Journaling for Mental Health

You know what I find so wild… journaling is so powerful and helpful and when most people think about it all they see is the dramatics of an adolescent girl. We have all seen shows where the girl is doodling in her notebook or writing about her latest crush. We had no idea how healing writing could be. The reality is journaling provides a safe and creative outlet that gives relief to our minds, while also gaining insights into who we are at our core. Depending on your belief system you could even write your way into the life you want.

Journaling is jotting down any and everything that our minds can conjure. Allowing our thoughts and emotions to attain tangibility is an excellent curator for our mental wellbeing. Journaling helps polish our perspective as well the ability to process events, much like we’re able to when sharing with a friend.

Journaling and mental health:

Most professionals and thought leaders will tell you a journaling routine is an incredibly beneficial activity for mental health. It might seem surprising that the simple act of writing down what we see, sense, and feel could heal the mind. Research provides plenty of evidence on how journaling is a viable way to help manage symptoms of mental illnesses like depression, anxiety, and even stress.

Here are a few ways journaling can help improve mental health:

It cultivates self-awareness: Take a few steps back to the claim that journaling is like conversing with a friend. Now imagine if you were able to accurately look back on these conversations, word to word; wouldn’t that help hold up an objective lens to yourself? 

It encourages emotional regulation: If you journal, you'll eventually find that you're a lot more in sync with your emotions as well as your ability to process events. You will be well past the tendency of avoiding emotions that don’t feel as pretty or denying how you feel about certain circumstances. 

It fosters the ability to seek help: Have you ever realized how hard it is for us to open up, admit we’re vulnerable, and ask for help? Journaling allows us to be honest with ourselves, and when we’re able to do that, being honest about our needs with others comes a little easier.

How to start journaling:

I bet you were thinking there would be some secret sauce here but there is not. Just start. Sure nice notebooks and fancy pens are great but really you need pen and paper, or even the notes app on your phone. It does not have to be extravagant you just have to start. 

Opt for consistency: Journaling does not demand that you offer a certain length of words and pages, but it certainly asks for consistency. Try to journal every day, and little by little, you’ll pick up the pace as it becomes a routine. Even if you just do one line a day the point is to do it daily.

Don’t over-complicate it: Before anything else, remember that you’re only journaling for yourself and no one else. As you write, use the words and ways that feel most natural and expressive to you; there’s no need to complicate the process by trying to integrate hard words and structures. There is no grade or prize for the most eloquent journal. This is for you.

Journal however you see fit: There's no declaration of rules that dictate how journaling has to be carried out. You can write, draw, doodle, or even scribble in your journal as long as you feel that it's the perfect manifestation of whatever you want to put across. Your journal is your canvas. You can do a gratitude list,  a one-line sentence of how the day went, or just write feeling words you experienced throughout the day.

What to do When you are in a Therapy Slump

The progress in therapy can be slow and requires perseverance and dedication. For some mental conditions and life trauma counseling is lifelong. While it is an active thing we are doing to get better there can be a sump because tangible results manifest gradually. So often we are looking for the 180 degrees of change when really we need to look for the 1 degree. Change is hard and can come about a lot slower than we think. There may be periods of regression, relapses, and plateau phases in your mental health journey. 

When therapy stagnancy gets in the way of progress, here are a few things you can do to get out of the funk. 

Talk to Your Therapist

Say something! Let this be a practice in speaking up and advocating for yourself. Your clinician is equipped with resources and strategies to help identify the source of the stagnancy and problem solve with you. They also have the experience and training to help you maneuver through the slump. 

You do not need to suffer in silence when you have a professional helping you get better. Talk to your therapist, and together you can find a lasting solution.

Acceptance

Acknowledge your situation instead of living in denial. It is okay to feel stuck. It is normal for any long-term process to have an exponential face and a plateau phase. However, do your best not to lag off. Ignoring this reality only exhausts your resolve further and worsens your feelings of dissatisfaction. While you are feeling less of an impact, your mind is slowly and steadily reshaping for the better.

Use Your Feelings and Emotions as Pointers

Your feelings and emotions do not always accurately depict your mental state. It is the reason they have to be regulated. Therefore, you cannot rely on them to make decisions or develop perceptions. Instead, leaning on your sensations, use them as indicators. Why are you finding therapy to be such a burden? What is feeding your dissatisfaction? You should also note when counseling became unbearable. 

Identify the triggers and enabling behaviors and focus on resolving the conflicts. Unless you find the root cause of your discontentment, you may never see the necessity to continue with therapy. Let your feelings and emotions point you toward the underlying cause. 

Create Daily Goals to Break from Routine

Therapy, like any other life routine, gets boring. It gets familiar and unchallenging with time. The monotony makes you worn out. You can spice up your routine by setting up daily goals to increase the excitement. The goals should be realistic and focus on improving certain aspects of your mental health.

 If your stagnation comes from therapy strategies not working, it may be time to learn new techniques. The rut means progress in such cases. Your brain uses learned pathways to solve new problems. Sometimes, the novel issue may be too complex for your brain's response. Thus, it may be time to learn new therapeutic techniques to overcome this new milestone. 

Create goals that achieve a higher objective to stimulate your brain. Begin with improving the rut causation before advancing to boosting other areas of your brain. You need to know the cause of your rut to achieve these goals.

Self-Care

A slump may indicate you are not taking care of your mental and physical health. Are you getting enough sleep? How long do you rest? What is your diet? Mental health requires complete lifestyle transformation. 

• Ample sleep helps regulate your circadian rhythm, essential for hormone regulation. Some of these hormones influence mood regulation.

• Diet provides nutrients that the body uses to maintain the brain's function. Thus, you can set your goals, improve your motivation and reasoning, and regulate your emotions, thoughts, and mood.

• Exercise improves blood circulation. It boosts your brain performance by supplying sufficient nutrients and oxygen to the brain. Exercise also releases feel-good hormones to help you handle depression.

• Spend time with loved ones. When you are around people who care, you get the support to forge on in therapy.

• Mindfulness activities help you appreciate life and delight in the little things.

If you have been neglecting yourself, it is easy to get weighed down by life responsibilities. Prioritize yourself beyond attending therapy sessions. 

Make a Change

Progress in therapy is a great thing. While some people need years of therapy others may need months. If you are finding that nothing is new, your moods are regulated and you are using the skills and concepts discussed it may be time to take a step back. I find that people use the skills when we are seeing one another weekly because they know I will ask about them. I like to space the sessions out for 2 weeks and see what happens. It is ok to gradually space out the sessions because the goal is to heal right? It may be time for less frequent sessions and more actual real life. Do not be afraid to suggest this.

Everyone is different and what works for others may not work for you, but try a few of these suggestions if you find yourself in a rut while in therapy.

Happy healing!!

What to Do if Your Therapist Offends You

We are all so different. What is ok in my house may not be in yours. My children are allowed to say no and I remember this was the holy grail of what not to do when I was growing. My point is we are all different and our threshhold for offense and disrespect is different. 

Times are changing and I think people are changing as quickly as they can but they will mess up. Therapist are people and while we have been trained on empathetic listening we were not given a linguistic course. Therapist have blindspots as well and they may come up in your session.

There may be a time when your therapist upsets you with their mannerisms word choice or even office decor. What should you do? I think there is external work and internal work to be done. 

Externally I think talk to the therapist about it. This is a teachable moment for the both of you. You being able to speak up for yourself and explain why you are feeling this way is helpful and it also shows the therapist their blind spot.  Growth for everybody. 

Internally challenge yourself to consider what you are actually upset about. Why did their use of this word (racial slurs and misgendering pronouns NOT included) offend you and was it intentional. What about the earrings made you upset? What about their website language and pictures triggered this response in you. Is it you? Does it remind you of something or someone else? One of the four agreements is to never take anything personal is this an instance where you can practice this?

There will be times where there is no compromise or understanding and in that case absolutely get another therapist. So much of your success is dependent on the theraputic relationship and if you believe it is tarnished beyond repair seek help elsewhere. ?I believe speaking up presents an opportunity for growth for the both of you even if you get a new therapist. You will have the opportunity to use your voice in a safe environment and the therapist will also have an opportunity to grow because trust me we are learning in these sessions as well. 

How do we learn to communicate if we are just running away? How does a person learn their language is offensive if in their home it is acceptable? Nope it is not your place to educate anyone but what if you took a minute to stand up for yourself? Would you feel better? 

Big T trauma vs Little t Trauma

Contrary to popular belief, a traumatic event is not limited to distressful situations like rape and war. Even the fifth edition of the Diagnostics and Statistics of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) restricts its definition of a traumatic event to an implied or existential threat to life, grave injury, or sexual violence. The diagnosis is given to a victim, witness, or affected individuals who know the casualty. However, trauma can be subjective. Sometimes what is traumatic to one individual may not be traumatic to another.

A much broader definition of trauma is a response to any incident, circumstance, or a series of occurrences or situations that are physically, mentally, or emotionally unbearable. Traumatic events are overwhelming, aggravating, and impede a person’s intrinsic coping mechanisms. The events are called stressors - they can be physical, psychological, or emotional. They are also intense, leading to overstimulation of the stress response system. Thus, they override the brain’s ability to interpret, control, and respond to the stimulus.

How Trauma Occurs

Your body responds to stress by activating the stress response, also known as the fight or flight response or simply anxiety. The stress response is the body’s natural defense mechanism of confronting threats. The amygdala - the body’s stress processing unit - picks up sensations, both internally and externally, and processes them. When it perceives danger, it conveys the information to the hypothalamus. 

The hypothalamus activates the stress response by stimulating the adrenal glands to release adrenaline - the stress hormone. Adrenaline accelerates your heartbeat and blood flow, and breathing rate to boost oxygen intake and transportation to the brain and muscle. The hypothalamus also stimulates the release of the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the anterior pituitary,  which prompts cortisol secretion. 

Cortisol expedites hepatic glucose production. The glucose molecules are then transported to target organs for energy production. The cascading sequence of events transpires within a blink of an eye - enabling you to avoid oncoming traffic or remove your finger from a scorching surface.

However, in the case of trauma, the nervous system becomes jumbled up by stimuli. Furthermore, the confusion interferes with the brain regions responsible for the stress response. The miscommunication also causes an imbalance in the biomolecules, maintaining the stress response. Notably, cortisol levels significantly reduce as adrenaline levels skyrocket.

Types of Trauma 

Since a traumatic event is, at times, subject to an individual, a list of these horrendous incidents may not be exhaustive. Perhaps a better way of characterizing trauma is by classifying traumatic responses. From this rationale, trauma has two categories - big “T” Trauma 

Big T Trauma

Big T trauma results from events that are universally considered traumatic. The incidents are usually overt and extreme. They can be human-made or natural. Examples include a plane crash, war, tsunami, terrorist attack, or a grisly road accident. Big T traumas also encompass experiences such as abuse, sexual assault, physical violence, and the loss of a loved one. 

Exposure can be in the form of witnessing the ordeal - like watching a loved one fight through debilitating sickness. One can also be exposed to trauma as a victim. Another form of exposure is through association. For instance, learning about the murder of a loved one. 

Little t Trauma

On the other hand, little t traumas are personal - people react differently to the same situation. For instance, the death of a pet can be traumatizing to one person and not a big deal to another. Similarly, people handle the difficulties of a severed relationship differently. Some people bounce back from broken relationships almost immediately, while others may be scarred for life - to the point of shying away from future commitments. 

The reason why human beings are affected differently from similar circumstances depends on both nature and nurture. A person’s genetic makeup influences their resilience in heart-wrenching situations. Epigenetics, although controversial, is another plausible reason behind an individual’s ability to cultivate endurance or succumb to a traumatic event. There is a growing number of evidence showing epigenetic memories can be inherited. 

As for nurture, your upbringing influences habits that enable you to cope after exposure to a traumatic event. For instance, people from close-knit communities have support and accountability at their disposal, strengthening their will to heal. Nurture may also stifle healing, especially in cultures where mental illness is deemed taboo. 

Overcoming Trauma

Trauma left untreated is detrimental to your psychological and physical health. It can morph into post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), severe anxiety and depressive disorders, substance use abuse, and eating disorders. We can talk about how to cope in another blog. However, I think it is important to end with this…Seek the services of a professional if you are struggling they will be able to help you heal so you are no longer defined by your trauma.

7 Things To Do when the Holidays Hurt

Growing up I was never more aware that I was different until the holiday season came around. Think about when you are young and in school the only thing you want is to fit in. I never did especially during this time. While for most people this is the most wonderful time of the year for a whole lot of other people it is not. It is a reminder of what they do not have.

They could be missing, money, experiences, time, and more importantly people. Grief around the holidays soars. Even f it has been well managed the holidays are very triggering for people. Add in mental health issues, divorce, family dysfunction it may actually be the worst time of the year for some people. Some people are missing their routines. Being able to flow in the family the have created with the norms they have grown accustomed to. There is also ton of pressure that comes with the holidays that is not always talked about.

There is pressure to eat the food no matter your food preferences or if you are dieting. There is pressure to have a date, a baby, some new career announcement or whatever the next perceived step in this season of life is for you. Then  you are expected to be “on.” To smile even if you are not happy. To just get through because God forbid you ruin the holiday by speaking your truth, or saying you are not feeling cheerful. I am in no way saying show up with turkey and a grudge but it can be hard to consistently feel silenced during this time.

If you are one of the people who are not quite as happy this time of year for whatever reason here are some things you can do when the holidays hurt.

Practice Self-Care. Give yourself what you need. The best thing to do when you're not feeling ok is to be deliberate about taking care of yourself. Instead of bathing in a bath of sorrow and despair, uplift yourself with a soothing candle-lit, naturally fragranced warm bath and a nice drink. Turn on your favorite songs, read new books, find new recipes if you enjoy cooking and baking, learn new hobbies, and simply be present with yourself. Caring for yourself in the holiday season when you're not feeling ok is very critical. Within this time, you will garner strength and build a strong relationship with the self, which is essential for both seasons of feeling ok and not feeling ok.

Have an exit plan. Check in with yourself and when it is time to go, leave. Have a pre made excuse- dinner with other people, plans for holiday parties at work, a date, whatever you need. Although I prefer a more direct approach of it is just time for me to leave I understand not everyone is as comfortable saying that.

Take a support person. Sometimes even with family you grew up with as an adult you can feel like a stranger in the room. When at all possible take someone with you. If not have a friend on standby that you can text. It can be difficult because they may be with family as well bit knowing you have someone who is willing to give you a moment is helpful.

Make Alone Time Priority. When we are not feeling ok, we tend to push it under the rug and never evaluate the reason especially during the holiday. It is ok to go in a room alone or even show up late so that you can take the necessary time to for yourself. Feel your feelings and then allow them to pass. The feelings will not last forever and forcing yourself to feel a different way only makes them linger longer.

Practice gratitude. I know to can be easy to focus on what is wrong and what is missing but there things t be grateful for all around you. Look for them. Outline all the positive things in your life instead of only dwelling on the negative. Start writing a list of all the items in your life that you appreciate and love. Read this list during the moments you don't feel ok.

Dress up! Our appearance is often directly related to our internal emotional state. Don’t just sit and allow the emotions to flood you. I can’t remember who but someone said When you feel your worst look your best. I LIVE by this! It always acts as a mood booster to look good even f my insides do not match quite yet.

Gift yourself. Sometimes waiting for a gift might make you feel worse, especially if one doesn't come and if it's not quite as valuable as the one you have given. It's essential that the most thoughtful gifts you will receive come specially wrapped from you, this will ensure that you are always satisfied and happy with what you received.

It's quite acceptable not to feel ok during the festive holiday season. However, by being gentle with yourself, not dismissing your feelings, and spending time with people you can trust, you will be able to get through and maybe even have some fun.