She is a highly functioning professional woman, yet she told me that she felt emotionally out of control. She admitted to habitually making unhealthy life choices, that ended up hurting her deeply. Self-destructive decisions had become a familiar pattern.
This was also the language that four separate clients used during sessions in my practice this week. This was not unusual, in fact all of us struggle with this at one time or another. Somehow this has become an unwelcome norm in our culture.
Life can feel stressful. That’s normal. It is important and helpful for us to feel emotional things. We need to cognitively organize our lives, and to expect some “moderate” highs and lows. There is the concept of our light and shadow self, the yin and the yang coexisting within us – a natural and normal part of our human nature. But, when stress feels overwhelming and leads to serious anxiety, we need to know what to do. We need to process these feelings and to re-regulate them in healthy ways.
A comprehensive mindfulness practice involves awareness, in all things. Some of the questions I ask my clients are these: What are your emotional pain points? Do you know your primary emotional triggers? Do you know, and consistently use techniques that help you get calm and re-regulate your anxiety? Do you notice feeling this somatically (in your body)? Bottom line, do you know how to get yourself out of this emotional dilemma?
I’m a Certified Trauma Informed Practitioner and a Certified Overcome Anxiety Clinic Facilitator. I use skills learned in all of my educational studies, in my professional research, and in my life experiences. I am learning new skills and gaining greater wisdom every day. I have learned that we can all benefit from the discoveries neuroscience research has revealed in the last few years!
Using easily accessible, science-based holistic techniques helps us to evaluate, understand and manage the dysfunctions of our mind-body health. Do you know what immediate action steps to take when you begin to feel overwhelmed and anxiety?
When we have the knowledge and tools to overcome anxiety, we must then actively and consistently use them in order to achieve the results we desire. Like everything else, we are in control only when we take action. Knowing which actions to take gives us an added advantage. When we feel a sense of control, we feel true inner strength. A strength that cannot be taken from us.
If you need guidance navigating through rough waters, I’m here to help- just reach out!
In the spirit of self compassion,
