Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States. This includes panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), and generalized anxiety.
The practice of mindfulness is the act of focusing on what is happening in the present moment and not worrying about the past or future.
Whether used as an individual therapy or incorporated into a rehabilitation program, dance and movement therapy can provide meaningful connections that may help foster personal growth and self-awareness.
We need to strike a balance between allowing ourselves to feel sad, not rejecting that feeling completely as some often do with negative emotions, but also not letting the feeling consume or overwhelm us.
When I was a child I knew that my father did not love me. I could tell that he adored my brother, but as soon as he looked at me his face hardened and his eyes became slits full of hate. Initially I thought it was because I was not enough. Not good enough. Not … Read more
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls is a compelling memoir about four children growing up in extreme poverty, resulting from the erratic behaviour of their parents, who possibly were struggling with untreated mental illness. At the beginning of the book the family is poor and living a chaotic life. They are constantly on the move … Read more
The intergenerational cycle of family abuse is a pattern of violence, abuse, and neglect that is passed down from one generation to the next. This cycle can occur within families, as well as between intimate partners. The cycle of abuse often begins with one person exerting power and control over another. This may be through … Read more
How do you see yourself in your mind’s eye? Do you think of yourself as kind and likeable, or generous and caring? Are you pretty, fat, thin, sporty or curvy? Do you like yourself? Are you easy to love? All these factors, and many more, are part of your self-image. This mental picture that we … Read more
Learned helplessness presents a powerful explanation for why individuals sometimes feel trapped in their circumstances, unable to effect meaningful change.
The trauma inflicted by narcissistic abuse is deep and can be overwhelming. The gaslighting, abuse by proxy, learned helplessness and constant fear of something, no matter how small, triggering a bout of narcissistic rage are crippling. There is no doubt that it leaves a mark and changes us – it is inevitable. However the abuse … Read more