Setbacks on the road to self-discovery are similar to a freeway development project that impedes travel progress. Generally, travelers are helped through these obstacles by highway flaggers who guide them around the problem. Likewise, an experienced professional psychotherapist can work as a flagger, helping us find the best approach to cross our self-imposed hurdles and ultimately grow from damaging or difficult experiences.
The feeling of being weighed down by life events – like the loss of a job or a family member, a rebellious teenager, separation, or growing financial debt – is like being paralyzed by an external cause. Working together with a psychotherapist can help us discover how our reaction to these difficulties determines how we incorporate life’s lessons. The goal should be to move forward, but many find themselves losing momentum and bogged down with emotional stress. If left unchecked, very severe emotional stress can ultimately result in real physical illness.
The course of psychotherapy may be short- or long-term, composed of one-on-one or group appointments, or a combination of both. There are many schools of thought about what course of treatment therapy is the most impressive for different issues. Some may concentrate on training the mind through the body with activity or biofeedback training. Other strategies, such as Gestalt or IMAGO counseling, use direct conversations about key relationships and their impact on individual mental health.
Behavioral medicine focuses on the relationships between how we behave, think and feel, and our physical health. In other words, your thinking could make you sick – or well. This therapy utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy, often referred to as CBT, to treat anxiety, pain and stress problems.
Biofeedback training is another form of behavioral medicine that instructs the individual to become mindful of, monitor, and finally gain control over what were previously considered to be automatic bodily activities (such as breathing, pulse rate and the like). In a sense, thoughts become visible. Following initial training, this technique becomes client-directed and is used to help reduce stress, alleviate pain and even control asthma symptoms.
The Jungian theory of psychology values the significance of dreams in uncovering personal connections to universal experience. Hypnotherapy is a guided technique that uses relaxation, meditation and imagery to achieve wellness and mindfulness-based stress relief. This technique is built on the teachings of Jon Kabat-Zinn, widely known for saying, “No matter where you go, there you are.”
Assistance from family, friends, support organizations or places of worship can help an individual on the road to mental health. But, for those who are hesitant or struggling to find this type of support, seeking out the best therapist can get them to their destination.
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