BURNOUT:
Burnout is sneaky
A never ending to do list leads to restless sleep and an inability to reset for the long day ahead. A packed schedule leads to skipping important daily tasks such as eating and taking a shower. Slowly but surely you start to lose control of your life and start to lose yourself in the process. Stress and responsibilities build up until you feel crushed by the weight and by the time you recognize there is a problem you feel like there is no way to relieve the pressure.
For me, helping clients deal with burnout is personal because I have been there. It took me a while to recognize and understand how much of an impact burnout had on my mental and physical health and even longer to find a healthy path forward. With burnout one thing is inevitable, either you slow down and make changes or your body will do the slowing down for you and take extreme measures. So let’s get in front of that all or nothing scenario and find a healthier path forward.
ANXIETY:
Anxiety can be helpful and hurtful all at once.
I often use the example of seeing a bear in the forest to explain the concept of helpful vs hurtful anxiety. On one hand anxiety kicks your brain into survival mode. Your vision narrows, your heart begins to beat faster and your brain takes in every detail all in preparation to escape this dangerous situation. Your brain is on overdrive and you are able to think through every possible scenario to get you out of danger.
But what if there is no bear? Your brain sets into motion the narrowed vision, increased heart rate and ability to think through all possibilities, but this time there is nothing to run from. Your brain is in overdrive and what was meant to be a temporary solution to get you out of danger becomes second nature. Your brain is not meant to work at this heightened state for long and if every noise you hear in the woods brings on a ‘bear’ response you will be left exhausted and unable to manage when a real bear crosses your path. So let’s find a way to filter out the unhelpful anxiety and find a more balanced path forward.
DEPRESSION:
Depression is full of contradictions.
You know what to do in order to feel better, but you can not find the energy to actually do it. If hanging out with friends used to bring you joy, depression will make reaching out too much of a chore. If exercising makes you feel energized, depression will make you feel like you don’t even have the energy to get out of bed. If eating a well balanced meal will make your feel better, depression makes the idea of just eating junk food more appealing.
It is these contradictions that make depression so difficult to manage and tough to even talk about. Clients come to me saying ‘I know what to do, I just can’t do it’ and that idea can be so frustrating. It is important to be kind to yourself and take small steps towards the things you used to love. So let’s find a way to slowly and sustainably get back to the activities you used to love and find a more achievable path forward.
TECHNIQUES:
Expressive Arts: Through our work together I will use imagery, art, journaling and analogies to help you better understand how and why your body and mind is reacting the way it is. Like a birds eye view, I am able to see some of the signs that are right in front of you but are too zoomed in to see clearly. In a non-judgmental space I use education and a bit of humor to help you see the full picture and move towards a healthier balance.
Solution Focused: Clients who come to see me are looking for a way out of their current situation. They are exhausted by the current cycle and are looking for a new perspective and plan to help them move forward. With a solution focused lens we will look at the problems at hand and find the most helpful way to work through them. These solutions will be tailored to your wants and needs and help you find a clear and sustainable path moving forward.
TRAUMA:
Trauma traps you in a painful past.
Although time has gone on, events of the past are making you feel stuck and unable to move forward. Thoughts and actions that had helped you through that situation are no longer helpful, and it feels impossible to adjust to your current reality. In your case, time does not heal all wounds and the events of your past are making it hard for you to live in the present. You feel trapped but there is hope for moving forward to a happy and healthy future.
TRAUMA TECHNIQUES:
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
I have seen EMDR do wonders for my clients. The main idea behind EMDR is connecting your rational and emotional thoughts in order to have a more well rounded view of a past event. We do this by using side to side motions to encourage the brain to make this connection. This can be done by following an object across your screen, having a noise go from ear to ear in your headphones or tapping on each shoulder or leg.
With EMDR we are able to re-process the negative thoughts and emotions attached to a painful memory in order to not feel stuck in the past. Some say magic while others say groundbreaking science, but either way clients are able to process their thoughts in a way that cuts through years of simply talking about their trauma and find a healthier path forward.
A Creative Approach to Counseling
Creative Counseling Source 