part of themselves in order to keep important relationships going. In the last blog, I talked about Joan who believed she must sacrifice her needs, talents, and strengths for someone else to care about her. This post will focus on how therapy …
by Jay Reid This blog post is the first in a series dedicated to having to give up what you really think or feel in order to keep important relationships intact. All references to clients are fictional. Joan walked into my office with an ear-to-ear smile. She explained a painful cycle of anxiety attacks at work and feelings of emptiness …
One of the scariest experiences in life can be a panic attack. Anxiety is no fun but at least there’s a sense that something might or might not happen in the future. In a panic attack something terrible is happening right now. Panic attacks mean having your world unexpectedly turned upside down, with a surge of terror that feels never-ending. Your …
by Jay Reid Depression and sleep are often at odds with each other. Going to sleep requires coming to a state of rest. Depression often means wrestling with such unsolvable problems as feelings of: Being fundamentally flawed Hopelessness about your life ever getting better Searing guilt over something you did that day Dread of impending doom. These experiences usually require our …
This blog post is dedicated to letting you know what research says is most helpful in psychotherapy. I hope that after reading this you feel more informed about what characteristics to look for as you try to find a therapist. More than sixty years of research has determined that therapy works. People who undergo some form of psychotherapy are better off than about …
Does psychotherapy seem like something that only certain people need? Do you feel intimidated to talk to a stranger about your problems? Do you wonder how talking to someone can make any difference in how you feel? Psychotherapy – in my opinion – can be useful to nearly everyone. It is not just for those who are profoundly depressed, anxious, …
Depression hurts. You can experience profound states of sadness, acute anxiety, or bleak despair. Meanwhile the world around you seems to be functioning to an entirely different script. The difference can feel huge between your reality of depression versus the “normal” reality of people who seem happy. You can end up feeling lonely and different. Consider the plight of Abby: Abby …
Are you extra careful to not seem like a ‘show-off’, ‘know-it-all’ or ‘arrogant’? Do you keep most of your worries to yourself lest you ‘burden’ others? Does it often feel like someone important to you could easily think you’re abandoning him or her? If you answered yes to any of the questions above, you’re not alone. Many people learn that …
Do you believe that you’re fundamentally different, weird, or impossible to understand? Are you terrified to share your opinion when you’re not sure if others will agree with you? Do you find yourself able to understand and empathize with everybody else but yourself? If any of the above apply to you then you may walk around with a feeling of …
Do any of the following points apply to you? You take care of other people’s emotional needs but don’t expect them to take care of yours You have a difficult time identifying and expressing your own feelings You find yourself in relationships with people who seem self-absorbed You never express anger towards friends or partners You never feel like you …
