When last did you sit back and evaluate your Emotional wellbeing? Mental health depends on emotional health. As humans, we all have needs. Physical needs such as food, water and shelter are the obvious ones. But when last did you check on your Emotional needs and if they are being met? Optimal mental health relies on our Emotional needs being met in a healthy way.
There is a really easy way for you to check if your needs are being met.
I recently wrote an article for Morning Lazziness where I explored the idea of when we should think about seeing a counsellor, psychotherapist or coach. I have written about this before but it is a question that is being asked more and more. Many also do not understand the difference (if there is one!) between a counsellor, psychotherapist or coach.
We all have moments when life throws us a problem or difficulty that unsettles us. For some, we are able to roll with it muddle our way through it. But some of us need a helping hand. This does not mean that we are mentally ill. It simply means that life has thrown a curve ball and we were not quite ready for it. We might need a bit of a helping hand to get back on track. We might be in need of a tweak, or some guidance just to get through a particular moment in our lives.
All therapists I know have had clients who have suffered a debilitating traumatic event. Some of these clients have developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). For some of these clients, the trauma has been endured for years. Those who have lived in an abusive household, for example, can develop what is called complex PTSD. Counselling that focuses on healing the emotional and psychological wounds of traumatic events can be very effective. As a Human Givens therapist, I use a technique called The Rewind. I recently wrote an article for Welldoing.org explaining the essence of the technique. You can read it here.
Trauma can be debilitating and exhausting. It can also have profoundly negative impacts on our personal lives. Trauma can leave us unable to form meaningful relationships. However, it does not have to be a life sentence. The Rewind is simple, yet powerful. It can be highly effective after one session. It is also highly effective for those who have developed phobias. A phobia is often related to a specific event. The Rewind can deal with that event.
If you would like to learn more about healing the emotional and psychological wounds of traumatic events, click here to read the blog. You can read more about the technique here. It is a safe technique that can be very powerful.
Contact me if you feel this could be useful for you.
As a counsellor and psychotherapist, I also experience life’s difficulties and troubles. Like my clients, I have times when my emotions take over. I have to stop and stand back and reflect. An effective counsellor understands feeling weak and vulnerable. We know what it means to make changes to our world in order to be able to function in a healthier way. I know what it means to look after my own well-being.
These are uncertain times for us. Anxiety caused by the corona virus is rising daily. The lack of control and power is making some of us feel extremely vulnerable. Emotions are running high. We are worried about ourselves and our loved ones. We all know people who are particularly vulnerable and risk. Our physical health is at risk. But so is our mental health. But we can learn how to minimise the anxiety of the corona virus pandemic.
Are you looking for your place of work to become the environment where you have the most value? Are you attempting to get your emotional needs met at work? Is work taking up so much time and energy that you have no time for a life outside of the office? If this rings true for you, that it might be time to stand back and address your work-life balance. It might be time to explore how to make sure your life away from the office has as much meaning and value as possible.
Do you feel stuck? Are you doubting yourself? Why this is happening? The answer could be really simple: you might be stuck in certain, limiting ways of perceiving yourself and the world around you. Inflexible thinking is exhausting. It causes stress and anxiety. It results in black and white thinking where options are either very limited or simply not available. When we are stuck in in this mode of thinking, we are blocking ourselves from our real potential. Inflexible thinking can lead to anxiety, stress and depression.
My official title is Psychotherapist. But I also call myself a counsellor and a coach. And a question I hear regularly is: “Do I need a psychotherapist, a counsellor or a coach?” For some the idea of “psychotherapy” is frightening. It suggests mental illness. Or that there are mental health issues that need to be resolved and that it will be a lengthy, emotionally painful process. In my opinion, it does not need to be either. I see many clients who are living with depression or the impact of terrible traumas. But the style of psychotherapy I use aims to resolve these as quickly and as with as little emotional pain as possible.
But there are many others who give me a ring and come along to see me who are living healthy and, mostly, fulfilling lives. Why have they asked to see me?
If you are someone who is wondering what “self care” is or what you can do to take better care of yourself, I would suggest giving this book a read. In this book, Karin explains and guides you through what it means to take care of yourself. Our modern world can be tricky and yet she explains simple and practical strategies that you can start your new self care regime immediately.
In Part 1, I explained our basic emotional needs and our innate resources. I am now going to focus on major causes of workplace stress.
Firstly, it needs to be said that a bit of stress is good for us. Helpful stress is what stretches us; makes us strive and learn new things and feel exhilarated. Stretch normally happens when our needs are being met and our innate resources are being used and developed in a healthy way. It motivates us to perform at our best. But when that stress becomes overwhelming or constant and we never get the time to “rest and digest”, it becomes unhealthy and it can result in exhaustion or burnout. And the result of that is often mental and / or physical ill health.
In this first part of this series on Workplace Stress, I am going to explore the foundations of what we need in order to be emotionally and mentally healthy within the workplace. Over the next few blogs, I am going to show you how to recognise and prevent stress in the workplace.
We have all had times when the world becomes a little much for us. Mine was in my 20s when a severe bout of depression hit me. Back in those days it was called a “nervous breakdown”. Luckily that term is not used as much anymore. A “major depressive episode” would have been for more appropriate. “Episode” suggests it will be fleeting and temporary rather than something that is physically broken. A course of antidepressants and lithium followed and ultimately a 6-month course of psychotherapy. Although painful at the time, it was the best thing that ever happened to me. By that point I was a teacher with a Psychology degree and a postgraduate qualification in Counselling. The irony did not pass me by. But what I learnt from it was invaluable. I was lucky that I ended up with a top quality therapist who helped me find my way through it.
Call Me