Why Does It Curve To The Left?

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Why Does It Curve To The Left?

 

This week, we’re taking a closer look at the male body and male anatomy. Addressing some common questions that many men may hesitate to ask. One such question is: Why does it curve to the left?

Much of men’s health involves understanding what is considered normal. And this extends to the shape and structure of the penis. It’s not uncommon for men to notice a slight curve, either to the left, right, or even upwards or downwards. In fact, slight curvature is often completely normal and can be a natural variation in anatomy. The cause may lie in the way tissue develops or how scar tissue forms over time.

Understanding your body is key to overall health and wellbeing, and no question should be off-limits when it comes to seeking answers.

@lifecoachingandtherapy

Why Does It Curve To The Left? We are looking at the male body and male anatomy this week. Much of mens health can involve questions about what is normal. #malebody #maleanatomy #menshealth

♬ original sound – Life Coaching and Therapy

 

About Life Coaching and Therapy

Life Coaching and Therapy (LCAT) is a therapy and coaching practice that transforms our clients lives through our flexibile, multi-technique approach and pleasure-skills training provided by systematically-trained and licensed therapists!

Get to know our founder and owner, Amanda Pasciucco, (a.k.a. The Sex Healer) PhD, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) that has developed innovative therapy programs and therapy videos that get results.

Our team of compassionate, licensed therapists and certified sex therapists help all clients who visit us for a variety of personal, relationship, intimacy and sex problems.

LCAT provides on-site appointments, as well as video chat and text therapy programs.

Learn more about how LCAT can help improve your life at What We Do. 

Complex Trauma: Definition

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Complex Trauma: Definition, Examples, and Treatment

 

The deep effects of complex trauma are seen in the neurological system. That is why understanding how complex trauma grows is essential, as it allows us to treat it more effectively. 

Many of us have experienced some type of unpleasant experience that comes with being human, whether it be a breakup or the loss of a loved one. Although these experiences are now in your past, that doesn’t mean their consequences are not part of your present. 

This is why it’s important to learn more about complex trauma and how it impacts the quality of our lives. Learn how to heal from your trauma and inspire other people to take the healing path as well. 

 

What Is Complex Trauma? 

Complex trauma refers to the wide-ranging, long-term impacts of children being exposed to several traumatic incidents, many of which are of an invasive, interpersonal type. These are serious, widespread events, like extreme abuse or profound neglect. They typically start early in childhood and can interfere with a child’s growth in a variety of areas, including the creation of a sense of identity. 

These experiences generally involve a caregiver, which makes it difficult for the child to develop a stable relationship. This main supply of security and stability is essential for many elements of a child’s healthy physical and mental development.

A specific traumatic experience can lead to the development of trauma over the following years. It happens when the body and brain are overloaded to the point where they find it challenging to transition from a state of “fight, flight, or freeze” to one of relaxation. A single incidence can be referred to as trauma, while a sequence of stressful events occurring over several months or years is referred to as complex trauma.

 

Symptoms of Complex Trauma

When talking about the common symptoms and signs of complex trauma, be aware that they are very similar to those of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If you or someone you love is uncertain whether or not they have experienced a complex trauma, these are the symptoms you should be looking for: 

  • Flashbacks of the painful incident or series of incidents
  • Lapses in memory
  • Difficulty regulating emotions
  • Aversion and disengagement from the people, things, and surroundings that are connected to the trauma
  • Excessive awareness of potential threats (hypervigilance)
  • Regular unpleasant feelings and thoughts
  • Extreme difficulty establishing and keeping deep connections.
  • Persistent feelings of guilt, failure, and shame

 

Causes of Complex Trauma

The brain’s limbic system is activated when you experience traumatic events. To prepare the body for fight, flight, or freeze, this “fire alarm” shuts down all unnecessary functions, including rest, digestion, and sleep, and fills it with stress chemicals like cortisol. Our parasympathetic nervous system provides inner calm once the threat has passed.

At this time, your cognitive function returns to normal. This allows you to resume your day with just minor side effects—you might feel a little jittery or a little on edge for a while. Yet, this balance doesn’t strictly come back fully for those who deal with complicated trauma.

The limbic system remains active most of the time. It’s a coping strategy used to try to keep oneself safe when facing constant hardship. It’s the feeling of always being on edge or in survival mode. It eventually becomes the body’s and brain’s “new normal.”

When it comes to events and situations that lead to complex trauma, these are some examples:

  • Sexual or physical abuse in childhood
  • Prolonged domestic violence
  • Chronic neglect or abandonment
  • Medical abuse or medical trauma
  • Human trafficking
  • Torture
  • Genocide
  • Slavery

 

How to Heal from Complex Trauma

Everybody’s pain and traumas are distinct from one another, so treatment options might differ from one person to another. The good news is that trauma treatment approaches are developing along with our understanding of complex trauma. Providing a corrective emotional experience for healing is the aim of each treatment method.

These are a few efficient, complicated trauma therapies, and a mental health expert will know which approach could work best for you. 

 

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)

You examine how your ideas, feelings, and behaviors relate to one another in this type of therapy. You might be able to modify your behavior if you realize how they are related.

 

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

In order to help you reprocess traumatic events and create new beliefs about them, this treatment uses gentle tapping (or tones).

 

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

This method teaches you how to reconcile the disparate facets of your personality into a single, cohesive “self,” allowing you to process traumatic experiences in a way that will no longer be harmful.

 

Somatic (body-based) Therapy

Your body does not always need to be ready for trauma, according to somatic or body-centered therapies. This is because trauma originates in the limbic system of the brain rather than the frontal cortex, which is the section of the brain that communicates during therapy.

 

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Those with complex trauma and borderline personality disorder (BPD), which share many symptoms, may find this method helpful. This therapeutic technique teaches radical self-acceptance, mindfulness, and discomfort tolerance.

 

How to Cope with Complex Trauma

The most important thing to do is find a good therapist who can guide you toward healing. However, there are certain things you can implement on your own to make sure you do everything you can to feel better, such as: 

  • Establishing goals for yourself
  • Recognizing and looking for situations, people, and circumstances that are comforting
  • Participating in a support group for trauma survivors
  • Being gentle and compassionate towards yourself (this is a tough one!)
  • Journaling
  • Finding a support group 

 

Wrap Up

You might feel as though complex trauma has taken over your life. Maybe you wonder if this will ever seem like less of a big issue and feel isolated in your experience. There are two things to remember: it will get better if you work on noticing your emotions, and you do not have to be alone in it. 

Spend some time learning about complex trauma because it is one of the best things you can do. There might be a support group or book club for recovery nearby that is worth a shot. Without a doubt, find a therapist who knows the right methods to help you and makes you feel heard and safe. Make sure you’re aware that getting therapy for complex trauma is crucial and that it will eventually help you recover.

 

Discuss your options for therapy with your provider. 

 

About Life Coaching and Therapy

Life Coaching and Therapy (LCAT) is a therapy and coaching practice that transforms our clients lives through our flexibile, multi-technique approach and pleasure-skills training provided by systematically-trained and licensed therapists!

Get to know our founder and owner, Amanda Pasciucco, (a.k.a. The Sex Healer) PhD, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) that has developed innovative therapy programs and therapy videos that get results.

Our team of compassionate, licensed therapists and certified sex therapists help all clients who visit us for a variety of personal, relationship, intimacy and sex problems.

LCAT provides on-site appointments, as well as video chat and text therapy programs.

Learn more about how LCAT can help improve your life at What We Do. 

Why Am I So Lonely

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Why Am I So Lonely? Find Your Answer Here

 

If you’ve asked yourself at least once, ‘Why am I so lonely,” you probably didn’t come up with any reasonable answer. Songs and poems have been written about loneliness for centuries, and yet we’re struggling to understand its real meaning. We’re also still looking for causes of loneliness and how to recover from them. 

We have decided to explore a topic we all like to talk about but nobody likes to experience. Learn about loneliness, why it happens, and how to feel better.

 

The Definition of Loneliness

Even though it’s in our nature to connect, a lot of us will experience loneliness frequently. When social connections do not match expectations, a person feels lonely. In other words, you will probably feel lonely if you want to have more social interactions than you actually do.

A person may experience severe feelings of social isolation, regardless of their living situation. There are several ways to define loneliness. The UCLA Loneliness Scale, a widely used tool for measuring loneliness, questions participants about a variety of emotions or connection deficiencies, such as how frequently they do or feel the following:

  • You feel like you are alone.
  • You feel excluded.
  • Reach out to your friends or family to fulfill your needs.
  • Feel connected to people in your environment.

Profound loneliness is a huge social concern because of the possible health effects for people who feel they have few or no supportive social relationships. However, it also highlights the need for more human contact and interaction.

Some people experience severe and persistent loneliness even though they are in a long-term marriage or are surrounded by people throughout the day. Studies indicate that loneliness presents significant risks to both overall well-being and long-term physical health. That is why there is an increasing need to understand loneliness to be able to help yourself and those around you. 

 

Signs and Symptoms of Loneliness

Many people experience brief episodes of loneliness at some point in their lives. Usually fleeting in nature, these kinds of emotions are not regarded as chronic. However, there may be more serious indications and symptoms to be aware of, as well as actions you may take to assist in dealing with chronic loneliness when feelings of isolation and loneliness get worse and last for an extended period of time.

Depending on your circumstances and identity, there are many signs and symptoms of chronic loneliness. If some or all of the following describe you regularly, you may have chronic loneliness and should consider talking to your doctor or therapist. 

 

Inability to Establish Deeper Connections

You feel unable to establish closer, more personal connections with people. It’s possible that you have relatives and friends in your life, yet your interactions with them are relatively superficial. Your interactions don’t feel satisfyingly connected, and it appears like there will always be a void in your relationship.

 

Lack of Friends

You do not need to be a social butterfly to avoid loneliness. However, friendships are extremely beneficial to our mental and emotional health. If you only have acquaintances or casual friends, you may feel lonely. 

 

Feeling Alone in a Crowded Room 

Regardless of your surroundings, do you often feel lonely? Even with dozens of people at a party, you may feel alone, alienated, and disconnected. On a busy street, bus, or train, it does not matter because you are in your own bubble.

 

Low Self-Worth

Feelings of negative self-worth and self-doubt can often lead to isolation from other people and choosing to be alone. Do you ever feel like you’re not good enough? Long-term emotions like these could also be a sign of persistent loneliness.

 

Low Social Battery

Feeling fatigue and burnout when attempting social interaction is quite common if you’re not an extroverted person. Attempting to interact and be social with people can wear you out if you suffer from chronic loneliness. Persistent fatigue can result in several problems, such as disturbed sleep, compromised immunity, inadequate nutrition, and more.

 

How to Deal with Loneliness

Acknowledging your feelings and the effects loneliness is having on your life is the first step toward conquering it. Speak with a therapist or counselor first. They can offer extra strategies to battle loneliness, alternative therapies, assistance in developing effective coping mechanisms, and help you address the potential contributing factors.

 

Seek Support 

Talk to your loved ones. Tell them you’re having loneliness problems. Tell them how they might be able to lessen your loneliness if you’ve lost a loved one, a career, or a relationship or are dealing with other problems that have caused you to feel alone.

 

Don’t Spend Too Much Time Online

If you’re attempting to fight loneliness, the internet world offers safe, practical, and helpful ways to interact with people. For some people, engaging in social interactions and communication through online dating services, chat and message platforms, and multiplayer video games can be gratifying. Also, there are many apps made to help you overcome problems like social isolation and loneliness.

Think about whether it’s beneficial for you to use social media. Some people may feel even more alone and isolated as a result of their interactions with the community online. People on social media, for instance, can present themselves as having hundreds of close friends by their side and leading exciting, carefree lives. 

Most often, this is not true. Social media can make some people feel inadequate, excluded, and lonely. If the internet feels more like isolation than a connection, you may want to log off.

 

Take Care of Yourself

In addition to making an effort to socialize, remember that physical activity, a balanced diet, enough sleep, sunlight, and even meditation can all help combat feelings of loneliness. Exercise has been demonstrated to release endorphins in the brain.

A balanced diet can also impact your brain’s health. Regular use of sugar, preservatives, and highly processed foods can be detrimental to your mental and physical well-being. 

Emotional wellness and sleep quality are strongly correlated. Feelings of loneliness and isolation can be exacerbated by sleep deprivation or bad sleeping patterns, and vice versa. That is why it’s essential to improve your sleeping patterns. Before going to bed, avoid consuming too much caffeine, switch off electronic gadgets to unwind, and make sure your bedroom is dark.

If you want to meet with a professional, see one of ours. 

 

About Life Coaching and Therapy

Life Coaching and Therapy (LCAT) is a therapy and coaching practice that transforms our clients lives through our flexibile, multi-technique approach and pleasure-skills training provided by systematically-trained and licensed therapists!

Get to know our founder and owner, Amanda Pasciucco, (a.k.a. The Sex Healer) PhD, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) that has developed innovative therapy programs and therapy videos that get results.

Our team of compassionate, licensed therapists and certified sex therapists help all clients who visit us for a variety of personal, relationship, intimacy and sex problems.

LCAT provides on-site appointments, as well as video chat and text therapy programs.

Learn more about how LCAT can help improve your life at What We Do. 

EMDR Online Therapy Guide for Your First Time

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EMDR Online Therapy Guide for Your First Time 

 

If you’re interested in trying EMDR online, you will first need to learn what it is in order to have an idea of what outcomes you can expect from this type of therapy. One of the most effective evidence-based treatments for trauma, phobias, depression, and anxiety is eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, or EMDR. Even though you’ve probably heard of EMDR in relation to mental health treatment options, you might not know if this kind of therapy is appropriate for your circumstances, particularly when it’s provided virtually.

In response to the increased demand for COVID-safe mental health services during the pandemic, a number of mental healthcare professionals began providing telehealth and online therapies, including EMDR.

The pandemic has made online therapy more accessible, and more patients are receiving the care they require to recover. To find out more about online EMDR therapy, continue reading this article, which will explain all the key information about this form of therapy. 

 

What Is EMDR? 

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. In it, a patient undergoes bilateral stimulation (BLS) with eye movements, auditory stimuli, or tactile stimulation to process memories. EMDR replicates the body’s innate capacity for self-healing and processing life experiences, especially during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.

An EMDR therapist asks a client to use BLS to make quick eye movements while they are awake and conscious. The brain processes emotions and events more quickly as a result of these quick eye movements. Other tools and approaches available to EMDR therapists include sounds, a light bar, physical stimulation, and left-to-right alternating or moving web software.

In order to help the brain reprocess memories and promote the desensitization and adaptation of traumatic experiences, EMDR employs dual stimulation. When clients recollect traumatic or triggering situations, clinicians guide them through a sequence of bilateral physical motions or other forms of stimulation until the memories no longer generate emotional distress.

Clients feel relief from unpleasant symptoms linked to traumatic experiences when the brain reprocesses painful memories in a safe, healthy setting.

 

When Is EMDR Therapy Used? 

EMDR concentrates on changing the feelings, ideas, or actions that follow a traumatic or upsetting event. This enables the natural healing process in your brain to continue. Although the terms “mind” and “brain” are frequently used interchangeably, they have different meanings. One of your body’s organs is your brain. The ideas, recollections, convictions, and life events that shape who you are are all stored in your mind.

The structure of our brains determines the way our minds function. This structure consists of networks of brain cells that communicate with one another in numerous regions. This is particularly true for the parts involving your senses and memories. Networking facilitates faster and simpler collaboration between those domains. Your senses (sights, sounds, scents, tastes, and feels) can evoke powerful memories.

 

Adaptive Information Processing

The Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model is a hypothesis about the way our brain stores memories. AIP is the foundation of EMDR. Francine Shapiro, PhD, who also developed EMDR, came up with the theory that your brain retains traumatic and commonplace memories in different ways.

Your brain seamlessly stores memories throughout routine events. Additionally, it networks them so that they relate to other recollections you have. Such networking isn’t done correctly during jarring or stressful occurrences. 

Trauma memories are frequently stored in a form in the brain that prevents normal healing. A trauma resembles an injury to your brain that hasn’t been given time to heal. Your brain didn’t get the information that the threat was over since it wasn’t given the chance to repair itself.

More recent experiences can be connected to past traumatic events and repeatedly reinforce bad experiences. That breaks the connections that bind your sensations to your memories. It also causes harm to your mental state. Additionally, your mind is more sensitive to everything you see, hear, smell, or feel during a trauma-related incident than your body is to pain from an injury.

This applies not only to memories that you can recall but also to ones that you have suppressed. Your mind tries to conceal painful or disturbing memories to prevent accessing them, just like you learn not to touch a hot stove since it will burn your hand. However, because the suppression isn’t flawless, negative symptoms, emotions, and behaviors related to the “injury” may still occur.

 

EMDR Therapy Benefits

EMDR encourages people to share their experiences with a therapist step-by-step. It is difficult for people to express their mental, emotional, and bodily reactions eventually. When these things are discussed, there are chances for genuine healing. The knowledge that they are survivors and possess the ability to aid others in similar experiences through connection and conversation can empower individuals.

EMDR enhances cognition by fostering links between the psychological mind and the physical body. During therapy sessions, people who have experienced traumatic situations can stand back, consider the occurrence or episodes from a different perspective, and reconstruct what happened. 

Even more profound than the traumatic events themselves can be the development of a new perspective or lens through which to view past experiences. With this alternative perspective, people can take charge of the modifications to their lives that the trauma has brought about. Recognizing the impact of trauma on day-to-day functioning can help lessen PTSD symptoms. 

 

Differences Between In-Person and Online EMDR Therapy

Virtual EMDR and in-person EMDR sessions are very similar. For an in-person session, the client and therapist meet in the therapist’s office. Online EMDR therapists can assist patients from any location with an internet connection. However, both the client and therapist must have a secluded place without interruptions to conduct therapy, whether it’s online or in person.

A client-therapist relationship based on trust and rapport is necessary for both in-person and online EMDR treatments. Bilateral stimulation is necessary for both in-person treatment and online EMDR sessions. Light bars, noises, or tactile stimuli can be used to activate BLS. Things like the butterfly hug work really well virtually. 

Finally, both treatment methods usually follow an established EMDR treatment process with defined phases and steps.

If you think that you might benefit from EMDR therapy but are unable to attend therapy sessions in person, doing it online is a great alternative. You might feel even more comfortable doing it from your home, which is very important for your first session. 

 

About Life Coaching and Therapy

Life Coaching and Therapy (LCAT) is a therapy and coaching practice that transforms our clients lives through our flexible. Multi-technique approach and pleasure-skills training provided by systematically-trained and licensed therapists!

Get to know our founder and owner, Amanda Pasciucco, (a.k.a. The Sex Healer) PhD, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) that has developed innovative therapy programs and therapy videos that get results.

Our team of compassionate, licensed therapists and certified sex therapists help all clients who visit us for a variety of personal, relationship, intimacy and sex problems.

LCAT provides on-site appointments, as well as video chat and text therapy programs.

Learn more about how LCAT can help improve your life at What We Do. 

ADD Help for Adults: Fast Solutions for Better Focus

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ADD Help for Adults: Fast Solutions for Better Focus

 

Here are the top ADHD Hack for ADD Help for Adults!

Struggling with focus, attention, and productivity as an adult with ADHD?

You’re not alone, and there are practical solutions to help you thrive.

ADHD can make daily tasks challenging, but finding the right strategies can lead to significant improvements. In both your personal and professional life.

Whether it’s staying organized, managing time effectively, or minimizing distractions, implementing small changes can lead to big results.

Understanding your unique challenges and strengths is key to overcoming the hurdles of ADHD.

Sometimes, it’s about finding tools and techniques that align with your natural tendencies, making it easier to stay on track.

For instance, visual reminders, structured routines, and external accountability can be game-changers in maintaining focus and achieving goals.

For additional mental health benefits, community support, and daily motivation, check out ADHDCheck on ADHDTok.

It’s a growing, supportive community offering tips, encouragement, and real-life experiences tailored to adults managing ADHD challenges.

Engage with others, share your journey, and discover new strategies that work for you.

@lifecoachingandtherapy

ADD Help for Adults Here are the top ADHD Hack for ADD Help for Adults! Get your ADHDCheck on ADHDTok for mental health benefits. #ADHD #dopamine #Mentalhealth #Adhdcheck #adhdtok #Add #focus

♬ original sound – Life Coaching and Therapy

 

About Life Coaching and Therapy

Life Coaching and Therapy (LCAT) is a therapy and coaching practice that transforms our clients lives through our flexible. Multi-technique approach and pleasure-skills training provided by systematically-trained and licensed therapists!

Get to know our founder and owner, Amanda Pasciucco, (a.k.a. The Sex Healer) PhD, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) that has developed innovative therapy programs and therapy videos that get results.

Our team of compassionate, licensed therapists and certified sex therapists help all clients who visit us for a variety of personal, relationship, intimacy and sex problems.

LCAT provides on-site appointments, as well as video chat and text therapy programs.

Learn more about how LCAT can help improve your life at What We Do. 

Election Anxiety: How to Deal with It? 

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Election Anxiety: How to Deal with It? 

 

Have you heard of or are you experiencing election anxiety? Politically active people may find it overwhelming to follow the 2024 presidential election candidates and ballot measures. Polarization, hate speech, and an “us vs. them” mentality have increased dramatically in the public domain. It is sure to get worse as the campaigns ramp up until the election. So, how can you maintain your enthusiasm and commitment?

Here are some tools to help you manage election and politics-related anxiety and stress. 

 

Overview 

Americans’ mental health is suffering as a result of the presidential election. According to psychologists, it’s common for people to experience elevated negative emotions at this time. During election season, people feel anger, stress, sadness, and fear for the future. Those emotions are all valid, and it’s entirely expected and normal to feel them.

It is interesting to note that stress levels tend to increase across the country in the lead-up to an election, regardless of the outcome. Daily discussions and news about the potential impact make it hard not to feel worried about the election. When it spirals out of control, it can even cause symptoms known as election anxiety.

It is ok to get therapy for your mental health if your emotions are overwhelming and long-lasting. Knowing how to manage those symptoms is crucial.

 

Ways to Deal with Election Anxiety

Like other anxiety, election anxiety can make us withdrawn, reactive, or irritable, thus affecting our physical and emotional health.

When we perceive something is wrong, it sets off our autonomic nervous system, which causes a surge of the “stress hormones” cortisol and adrenaline. Overdosing on adrenaline can raise the risk of stroke and heart attack. Furthermore, a high cortisol level can impair our health in a number of ways, such as raising blood sugar, lowering immunity, and narrowing blood vessels.

 

Talk to a Therapist

Therapy may help if stress is severe or persistent and symptoms like depression, anxiety, hopelessness, and physical tensions or indicators of stress and anxiety appear. A treatment plan for election anxiety can help you handle these challenges.

Through routine sessions, a therapist can help you develop stress-management strategies that fit your lifestyle. With a customized strategy, it may give you more peace of mind during election season. 

A therapist can empower you by giving you the skills you need to break through negative thought patterns and cultivate a more optimistic perspective. They can help you investigate mindfulness techniques like deep breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation. 

 

Meditation

By altering the way we interact with our thoughts, meditation can reduce stress and anxiety. This does not imply that we should discount our ideas; rather, in the instance of election stress, our sentiments and feelings regarding a momentous and transformative occasion are very legitimate. We ought to be interested in these ideas and the feelings they arouse in us. Additionally, we may mitigate the effects on our physical and mental wellbeing by properly regulating them.

These human emotions are something we kind of need in our lives. It only gets problematic when they start to bother us so much that they become an inconvenience. Therefore, the focus should be more on how we might alter our connection with concerns than on how to eliminate them.

 

Less News

Smartphones and apps bring us a 24-hour news cycle, with Harris and Trump’s fight fueling the fire.

The constant barrage of opinion pieces, poll results, and push alerts can tire even news junkies. Most news events do not even change that much in one day. 

An overwhelming amount of information, combined with the impossibility of addressing it all, can be dangerous. Having too much knowledge won’t always provide you with the means to solve the problems you care about. Understanding this and choosing when, where, and how to receive news updates puts control over our worry, which is a terrific place to start. Turn off notifications, banners, and sound alerts. 

 

Limit your Anxiety

Avoid reading any news at least one hour before you go to bed to ensure you can fall asleep quickly.

Try to leave politics in places where it must be – for example, advocacy. However, maybe not the best time at your little cousin’s birthday party to get in a debate while playing yard games.

Heated arguments in front of people who are not consenting to be in that conversation are not helpful to anyone. 

However, when you want to talk about politics to someone, who has similar or opposing views, set a time to speak about politics, and have a timer go often after an amount of time that you choose. 

 

The Bottom Line

A little election-related tension is perfectly normal and likely a sign that you care, which is something expected. We don’t want to suppress our feelings since they can serve as useful cues that lead us to take action. However, when emotions become too strong, it can be difficult to do anything and your wellbeing may suffer.

Consider these tips and prioritize self-care when dealing with election anxiety or other feelings of helplessness. It can be your busy lifestyle, hectic work schedule, or anything else. Your mental health should come before all of that, and you’re the only one who needs to make that priority.

 

quick ways to reduce anxiety and stress

 

 

About Life Coaching and Therapy

Life Coaching and Therapy (LCAT) is a therapy and coaching practice that transforms our clients lives through our flexible. Multi-technique approach and pleasure-skills training provided by systematically-trained and licensed therapists!

Get to know our founder and owner, Amanda Pasciucco, (a.k.a. The Sex Healer) PhD, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) that has developed innovative therapy programs and therapy videos that get results.

Our team of compassionate, licensed therapists and certified sex therapists help all clients who visit us for a variety of personal, relationship, intimacy and sex problems.

LCAT provides on-site appointments, as well as video chat and text therapy programs.

Learn more about how LCAT can help improve your life at What We Do. 

Learn About The Signs of High Functioning Anxiety

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Learn About The Signs of High Functioning Anxiety

 

If someone has called you a perfectionist on more than one occasion, it could be that you have one of the signs of high functioning anxiety. Being amongst the best students in the class, cum laude at college, an excellent employee, devoted spouse, and present parent comes with its consequences. From a young age, we are taught to strive for greatness and to do better every time. However, this comes with a price for our mental health and sometimes can be one of the signs of high functioning anxiety symptoms. 

Being successful in a few areas in your life is not the same as being a perfectionist. When trying to be perfect in every environment and situation, there is often an emotional roller coaster of anxiety, fear, and self-consciousness behind that perfect facade. 

What is High Functioning Anxiety?

Although it comes with mental health consequences, you will not find the signs for high functioning anxiety in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – 5th Edition (DSM-5), yet it needs to be treated like generalized anxiety disorder. People with high functioning anxiety should seek help in the form of a therapist or other mental health professional. 

A person with high functioning anxiety will typically be a high achiever, also referred to as the “perfectionist”, however, their striving to be great in all these areas can produce anxiety, fear, depression, loss of self-esteem, etc. Usually, a person with an anxiety disorder will struggle to complete their tasks and achieve their goals, and they might also exhibit fear or worrisome thoughts, which can be followed by a range of physical reactions such as:

  • racing heartbeat
  • headache
  • restlessness and/or agitation
  • panic attacks
  • disrupted concentration
  • muscle tension
  • higher blood pressure
  • gastrointestinal symptoms

A person with signs of high functioning anxiety will probably experience some of these symptoms, yet they will be able to complete their tasks and achieve goals they have set up for themselves. In fact, there are many people with high functioning anxiety that use anxiousness and feat as their drivers of success. For instance, having that fear of failure, they will motivate themselves to work extremely hard to avoid it as much as possible. 

That’s why you might have heard of many successful people who have struggled with this type of anxiety. As motivated professionals, they are often successful and strive for more each time they achieve a goal. However, a success that is based on anxiety is not sustainable and often affects other areas of life, like mental health and relationships. 

High Functioning Anxiety Signs

A person with high functioning anxiety might experience some of the above-mentioned signs, however, they will more probably demonstrate some of these characteristics:

  • Be extremely organized,
  • Strong need to control situations,
  • Be a perfectionist,
  • Biting nails,
  • Restless legs,
  • An intense inner critic with high standards,
  • Uncontrolled anger or irritation when things don’t go as planned,
  • Lack of trust towards others to complete tasks.

When looking at this list, it’s pretty evident that none of these characteristics are bad. On the contrary, they will often be celebrated and used to explain the success of high-achieving people. What’s important to know here, however, is that these signs also have a darker side. For instance, even if they worked hard to get that promotion at work, if someone else gets it, they might feel dysregulated and reach for extraordinary measures to be in control again. 

The darker side of these characteristics is the emotional rollercoaster underneath. People with high functioning anxiety will look perfectly happy and satisfied on the outside, but on the inside, they might overthink too much or have a strong need for constant affirmation. This might result in situations that are dangerous for both mental and physical health. Regardless of its shiny side, high functioning anxiety is still a form of anxiety, and not addressing it with someone who might be of help to you can only make things worse. 

Safety Seeking Behaviors

When dealing with high functioning anxiety, a person might expose certain safety-seeking behaviors which can be counterproductive and dangerous. Some of such behaviors might include: 

  • Avoidance
  • Escape
  • Compulsions
  • Addictions
  • Procrastination

If a person is behaving in any of these ways excessively, these behaviors will interfere with their functioning, so they might end up having issues at work or in their relationships. Because they are wired for constant striving, people with high-functioning anxiety find it difficult to relax and rest, which can lead to a range of physical consequences.

For instance, taking a vacation with their family might be stressful instead of relaxing. Or, they will plan the entire vacation and fill it with numerous activities because it’s almost impossible for them to unplug. 

A person with high functioning anxiety needs to control almost every moment of their life, and often the lives of people around them, and, unfortunately, it doesn’t lead to mental health and wellness. To be mentally well, a person needs to know and practice ways to decrease stress in their life, prioritize their healthy habits, and enjoy their time when relaxing and doing nothing. 

Tips For Combating High Functioning Anxiety

If you or anyone you know have high functioning anxiety, a person should assess their stress levels with screening tools. Also, if you notice a frequency in symptoms or strong signs of anxiety, you should start seeing a therapist who will help you manage your symptoms and find your way to live a happy, fulfilled life. Typically, cognitive behavioral therapy will be recommended as it’s focused on changing behaviors. This makes it a good tool to manage successfully the downside of this type of anxiety. 

With cognitive behavioral therapy, clients will learn coping strategies, lower counterproductive safety-seeking behaviors, while also developing new perspectives to feel good about themselves and reduce unnecessary suffering they often experience. 

One of the best ways to feel better is by practicing mindfulness, a technique centered solely on the breath. Mindfulness focuses on the present moment and reduces the noise that increases anxiety.

In general, any activity where a person takes a step back and starts practicing what makes them feel at peace will be beneficial. They can start reading more, drinking their morning coffee in silence on their balcony, go for long walks alone, listen to classical music, play an instrument, etc. After all, the more peaceful moments a person learns to enjoy and cherish, the less their mind and body will feel stressed. 

 

quick ways to reduce anxiety and stress

 

About Life Coaching and Therapy

Life Coaching and Therapy (LCAT) is a therapy and coaching practice that transforms our clients lives through our flexible. Multi-technique approach and pleasure-skills training provided by systematically-trained and licensed therapists!

Get to know our founder and owner, Amanda Pasciucco, (a.k.a. The Sex Healer) a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). And an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) that has developed innovative therapy programs and therapy videos that get results.

Our team of compassionate, licensed therapists and certified sex therapists help all clients who visit us for a variety of personal, relationship, intimacy and sex problems.

LCAT provides on-site appointments, as well as video chat and text therapy programs.

Learn more about how LCAT can help improve your life at What We Do. 

Natural Way to Relieve Anxiety Fast

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Natural Way to Relieve Anxiety Fast

 

If you’re looking for a natural way to relieve anxiety fast, this article will provide you with numerous options. We strongly recommend trying a few options from our list to see which one works for you best.

Different stress reactions can be linked to anxiety. Stress alerts you to danger, encourages you to stay organized and prepared, and helps you evaluate risks better.

However, stress can lead to anxiety disorders and other mental health issues if not treated on time. That is why you might want to explore different natural solutions and find the one that could help you relieve anxiety fast.

 

What Is Anxiety?

Your body reacts to stress by producing anxiety. Although many confuse anxiety with stress, anxiety is a state of worry or fear brought on by a variety of elements that may include brain chemistry, environment, or genetics.

Stress is more closely linked to the fight-or-flight response, which involves staying to fight or fleeing the area or situation in order to avoid harm. People with anxiety may attempt to avoid circumstances that exacerbate or trigger their stress symptoms. Which means that anxiety can have an impact on your personal connections, academic performance, and professional performance.

Typical signs of anxiousness might be:

  1. Elevated heart rate
  2. Fast respiration
  3. Agitation
  4. Difficulty focusing

That said, two people will probably experience anxiety in different ways, and their symptoms will probably be different as well. Whereas one person might feel nervous in their abdominal area, another could feel cravings, panic attacks, itching, sweating, and so on. 

 

Natural Ways to Relieve Anxiety

In most cases, using natural remedies to relieve anxiety does not cause any damage. Of course, suppose your mental health expert believes you need medications or a specific type of therapy. In that case, it’s best to consult them before you start using any of the natural remedies mentioned below. 

 

  • Meditation

One effective method that may be used both proactively and reactively is meditation. It is extremely beneficial to establish a regular meditation practice, regardless of whether you are seeking to manage anxiety in the present or are attempting to cultivate resilience in order to transform your relationship with anxiety. 

To further understand how meditation reduces anxiety, picture yourself at a busy party. Imagine the following scene: people are yelling over the loud music. It’s all a little too much. When you meditate, it’s like leaving the party and entering a peaceful balcony.

To be clear, though, meditation is not a cure for anxiety. It can help you control the ups and downs of your anxious thoughts, yet it cannot erase them completely. It’s also critical to keep in mind that asking for help is recommended at any time. So, if anxiety becomes a major source of stress in your life, please see a doctor.

 

  • Exercise

Regular exercisers have lower rates of anxiety disorders, and it also happens to naturally raise certain brain proteins that feed our understanding of safety. With exercise, a variety of anxiety-related conditions can be successfully treated, including post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. Exercise appears to help with anxiety, regardless of the causes or triggers of the anxiety. 

According to numerous studies, people with anxiety disorders need at least 150 minutes of walking per week to improve their overall mental health. What makes exercise great is that it is accessible to everyone and everywhere, and you can do it for free or pay for it, depending on your needs and preferences. 

 

  • Journaling

Although stress and anxiety might feel overwhelming, keeping a diary is a useful tool for achieving a sense of peace. You may express your feelings, think, and analyze what you’re going through in privacy when you keep a diary. Also, the simple act of putting your anxieties in writing helps ease their overwhelming feelings.

We all have days when we feel like our emotions are going to explode. When that occurs, writing in your notebook provides a safe haven for you to let those emotions out. 

Regaining control is another advantage of journaling. It might seem impossible to regain control when you’re engaged in an anxiety spiral. You may map out your worries, and you’ll frequently begin to identify triggers or trends. Acknowledging these might be the first step toward a more peaceful and fulfilling future.

 

  • Aromatherapy

The use of essential oils for medicinal purposes is known as aromatherapy. For millennia, people have employed aromatherapy. Scent molecules in essential oils are breathed and they go from the olfactory nerves all the way to our brains, where they have a very strong effect on the brain’s emotional center, the amygdala.

The scent of essential oils may instantly improve your mood and sense of well-being. They could even assist some people with the symptoms of certain diseases. 

When it comes to essential oils that help with anxiety, consider trying out these ones:

  1. Bergamot orange
  2. Chamomile
  3. Clary sage
  4. Lavender
  5. Lemon
  6. Neroli
  7. Rose
  8. Ylang-ylang

 

  • Herbal Supplements

Many herbal supplements make the same anxiety-reduction claims as herbal teas. However, it’s best if you work with a physician who is educated about herbal supplements and their potential effects.

For centuries, traditional medicine has used herbs such as passionflower, St. John’s wort, kava, valerian root, lysine, and magnesium to induce calmness and improve emotional states. 

Once you find the one that works well for you, make sure you consult with someone who is an expert.

 

In Final Words

When your anxiety doesn’t go away, you should consider other treatment options. With efficient therapy, you will be able to understand what is causing your anxiety. Besides that, your therapist will teach you useful tactics you can use in everyday life when you notice you’re experiencing anxiety again. 

If you want to start your journey to manage anxiety quickly from home, get calm here! 

 

Quick Ways to Reduce Anxiety and Stress

quick ways to reduce anxiety and stress

 

 

About Life Coaching and Therapy

Life Coaching and Therapy (LCAT) is a therapy and coaching practice that transforms our clients lives through our flexible. Multi-technique approach and pleasure-skills training provided by systematically-trained and licensed therapists!

Get to know our founder and owner, Amanda Pasciucco, (a.k.a. The Sex Healer) PhD, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) that has developed innovative therapy programs and therapy videos that get results.

Our team of compassionate, licensed therapists and certified sex therapists help all clients who visit us for a variety of personal, relationship, intimacy and sex problems.

LCAT provides on-site appointments, as well as video chat and text therapy programs.

Learn more about how LCAT can help improve your life at What We Do. 

cognitive behavioral therapy

What Is Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

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What Is Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

 

As a field in cognitive behavioral therapy, trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy addresses certain emotional. And mental health needs of individuals who struggle with destructive effects resulting from early trauma. Also known under its acronym TF-CBT, this form of cognitive-behavioral therapy is focused on unique problems like post-traumatic stress. And mood disorders appearing as a result of abuse, grief, or violence. In most cases, the individual starting a TF-CBT therapy is a child whose parents or caregivers are often involved in the treatment if necessary. 

Who Can Benefit from TF-CBT?

Trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy is recommended for those who have experienced an event or series of events that involve sexual, physical, or mental abuse or have developed post-traumatic symptoms, anxiety, or depression because of facing loss or being exposed to violence. 

In cases with children and adolescents who are showing serious behavioral or suicidal-ideation problems. We often recommend different forms of treatment like dialectical behavioral therapy, which can later lead to a more trauma-focused approach. There are even some researchers who suggest that trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy is the best treatment form for adult war veterans who are struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder.

What does TF-CBT Look Like?

Trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy is a short-term and quick intervention lasting anywhere from eight to 25 sessions. Individuals can talk to a therapist in an outpatient mental health clinic, group home, hospital, school, community center, or from home. 

We use these cognitive-behavioral techniques to modify unhelpful or destructive thinking and negative behaviors and reactions. On the other hand, family therapy will look into interactions among family members and family dynamics that contribute to the problem this individual is dealing with. Through family therapy, family members are taught new parenting methods that rely mostly on good stress management and communication skills. 

TF-CBT was first developed by psychiatrist Judith Cohen, along with two psychologists. Esther Deblinger and Anthony Mannarino as an idea to better serve young individuals who had experienced sexual abuse. Over the years, it became a successful therapy form that serves youths and adults who have experienced any type of severe trauma or abuse. 

Experiencing a trauma early in life can result in guilt, anger, self-abuse, feeling powerlessness, acting out. And a range of mental health issues, from anxiety to depression. Trauma often leads to post-traumatic stress disorder which affects both children and adults and it can manifest in numerous ways. Such as emotional numbness, concentration problems. Repeating thoughts after the event has occurred and extreme emotional and physical responses to anything that happens in their environment. And triggers a memory related to the trauma. 

By combining different techniques and theories of a few therapeutic interventions, TB-CBT can address and enhance the symptoms of post-traumatic stress in both young and adult individuals. 

How to Choose Your First Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapist?

If this is your first time reaching out to a therapist, you might be overwhelmed with the different options you have. However, if you’ve experienced trauma and feel the consequences. You should consider contacting a licensed mental health professional who has experience in TF-CBT, family therapy, or cognitive behavioral therapy. Besides having these credentials, your chosen therapist could be recommended to you by someone close, such as a colleague or friend. 

Whether you’re looking for yourself or your child, talking about trauma with someone of trust will not only help you feel more comfortable at the beginning of your process and also get the most value the entire time of your or your child’s treatment. After all, in all forms of therapy, trust and how the patient feels about therapists are two key factors that will greatly impact the outcome of the therapy.

Seeking Therapy for Your Child

As a parent, there will be certain steps you will need to take to make sure your kid is content with the idea of therapy. For instance, don’t just take your child to therapy without explaining to them the reasons and what to expect first. Make sure you have their approval and try to even discuss with them the choice of a therapist. Your kid’s input will be extremely valuable as they will more easily open up to a person they have chosen and liked from the first moment. 

Also, explain to them that going to therapy is completely normal and that many kids of their age also talk to a therapist about things that bother them. Tell them they will not pressure into discussing things they don’t want to discuss and that the therapist will respect their space and needs before anything else.

Seeking Therapy for Yourself

If you’re seeking a TF-CBT therapist for yourself, take some time to explore your options. For individuals who have experienced a trauma virtual sessions will not be as helpful as for others. So make sure you find a TF-CBT therapist near you. That said, don’t choose just any because they work nearby. 

Look for their references, study their work experience and education. And find a video or photo of them to get a feeling of the person with who you would share your intimate world. Think about the things you feel comfortable sharing in your first session and keep in mind that going to therapy is a process that takes time. Don’t expect miracles overnight and try to make the most of the process while learning the techniques that will serve you to heal. And un-learn those that are preventing you on your path to healing.   

In Final Words

Trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy serves best those individuals, either young or adults. Who have experienced a certain trauma and are witnessing symptoms from it. As it is with every traumatic event, not addressing it will only prolong the state you find yourself in.

Reach out to a trusted TF-CBT therapist and schedule your first appointment. The sooner you start, the earlier you will start feeling better about yourself and find ways to continue living your life as you want without the trauma affecting your life choices.

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About Life Coaching and Therapy

Life Coaching and Therapy (LCAT) is a therapy and coaching practice that transforms our clients lives through our flexible. Multi-technique approach and pleasure-skills training provided by systematically-trained and licensed therapists!

Get to know our founder and owner, Amanda Pasciucco, (a.k.a. The Sex Healer) a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). And an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) that has developed innovative therapy programs and therapy videos that get results.

Our team of compassionate, licensed therapists and certified sex therapists help all clients who visit us for a variety of personal, relationship, intimacy and sex problems.

LCAT provides on-site appointments, as well as video chat and text therapy programs.

Learn more about how LCAT can help improve your life at What We Do. 

Guide to Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

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Guide to Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

 

The detrimental impacts of early trauma are addressed for children, adolescents, and families undergoing trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT). The treatment is especially considerate of the unique issues faced by young people who have experienced physical abuse, violence, grief. Or sexual abuse, in addition to post-traumatic stress disorder and mood disorders. TF-CBT frequently includes non-offending parents or other caregivers in treatment and integrates family therapy concepts as the client is typically a child.

Psychiatrist Judith Cohen and psychologists Esther Deblinger and Anthony Mannarino created the trauma-focused approach to therapy in the 1990s to help children and teenagers who had been sexually abused. Over time, TF-CBT has grown to offer services to young people who have been subjected to a variety of severe traumas or abuses.

 

What Is Trauma?

Trauma is caused by highly upsetting, frightening, or stressful situations that are beyond our control, and thus our nervous system is unable to cope, resulting in the traumatic response cycle. It could be a single incident, a series of related events that occur over time, or complex trauma, which is exposure to various traumatic incidents over time so that the body never has time to regulate.

The majority of us will go through something in our lives that might be categorized as traumatic. However, not everyone will be impacted in the same manner. Any age can experience trauma. Furthermore, it might have an impact on us at any point in time, even years after the incident.

It’s critical to acknowledge that if you have experienced trauma, you made it through as best you could. You’re responding in a typical, expected way. 

Ask for help at any moment you feel necessary, even if you’re not sure if you would characterize your encounter as traumatizing or as experiencing trauma.

 

What Is Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? 

Though its initial focus was on supporting children who had been sexually abused, TF-CBT is now used to treat children and adolescents who have been sexually, physically, or mentally abused once or more, as well as those who have developed post-traumatic symptoms, depression, or anxiety.

Various treatment modalities, such as dialectical behavior therapy, could be a better fit for an initial intervention. If a child or adolescent exhibits severe behavioral issues, substance abuse, or suicidal thoughts, a trauma-sensitive approach could be used as a follow-up.

TF-CBT is a brief intervention that typically consists of 8 to 25 sessions. It can be conducted in an in-home environment, hospital, community center, group home, outpatient mental health clinic, or school. A non-offending caregiver or parent provides treatment. Treatment often starts with the kid and the non-offending caregiver attending separate therapy sessions, then progresses to joint sessions.

Cognitive behavioral strategies are applied to improve negative reactions and behaviors, as well as erroneous or unhelpful thinking. A patient might rearrange their thinking more positively and healthfully by learning to confront intrusive ideas of shame and dread.

Who Can Benefit From Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

TF-CBT is primarily used to treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This therapy helps trauma survivors address and resolve their distress to reduce negative behavior patterns and emotional reactions that often result from sexual abuse, physical abuse, or other trauma. 

Childhood traumas like abuse, domestic violence, and neglect frequently result in anxiety, sadness, and PTSD symptoms. TF-CBT may be helpful for those who have been subjected to domestic violence, sexual abuse, or physical abuse. This applies regardless of whether the trauma occurred once or repeatedly. Also, research has demonstrated that TF-CBT is highly beneficial for children who are learning how to deal with the death of a loved one.

 

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapist

Although there are further training and courses available, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy is not officially accredited. Finding someone with knowledge in the field and someone you feel comfortable talking to about personal issues is crucial.

You can ask your TF-CBT therapist about the following: 

  • Degree of their exposure to trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy
  • Assessment process for patients to monitor their progress 

 

Therapists can receive training in the TF-CBT treatment methodology through a recognized introductory training course or web-based training program. To obtain certification, professionals holding a master’s degree or above must complete a two-day in-person training. Follow up with training or consultation twice a month for six months or once a month for an entire year. And attend nine of the twelve consultation or supervisory sessions offered by a treatment developer or TF-CBT Train the Trainer Program graduate. 

Additionally, a practitioner must finish three distinct TF-CBT cases, at least two involving caregiver engagement. When practitioners fulfill the prerequisites listed above, they must pass a knowledge-based exam. 

 

Conclusion

Any adult who has gone through a traumatic experience, is experiencing symptoms of mental illness. Or is worried about a child’s welfare can get support by consulting a mental health expert.

Treatment with TF-CBT typically entails 8–25 sessions, depending on the case’s complexity. It’s possible that people can use TF-CBT through their health insurance. As an alternative, there are private choices. Some therapists provide sliding scales or affordable options for people who require them.

In short, if something is troubling you, whether you can understand why or not, you should find a trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapist. They will help you release the stress and negative emotions in your mind and body. With time, you will notice how you feel more in control, and you don’t feel the same about that particular event or series of events. 

 

About Life Coaching and Therapy

Life Coaching and Therapy (LCAT) is a therapy and coaching practice that transforms our clients lives through our flexible. Multi-technique approach and pleasure-skills training provided by systematically-trained and licensed therapists!

Get to know our founder and owner, Amanda Pasciucco, (a.k.a. The Sex Healer) PhD, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) that has developed innovative therapy programs and therapy videos that get results.

Our team of compassionate, licensed therapists and certified sex therapists help all clients who visit us for a variety of personal, relationship, intimacy and sex problems.

LCAT provides on-site appointments, as well as video chat and text therapy programs.

Learn more about how LCAT can help improve your life at What We Do. 

Human Resource Issues Examples: Navigating the HR Maze

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Human Resource Issues Examples: Navigating the HR Maze

 

In the realm of human resources issues examples, we will help as therapists navigate the complex interpersonal dynamics and conflicts that can be a daunting challenge. 

Traditional HR approaches often focus on individual performance or standard operating procedures, neglecting the intricate nuance of relationships that influence employee well-being, therefore, productivity. 

Enter systemic therapists—a group of professionals adept at understanding and addressing systems-level dynamics that impact HR. In this blog, we explore why systemic therapists are essential in solving HR issues, highlighting specific examples that showcase their effectiveness in resolving intricate workplace challenges.

This human resources issue example will provide insights and practical solutions for professionals of all levels.

 

Understanding HR Issues

Let us define “human resource issues” first before moving on to some examples of how to help. Human resource issues, including workplace problems, frequently involve the company’s policies, employees, and management. Maintaining a harmonious work environment requires careful handling of both minor setbacks and major crises.

 

Common Human Resource Issues

Our goal today is to provide examples of human resource issues to find out how therapy can help in these real-life examples. Are you ready to conquer the relentless beast known as workplace stress? 

If you know anything about working for a company, you know you need an HR department. Why? 

Well, here’s a rundown of some common HR issues you might encounter:

  • Workplace Conflicts: When employees clash, whether it’s over a project, personal differences, or office resources, it can create tension within the team and affect productivity.
  • Discrimination and Harassment: Ensuring a safe and inclusive workplace is essential. Discrimination based on race, gender, age, or other factors, as well as harassment, must be addressed promptly.
  • Employee Turnover: High turnover rates can be a significant headache for HR. Retaining talent is crucial for a company’s stability and growth.
  • Performance Management: Evaluating and improving employee performance can be challenging. Setting clear expectations, providing feedback, and offering opportunities for growth are key.

 

Systemic therapists specialize in adopting a holistic perspective when analyzing HR issues. They recognize that organizational systems involve multiple interconnected factors, such as team dynamics, communication patterns, and cultural influences. 

Effective communication is pivotal for smooth HR operations and preventing misunderstandings. Systemic therapists excel at identifying breakdowns in communication patterns and offering strategies to enhance dialogue, transparency, and trust within organizations.

Unlike traditional HR approaches, which isolate problems and individuals, systemic therapists recognize the importance of addressing the underlying systemic causes. 

 

Strategies for HR Leaders to Support Employees

As HR leaders, it’s essential to proactively support employees dealing with anxiety and collective trauma. Here are some strategies to consider:

 

1. Foster Open Communication

Encourage open and transparent communication with employees, providing regular updates on organizational changes, resources available for support, and opportunities for feedback and input.

 

2. Provide Mental Health Resources

Offer access to mental health resources and support services, such as employee assistance programs, counseling services, and online mental health tools. Ensure employees are aware of these resources and feel comfortable seeking support when needed.

 

3. Implement Flexible Work Arrangements

Consider implementing flexible work arrangements, such as remote work options, flexible hours, or compressed workweeks, to accommodate employees’ varying needs and promote work-life balance.

 

4. Promote Wellness Initiatives

Promote wellness initiatives and activities that support employee well-being, such as mindfulness sessions, wellness challenges, and fitness classes. Encourage employees to prioritize self-care and take breaks when needed.

 

5. Lead by Example

Lead by example and prioritize your own well-being as an HR leader. Demonstrate empathy, active listening, and support for employees, creating a culture where mental health and well-being are valued and prioritized.

 

Conclusion

Employee anxiety and collective trauma are significant human resource issues that can impact employee well-being, productivity, and organizational performance. By understanding the challenges employees face and implementing strategies to support them, HR leaders can create a supportive and resilient workplace culture where employees feel valued, heard, and empowered to thrive, even in times of uncertainty.

Systemic therapists bring a fresh perspective to HR issues by emphasizing systemic thinking, facilitating improved communication, nurturing a positive organizational culture, and strengthening employee-centric approaches. By addressing the root causes rather than merely treating symptoms, systemic therapists have an invaluable role in helping HR teams create healthier, more productive work environments. By harnessing their expertise, organizations can cultivate resilience, teamwork, and employee well-being, ensuring a solid foundation for continued growth and success.

Which issue are you going through in your company? A systems therapist (an LMFT) can help. 

Do not forget to consult a systems therapist if necessary. 

 

About Life Coaching and Therapy

Life Coaching and Therapy (LCAT) is a therapy and coaching practice that transforms our clients lives through our flexible. Multi-technique approach and pleasure-skills training provided by systematically-trained and licensed therapists!

Get to know our founder and owner, Amanda Pasciucco, (a.k.a. The Sex Healer) PhD, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) that has developed innovative therapy programs and therapy videos that get results.

Our team of compassionate, licensed therapists and certified sex therapists help all clients who visit us for a variety of personal, relationship, intimacy and sex problems.

LCAT provides on-site appointments, as well as video chat and text therapy programs.

Learn more about how LCAT can help improve your life at What We Do. 

Symptoms of Social Anxiety & How to Recognize Them

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Symptoms of Social Anxiety & How to Recognize Them

 

Feeling nervous is often confused with experiencing symptoms of social anxiety. That is why we’ve decided to share critical information about social anxiety. Learn how to recognize the first signs and what to do about them. After all, you might notice someone close to you experiencing symptoms of social anxiety, and you want to help them in the best way possible. Without further ado, let’s learn more about this condition!

 

What Is Social Anxiety?

Fear and worry cause avoidance in social anxiety disorder, which can negatively impact your life. Extreme stress can interfere with relationships, daily activities, employment, education, and other pursuits.

While social anxiety disorder can be a long-term mental health issue, taking medication and learning coping mechanisms in psychotherapy can boost your self-esteem and enhance your social skills.

A persistent and intense fear of social situations is known as social anxiety disorder or social phobia. It’s a prevalent issue that typically arises throughout adolescence. It can significantly affect your life and be upsetting.

Some people find that as they age, things get better. However, in many cases, it requires therapy to go away on its own. Seeking assistance is crucial if you are experiencing symptoms. You can manage it with the help of some treatments.

 

Social Anxiety Symptoms

Shyness or uneasiness in specific circumstances, particularly in young people, are not always symptoms of social anxiety disorder. Individuals’ comfort levels in social settings differ based on their life experiences and personality features. While some people are more gregarious by nature, others are inherently quiet.

Unlike normal anxiety, social anxiety disorder is characterized by worry, anxiety, and avoidance that interfere with relationships, daily activities, jobs, education, and other endeavors. Usually starting in the early to mid-teens, social anxiety disorder can sometimes strike adults or younger children at earlier ages.

 

Emotions and Behavior

These are the signs and symptoms of social anxiety disorder:

  • Fear of being judged negatively in certain circumstances
  • Fear of humiliating yourself or making a fool of yourself
  • Experiencing severe anxiety while engaging or conversing with strangers
  • Fear that people will notice your discomfort 
  • Avoiding social interactions or any other activities 
  • Stay away from situations in which you could be the center of attention
  • Looking for your weaknesses or mistakes after you’ve interacted with others
  • Anticipating the worst outcomes 

 

Physical Symptoms

The following physical signs and symptoms of social anxiety disorder can occasionally be present:

  • Blushing
  • Increased heart rate
  • Shaking
  • Sweating
  • Nausea or upset stomach
  • Having difficulty breathing
  • Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
  • Tension in the muscles

 

Seeking Help for Social Anxiety

If you believe you may have social anxiety, it’s a good idea to contact a general practitioner or primary care provider (PCP), particularly if it’s significantly affecting your life. It’s a prevalent issue, and there are helpful solutions.

While seeking assistance can be challenging, your general practitioner will attempt to reassure you, knowing that many individuals experience social anxiety. To learn more about your social anxiety, they will question you about your emotions, behaviors, and symptoms.

If they suspect social anxiety, you will be directed to a mental health professional for a comprehensive evaluation and to discuss possible treatment options. Without a PCP, you can also refer to talk therapy.

 

Psychotherapy

A well-researched kind of psychotherapy called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is frequently used to treat social anxiety disorder. To reduce anxiety and dread, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) teaches you alternative ways of thinking, acting, and responding to events. Additionally, CBT can assist you in developing social skills, which are crucial for the treatment of social anxiety disorder. CBT is the most researched and effective form of psychotherapy.

A cognitive-behavioral therapy approach called exposure treatment helps you participate in things you have been avoiding by gradually facing the fears that underlie an anxiety condition. Sometimes, relaxation techniques are combined with exposure therapy. When CBT is administered in a group setting, it can also have unique advantages for treating social anxiety disorder.

 

Medications

Medical professionals may recommend medication to treat social anxiety disorder. This disease can be effectively treated with a variety of medications, such as:

  • Antidepressants include serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) 
  • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
  • Beta-blockers

 

In addition to being frequently used to treat depression, anti-anxiety drugs like benzodiazepines, SSRIs, and SNRI antidepressants can also help alleviate the symptoms of social anxiety disorder. It can take a few weeks for them to begin operating. 

Antidepressants may have adverse effects like nausea, headaches, or trouble falling asleep. Generally speaking, these side effects are not very serious, particularly if the dosage gradually increases from a low starting point. Discuss any potential side effects with your healthcare provider.

Some of the physical symptoms of social anxiety disorder, like sweating, tremors, and a fast heartbeat, can be managed with the aid of beta-blockers. When treating social anxiety disorder that manifests as “performance anxiety,” beta-blockers are frequently the recommended drug.

 

Support Groups

Support groups are beneficial for many individuals with social anxiety. You can get objective, truthful feedback about how other members of the group perceive you if you are part of a group of people who all have social anxiety disorder. In this approach, you can discover that your beliefs about rejection and judgment are false or misguided. It is also possible to gain knowledge on how people with social anxiety disorder manage and get over their dread of social situations.

Support groups can be found online and in person. Any advice from a support group participant should be utilized carefully and should not replace a doctor’s medical suggestions.

 

Conclusion

Getting knowledge is an excellent method to support someone you love or yourself who might be experiencing social anxiety disorder. Look into the symptoms, find out about available treatments, and stay informed about new findings in the field.

If you feel like you could be suffering from a social anxiety disorder, talk to someone you can trust about how you’re feeling. Make time to speak with a friend or family member you suspect may be experiencing social anxiety disorder to let them know you are concerned and to reassure them of your support.

It’s time to get professional help if your anxiety, or the anxiety of a loved one, begins to interfere with day-to-day activities. Examples include avoiding social situations at work, school, or with friends and family. Consult a medical professional about your mental health.

Begin a guide to getting calm at home.

 

Quick Ways to Reduce Anxiety and Stress

quick ways to reduce anxiety and stress

 

 

About Life Coaching and Therapy

Life Coaching and Therapy (LCAT) is a therapy and coaching practice that transforms our clients lives through our flexible. Multi-technique approach and pleasure-skills training provided by systematically-trained and licensed therapists!

Get to know our founder and owner, Amanda Pasciucco, (a.k.a. The Sex Healer) PhD, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) that has developed innovative therapy programs and therapy videos that get results.

Our team of compassionate, licensed therapists and certified sex therapists help all clients who visit us for a variety of personal, relationship, intimacy and sex problems.

LCAT provides on-site appointments, as well as video chat and text therapy programs.

Learn more about how LCAT can help improve your life at What We Do. 

Female Orgasmic Disorder Treatment

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Female Orgasmic Disorder Treatment

 

If you’ve stumbled upon a term called female orgasmic disorder treatment, you might be curious to learn what it actually is. There are many reasons why you might not be able to reach a climax in your relationship. Therapy, medicine, and addressing underlying problems are possible treatment forms. However, a professional will need to see you first to detect the root of the problem. 

In this article, we’ll take a closer look into female orgasmic disorder treatment. Find out the reasons why it happens, which treatment options are available, and so much more that might be beneficial for you when learning about female orgasmic disorder. 

 

What Is Female Orgasmic Disorder? 

Orgasmic dysfunction occurs when a woman experiences difficulty or fails to experience an orgasm during a sexually stimulating moment.

When it’s not fun, having sex may turn from being a fulfilling, intimate experience for both parties to a chore. Sex may happen less frequently and with a decrease in sexual desire. Tension and animosity may result from this in the partnership.

A disorder known as orgasmic dysfunction is when a person struggles to experience an orgasm. Even when they are sexually aroused and receiving enough stimulation, they still struggle with this. This disorder is referred to as female orgasmic dysfunction when it affects women. Although it is far less common, orgasmic dysfunction can also affect men.

Orgasms are powerful sensations of release that occur during intercourse. Their frequency, duration, and strength might all change. Even minimal sexual stimulation can cause orgasms, although occasionally, much more stimulation is required.

Even when they receive plenty of sexual stimulation, many women still struggle to experience an orgasm with a partner. Many studies have indicated that 11–41% of women may experience orgasmic dysfunction. Anorgasmia, or female orgasmic condition, is another name for orgasmic dysfunction.

 

Causes of Female Orgasmic Disorder

10% to 15% of women report never having experienced an orgasm. According to surveys, as many as 50% of women express dissatisfaction with the frequency of their orgasms.

The complicated interaction between the mind and body occurs during sexual response. For an orgasm to occur, both must be in good working order.

Orgasmic difficulties might result from a variety of circumstances. Common causes are:

  • Past experience of rape or sexual abuse
  • Fatigue, tension, or despair in a relationship or during sexual activity
  • Not understanding sexual function
  • Prejudice about sex, which is frequently picked up in childhood or adolescence
  • Embarrassment or shyness around physical touch
  • Relationship problems

 

Health issues that may make it challenging to experience an orgasm include:

  • Certain medications that are prescribed. 
  • Hormonal imbalances or changes (menopause).
  • Persistent conditions that impact one’s sexual desire and well-being
  • Endometriosis 
  • Damage to the nerves supplying the pelvis 
  • Contraction of the vaginal muscles 
  • Dryness in the vagina

 

Symptoms of Female Orgasmic Disorder

The inability to reach a sexual climax is the primary sign of orgasmic dysfunction. Other symptoms include orgasms that are not satisfying and climaxes that take longer than usual to reach.

It might be challenging for women with orgasmic dysfunction to experience an orgasm during masturbation or sexual activity.

Four categories of orgasmic dysfunction exist:

  • Primary anorgasmia: The inability to experience an orgasm.
  • Secondary anorgasmia: Having trouble experiencing an orgasm despite having experienced one previously.
  • Situational anorgasmia: The most prevalent kind of dysphoric orgasm. It happens when you can only experience an orgasm in particular circumstances, such as during oral sex or masturbation.
  • General anorgasmia: The inability to experience an orgasm in any situation, even when you’re really aroused and have received enough sexual stimulation.

 

Treatment for Female Orgasmic Disorder

If your sexual dysfunction is not causing an issue for you, it shouldn’t be considered as something that needs to be solved. You should seek treatment only if your dysfunction is bothering you or impacting your relationship with your partner.

Treatment types differ depending on the potential symptoms and causes of the sexual dysfunction you’re experiencing. You should share your concerns and learn to understand better your body and how intimacy works for you. Your sexual aspirations are also crucial when talking about treatment options.

If you’re experiencing sexual dysfunction as a woman, a comprehensive treatment approach addressing physical, relationship, and emotional factors could be very beneficial for you.

When treating sexual dysfunction, your physician may advise applying the following techniques:

  • Converse and pay attention
  • Adopt a healthy way of living
  • Discover relaxing techniques
  • Consult a counselor
  • Apply lubrication
  • Try using a gadget

 

When treating sexual dysfunction, an underlying issue should be addressed first. Your doctor could recommend switching medications or writing you a prescription for another one.

When talking about medications, these are the treatment options for female sexual dysfunction that most doctors recommend:

  • Estrogen therapy
  • Ospemifene (Osphena)
  • Androgen therapy
  • Flibanserin (Addyi)
  • Bremelanotide (Vyleesi)

 

Asking for Help 

Make an appointment with your physician if you believe you have orgasmic dysfunction. Your physician has the expertise to identify your ailment and devise an appropriate course of action. The greatest approach to guarantee that you can once again fully enjoy sexual activity is to get advice from your doctor.

Your doctor conducts a physical examination and inquires about your sexual history during your visit. Your answers and the results of the exam can assist in discovering additional elements that might be causing your issue, as well as any underlying reasons for orgasmic dysfunction.

For a follow-up checkup, your doctor might recommend that you see a gynecologist. For orgasmic dysfunction, additional treatments can be suggested by a gynecologist.

 

Therapy for Orgasmic Disorder

Couples therapy is yet another well-liked form of treatment. You and your partner can resolve any disputes or issues by working through them with the assistance of a counselor. This can settle the problems that are coming up in the bedroom and in the relationship.

 

In Conclusion

Being unable to experience an orgasm can be annoying and could affect your relationship. With the right care, you might be able to reach a climax. Realizing that you’re not alone is crucial. Orgasmic dysfunction is a problem that many women have at some point in their lives.

You might benefit especially from therapy if you experience orgasmic dysfunction. A portion of couples’ or individual therapy focuses on your perspective on sexual activity. You and your partner can better understand each other’s sexual needs and wants by attending therapy sessions. It will also take care of any relationship problems or daily worries that might be keeping you from experiencing an orgasm. In the future, resolving these underlying issues may facilitate orgasm experiences.

 

 

BLISS: Proven Methods for Improving the Female Orgasm

 

About Life Coaching and Therapy

Life Coaching and Therapy (LCAT) is a therapy and coaching practice that transforms our clients lives through our flexible. Multi-technique approach and pleasure-skills training provided by systematically-trained and licensed therapists!

Get to know our founder and owner, Amanda Pasciucco, (a.k.a. The Sex Healer) PhD, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) that has developed innovative therapy programs and therapy videos that get results.

Our team of compassionate, licensed therapists and certified sex therapists help all clients who visit us for a variety of personal, relationship, intimacy and sex problems.

LCAT provides on-site appointments, as well as video chat and text therapy programs.

Learn more about how LCAT can help improve your life at What We Do. 

Defining Anxiety: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

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Defining Anxiety: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

 

We’re all talking about anxiety, yet defining anxiety is not as easy as it seems. Everyone experiences anxiety occasionally. An anxiety disorder may be indicated when unexplained sensations of anxiety persist, making it difficult to go about everyday tasks, or happen for no apparent cause.

If you want to learn how to recognize anxiety in yourself and in others, continue reading this article, as we’ll share all the vital information about anxiety.

 

What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a complex response to real or perceived threats. It can involve cognitive, physical, and behavioral changes. Real or perceived danger causes a rush of adrenaline, a hormone, and a chemical messenger in the brain, which in turn triggers these anxiety reactions in a process called the fight-or-flight response. Some people may experience this response in difficult social situations or around important events or decisions.

The duration or severity of feelings of anxiety can sometimes be out of proportion to the original trigger or stressor. Physical symptoms, such as increased blood pressure and nausea, may also develop. These responses move beyond anxiety into an anxiety disorder.

Once anxiety reaches the stage of a disorder, it can interfere with daily function.

 

What Is an Anxiety Disorder?

Anxiety disorder is one of the mental health conditions that is impacting more and more Americans every day. You could react with fear and dread to certain items and circumstances if you suffer from an anxiety condition. Additionally, you can exhibit bodily symptoms of anxiousness, including perspiration and a racing heart.

A certain level of anxiousness is normal. If you have to make a big choice, go for an interview, take an exam, or deal with a situation at work, you could feel worried or anxious. Anxiety may even be advantageous. Anxiety, for instance, helps us focus our attention and identify potentially harmful circumstances, keeping us safe.

However, anxiety disorders are more than just occasional bouts of mild worry and trepidation. Anxiety disorders arise when:

  • Anxiety makes it difficult for you to operate.
  • When anything makes you feel something, you tend to overreact.
  • Your reactions to circumstances are beyond your control.

Managing anxiety problems may make daily tasks challenging. 

 

Causes of Anxiety 

Anxiety can arise and persist due to a variety of social and environmental circumstances, which can also impair our social interaction skills. These social and environmental variables might include social demands from society and the workplace, childhood trauma, social isolation, traumatic life experiences, stress from work or school, and issues with one’s physical or mental health. Gender may also be relevant, as anxiety is about twice as common in women as in men.

 

Social Isolation 

When compared to those who report having excellent social ties, individuals who suffer social isolation or loneliness frequently have fewer or lower-quality social contacts. Social isolation may make it difficult to strike up conversations with others, which frequently results in feelings of uneasiness and rejection.

 

Childhood Trauma

Neglect or physical, emotional, or sexual abuse throughout childhood can have a lasting impact on a person’s mental health. Those who have experienced trauma as children may be more prone to anxiety. This may result from modifications to brain development that impact memory, mood management, and our fight-or-flight response.

 

Negative Life Events

Unfavorable experiences in life can also exacerbate anxiety. These are the kinds of things that upset our sense of security or well-being and have a profound emotional impact.

These are some common examples of negative life events that can lead to anxiety:

  • Divorce or ending a significant relationship
  • Abuse or domestic violence
  • Stressful work or education environment
  • Car accident
  • Job insecurity
  • Excessive workload
  • Financial strain

 

Symptoms of Anxiety

Everybody’s experience of anxiety is unique. In addition to effects in other aspects of your life, you may encounter some of the mental and bodily repercussions outlined on this page.

It’s possible that you have dealt with anxiety in ways that aren’t mentioned here.

These are the common physical symptoms of anxiety: 

  • Uncomfort or pain in your stomach
  • Feeling light-headed or dizzy
  • Feeling restless 
  • Frequent headaches or backache 
  • Shallow, fast breathing
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Sweating
  • Sleep issues
  • Grinding your teeth
  • Nausea
  • Panic attacks

 

These are the common cognitive symptoms of anxiety:

  • Feeling tense or nervous 
  • Constantly worrying
  • Seeking reassurance from other people
  • Low mood or depression
  • Rumination
  • Depersonalization
  • Derealization 

 

Anxiety may raise the chance of getting some long-term physical health issues, such as diabetes, stomach ulcers, and heart issues, according to some research. However, there is insufficient data to determine the precise nature of the dangers or the demographics most likely to be impacted.

There may be times when you feel as though your anxiety issues and physical health issues are intertwined since having a physical sickness or impairment can exacerbate your anxiety.

 

Treatment Options for Anxiety

To find out if there is a connection between your anxiety and your physical health, you should first consult your primary care physician. They can look for indications of a potentially treatable underlying medical issue.

If your anxiety is extreme, though, you might need to consult a mental health professional. A psychiatrist is a medical professional with expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues. Psychotherapists and other mental health providers, such as psychologists, are qualified to diagnose anxiety and offer psychotherapy.

 

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy, also referred to as talk therapy or psychological counseling, is working with a therapist to lessen the feelings of anxiety that you experience. It could work well as an anxiety therapy.

For anxiety disorders, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most successful type of psychotherapy. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which is often a short-term treatment, teaches you particular methods to help manage your symptoms and progressively resume the activities you’ve avoided due to worry.

As part of CBT, you will progressively come into contact with the thing or circumstance that makes you anxious in order to gain confidence in your ability to control the situation and your anxiety symptoms.

 

Medications

Depending on the kind of anxiety illness you have and whether you also have other physical or mental health conditions, several drugs can be used to aid with symptoms. Discuss the advantages, disadvantages, and potential adverse effects of drugs with your doctor.

 

Wrap Up

It is possible to lower one’s risk of anxiety disorders. Recall that experiencing anxiety is normal for day-to-day living and does not always signify the existence of a mental health issue.

Having an anxiety illness can make daily tasks challenging. Anxiety disorders are characterized by trepidation, panic, and terror. Physical signs like perspiration and an accelerated pulse are also possible. You don’t have to live this way, though. 

There are several efficient therapies for anxiety disorders. To determine your diagnosis and the most effective course of treatment, see your healthcare physician. Treatment frequently consists of both medicine and counseling. CBT combined with antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs can help you feel your best.

Begin your journey to calm at home. 

Quick Ways to Reduce Anxiety and Stress

quick ways to reduce anxiety and stress

 

About Life Coaching and Therapy

Life Coaching and Therapy (LCAT) is a therapy and coaching practice that transforms our clients lives through our flexible. Multi-technique approach and pleasure-skills training provided by systematically-trained and licensed therapists!

Get to know our founder and owner, Amanda Pasciucco, (a.k.a. The Sex Healer) PhD, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) that has developed innovative therapy programs and therapy videos that get results.

Our team of compassionate, licensed therapists and certified sex therapists help all clients who visit us for a variety of personal, relationship, intimacy and sex problems.

LCAT provides on-site appointments, as well as video chat and text therapy programs.

Learn more about how LCAT can help improve your life at What We Do. 

Friendship Therapy: What It Is & Do You Need It? 

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Friendship Therapy: What It Is & Do You Need It? 

 

Friendship therapy helps friends strengthen their relationship by sharing their concerns and working towards the same goal. Although we’re used to hearing about couples therapy as the most popular therapy to go with someone else, friendship therapy can be extremely beneficial for friendships that are facing an obstacle and are uncertain about the best way to solve it. 

In this article, we’ll look closer at friendship therapy, who needs it, and what outcomes to expect from it. If you and your friend think that friendship therapy is something that you both need, make sure to share this article with them as well.

 

What Is Friendship Therapy?

One of the most important things in life that you will encounter is friendship. Friendships feed and nourish us, satisfying some of our most basic needs for connection and belonging. However, we can find ourselves lacking the means to provide continuous, loving care for these connections, in part because our culture has long maintained that romantic and sexual relationships are the height of intimacy.

Just as traditional romantic relationships need time, intention, and care, platonic connections are as important to our well-being. During friendship therapy, mental health professionals offer a quiet, judgment-free environment where you and your friend may examine the causes of any lingering issues and use your strengths to forge a consensus, make repairs, and rebuild trust. Friendship therapy offers a space where both parties can hear and be heard, allowing them to make their connection even stronger. 

 

Signs You Need Friendship Therapy

If you have friends, you’ve probably encountered a few bumps on the road several times. It’s normal to have issues in your friendship, whether that’s a lack of communication, misunderstandings, or something else. The problem occurs when these issues are not addressed properly, and you’re unable to find a solution that is satisfying for both of you. That is when seeing a therapist might be beneficial to solve these underlying issues and feel closer to each other. 

These are just some of the common situations in which friendship therapy could be beneficial:

  • Frequent arguments or conflicts 
  • Spending less time together or communicating less 
  • Not being invited to the occasions you used to go together
  • Noticing a harsh tone or negative comments from your friend
  • Noticing you’re not receiving some amount of support you used to
  • Being overly competitive with your friends
  • Changes that concurred in distance or life priorities

 

How Therapy Can Save Your Friendship 

If you’ve found yourself in one of the situations mentioned above, you should consider going to friendship therapy. There are many ways that such therapy can help you navigate your friendship better. More importantly, with friendship therapy, you will learn how to recognize the signs that something is ‘off’ and how to become proactive in solving issues that appear in the future.

After all, therapy aims to provide us with efficient tools to better manage different areas of our lives. Talking to mental health experts allows you to learn from them and become more self-sufficient. Whichever the reason for pursuing a therapist, you will notice more benefits than just solving the issue that was bothering you. 

When talking about friendship therapy, you will learn to communicate more efficiently with your friends. Also, you will learn how to set boundaries and share your needs in a healthy manner. As friendship is a two-way street, you will also learn to listen better and provide your friends with what they need. 

All of this will help you build and maintain more significant friendships while also learning more about yourself. As social beings, we need to get to know ourselves first to be able to get to know others. 

Lastly, it’s possible that the outcome of the friendship therapy is parting ways with your friend. As much as it might hurt, sometimes certain relationships can hold us down or impact us negatively, so it’s best to say goodbye and not hold a grudge.

 

Is Friendship Therapy Right for You? 

One major advantage of therapy for friends who are having trouble communicating openly and healthily is that it provides a secure environment in which such conversations may take place under the supervision of a professional. That way, therapists are able to make necessary modifications in real time if they pertain to communication and conflict resolution.

Not every friendship endures, and going to therapy won’t be worthwhile for every difficult connection you have. However, friendship therapy is absolutely the best course of action if you find yourself in a long-term friendship that truly seems worth preserving and resolving. 

If you have persistent problems in your friendship that you haven’t been able to identify and address on your own, therapy may be very beneficial. To determine whether therapy is the best course of action for you and your buddy, think about scheduling a consultation with a mental health professional before beginning treatment. A lot of therapists are quite willing to talk with you and answer your questions before you enter the treatment session.

 

How to Suggest Therapy to Your Friend 

Make sure you speak about the idea of friendship therapy with your friend. Tell them how much you cherish their friendship and why you think it’s crucial that they try to strengthen it.

Also, you might want to admit that the tough period in your friendship is painful for you, and you want to do something about it. You may say something like, “I know we are both hurting in this situation, and I want us to be the healthiest and closest friends that we can be.”

If you believe your friend might be concerned about the cost of treatment or other practical issues, you can also help alleviate some of their worries by conducting your own research and having a variety of solutions ready for them to choose from. 

Pursuing individual treatment in addition to friendship therapy would be a good idea for people who have issues with their interpersonal interactions. This will provide access to crucial resources for communication and self-care, enhancing relationships with others and yourself.

 

Conclusion

In a secure environment, friends may be more motivated to express what they need from one another. After that, the friendship therapist may help identify the disconnects and offer both friends the tools they require to process, resolve, and recover. A friendship therapist may even assign homework, such as suggesting that friends go on a “date night” to replenish their intimacy reserves and rekindle their bond.

After all, people are social beings. Friendships are essential to our happiness. It is a great shame to lose a friend who holds great significance for you, even if the friendship may still be preserved.

 

Quick Ways to Reduce Anxiety and Stress

quick ways to reduce anxiety and stress

 

About Life Coaching and Therapy

Life Coaching and Therapy (LCAT) is a therapy and coaching practice that transforms our clients lives through our flexible. Multi-technique approach and pleasure-skills training provided by systematically-trained and licensed therapists!

Get to know our founder and owner, Amanda Pasciucco, (a.k.a. The Sex Healer) PhD, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) that has developed innovative therapy programs and therapy videos that get results.

Our team of compassionate, licensed therapists and certified sex therapists help all clients who visit us for a variety of personal, relationship, intimacy and sex problems.

LCAT provides on-site appointments, as well as video chat and text therapy programs.

Learn more about how LCAT can help improve your life at What We Do.