Third Installment: What is it really like to be in therapy?

Stan’s Journal 7-29-10

Dear Lord,

Be by my side as a friend and guardian. Watch as I pull myself from this darkness. This hole. This hell. Do not lead me, as my path is my own, a path to be forged by my hands alone. Do not follow, as my mistakes need not be forgotten, washed away by your hand. Walk beside me.

Let the light from your eyes shine upon me. Illuminate my potential and smile upon my successes. Fore whatever I may achieve is better shared with a loving friend than either a master or slave.

Through your love I am empowered. I am capable. I am able to conquer life’s demons.

If ever I stumble, bruised and bereaved, lost unto myself, whisper your strength within my soul fore even the darkest of times I will promise to love with honesty and forgiveness, certain to always rely upon the wisdom and understanding of an open mind, never to fall victim to my pride.

E.U.H. + M.B.S.

Genetic testing for Depression?

Well, I find it very interesting that we may be on our way to understanding depression from a different perspective – especially for those who have been on antidepressants and have not found lasting effective treatment. This new knowledge has led to a natural vitamin treatment without side effects!

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE GENETIC TEST

The genetic test – which can be done from a simple blood draw- is called the MTHFR test. The official name of this gene is “5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase” (NADPH). MTHFR is the gene’s official shorthand symbol – and now you know why! Just for an interesting clarification, the gene is located on the short (p) arm of chromosome 1 at position 36.3.

The normal function of this gene provides instructions for making an enzyme called methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. This hormone plays a key role in processing amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. If a mutation occurs in the MTHFR gene, folate/B vitamins may not be broken down in such a way that the body can utilize them.

(Let it be known that this research and information is very difficult to understand and translate; in fact, it is nearly indecipherable to this lay person! I have struggled with it and the following is hard won information which I hope will help you to understand this complex and emerging field.)

From a review of some of the literature and research on the MTHFR genetic abnormality, mutations of this gene may be implicated with the following:

elevated homocystiene levels (a potentially toxic amino acid) leading to heart problems
venous thrombosis
blood clotting issues
certain types of severe birth defects (for example, neural tube defects)
miscarriages
high blood pressure in pregnancy
coronary heart disease and stroke
mental illness, most often connected with depression and possibly schizophrenia

Researchers from all over the world are publishing studies searching for additional connections; a lot more information is on the way

Depression

In reference to my focus on mental health, The Hordaland Homocysteine Study is the one most quoted for their research connecting the MTHFR 677C-T mutation with difficulty metabolizing folate and B12; this leads to issues of elevated homocysteine, anxiety and depression. Another important study is entitled: “The Thermolabile variant of the MTHFR is associated with depression in the British Women’s Heart and Health Study and a meta-analysis.”

Both of these studies suggest that due to the body’s inability to metabolize folate/ B- 12 there is a greater risk of depression. Here is how it appears to work:

Depressive symptoms may be linked to insufficient neurotransmitters or imbalance of one or more of the three neurotransmitters:

Serotonin (linked to obsessions and compulsions and memory)
Nor-epinephrine (linked to alertness, concentration and energy)
Dopamine (linked to pleasure, reward, motivation and drive)

When these three neurotransmitters are in sufficient quantity and in balance, anxiety is reduced, impulse control and irritability is minimized, there is a capacity for positive mood and good cognitive function, attention can be maintained, and appetite is in normalized. There is also normalized sexual drive and reduced aggression.

Your doctor or other health care provider may prescribe antidepressants to treat the imbalance of these neurotransmitters. However, what we have come to see is that a significant portion of the population that does not respond successfully to antidepressants.

This research may point to the reason for ineffective treatment of depression by antidepressants alone. The theory here is that the brain may not be producing enough neurotransmitters due to insufficient amounts of L-methylfolate in the brain. L-methylfolate is needed to regulate serotonin, nor-epinephrine and dopamine production. Without enough L-methylfolate it may be difficult for the brain to produce enough neurotransmitters for the antidepressant to work fully.

An abnormality in the MTHFR gene prevents the breakdown of folate/B vitamins; as a result, the neurotransmitter building blocks are not available for health brain function. By taking an activated, or metabolized form of folate/B vitamins the body is then able to produce sufficient neurotransmitters . This alone may improve functioning for some; for others, by combining the activated form of folate/B12 with antidepressants, improved results follow.

70 percent of those with a diagnosis of depression may have a specific genetic factor that limits their ability to convert folic acid or folate from food or supplements to L-methylfolate.

The prescription Deplin is actually L-methylfolate in an active, metabolized form that can cross the blood brain barrier to help the brain regulate these important neurotransmitters associated with mood. This is a prescription item only, and is not available in drug or health food stores off the shelf.

There are no side effects with this product (as reported by the company that produces Deplin); patient surveys have shown 86 percent symptom improvement.

Test results show that if there is a positive genetic mutation it may be what is called homozygous or heterozygous. Here is a more detailed explanation of the definition of these terms. These definitions are taken from http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com:

Two copies: Homozygous

[hō′məzī′gəs]

Etymology: Gk, homos + zygon, yoke

Identical genes controlling a specified inherited trait.

“having two identical alleles at corresponding loci on homologous chromosomes. An individual who is homozygous for a trait has inherited from each parent one allele for that trait. A person who is homozygous for a genetic disease caused by a pair of recessive alleles, such as sickle cell anemia, manifests the disorder. All of his or her offspring will inherit the allele for the disease.”

One copy: heterozygous

[het′ərəzī′gəs]

Etymology: Gk, heteros + zygotos, yoked

Two different genes controlling a specified inherited trait.

“having two different alleles at corresponding loci on homologous chromosomes. An individual who is heterozygous for a trait has inherited an allele for that trait from one parent and an alternative allele from the other parent. An individual who is heterozygous for a genetic disease caused by a dominant allele, such as Huntington’s disease, manifests the disorder. A person who is heterozygous for a hereditary disorder produced by a recessive allele, such as sickle cell anemia, is asymptomatic or exhibits reduced symptoms of the disease. The offspring of a heterozygous carrier of a genetic disorder have a 50% chance of inheriting the allele associated with the disorder if the other parent does not carry the allele.”

(While this level of detail is not easily understood, I wanted to insert it here since this is the language that geneticists use in sharing the results of the genetic tests administered.)

What all this complex information means is that it is now possible to effect positive emotional changes by identifying these genetic abnormalities and adding to the treatment regimen an activated (metabolized) B vitamin, thereby aiding in the production of neurotransmitters, which are the basis for health brain function. These are the potential benefits to this protocol:

motivation
alertness
initiative
concentration
improved mood
sociability

This is new information and much more research is needed to understand how the genetic mutations of the MTHFR gene affect us; what is exciting is that the introduction of a natural vitamin may provide the key to improved mental health in over 70% of people with depression.

Does genetics determine our fate? Not necessarily. Some genetic predispositions can be altered by understanding and altering our diet and lifestyle. This is called Epi-Genetics! Above and beyond genetics. Welcome to the new world.

I will keep you posted as I gain more knowledge of this critically important emerging field.

Cynthia

Second Installment: What is it really like to be in Therapy?

Stan’s next session was so fascinating that I just had to share it with you. How wise can a 21 year old be? Find out by reading this (condensed) session:

Therapist: How are you doing today Stan?

Stan: I’m good. I woke up to the sound of birds. I’ve been waiting all winter for this. Spring can come now. I just love it.

I’m good. I guess I’m kind of sad though. Looking from the outside in I see that my mother and father are just so different. They are two people that developed in their careers and professions. They both love what they do. They couldn’t be happier in what they are doing.

But after 30 years together they are so distant from each other. I feel like they wasted so much of their lives with each other. It makes me really sad. They are always upset with each other. They go through the same fights over and over. For as long as I remember it’s the same cycle over and over.

When they were younger they focused on us kids. It was family work. Now they are left with each other and they are either fighting or are distant. I see now that it is not just my brother’s passing. It’s the choices they made in their life.

People go through so many changes in 30 years of marriage. They tried but in the end it was such a waste of time. Me and my brother know it. I wish I could make them happy, but I can’t.

The way she is, I know what I can and can’t say. And that is kind of sad.

Therapist: When you and your brother move out of the house they will be left alone to face each other. There will be no distraction. We will see what they do with each other then.

Stan: Even as a couple they are very lonely people. Especially Mom. She wants more out of Dad and he just doesn’t have the emotional capacity.

Mom always looked for more. Look, it’s not my relationship, but it’s depressing to see such good people living out their lives of misery.

Therapist: Do you think their unhappy marriage was in any way connected to your brother’s suicide?

Stan: No. He wasn’t happy with himself, his medical condition. He loved his girlfriend but he felt he could never provide for her the way he wanted to. Maybe the family stressors played a part, but it wasn’t the cause.

He wanted our parents to be proud of him. It meant so much to him – not so much for me. I never needed that, but he relied on them.

I wish Mom could see the reality of her relationship. You know the truth? Their relationship wasn’t a waste. The two of them raised three good kids! It’s just so lonely to watch them.

Therapist: What lessons have you learned from how your Mom and Dad have conducted their relationship?

Stan: It keeps me reminded. It’s why I’m not dating. It reminds me that I won’t marry because it’s “time” or because other people my age are getting married. I will know when it’s right. If it’s not there, it’s not there.

Therapist: I know what you mean! That’s what happened to me when I met my husband. It truly was love at first sight.

Stan: That’s what I want. I don’t want to waste my time. I feel that a lot of people choose comfort over love. I want to experience love to its fullest potential. Most people don’t really think about what they are doing and why they are doing it.

If “society” says it time to get married, I like this person enough, I am comfortable, let’s get married – what does this really have to do with the real you? It’s like society “dumbs us down”. Am I over-thinking here?

Therapist: Not at all. You are looking deeply into your feelings and what really matters to you. You are considering the long term.

Stan: Like my brother’s friend. He’s been with this girl for 10 years, since Junior High School. Their relationship already shows signs of dysfunction. He is so easy going. He jokes around and is so much fun. That’s the very thing that she hates about him. Sooner or later he is going to resent her for sucking the life out of him.

I just want to shake him. “Don’t do it!” “What are you doing?!”

Yes, I know marriage is work. You will have ups and downs, but if you make the wrong choice, you are divorced and you just haven’t signed the papers yet!

If you don’t see it, I can’t make you see. As for me, It would be nice for me to get married and have kids, but if I don’t I will be fine. It’s OK. There are plenty of kids to adopt. Marriage is not something I expect of myself.

Therapist: You are very wise.

Stan: What I wish is that if I want to marry that I ask my family and friends to give me the most honest appraisal of what they see, and what they recommend for me. They may see something I don’t. I will listen and take seriously into account what they see.

You know what I think? Comfort is dangerous! It is the enemy to being true to yourself if you don’t really love at the same time.

The sun is shining today. Summer is on the way. Haa-haa. I love the sun. I love living…..

This young man is determined to find his truth and follow it. Through the pain, suffering and loss he has gained a deep wisdom that has allowed him to forge a path of integrity and authentic love. He has found a way to honor himself in a way that will not compromise his need for true and honest love.

What a joy to see him grow and find his true self.

Cynthia

What’s it really like to be in therapy?

Many of you have never been in therapy. Maybe you wonder what it would be like. You may be curious about the kind of interactions that take place, and what can be expected. Here is one example of a successful therapy. If you noticed my write-up on the home page of this website, I outlined the trends associated with the beginning, middle and end phases. This is an example of a session in the latter phase of therapy where lessons have been learned and integrated. The learning is not over, the challenges will continue, but this person has the tools that he was missing before.

So here is an inside look at the process. Remember, each person is unique, each session is unlike any other. Here is one hour in the life of a therapist and patient:

Therapist. Hi Stan. How are you doing today?

Stan. I’m still doing well. Though it has been difficult to adjust to a life without chaos. I actually feel selfish because things are going so well. The one thing I wanted I’m getting. I have my mother back in my life and we are getting along just like we used to, only better. Better now than ever…. It’s hard to live without stress. It’s a learning curve. Ironically, it’s the hardest part!

T. Harder than the chaos that you lived through?

S. It’s like climbing out of the mental web that I built. I became so accustomed to chaos dominating my day. It’s weird now. I have to be conscious all the time or I get caught back up in how I was, in how I reacted and felt then

It’s hard being here now because my mind constructs a pattern of how to deal with the pain and chaos, even though my present life is good.

Like I drank this weekend. I stopped for so long and it felt good, but then I got together with the guys and I went for it. I drank. I had a decent time but yesterday I felt so bad that I wasted my time. I felt bad about myself.

Last night Mom and I talked. She was rational and made so much sense. She was calm and listened to me. She walked me through it just like she used to. It was so helpful. She said, “Don’t worry” and I felt better! I told her I need reminders that it’s OK, that I’m OK.

At times I feel like I’m 30 or 40 years old. The last three years felt like a lifetime. With my brother’s suicide I went crazy, and the whole family broke down. Now I see kids my age and they have moved on, they are farther along in college than me. My life spiraled down into the depths, while their educational life took off.

That’s what I told Mom, and she told me, “What is the alternative?” It made me stop. She said it all evens out.

T. That is so wise. And you took it in?

S. Yea, but I’m impatient. I realize I have so much work to do. And Mom kept on reminding me, “You’re only 21″. But I don’t feel 21. I’m in a mental marathon and it consumes me sometimes…. I guess I’m a work in progress…. But I did one thing right: I asked for help before I started to spiral out of control. I knew I started to freak and I just asked for help.

T. Good for you. You are starting a new pattern.

S. Sometimes I feel like I live two different lives. I’m here, then I jump ahead in my mind. Like, where will I be in two years? How will I ever do it? When I said that to Mom, she said, “Be here now, be in this semester, breathe.”

T. Great advice again.

S. Now I have room to breathe. I have room to think because we aren’t in the misery and anger and chaos anymore. Ever since I wrote her that letter about how I really felt, it all changed.

Now I have a desire. I am starting to think about being in a good relationship. Before this, I was so messed up I felt I couldn’t put a woman through the complications. My life was just too complicated. So I decided just not to be with anyone. For years, it wasn’t even a choice.

T. But something is happening to you now, something is opening up so you are starting to want a connection, a real connection.

S. But is it really possible? And would it be positive?

T. Absolutely! If you are thinking these thoughts, then you are getting ready to let in someone special. In some areas “if you don’t use it you loose it.” Not in this area. You have the capacity to love, and now that you have worked through your loss, you are beginning to move on, and you are ready to open up to love. And to Now!

S. Really??!! This makes me feel hopeful that you say that.

T. Yes, and when you feel ready you will send out a wavelength, a vibration – just like you can feel the energy of someone who quietly stands behind you. And you will attract someone of the same wavelength.

S. Ahh… Just like in the song, “Wavelength,” by Van Morrison!

T. Right!!! It took healing with your mother and accepting the loss of your brother to be ready and open for a relationship.

S. I want to marry a woman who is like the best of my mother; someone who is strong, assertive, who is an individual with her own thoughts. I don’t want a passive and compliant woman. The way my Mom brought me up I have a healthy respect for women.

I realize that lately I’ve been thinking about writing about my experiences and what a young person goes through when they loose a family member to suicide, and what the family goes through. Then I wonder, who would care? But then I say, wait, so many people have to deal with the suicide of a family member or friend. I could write from the perspective of a young person who had to live through it.

T. I didn’t realize that you had thoughts of writing about this. I encourage you to start taking notes. It doesn’t have to be in sequence, just jot down what comes to mind and you can pull it together later. That is a fantastic idea.

S. Yea, I have this urge to visit high schools and to be real and talk about my experiences, to give kids an idea about the consequences of a suicide, how it affects others. Coming from a young person it could be more powerful.

T. Absolutely!

S. Even if I changed one mind, it would be worth it

T. You have transformed your own pain into the gift of giving to others your hard won wisdom and love. I am so proud of you.

S. And I realize that I need to learn how to become a man! I like that my Mom taught me and was the one who brought me up. I feel that that transformation will be complete when college is done. Then I will enter life as a man. I know I have the perfect formula.

I want to become a wise person who is positive and helpful. I feel like I’ve already done the hard part. The next part is in accepting how well things are going. Now I need to accept the calmness.

I see that If I can put it together I have the potential to be a positive force in the world. It’s hard as hell. All I can do is hope and stay focused. I couldn’t have done it without you.

T. Congratulations. You are transforming now into the person you have always wanted to be. I am so honored to have helped.

So that is one session. This is one hour in the life of a therapist and one patient! Sounds too good to be true? Actually, no. This session is the culmination of years of hard work. So young, yet he has worked through so much pain and loss, and transformed in a most amazing way. This session is a literal transcription. Amazing isn’t it? Amazing but true.

Cynthia

The Healing Power of our Past-Dr. Norton Berkowitz and Dr. Hollie Martin

The Healing Power of our Past- I wrote a portion of a chapter in this book called “The Process Unveiled” revealing the use of hypnotherapy in uncovering the past; the chapter discusses how a specifically designed hypnosis protocol helps the client re-experience past trauma, then releases that pain in a method called “Guided Light Therapy”: (developed by Dr. Norton Berkowitz).

Excerpts follow:

“I decided to enter into training with Norton, both as an adventure and as an exploration into these fantastic possibilities of understanding ourselves more deeply, and to determine the usefulness of these approaches in healing, especially for psychoanalytical use. My learning goal was both personal and professional. Although the techniques of Life Memory Recall and Guided Light Therapy sounded easily reproducible, I knew they were not and I knew I needed guidance to learn them. These techniques developed out of years of experience and as a culmination of information Norton retrieved from working with Hollie. … Since that time I have hypnotized many of my patients. I have seen them speak in foreign languages, some of the languages reputedly long lost in history. I have heard endless adventures, sagas, traumas relived. I have seen incredible remissions of long-standing symptoms in my patients that the traditional methods of psychotherapy were unable to affect. I have seen terrible pain and suffering released, allowing the patient to go on free of his or her burdens.”

Want to buy it? Amazon link: The Healing Power of our Past

THE UPSIDE OF THE DOWNTURN

THE FINANCIAL CRISIS AND YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

Are you, like so many of us, caught up in the fear and urgency the current financial crisis has generated, feeling that life is an emergency?If so, it’s important to realize that there are two aspects to this “crisis.” Of course, you may need to spend some time taking a clear-eyed look your financial situation to determine what actions you might need to take—cutting back on spending, paying off the credit cards, working additional hours.

But is it possible that this global financial breakdown might also be a time for us to remember something very important that we may have forgotten in the mad rush to acquire ever more ‘things’ in the mistaken belief that that is what will make us happy?The word crisis, from the Greek krisis, literally, “decision,” refers to “the turning point for better or worse . . . a radical change of status in a person’s life . . . the decisive moment . . . “Perhaps it is time to remember that the material things of life—car, flat-screen TV, a second or third car, more expensive furniture, jewelry, come and go.If we have these material things, but don’t have that which brings deeply felt meaning to our lives—love, commitment, friendship, a feeling of belonging—they are empty, meaninglessness artifacts.

Paradoxically, simplicity, fewer things, fewer activities, may help us to cut through lives of greater and greater complexity and materialism to what truly matters—heart: our own hearts, the hearts of others, and the heart of the world.

CRISIS

Sometimes it takes a crisis to change things we know are wrong.We knew we, and our children, were becoming too reliant on material things, on our toys (for children and grownups!), on television, video games, iPods, and other electronic media. We knew that our cars were getting too big, our credit cards bloated, and our calendar too packed.We knew that we were getting tired, very tired, but we had to keep up the “life style” we had become accustomed to.We knew that our relationship with our partner was taking the back seat while we worked to make the money that would sustain the home we barely spent time in.We knew that there was within us a growing emptiness that no big house, SUV or big screen TV could fill.But, we thought, we just need a little more, and then we can relax.

THE TREADMILL

The culturally supported urge to fill in the blanks with over-activity and material things developed slowly over time, so slowly that it began to seem that it had always been this way.Societal and media intervention led us to believe there was no other way to be happy.Women had it especially hard, because when they finished their work day at their paying job they knew they had to go home to care for home, food, and children.A casualty of the women’s liberation movement, women were “liberated” to fulfill at least two full time occupations at one time:wife, mother, and worker.Men didn’t have it much easier, with some working more than one full-time job.For the working class and middle class the pressures were enormous, especially for those with extensive commutes.

REMEMBER PRESENCE

Reconsider “presents” as “presence”: consider the gift of the bird that continues to sing in the depth of winter, the brilliant dawn, the falling snow, the way sunlight filters through your living room curtains. Watching and listening to the myriad of technological communicators is no substitute for talking, communicating, listening, and even singing together.STOP THE WORLD, just for a moment and hear the sweet sound of silence.This costs nothing.Take a walk and see the beauty in the world, smell the sea salt in the air as you walk the beach, listen to the sea gulls.Allow yourself to remember who you are, how you feel, what you long for.Check in to your dreams.How are you doing?

GRATITUDE EXERCISE

Here is an exercise to help you remember that the glass is half full, not just half empty:Take just five minutes.You may feel you don’t have the time, but when you notice the effects this exercise has on your life, you may change your mind.

Sit in a quiet place with no distractions (yes, it may be hard, but you can do it). Place your feet on the floor as you remain in a seated position.Place your hands in your lap comfortably, and then close your eyes.Breathe.Notice your breath.Do not change it, just notice it.Notice it slow down and deepen as you remain quiet.Notice your thoughts as though you were observing a parade.Allow the parade to pass, not attaching yourself to any of those thoughts.The parade moves on.

Bring the focus of attention to your shoulders.Allow them to release and drop.Notice the muscles in your neck, and allow them to elongate and melt.Follow with your awareness any tight spots or areas of attention and deeply focus on those areas.You will notice that as you concentrate on them, they will shift, change or migrate.Once you are no longer drawn to any area of pain, pressure, or heaviness, allow yourself to simply Be.Invite images of those things in your life that you are grateful for.Allow this new parade to pass before your inner eye.Do not try to conjure, allow.

Just Be. Breathe.

DECISION POINT

As I mentioned earlier, the word crisis refers to a decision point.Like many life challenges, this crisis requires us to consider what we truly value?What will you decide?

Blessings to you,

Cynthia

What is the difference between Counseling and Psychotherapy?

The Difference between Counseling and Psychotherapy

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between counseling and psychotherapy? Although most people use the terms interchangeably, there is a difference, and that lies in the depth of the work.

Both address life challenges, but where counseling tends to take a practical, problem-solving approach, psychotherapy takes each challenge as a starting point to probe in greater depth into life patterns and possibilities for transformation. Whether you choose to see a counselor or a psychotherapist, you may find yourself looking at patterns in your life, encountering resistance to change within yourself, and reframing past experiences—or even how you perceive your own self.

Patterns and Habits

Patterns of thinking and behavior that we learned in our families of origin may need to be re-examined; after all, very likely the situation we are in today has different dynamics from that of our family-of-origin. What worked for us—perhaps even protected us or saved us then—may not be useful today. When you are able to move out of the past, you can become more present in the present! As you gain the tools you need in your life as it is now, life becomes easier and more joyful.

A Temporary Stumbling Block: Wanting—and Resisting—Change

Have you ever noticed that even though you want to change something—perhaps you want to change how you handle anger at your spouse, your child, or a friend—you seem to resist changing at the same time? You find yourself falling back into old habits—resisting the change you say you want. It’s human nature to develop and become attached to particular perceptions, feelings, and patterns of behavior. We want something to change, but we resist change!

Fear of the unknown, of how to change, or what might happen if we do, can cause us to resist needed change. However, sometimes old attitudes and behaviors begin to cause more pain than comfort. The good news is that you can use this pain as an opportunity to challenge the status quo, to take actions that will ultimately bring you greater happiness.

Taking a “Do-Over” on the Past!

When you are in the process of change, one useful tool is a process called “reframing,” that is, looking at old problems in new ways. Just as that old picture looks dramatically different when you put it in a new frame, so a new way of looking at or interpreting something can give you insight and open up new ways of relating and coping. This can even include finding a new way to look at yourself, because how you perceive and feel about yourself can help or hinder the process of reaching your goals. Reframing negative thoughts about yourself into kinder, more positive ones can be an important step towards how you’d like your life to be.

Counseling

In counseling, you learn to identify the real problem/s and clarify your goals. Clearly defining the issue/s and knowing what you truly want allows you to develop a step-by-step plan towards your goals. Counseling offers a concrete way of engaging constructively with life’s issues; the rewards are direct and palpable.

The first step—a true understanding of the situation—isn’t always as simple or as obvious as it sounds. For example, a child who is behaving badly may actually be responding to unresolved conflict between her parents. Of course, the child’s behavior needs to be addressed, but unless the parental conflict is resolved, the child will continue to “act out” as a symptom of the unacknowledged difficulties between the parents.

For an individual to sort out problems can be a complex process, and it can be even more complicated for a couple or a family. But by expressing your feelings and perceptions in a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental atmosphere such as counseling, you may begin to see what previously felt overwhelming or impossible in a new light. This process paves the way for action and change.

A counselor provides a safe environment where you can talk about yourself without distraction. As the counselor really listens to you, acting like a mirror that reflects your “self” back to you, you are able to see yourself and your life more clearly. In this clarity you find your way to the well-being that is inherent within your being. The reflection in the mirror becomes a true reflection of the light and life that is uniquely you.

Psychotherapy

In comparison to the direct and focused approach of counseling, psychotherapy is more like an archaeological dig. It can be a transformative process of self-discovery. As with counseling, the impulse that brings a client to a therapist is typically pain and a desire for change, but psychotherapy works to heal a woundedness that runs deep inside.

Although there are many different types of psychotherapy, one basic assumption is that childhood experiences have shaped many of our habitual thought and behavior patterns. Another assumption is that we tend to develop particular ways of getting along in the world, protecting ourselves, and coping that may no longer be useful and may in fact interfere with our happiness in the present. Often we simply don’t realize that the views and skills that once were crucial to our survival no longer fit our current life situation—we act as though we are still living with our family of origin.

A psychotherapist can help you to become more conscious of the circumstances that formed you, and to release the pain of the past so that you are free to be more fully present and open to positive possibilities in the Now.

Other Forms of Therapy

There are many other forms of therapy—interpersonal therapy, cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy (or a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy), biofeedback, body-mind therapies, and many more. Underlying all of these however, is the understanding that the individual, and often the family, is in pain, that something needs healing. Each approach offers its own protocol for that healing; you may find any given form helpful at different times in your life.

YOU ARE NO LONGER ALONE

In both counseling and psychotherapy you can expect to find a dedicated listener and partner in your search for concrete solutions or a more profound transformation.You are not alone any more.

Am I depressed or do I just have the blues?

Is It Depression or Is It the Blues?

Have you ever wondered if what you are feeling is true depression, or simply a period of feeling down or “blue”?

Although we may not welcome them, challenges and losses are built into the fabric of our lives, so occasional periods of sadness are natural.

Perhaps the most important thing to know about what we often consider “negative” feelings is that they are actually our body’s way of letting us know that we need to do something.That “something” could be letting the tears and sounds of sadness or grief flow to allow the natural expression of emotion that is part of experiencing, then releasing, emotions.Or it could be a signal that we need to take some action in an area of our lives that we are unhappy about.It can be helpful to see such feelings as messages from the higher Self that are meant to prompt us to express, act on, or work through and accept a situation in our lives.

Often just talking things through can help you through a period of the blues. Airing out the issues can put problems in perspective and allow you to move on.Our spouses, family and friends can be sources of support as we navigate life’s difficult passages.If a more concentrated approach with an objective support is needed, counseling is the treatment of choice; specific problems can be discussed, goals defined, and resolve enhanced.

But if such feelings continue for more than two weeks, you may wonder if you need additional help.Could it be clinical depression?

What is Clinical Depression?

From the perspective of Western medicine, here are some facts about clinical depression:

* Clinical depression is a physical, mental, and emotional imbalance that hurts!

* Severe depression can actually cause physical pain.

* Clinical depression is a brain-based condition that affects the prefrontal cortex, especially the left brain, as seen in SPECT scans:this reveals that it is a biological condition, not something that is “just in your head.” Realizing that the mind and body affect each other is helpful.

* Dr. Daniel G. Amen, M.D., is the leading expert on the development of the Brain SPECT, which shows in holographic form what happens to our brains under various conditions.Visit his website http://www.amenclinics.com/bp/atlas/ch7.php for amazing pictures of the brain showing increased or decreased activity in the brain when depressed.

* As the images on Dr. Amen’s site demonstrate, there are various types of depression.Some forms affect parts of the brain other than the prefrontal cortex.For example, symptoms of moodiness, negativity, low energy, sleep and appetite problems, and poor concentration may indicate increased deep limbic system (thalamus) activity.

* More painful and difficult symptoms such as sadness, negativity, irritability, worrying, cognitive inflexibility, and getting stuck or locked into negative thought patterns, are often associated with increased activity of the anterior cingulate thalamus and basal ganglia.This part of the brain is heavily innervated with serotonergic nerve fibers; among other things, the right amount of the brain chemical serotonin gives us more self-confidence, and a feeling of safety and security.

* Symptoms of sadness, irritability, rage (toward others, or towards the self in the form of suicidal behavior), mild paranoia, atypical pain (atypical headaches or abdominal pain), and insomnia can be connected to decreased prefrontal cortex activity with increased or decreased temporal lobe activity.

How Do I Know if I Have Clinical Depression?

The American Psychiatric Association has developed a system of understanding different disorders based on symptoms.“Major Depression” implies that you have had a depressed mood or have felt a loss in interest or please for more than two weeks.Other symptoms may include increase or decrease in weight, sleeping too much or too little, agitation, irritability, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, and difficulty thinking or concentrating.A professional adept at teasing out the symptoms can help you to determine if you are “the blues,” a relatively temporary state, or actual clinical depression.

When life hits us too hard or with repeated blows, it can result in physical, neurological, and chemical changes that lead to clinical depression. The brain may not be able to adjust so easily on its own, and it may be helpful to enter into psychotherapy to dig deep, release the emotional pain, and attempt to work through the problems in talk therapy.Movement and exercise are also extremely important.

If brain functioning has been significantly disrupted, it can be helpful to consider medication, typically antidepressants, as an adjunct to therapy to help rebalance brain chemistry.Depending on the type and severity of depression, a period of months with medical support can redirect brain activity back to its capacity for joy.

This is a clinical and medical approach to depression.There are many other approaches as well that can be used solely or in conjunction with a medical approach.Future blogs will delve into holistic, alternative, and complementary approaches!

May the Light within in you guide your way forward.

What is Holistic Therapy?

Body, mind and spirit! We are multi-dimensional beings and when all aspects are acknowledged and balanced we simply feel joy. The pressures and stressors of life at this time and in our culture are extraordinary, and it is only through a compassionate approach to all aspects of our selves that we may achieve the kind of peace and equanimity that we all seek. While the medical model allows us to focus on those parts of our being that are problematic, the holistic model adds a positive focus: the question is not only what is wrong or missing, but how can we develop our resources to become the best we can be? By caring for our physical, mental, emotional, energetic and spiritual selves we support our selves in the miracle of healing.

Focus on wellness

Holistic Definition of Mental Health

Holistic Definition of Holistic Psychology

The Difference Between Psychotherapy and the New, Holistic Psychology

The Old Psychology	The New Psychology, Holistic Psychology
PURPOSE: To adjust individuals to fit them into a culture, system or technique.	PURPOSE: To actualize the real self. To encourage individuals to create as a way of life.
Psychotherapy	Transformation
Unhealthiness defined by ideas professionals hold in their mind (usually a mental judgmental belief)	Unhealthiness defined by lack of vital energy flowing through the cells, body, emotions and mind
Focuses on controlling behavior	Focuses on helping a person find her own strengths and use them
Technique based	Process based
Verbal approach	Energy Approach
Talks about problem, blocks, chemistry	Directly affect the frozen energy in the mind body and emotions
Not aware of energy	Aware of energy inside and outside of self
Mind	Body and sprit equal to mind
Thinking	Feeling equal to thinking
Outside Authorities have your answers	Inner Knowing offers solutions
Unequal Relationships	Equal Relationships
Values certain groups and professions over others	Vales all equally
Committed to specific invested interests	Committed to global well being

The underlying assumption to holistic therapies is the need to look at the whole person, including analysis of physical, nutritional, environmental, emotional, social, spiritual and lifestyle values. By learning about ourselves, and what we can do for ourselves, we promote the prevention of the dis-ease state encouraging our bodies to do the incredibly complex work of healing.

Its your life. How would you change your life if you could? It’s just a house. You can re-buldit. Dwhat do you want? Dream. Envision

There is more to the Secret

Have you thought that it sounds too easy to just think it to make it happen as you wish?Have you thought that it is self-centered and has the potential for misuse – the idea that if you use the latent potential of your mind you can create your own reality?Ancient teachings from many different traditions have been translated and in its most recent reincarnation we have learned from scientists and popular visionaries who created the books and movies “The Secret” and “What the Bleep do we know?” that we have so much more control than we think.In the popular Oprah version we may come away with an understanding that if we just think hard enough, and believe enough, we can have whatever we want.

Ah the simplicity, ah the complexity.As a psychotherapist for a quarter of a century, more than most, I understand the light and dark aspects of us humans.I have come to understand that there are forces deep within us resistant to the forces of change. Like a current of water beneath the surface, it may drive your ship in an unexpected direction.The surface water runs one way; the deeper waters may direct the rudder the other way.Unless the deeper forces within your personality are addressed and resolved you may be creating a disappointing reality.Unconscious forces at work can undo all your conscious thought creations.When you are immersed in the “flow” all of you is going in the direction that is flowering, expansive and enlightening.

Through talking (talk therapy) and the deeper explorations of Reiki Fusion, both surface and deeper forces can be gently identified and gracefully released.What is needed is your intention to clear the way for what is for your highest good.Notice:I didn’t say that you can have whatever your conscious mind thinks it wants.There is an aspect of what could be called your higher self that is “knowing”.Yes, you do have access to the wisdom that will set your ship right – from the higher perspective.

And on a related note:what is control?If you think hard enough can you “control” forces that were otherwise thought to be beyond your control?I have found that in some aspects the harder one tries, the more elusive is the goal.How about you?On the other hand, when I “surrender” the ego and “allow” what is best for me to unfold, I discover things falling into place.It still takes mental discipline to pull the plug on negative or catastrophic thoughts; it takes mental discipline to create the conditions of allowing the best to unfold.That’s when the “Co-Creation” has a chance to unfold.The natural life-force in a seed allows a miraculous unfolding.We have that same life force within us, and each of us has a unique potential.When this potential is tapped, it is pure joy.

I wish you joy.

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Cynthia M. Chase

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Holistic Definition of Mental Health

Holistic Definition of Holistic Psychology

The Difference Between Psychotherapy and the New, Holistic Psychology