Some degree of fear and anxiety is inevitable in life. But for some people, these emotions can become truly debilitating, keeping them trapped in cycles that can lead to depression and even chronic pain. So how can we help patients better manage fear and anxiety when they come up?
Below, you’ll find a simple exercise that anyone can use to work through these painful feelings. It’s courtesy of my friend Ron Siegel, PsyD.
Ron is an Assistant Professor of Psychology, part time, at Harvard Medical School, an internationally-renowned teacher, a long-time student of mindfulness meditation, and a well-known author.
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One of the first things we notice when we pick up mindfulness practice is how often we have frightened thoughts about the future.
We think over and over about the future — hoping for pleasure and dreading pain.
And even the most subtle thought can cause anxiety.
Mark Twain described this brilliantly near the end of his life when he wrote, “I’m an old man now. I’ve lived a long and difficult life filled with so many misfortunes, most of which never happened.”
How Mindfulness Retrains the Brain to Lower Anxiety
It’s remarkably easy to see this for ourselves. Just take a moment to think about something that makes you anxious (it shouldn’t take long to come up with this). Is it a thought of the past, the present, or the future?
Sometimes people say, “I’m really anxious about what happened this morning.” But on closer examination, we realize we’re actually anxious that we’ll be incarcerated tonight for what we did this morning.
So it’s not surprising that one of the ways mindfulness practice can help us with anxiety is simply by training the brain and mind to bring attention to the present moment. Since for many of us, the present moment is usually pretty safe, doing this can really help cut anxiety.
How Mindfulness Increases Our Capacity to Bear Anxiety
The other way mindfulness helps is a bit more counter-intuitive.
We’re hard-wired to find anxiety unpleasant. After all, if we weren’t, we might gravitate toward dangerous situations, and eventually this would keep us from passing our DNA on to the next generation. Ancient hominids who didn’t find anxiety to be unpleasant probably weren’t our ancestors – they mostly died off before reproducing.
So naturally, we want to get rid of unpleasant anxious feelings. But attempts to avoid anxiety are actually the fuel at the heart of most anxiety disorders, keeping them going.
In a mindfulness-oriented approach, instead of trying to get rid of anxiety, we help our patients increase their capacity to bear it.
And this is not a new idea – here is what the Buddha said about anxiety 2500 years ago:
“Why do I dwell always expecting fear and dread? What if I subdue that fear and dread, keeping the same posture that I’m in when it comes upon me? While I walked, the fear and dread came upon me. I neither stood, nor sat, nor lay down until I had subdued that fear and dread.”
What he’s saying is when the fear or dread arises, instead of doing something to try to feel better and make it go away — he’s going to stay with it. He’s going to ride it out, until it goes away by itself.
A Simple Practice You (and Your Clients) Can Use to Befriend Fear and Anxiety
So, let me share an exercise that can help you or your patients do just this:
Start by bringing attention to some sensation in the body – perhaps the breath or another object of attention. Continue gently returning the attention to this object for a few minutes.
Next, see if you can locate some anxiety within the body. Just notice how it feels.
If you can’t find any anxiety, generate a scary thought or an image to help conjure it up. We want to get the
anxiety going strongly enough to be able to practice feeling it, but not to be overwhelming.Once you’ve got some anxiety going, just breathe, and feel it. Notice how it feels throughout the body. Greet it like an old friend, “Oh I know you, you’re my old pal fear. You’ve visited me on so many occasions. Welcome back.”
If the sensation of anxiety starts to fade, do whatever you need to do to bring it back. Keep breathing, and keep practicing just welcoming and feeling the fear.
It’s best to introduce this practice at the beginning of a therapy session. If you give the exercise enough time, and keep encouraging your client to breathe and welcome the anxious feelings, eventually almost everyone will have difficulty maintaining the anxiety.
This can be enormously helpful, since it’ll help clients see that simply being with fear allows it to come and go like all other mental content.
And this can really help crystallize for folks that it’s often the attempt to make anxiety go away, not the anxiety itself, that traps us in anxiety disorders.
Now I’d like to hear from you – how have you used mindfulness practices in your work with anxious patients? Please share your experience in the comment section below.
I like this exercise. Often I help my clients to “make friends” with whatever is in their way. We discuss how this friend (anxiety, depression, etc.) may have begun by being protective for some reason, which isn’t working now. Thanks for reminding me of the power of mindfulness.
If you can name your dragon you can ride it.
Love this.
At what expense, however.
Ridicule?
Judgment?
Tension
Drainage.
Doesn’t seem worth it.
Alone yes, a great exercise.
With others, not so much.
I have used this technique to rid myself of the intense wild panic attacks. I would just surrender and ride them like an amusement park ride and make it almost fun. Eventually they faded. I have become aware that anxiety has always been with me since even though it hadn’t manifested in intense panic attacks.after I had been able to move beyond my many coping strategies I found an underlying current of anxiety that is most often there now. When I am still or falling asleep it is most evident. It feels like I am plugged into an outlet. I have been going to the sensations for sometime. Staying with them. I can usually fall asleep now. It’s not gone but I am able to be with that energy for a longer while each time. I fidget and move to escape still but I am getting better.
For me it is most important to establish a daily routine whether Life is going smoothly or if anxiety, depression or fear tries to set in. I can combat it if I meditate, chant, do yoga or go walking, read some positive material or just sit in the silence and not fight it. I like to light candles and burn incense so this keeps me in the mood for meditation and relaxation. Play some soft or classical music is a great way to release stress.To immediately remove myself from negative people and situations detach and keep moving with this positive energy that is always available to me and not to react or allow anyone to dampen my spirit or steal my joy.
Bless them and move on with a smile on my face. “NO ONE OR NOTHING CAN DISTURB THE CALM PEACE OF MY SOUL”.
NAMASTE’
See for yourself how much more effective befriending what is unwanted is compared to avoiding or trying to get rid of what is unpleasant internally!
idea of Befriending ones ‘Anxiety and fears’
really blows their mind!!
it really works. Tapping also works on the same principle
Mindfulness….. what can you do or think when i feel paralyzed by depression and anxiety that has affected me that i am on disability for this condition. I feel as though I am being punished for my state of mind. I feel ashamed, broken hearted. I am a Registered Nurse that is not feeling safevin the present moment. I feel dread and shame. how do i climb out of this? I have struggled with depression and anxiety since I was a teenager. Now I am 39 years old and I dont see myself returning to a normal state of mind. I am surviving not living. The real me is smothered and cant breathe.
Tara
tjewls@icloud.com
i am surviving not living. i am shameful and feel punished for having mental illness. i am a registeredcnurse that loves to nurse. i am on disability because of mental illness. the negative stigma that i feel is there makes me not want to return. 20 years i have been in nursing. i cant get over the depression anxiety, and shame this time. it has beaten me.
I am so very sorry to read this, Tara (although I have no idea how long ago this was posted, hoping you are feeling better and getting the support and resources you need to get you through).
I have been surprised at how effective simply breathing deeply works to soothe the nervous system, long, slow, deep breaths. I know it seems simplistic, too easy — and yet this is foundational to our ability to function, just getting enough oxygen into our lungs, our bodies and our brains. Without this, we cannot function properly.
You always have your breathe with you — your best friend. And I do hope other supports are there for you, too.
This is a wonderful strategy. Anyone who lives with moderate to severe anxiety will use this to add quality to their lives. I liken it to “walking through” it, instead of away or around it. I practiced this during a very severe anxiety experience in my early thirties, and it has since helped me through the moderate to minor episodes I’ve had since. This paired with other therapies and mindful practices has helped me significantly.
I teach my clients this all the time. Only teach those practices that I personally know really works. My practice informs my intentions in sessions with clients. Compassion is foremost.
What I have learned is to separate the feeling from the thought which prompts anxiety. When thought brings anxiety, focus on the physical feeling. Stay with the physical feeling until the feeling subsides and disappears. That thought which prompted the feeling seems too have lost its grip!
Yes I have – I do lots of breathing routines as well as read through various scripts – for anxiety and depression….but I love helping people through breathing exercise and them gaining some equilibrium eventually, without the world coming to an end. I also use a lot of “just sit with it” the emotion and tell me what it is like, where it might be and say HI to that feeling…rather than avoid it like an annoying friend/neighbour. I really enjoy mindfulness work…
Thank you–I’ll try it.
Mike
Interesting. You’ve just described an exposure therapy exercise, one very similar to what we do in OUR clinical psychology practice. Specifically an early interoceptive exposure for anxiety or panic attacks that we use when introducing a patient to the concepts and demonstrating how habituation works before moving on to more challenging anxiety or panic. We start by bringing attention to the scary sensations instead of trying to avoid them, escape them or push them away. We help the patient get the anxiety up enough to activate the fear network (about 3 to 5 on a 0 to 10 scale). This can be done by eliciting scary thoughts or images (which is typical in other forms of exposure), although in interoceptive exposure we usually use some form of physiological activation (e.g., breathing through a straw, rolling head, spinning). “Once you’ve got some anxiety going, just breathe, and feel it. Notice how it feels throughout the body.” We’ve even been using the concept of treating anxiety as a friend (which we describe as one who’s intent is to point out potential dangers but has become a bit overly sensitive, loud, and insistent about it and needs to learn that you WILL listen, not try to ignore or push it away). And if the anxiety starts to fade (which we predict that it will do due to habituation), add stimuli (e.g., scary thoughts, images or sensations) to keep the anxiety in the 3 to 5 range for a while, long enough to learn from experience that habituation is occurring and don’t discontinue until the anxiety has reduced more than 50% (so the patient experiences MORE reduction from engaging rather than from escaping). Since our first two-day workshop with Steven Hayes about the development and practice of ACT, my wife and I have considered exposure and mindfulness to be compatible and complementary approaches to the treatment of anxiety and we have incorporated many ACT techniques and concepts into our exposure trials. You might be surprised how close what you describe is to what we have been doing for many years in our clinical practice. You’ve given me a few additional ideas on ways of incorporating both. Thank you.
Excellent indeed.
Does this approach go for trauma as well?
i often think wehen these practices work.yes but I’m anxious still the initial fight or flight jumpy or panic attacking symtoms may have gone but I’m still ill and wrong I’m just not in a state.so how has it helped?is it just calming me until the next panic. then breathing makes them go,but are they gone?or is mindful enough way to cover get rid when there still there I’m just breathing.
I dedicate my days to mindfulness now because its literally been my saviour. but I find it hard thinking I’m still failing because I’m putting another avoidance with the mindful itself. by calming down I’m faking it as I must have been nervous over something must I to be panicked?im so confused
There may be a subconscious thought giving rise to your fear But do you need to be anxious about not knowing what it is? Keep noticing ‘what is’ in the here and now (mindfulness) and the source of your anxiety will arise when and if it needs to. When it is perfectly ready.
Be alert. Breathe. Listen. Watch. Put your pick axe away. That is simply your mind wanting to be ìn change. You need not go digging for the source.
Hi Kate,
I also thought mindfulness was wonderful, but frustrating as I still was experiencing anxiety on a daily basis.
I had bigger issues related to traumatic events. I found what really really really worked for me was EMDR. Once I resolve some of my old traumatic memories I found that my anxiety eased by an enormous amount.
Hi Kate,
I struggled with anxiety, depression and panic for years when younger, so I know how bad it can feel. After years of therapy, including EMDR and mindfulness, I now know why I felt that way and am much better. Having kind, supportive therapists, along with my own research and knowledge have been key to my recovery. I encourage others who are suffering anxiety and panic to become as knowledgeable as possible so that they can identify what kind of help/therapist is likely to be supportive of their healing.
Several sources of information (that I discovered by watching nicabm webinars and then reading the books written by the professionals who spoke during the webinars) have been especially helpful:
Bessel van der Kolk’s “The Body Keeps the Score,” Pat Ogden’s “Sensorimotor Psychotherapy–Interventions for Trauma and Attachment” (designed to be used by therapist and client; it has worksheets in it), “Prisoners of the Past–Memory, Trauma, and Recovery” which is Chapter 8 in the book “Mindsight” by Daniel Siegel (I highly recommend reading this.)
There’s one other book whose authors I have not seen featured in nicabm webinars: “Unlocking the Emotional Brain–Eliminating Symptoms at Their Roots Using Memory Reconsolidation” by Ecker, Ticic and Hulley, especially the “I’m in memory” practice on p. 117 of that book. They describe it as “…a specialized form of mindfulness applied for bringing implicit memory into explicit awareness.” I have been doing this practice (without calling it such) all during my recovery while processing and integrating traumatic memories. I cannot recommend this book highly enough for both practitioners and clients. It is incredibly encouraging heartening to know there are very good reasons for feeling as I have felt–and that anyone who had experienced what I experienced would react as I did.
Also the practice that Ron Siegel shares (above) is excellent for calming those parts of me that are feeling fear for no known current reason
Recovering from trauma is not easy, but it is possible, and it’s worth the effort! Know that there are many others who are on similar healing journeys and you are not alone.
Wendy
Wendy,
Yes, these books are very helpful and your determination and willingness to explore are an inspiration to utilize these well thought through practices. I’m glad you are able to make use of them.
I’ve used Odgen’s work for a long time and find it helpful. Thank you.
How dose that work with people who have experienced much trauma …..to accelerate the anxiety could unleash deep unresolved issues that can then cascade later….an experience I myself faced and no help to unpack it, it was hellish. I would not like to do that to another. Could you say something about this please…
,
While I appreciate the positive effects of mindfulness, I would also like more discussion of the possible adverse effects. There have been a number of research studies (including Farias and Wikholm’s The Buddha Pill) which have explored adverse effects such as dissociation and paranoia.
As a therapist, I would like to see more research and best practice guidelines on how to support clients in keeping themselves safe.
Hi Wholistic therapist,
I really really really found EMDR helped me with traumatic memories. I recommend you see if you can find someone who can use it with you.
All the best,
Theresa
I was delighted that my anxiety decreased through the practice of mindfulness. But I then began to notice very subtle feelings of disappointment that it hadn’t decreased totally! I felt resigned (another feeling) to the anxiety. I am now practicing a more open attitude towards my inner experience which, at times, takes courage and determination.
I had to laugh out loud when I read this. I had been living in dsitsaer mode for most of the past 20 years!! I have to say tho, that it really helped me overcome many difficulties. What’s the worst that could happen never happened and when I thought it had, it really was not the end.
i remember running into ondrea levine during a break in the seminar, the look in her eyes dissolved all my self hatred and anxiety. i think we are all in our own way trying to feel that comfort and peace. for me remembering loving moments helps when the heavy stuff comes knockin on our door.
I’m working with a new client who suffers near debilitating anxiety as she prepares to go to a compete in events at horse shows. She’s a very talented competitor, but her anxiety is almost causing her to drop something she claims to enjoy and hopefully pursue as a career. I have helped her become aware of her anxiety and to address it through CBT, but the introduction of mindfulness should help her even more. Thanks
fear of me as a trusted adult when his first trusted adults abused each other and him caused anxiety explosions when he came to therapy. simple breathing & visual imagery helped, but I think this sort of extinction-promoting exercise may work better. thank you.
When working on the body. I have asked clients to stay in the moment of where their pain is.Telling them to go with it, and let their mind wonder. See where it takes them, and allow a mindfulness to emerge.
And there is a stillness that can take them anywhere.
The approach reminds me of Peter Levine’s work. A bottom-up approach makes sense in working with trauma. Thank you for another strategy shared!
Thank you for this. I find that struggling against these uncomfortable feelings is what really keeps them around–chronically–and that accepting/making room for such feels relieving.
There is something iffy to me about all religious tenets- I call these *patriarchal quieting*. Some elements of Mindfulness tend to justify ACCEPTING INJUSTICES because they have always been…therefore it’s assumed, will always be…such pat acceptance of aggression and dominance. I truly struggle to ever try to make that NICE….down amygdalae!…hush you bad hippocampus!
Elena- Maybe it’s my language background, but I tend to parse the mindfulness a bit differently. One accepts that the injustice HAPPENED, that Injustice, as an amorphous abstraction, WILL happen, will always BE. One person’s justice might be another’s injustice – all in the perspective. Nothing gendered, patriarchal, domineering at all. My follow-up to my clients is: that was then, this is NOW. You are not responsible for what happened, but how you respond.
I think you point out the problem of treating people without enough background and traing in Mindfull techniques. There are some very wrong interprataions of what meditation is, and it can take years of study to develop an understanding of practice vs. culture. Your coment is not unlke blaming Christianity for the sexual abuse of children by some Catholic Priests.
Working with a Vietnam Veteran with PTSD. He describes his anxiety as overwhelming and finds its existence throughout his body. it is actually physical sensations running throughout his whole body as if receiving a drug. fear and scared feelings are strong. Becomes so overwhelming that he will take his medication to slow it down. Hard to think, declarative memory impaired. The feeling is as it is happening now something is actually happening now. Not related to anything outside. Yet, demands or having to perform his job can set off panic attacks. Some suicidal rumination when things go on too long. Feels like crying and breath is often like he is crying…like sobs.
Any ideas?
Bob, the neurophysiology of trauma is running the show for the gentleman you write about. The very uncomfortable and intolerable symptoms he describes ARE happening now; on the inside, in his body. Directing his attention toward something he can identify as pleasant or slightly pleasurable or “less bad” will help his system settle a bit. Then you can invite and direct him to notice the sensation experience of “slightly better”. In other words, help him learn to notice and track something that feels good or better, rather than the badness of anxiety. Asking him to attend to the sensation and experience of the anxiety will only increase it. Hope you find this helpful. It’s the Somatic Experiencing approach. Feel free to email me if you want to continue the conversation.
Janice
With your diet, I would have the same problems. You are eitang refined carbohydrates and dairy and sugar which your body is starving for brain food and your adrenal glands are exhausted. Your brain burns more protein in one hour of concentration as a body working out lifting weights at the same amount of time.Adrenal exhaustion symptoms:Anxiety, panic attacks, sleep disorders, ADD/ADHD, etc.Lack of protein symptoms are:Vertigo, lack of focus, lack of concentration, dizziness, etc.Please, eat whole chopped salads, include a minimum of 6 to 7 different colored raw vegetables and eat small meals about 7 times a day with sliced whole turkey, chicken or fish.The portions can be small, but must be healthy Not empty calories that your brain and body cannot draw from.No fried foods, no packaged man made foods.No refined sugar or artificial sweeteners.Absolutely No dairy!Eat right long enough and your mental disorders will be gone. Takes about 4 months to get your brain back in balance. (life of a red blood cell is 4 months).
Dex, I very much agree with the connection between diet and mental wellness. However, I think that a slice of turkey is no longer a slice of turkey, and it’s becoming harder and harder for us to find real food. Just because food is not packaged does not mean, today, that it is real food. A lot of food is grown in sludge and sprayed with fungicides to “protect” it as it travels to us. Mindfulness will not fix or overcome these problems. We are beginning to acknowledge the connection between the environment and physical problems, but the connection between the environment and emotional issues is seldom mentioned. Thank you for raising the issue of food here.
I’d suggest TRE. PTSD trapped in the deep muscles like the psoas. TRE allows to release trauma gently as a bottom-up technique.
I totally agree with you,i Adi. TRE is designed for that very situation. It works beautifully for PTSD, and serious traumas as well as day to day stress. I would love Ruth to interview David Bercelli, who came up with TRE years ago. He might be hard to convince to participate in a talk show… He is so very busy travelling all over the world to war-torn areas or physical disaster areas, teaching people how to release trauma. He is an amazing human being, full of light, big heart. He usually prefers to help people release their disabling traumas than talking about the process he invented!
I just did today for a client who needs to attend a family wedding and this is the first family event she has attended in 2 years due to family dysfunction.
It’s a wedding for her niece and she is one family member that she has a good connection to. So I was preparing her to focus on her niece during the event. Stay close to her. Look at her beautiful dress. Listen for her voice. See if she’s wearing perfume … notice anything you can and stay focused on the pleasant moments you are experiencing as you connect with your niece.
I’m also helping her prepare one line statements to other family members to keep her anxiety down about questions they may ask. Also, she is wearing a new necklace that has spiritual meaning to her so I am encouraging her to hold her necklace between her fingers and feel the grooves of the pieces.
Thank you for this! I have started on my own joeunry of awakening and hadvery good guides. So much has opened up to me consciously but the thingI really struggle with is fear & anxiety!! I have a job that requires attention toDetail and the work is always being scrutinized by others in order to be com
Thank you for this insight from Ron Siegel. Yes, in my experience the fear of anxiety can be profoundly disabling … I recognize in my own life how I became entrapped by habitual behaviors I developed in a desperate attempt to avoid feeling anxious or fearful. Addressing and resolving the original source(s) of anxiety or fear can be extremely difficult when the first sign of anxiety short-circuits the brain straight into avoidant behavior/responses.
It has taken a long time (years!) of commitment to a mindfulness practice to get to the state where I’m now able to sit with feelings and sensations of anxiety without automatically turning to my avoidant strategies. Mindfulness can be tremendously valuable in developing a tolerance for feeling anxious or fearful, which seems to me to be an important precursor to treatment of these emotional states.
I am reminded of the words of Franklin D Roosevelt “we have nothing to fear but fear itself”.
Glad it works for you, too! Definitely reduces strses to imagine the worst case and then, over time, realize that it was never worth worrying about. It changes your paradigm.thanks for your comment, Lisa!
Thank you for this very helpful exercise.
Thank you for this information and exercise, it is really helpful in working with children who have anxiety issues.
This is really uitiflpng *sigh* I dont like that I have this problem and I try to keep things in perspective because I know the world doesn’t revovle around myself but at times I just get the feeling that everyone is looking at me and judging me for my every mistake, it makes it hard to even interact with people without being even in the least anxious. This is uitiflpng though and I will def turn my problems to the Lord because at this point he is the only one that can help me. Thanks for the post and your helping people like us by just talking about your situations and giving us all courage.
That was really helpful. Thank you!
Mar Twain was highly successful, well-loved and connected, and financially just fine. He was also a humorist, and I don’t think his quote should be applied to most people with anxiety issues, who are generally also in some difficult circumstances with which they haven’t the means to deal effectively. Encouraging people to feel anxious in order to try an exercise strikes me as abuse. It would be far more effective to work together to address specific problems; not only does this help address the problems, but it creates a feeling of shared engagement, and lessens feeling alone with it. This is calming. So is finding a way of deep breathing that works to trigger increased parasympathetic response. For me it seems to be all about inflating the whole lung, especially the last top of the lung that kicks this on for me. The idea of “greeting as a friend” should be understood and shared for what it is: adding a new emotion to the emotion which changes it. Understanding this, someone else might find adding humor, or talking kindly to oneself, etc. might work for them. Stress kills, and lots of people are seriously stressed. I wouldn’t even want to discuss feelings about the situation of difficulty, as much as dive right into “what can we do to change one (or more) of the situations causing this anxiety?” That’s my take.
Thank you. The neg emotions feel so disquieting that it takes time to simply allow them and trust in their passing and wisdom. I love and I use listening, mindfulness, allowing, acceptance and following. This sounds easy, but not so, although well worth the journey-
Sometimes movement before meditation to get the overt physical “fuzz” out of the system. It could be yoga or tai chi or just walking or running or biking or lifting weights or sport. This not done in a counseling session but as a tool for in the world living. Thank you.
Hi dear,
Your lesson is very important and interesting.
All I have to say is this: I use to meditate and to pray every morning before doing everything.while I meditate in the morning I have few sensation.But I try to find solution of fear and anxiety.Sometimes people come to visit me and ask me several questions about their difficulties and all I do is to advice them and to invite them to take their life with faith and philosophy.
I always think about the future and I try to organize myself and to set a plan for realizations.
I shorten my words and I hope you’ll assist me and guide me until success.
Thank you so much and good continuation!
Michel S. Tine
Yesterday I only ate a slice of wheat cinnamon bread, some chips and queso, Sun Chips, and a fpunpaciro.Today I’ve only eaten two slices of wheat cinnamon bread, a little ice cream, and a glass of water.When my body tells me I’m hungry, I eat something but get full really quickly. I also have an Adjustment Disorder. It is a combination of depression and anxiety. I have a hard time dealing with stress and I get anxious really easily. I just talked to my therapist on the phone and she says that I am more depressed than she initially thought (I haven’t told her about the not eating yet). So I have an appointment to see a doctor who will determine if antidepressants are right for me.Sooo . is it normal to not eat when your stressed out or anxious? Should I be concerned? Has this ever happened to you?Thanks in advance!
I personally have to be very careful with mindfulness meditation. Having fibromyalgia and being in constant severe pain keeps me in a default flight-or-fight state. I used to be able to meditate more easily, but very often now, putting more attention on my body makes both the physical pain and emotional overload escalate. Sometimes distraction works better, until I’m calm enough to think about meditation/EFT etc. A lot of the time, my attempts to make things better tend to backfire and I end up more stressed than before.
I was doing mindfulness with clients long before I knew that’s what it was…you have to accept where you are to know how you want to change…. thanks for this!
Hi Leona,I have been reading your blog for a few mtnhos, and recently I have started my own too! Thanks for the movie review, I wanted to watch it too that’s why I only read the head and tail of your article.I have written a review (sort of) on a movie called 3 idiots last week. It is a really good Indian movie. I think you may like it too. Feel free to go to my blog and leave any comments :)盧俊
I find that this is very similar to what Focusing does. Focusing teaches people to be kind, gentle and accepting towards any feeling and felt-senses. It’s difficult to do this with our unpleasant feelings. We try desperately to make them go away. If we acknowledge them and keep them company for some time they go on their own. And . . . most important, as they change they point to a direction of wellness or solution.
Thanks for reminding that this is an ancient wisdom.
This is excellent. I use mindfulness with clients, which works well, but some people do not get how to do it, so I like the idea of doing it in the room, and using it while the session is in flow, and returning to it throughout the session to check out its efficacy.
Love you! So sorry you’re dealing with this, but I apapceirte your transparency with it so others know they’re not alone. And yeah, everyone has their battles and they’re not always, or maybe not even often, visible. Be kind to everyone you meet, for they may be fighting a great battle , one of my favorite quotes (although I probably messed it up a little).Praying for you friend! Xoxo
Thankyou for this article. It seems I have had anxiety when I awake
For about 3 years. I have OCD,yet I never had the daily anxiety for such a consistent time.
I am in therapy and ERP therapy yet I only recently started and it’s
Taking some time to see results. Just reading
The simple exercise helped. I am a caregiver
For my Mom and that is making me more anxious .
Thankyou again and keep the info coming.
Liti DeManr
Very helpful reminder for our clients and ourselves
Thanks to Phil Warren for the website. Interesting & informative.
Sounds like like a parts therapy approach (IFS) to me. Sometimes “ego strength” (Self) strengthens when one steps back to look at and welcome the part (fear).
I agree with the commments that there need to be enough ego strength to manage the fear when anxiety rises up.
Maybe, I would start with breathing and relaxation exercises, then go on to the desensitization component very gradually.
‘
Tension is normal and ocurcs when there’s something uncomfortable like an argument. Stress is usually in preparation for something like an exam, and is also normal. Anxiety is literally fear of something, an ocurcs in many forms anxiety severe enough to cause a panic attack is abnormal and serious, anxiety because you’re nervous about a plane ride is normal. Depression is a long-standing feeling of sadness, worthlessness, guilt, hopelessness, lethargy, coupled with appetite and sleep changes and sometimes thoughts of and attempts at suicide. Mania is the opposite of depression it’s a state of hyper-arousal: a person with mania (not usually called a maniac but whatever) has extreme energy, a decreased need for sleep, hypersexuality, participates in reckless behaviors, talks faster than usual, and has racing thoughts. Sometimes they are grandiose ( I’m better than everyone or as extreme as I am Jesus Christ ) and have other delusions (such as paranoid) along with hallucinations. Depression can be normal in certain circumstances if only lasting for a short period of time; mania is never normal.
When there is Hx of abuse, repression, nor secure Attachment, esp PTSD, & current manipulation in the field…more awareness of anxiety without coping & titration & careful mindfulness on the therapist’s part…can lead to rage, overwhelm, de-function…until more skills are learned, more bedrock is integrated…don’t try this at home
These seem to me to be important points. Many patients would need their fundamental feelings of safety built up before doing this. Also, anxiety can be a screen or distraction for other difficult emotions and this also needs to be dealt with carefully. I speak as a sufferer rather than a therapist.
I agree. But I wonder if Ruth could address this point so we can know when we are ready or atleast have other tools to use if we are not ready. I am in SE counseling but they are monthly or twice monthly. Need more HW.
ksereis oti perigrafeis nlneleioa xoriati, ki as zei se poli..ksereis oti sigkroueis dyo sigxrona myala, to diko sou me to diko tou..ksereis oti i giagia sou i i giagia mou sto xorio de tha xe kanenan endoiasmo na skotosei opoiodipote zwo ekrine oti eprepe na thanatothei, gia katanalosi h timoria…ksereis oti o politismos pou exeis mesa sou den einai ktima tis ipaithrou, ki eidika tis dikis mas..ksereis oti ekei ta zwa einai zwa, poli kato apo tous “anthropous”…ksereis oti ta paidia ki eidika ta agorakia panta skotonan kai vasanizan entoma kai mikra zoakia, ki oti ayta poy anafereis den eksellixthikan pote…episis ksereis oti se ligo kapoioi tha aggiksoume ton yper-politismo…alla sto dilono kai valto kala sto mialo soy: ego vegeterian de ginomai
Great information and an encouragement for using mindful skills.
I would also recommend therapists combine a mindfulness approach with those in the field of energy/information psychotherapy. Fred Gallo has done this. See the link below for more information.
Cheers, Phil
epccanada.ca/mindfulness-energy-psychology-michelangelo-principle/#arvlbdata
I work my students on “Brain Breaks” when they begin to feel stress, anxiety, or fear of failure. We work on breath work, yoga poses, and GoNoodle now has a Mindfulness component.
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