September is Suicide Awareness month, which is specifically targeted to raising awareness and adding support to those in pain. According to US Department for Health and Human Services, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, and the rates are on the rise. So what can you do? If you have a loved one who may be struggling with mental health or suicidal thoughts or tendencies, here are some 7 preventative tips for safety!
7 Tips for Prevention and Safety:
Read More"Here's a review of the recent events protocol. Use it to the best of your ability." My supervisor looks at me with a trusting look. "You got this, Esther." And then he drifted away into the mix of people.
I can sense exactly where I was standing. I remember the location, the scenery and the fresh scent coming from the local food stand. I could also smell the scent of the burnt metal and shattered glass. It's a smell that doesn't have words because that scent is one that goes beyond the nostrils. It's a smell of shock, of horror and of sadness. Terror. That's what it does to you. It shocks the sense of stability and causes an earth shattering thud to any inner resources and trusting, at least for that moment in time.
Read MoreLast blog addressed what triggers are and where they come from. This blog is going to dive a bit deeper into how to support yourself when you are experiencing a trigger or stressful event, and are needing skills for relief.
As we mentioned last week, one of the ways to work with triggers is to ground yourself, and orient to the room around you. This week we are practicing orienting yourself to your body so you can support yourself when triggered. Next, I will give you 6 steps for you to practice for relief.
If you're human, you get triggered. I get triggered. We all get triggered. Triggers are part of the emotional experience on this world. However, in order to live a flexible and healthy life, we want to help you demystify your personal triggers so that you can understand them. Doing this will help you heal and learn to cope better in response to the next ones that come up.
What is a trigger?
A trigger is the feeling you get when something happens and you have a sudden flood of negative feelings. For example, someone makes a half joking-half mean comment, and it hits a raw spot for you, and you feel destabilized by anxiety, shame, doubt, panic or sadness for the rest of the day.
Read MoreYou may be someone who has a knack for solving your own problems, is the go-to person for advice and have that extra sense of insight into your own patterns. Still, you recently feel the light inside has gone dull and you find yourself struggling to enjoy your daily life.
If you're reading this..
…You may have been sitting up at night twisting and turning seeking some relief.
..You're finding yourself venting to anyone has the time to listen to you, yet you're left with the same feelings on the inside.
…You experience panic that comes in waves, the worries that spiral and don't give up.
I can understand how hard it is to be in pain and not know where to turn.
Read MoreTherapy can sound like an exciting thing to start, right?
After all, it's all about getting you to a better place and feeling better. Uh, maybe not. Many express that making the decision to go to therapy as being a scary one. It's scary because it's hard to know what to expect before you actually begin your therapy sessions.
I'm going to take some of the confusion out of the process for you and give you an idea about what to expect in your first session, though, understandably, every therapist is different and may structure their sessions somewhat differently.
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