Take back control of your anxiety

Have you ever felt as if you had a mental block? This block prevents you from moving forward, thinking about something else and most of all changing your emotions. When someone gets in a negative downward spiral and find it very difficult to get out of it is probably because you don’t know how to. This might sound crazy, but most people who suffer with anxiety and depression start out in this same mental state that I just described. As a southern california associate marriage and family therapist and professor, I teach psychotherapists how to help clients who are in this exact mental state. There’s a cognitive behavioral therapeutic approach known as CBT that touches on something called distortions. The best way that I can explain the distortions is by having you think of those disgusting negative messages that replays in your head. This message often makes you feel horrible, worthless, stuck and like there’s no point. CBT allows you to take back control of those distortions in order to help you change your mindset to reduce or get rid of that anxiety. CBT works in 3 easy steps.

Step 1: Acknowledge when you’re in that mental state

When the distortion is alive and present and you are not your normal self. Knowing your body , your senses, and your feelings will help you pinpoint when your distortions are alive and present.

Step 2: Find a way to remove that distortion or that negative self-talk out of your head.

This might sound supper difficult but if you know just one or two coping techniques this is where they come in and really make that difference!

Step 3: Give yourself time to cool off

Lastly, understand that you’re human and giving yourself time to cool off and get in your rational state of mind a.k.a. Your true mental state is key. The third step requires you to take action.

I know what you’re thinking. These steps sound easy but when I am in that state I can’t actually do it because that is when the steps get really hard. Well, the first step is one that I did not cover and that is acknowledging you need help and turning to someone who can help you. CBT is a highly effective and prominent technique that has been statistically proven to benefit many people. That’s why most therapists nowadays actually utilize this approach. Working with a skilled therapist can help you with steps 1-3.

Schedule a complimentary mini session with me where you can work on understanding your specific distortions and learning how to self regulate yourself during stressful moments.