anxiety, depression, digital health, gratitude, meditation, mental health, mindfulness, therapy anxiety, depression, digital health, gratitude, meditation, mental health, mindfulness, therapy

How a Therapist Deals with Coronavirus Pandemic Anxiety

My graduate school training did not offer a class on navigating pandemic anxiety. In fact, much of therapists’ training surrounding anxiety treatment has to do with things that are irrational, unlikely to happen, and blow out of proportion. And yet here we are in a global pandemic that requires serious attention & communal behavioral change, all without panic.

It’s a hard balance, right? As I write this, we in the Bay Area are in a 3 week (possibly longer) shelter in place ordinance. The news, social media sites, and conversations are absolutely saturated with COVID-19 updates, predictions of economic recessions, and fear. A lot people feel overwhelmed, including therapists.

Here’s how I’m dealing with my pandemic anxiety:

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anxiety, boundaries, communication, family, goals, marriage, mental health, millennials, partners of sex addicts, recovery, therapy, trauma, women, young adults anxiety, boundaries, communication, family, goals, marriage, mental health, millennials, partners of sex addicts, recovery, therapy, trauma, women, young adults

What to Expect In Therapy in Dublin, CA

Going to therapy is an investment in yourself and an investment of your time & resources. Before you schedule your first appointment, there is often a time of “Should I go to therapy?...nah, I’m okay, I can wait…” before you actually take the first step. By the time you make the call, you’re ready to do the work. Maybe you’re considering jumping back into therapy, or maybe you’ve never been and have no idea what it’s like. Here’s what to expect when working with me as a therapist so you can get the most bang for your buck:

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communication, goals, gratitude, marriage, mental health, mindfulness, parenting, positive thinking, recovery, shame, therapy, women communication, goals, gratitude, marriage, mental health, mindfulness, parenting, positive thinking, recovery, shame, therapy, women

All the Trophies

When I was in the bleary eyed state of being a brand new mom, I was convinced I would never successfully leave the house before 10am ever again. As I dove into this ever changing rhythm (and all the equipment that goes with it), I began offering myself mental trophies for any small, personal successes. Got somewhere within 20 minutes of the start time? Trophy! Showered? Trophy! Left the house? Trophy! Made it through a rough day? All the trophies!

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communication, conflict, depression, family, gratitude, marriage, meditation, mental health, millennials, mindfulness, parenting, partners of sex addicts, positive thinking, recovery, shame, teens, therapy, thoughts, trauma, women, young adults communication, conflict, depression, family, gratitude, marriage, meditation, mental health, millennials, mindfulness, parenting, partners of sex addicts, positive thinking, recovery, shame, teens, therapy, thoughts, trauma, women, young adults

3 Ways to Battle Shame

If we slow down to pay attention, we see the many small moments our shitty first drafts fight for our attention. It can be as simple and subtle as the moment your spouse looked away from you when you came out in your new sweater for the first time (SFD: He thinks it looks bad on me, I’m not good enough), or the look that stranger gave you walking Lake Merritt (SFD: She heard what I said and is judging me), or the drop of your stomach when a group of coworkers make lunch plans without you (SFD: They don’t like me, I’m a tag-a-long). Once those everyday shame moments are in our awareness, how do we battle it?

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addiction, boundaries, communication, faith, family, goals, mental health, millennials, partners of sex addicts, recovery, sex addiction, therapy, women, young adults addiction, boundaries, communication, faith, family, goals, mental health, millennials, partners of sex addicts, recovery, sex addiction, therapy, women, young adults

Boundaries for Beginners

Boundaries. A popular therapy & self-care buzz word that’s thrown around all the time. Often boundaries are presented with the metaphor of a fence separating your yards from your neighbors. You are responsible to water your own garden & take care of what’s in your yard, regardless of what’s going on in your neighbors’ side. That’s lovely, but what does that mean?

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