Are unresolved trauma, anxiety, or relationship challenges holding you back? Virtual EMDR therapy might be the solution you're looking for. In this blog, we explore the key signs that indicate EMDR could enhance your healing journey, offering a convenient and powerful way to process emotional wounds from the comfort of your home. Discover if virtual EMDR is right for you and take the first step toward lasting relief. Click to learn more!
In an increasingly digital world, virtual EMDR therapy has become a game-changer for those seeking effective trauma treatment from the comfort of their own homes. Whether you're new to EMDR or exploring the virtual option, it's important to understand how this approach works and how you can prepare for a successful experience.
In this blog, we’ll explore the effectiveness of virtual EMDR therapy, comparing it to traditional in-person sessions, and provide practical tips to help you make the most of your virtual therapy. Whether you're curious about the benefits or ready to start your journey, this guide will give you the insights and confidence you need to embrace virtual EMDR therapy!
Are past relationships or traumatic experiences holding you back? Trauma attachments can deeply impact your mental health, leading to patterns of fear, anxiety, and unhealthy relationships. In this blog, we explore how EMDR therapy, now accessible virtually, can help you process these deep emotional bonds and move toward healing. Discover how you can break free from the grip of past trauma and start building healthier, more fulfilling relationships. Click to learn more!
Looking for a virtual EMDR therapist but unsure where to start? Finding the right therapist can be daunting, but knowing what to look for can make the process smoother. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through how to identify a qualified EMDR therapist, from understanding what EMDR therapy is to verifying credentials and scheduling consultations. Click to discover essential tips for finding the right therapist to help you navigate your healing journey effectively!
The sacral chakra, or Svadhisthana, is the second energy center in our body's chakra system, located just below the navel. It governs our emotions, creativity, and sensuality, influencing our ability to connect with others and embrace our inner desires. When this chakra is imbalanced, you might experience emotional instability, creative blocks, or difficulties in personal relationships. Fortunately, various therapeutic services can help restore harmony and vitality to the sacral chakra, promoting overall emotional and creative well-being. In this blog, we’ll explore a range of therapeutic practices designed to rebalance the sacral chakra, from holistic therapies and energy healing to creative expression techniques, and how they can guide you towards a more balanced and fulfilling life.
Effective communication is based more on how you say things rather than on what you actually say. A conversation can go very well or wind up in a lot of anger and upset, depending on the communication style used. Our means of communication impacts all facets of life.
Anger is a tricky emotion, especially in our society. We get messages that anger is “bad” and that we should never show it. While we certainly don’t want to take our anger out sideways on innocent bystanders and we don’t want to rage at people we have anger towards, anger isn’t a “bad” emotion to be pushed away and shamed for. It is healthy to acknowledge, honor and express our anger as long as we’re not hurting anyone in the process. Here are three ways to channel your anger:
Mindfully check in with your body and notice where the anger lives. You may notice that when you’re angry, you clench your jaw. Many of us store anger in our jaws. Perhaps when you get heated, you feel your face flush. Do you notice that you make a fist? Or are you more someone who feels ashamed for having anger, so it’s stuffed down and manifests itself in an upset stomach or feelings of self-loathing? However your anger manifests itself, the first step towards freedom is to acknowledge that you are, in fact, angry, even if you’re not quite sure why.
Trying to put the judgment aside, see if you can think back to when you first started noticing the anger. Sometimes people believe that the key to anger management is to push the anger away and try to ignore it. But, I’m of the belief system that what we resist, persists. So if you want to get free of your rage and really learn anger management, try allowing yourself to be angry without doing anything about it, just noticing it in your body.
For more help with anger management, contact us here.
What else do you find helpful for anger management? Write your responses here:
The Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (or DBT) tenant called Interpersonal Effectiveness teaches us how to be a more effective communicator through learned to be a better listener. We have always known that progress depends on the ability to communicate effectively. The most effective communication does not begin with what a person says, but how well they hear the person they are communicating with. Only by listening effectively can you respond appropriately inany situation.
Throughout all forms of communication (reading, seeing, speaking, listening), we spend 40% of that time listening. And yet, we get less training in listening than in any other kind of communication. All throughout childhood, we are taught how to speak, how to read, but very little time is spent on learning how to listen. Learning to listen is difficult, but worth it.
For instance:
You can not NOT communicate. We're communicating verbally or nonverbally all the time.
Whenever contact is made, some form of communication does occur.
The true meaning of something is not in the words we use, it's in how people interpret the words.
Yet the meanings cannot be transferred. We can't just put a computer file directly in someone's head. We can only send the words. So listening becomes a critical skill if we are going to fully understand the meaning someone is trying to send us.
We have the ability to listen in many different ways - it is important to be able to distinguish how we are approaching our communication so that we are prepared to handle it effectively.
People are more likely to listen if you feel inspired by what you are hearing or if you are enjoying yourself. You’re not necessarily interested in the details when you are using Appreciative Listening, rather you are more focused on the impression of the experience.
This style is often a sounding-board to others. A person would offer support to the person they are listening to. They focus specifically on the feelings revealed by the person they are listening to. If you are often approached by people who need to confide or vent about something, you will know that's your typical approach to listening! This style is much more focused on offering compassion.
A comprehensive listener can recognize key details between one message and another even when the speaker is less than organized. They can also recognize when someone doesn't understand what is being said and can re-explain clearly in their own words.
This approach of listening wants to get all the information and may take detailed notes. Distractions can be very disturbing when using this listening approach. An example would be when other people are talking in class and you are trying to get all the notes.
When listening with an evaluative approach, the listener will not automatically accept what is being said as true just because an expert says it. If they disagree, they will simply stop listening. They will also be more doubtful if the speaker is too passionate about their topic. This approach can be helpful when evaluating something and making a decision about it.
It can be highly useful to adapt your listening approach to the needs of the situation. For example, if a close friend is sharing their difficulties with you, you would want to be empathic and not evaluative. You have probably had the experience of someone giving you unsolicited advice when you really just wanted them to empathize with you! The opposite can also be true. When you recognize the correct listening approach in any situation, and use the appropriate listening approach, you can build better relationships, make the correct decisions and use your interpersonal effectiveness skills. It all starts with learning how to listen!
Megan Delp, MFTI
Megan is a pre-licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in couples counseling and individual therapy for those struggling with depression, anxiety and relationship issues. Megan practices with Spilove Psychotherapy in West Chester, Pennsylvania and on the Main Line of Philadelphia in Bryn Mawr. For more information or to schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation, contact us here.
