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Anxiety and depression can often feel like a battle. There may be thoughts that “it shouldn’t be happening” or that “you should be able to overcome this”. Ongoing anxiety and depression trigger natural responses to fight, escape or give up - but none of these responses seem to work. In fact, these responses keep anxiety and depression in place. There is another option that brings you back into your power - allowing. The battle ends when depression and anxiety are no longer seen as a battle.

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…