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There are plenty of reasons to feel anxious both on a global level, from pandemics and war, to personal reasons such major life changes and the pressures of relationships and daily life. At its heart, anxiety is based on a fearful prediction of the future. Fear is programmed into humans as a survival mechanism so we know that it serves a useful function. In a way we need anxiety – but the question is what about anxiety is purposeful and what about it is harmful? Like any emotion, anxiety sends a signal both to ourselves and to others around us. What anxiety points to is a perceived risk. This…

Here are some tools to help manage the uncomfortable sensations and thoughts that accompany anxiety. 1. Acknowledge and accept your anxiety. Fighting and judging your anxiety will only increase your discomfort and distress. Allowing the sensations of anxiety while telling yourself that, “this is in fact okay”, may seem counterintuitive but worth a try. Breathe and notice that you are okay regardless of the discomfort. Do not hesitate to seek professional help for anxiety therapy, and try implementing some Stress Relief Tips whenever you can. 2. Exercise Numerous studies have shown that regular…

Now, perhaps more than ever, we need to look after our mental health and equip ourselves with the information and strategies to manage our mood, anxiety and calm our bodies. “How is quieting my amygdala going to help me?” you may be asking.The amygdala is found nestled in the midbrain, two small almond shaped clusters who’s primary role is to process emotions and memories associated with fear. It’s primary role is to regulate our fear response. Our amygdala, when over activated, acts as a ‘short-cut’ and can override our rational thinking brain. This can cause a lot of anxiety! Yes, this can…

To say these times are challenging is an understatement. We are facing the complexity of a pandemic, political unrest, socio-economic uncertainty, and a diverse set of other related stressors all at the same time. Many of the associated life changes have been out of our control. Increased discomfort and anxiety are a normal response to lack of control and certainty! So, how are you responding? Here’s a few things that will build resilience and help you not only respond to stressors with a greater degree of strength, but also with a sense of personal growth. Resilience is the ability to cope…

Recently when I was doing some continuing ed, I was reading an article on Shame and Humiliation in relationship to childhood abuse. (If you want to know: It was published in the Journal of Trauma & Dissociation by the ISSTD and written by Martin Dorahy in 2017.) It was quite a fascinating read, I must say! It showed clearly the difference between experiencing shame and humiliation especially in relation to abuse. And it was quite eye-opening the difference. Dorahy makes the difference this way: "In shame, the self is the failure and others may reject or be critical of this exposed, flawed self…

When you’ve been struggling with anxiety or depression for awhile it can be hard to feel that there is any hope for things to change. Added to how stuck you might be feeling is the constant reinforcement in our culture of the idea of a quick fix. It's the "Here, just do this one thing and you will feel better indefinitely" kind of attitude. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about people getting relief as quickly as possible. It’s just that this kind of attitude can be a setup when what is needed is patience, time, and realistic, achievable goals. It’s a paradox but change can be both quick and slow…