Receiving a cancer diagnosis can be a profoundly stressful event in a person’s life. According to NIH’s National Cancer Institute, there are over 18 million Americans living with – or have survived – some form of cancer. The emotional blow of the diagnosis, combined with the pain and discomfort of the disease and treatment, can impact one’s ability to work, provide financially for dependents, or engage in social and recreational activities. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatment can cause unwanted changes in a patient’s physical appearance and self-esteem, undermine his or her ability to relate to loved ones emotionally or sexually, and lead to an increased sense of isolation and depression. Often, the diagnosis and the reality of living with cancer challenge an individual’s spiritual beliefs, their sense of purpose, and their life priorities.
Given the scope of cancer’s effect upon a person’s life, ideally, the treatment should not be focused only on the physical aspects of healing. It is estimated that as many as 65 percent of cancer patients seek complementary therapies to augment the conventional medical care they are receiving. Medical research has demonstrated that interventions such as psychotherapy, relaxation, prayer, meditation, and massage can reduce stress, improve sleep, encourage a sense of optimism, and boost the body’s immune response.
Here are 4 alternative therapies that, when used in conjunction with conventional medical care, can enhance the quality of patients’ lives by helping them to cope more effectively with the effects of cancer and its treatment:
Psychotherapy can help patients find the inner strength they need to cope more positively with their diagnosis. Talking about their feelings with a qualified and caring professional, and receiving ongoing emotional support can help reduce the sense of isolation, anxiety, and hopelessness that cancer patients commonly experience. There are many different kinds of psychotherapy; some patients meet individually with a counselor, others meet in a group setting to discuss common problems and coping strategies.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a relatively new protocol used by some psychotherapists that can facilitate a remarkably swift and permanent healing of negative and distressing thoughts and feelings. It can also alleviate certain types of physical pain that have become “locked into” the memory of a person’s central nervous system.
Guided Imagery is a process where patients use their minds to visualize and sense soothing experiences, like the sight of a favorite place, or the feeling of warm sun on the skin or cool water on the toes. Guided imagery and hypnosis can help channel the power of a person’s own mind to produce real physiological benefits for the body, including boosting the immune response, reducing blood pressure, increasing the sense of well-being, and even decreasing the pain of cancer and cancer treatment.
Mind-Body Stress Reduction Programs help patients learn stress management and meditation techniques. Medical studies show that mind-body meditation can improve a patient’s mood, coping skills, and quality of life. It also can boost a patient’s immune response and help to alleviate disease-and-treatment-related symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and pain. Meditation programs have proven to be so successful in improving patient outcomes that they have become a reimbursable medical service under many health insurance plans.
Sleep is absolutely essential to good physical and mental health, and most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep EVERY night. Sleep deprivation — caused by insufficient sleep or poor quality of sleep — impairs the body’s immune system, physical reflexes, emotional stability, and cognitive functions, such as memory, decision-making, the capacity to focus one’s attention, and the ability to complete complex creative activities or mathematical calculations. Severe sleep deprivation may lead to weight gain, an increase in muscle, joint, and nerve pain, depression, and even hallucinations. Sleep disorders can also be symptomatic of more serious illness, such as clinical depression and/or heart disease, meaning that it’s essential to talk with your doctor if you are having problems falling, or staying, asleep.
If you or your doctor think that you might have a sleep disorder, the first step in further evaluation is to answer the 8 questions on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. If your score is equal to or higher than 10, the results should be discussed with your doctor. Depending upon your symptoms, your physician may determine that you are a candidate for a sleep study.
Another step is to begin keeping a sleep diary that documents your daily activities, including your sleep activities (i.e. tossing and turning, waking in the middle of the night, sleepwalking, grinding teeth, etc.). Take careful note of the times you actually get good sleep versus the times you don’t. If you’re attempting to heal from an acute injury or a chronic illness, your treatment program will be greatly enhanced by your commitment to proper sleep hygiene.
Commonly-Diagnosed Sleep Problems
There are a large variety of sleep disorders. Some are caused by physical problems, such as an airway obstruction that leads to sleep apnea, or chronic pain or indigestion/reflux sufficient enough to cause insomnia. Sleep problems can also occur as a side effect of taking certain medications or supplements, or because of emotional difficulties including depression, post-traumatic stress disorders and/or anxiety about life situations. In many cases, there can be several factors contributing to the sleep disturbance, including anxiety about the sleep deprivation itself. Some commonly-diagnosed sleep disorders include:
Insomnia: Inability to fall asleep within 15 to 20 minutes.
Dyssomnia: Frequent awakenings throughout the night and/or early-morning awakenings.
Restless leg syndrome: When lying in bed, unpleasant “crawling” sensations in the legs that create an irresistible and sleep-disruptive urge to move one’s legs.
Sleepwalking: Walking during sleep or engaging in other activities, like eating, that are normally associated with wakefulness.
Sleep apnea: Obstruction of airway during sleep, causing breathing irregularities that interrupt and interfere with sleep. Sufferers are at higher risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Snoring may be a sign or symptom of sleep apnea, so it’s something you should mention to your doctor. (Click here for more info from the National Institutes of Health about sleep apnea.)
There is a wide range of over-the-counter and prescription medications advertised as sleep aids. All of them – including nutritional supplements, Chinese herbs, non-prescription-medications and prescribed-medications – may have side effects or cause drug interactions; for example, long-term use of Benadryl or Tylenol PM may increase your risk for developing Alzheimer’s. Please talk with your doctor before taking any sleep aids.
Alternative Treatments
Calcium (1,500 to 2,000 mg daily, taken after meals – 500 mg per meal – and 500 mg at bedtime). Calcium is a nutritional supplement that helps relax the body’s muscles.
Magnesium (1,000 mg daily). A nutritional supplement that helps to calm the body’s nervous system and relax the muscles.
Cortisol Manager (One tablet daily). Cortisol Manager reduces cortisol levels for all-day stress reduction and restful sleep. It’s safe to use every night.
Valerian (1,000 mg daily). Valerian is an American herb that has been found effective in helping to induce the onset of sleep.
Phosphatidylserine (PS 100; take one to two at bedtime). Phosphatidylserine is a phospholipid nutritional supplement that stops hyperactive production of cortisol in the body, allowing unhealthy, elevated cortisol levels to decrease, and consequently, more restful sleep to occur.
Melatonin (1 to 3 mg daily, but consult with your doctor before using, especially if you’re taking an antidepressant). Melatonin is a hormone that helps induce and maintain sleep. It can be useful in helping people recover from jet lag by reorganizing the sleep cycle (assisting the body in adjusting to time-zone changes).
L-Tryptophan (1,000 to 3,000 mg, 30 to 40 minutes before going to bed). L-Tryptophan is a serotonin-precursor, amino-acid nutritional supplement that can help initiate sleep and can be used to reduce chronic pain and depression.
Chinese herbs. These can be very helpful in treating and resolving sleep problems but need to be prescribed by a physician or licensed acupuncturist trained in Chinese herbal medicine.
Acupuncture. Talk with your doctor about the frequency of treatments that might be helpful for you.
Aerobic exercise. Three to four times a week, completed at least three hours prior to bedtime.
Immediate Steps You Can Take to Help Ensure You Get the Rest You Need
Plan your daily schedule to allow seven to nine hours for sleeping every night.
Keep a consistent sleep pattern, even on weekends.
Eliminate caffeine from your diet or reduce your consumption to one cup of coffee or tea, or one soda per day. Caffeine is a stimulant, and it takes six hours or more for your body to metabolize.
After 3 p.m., drink only non-caffeinated beverages.
Take B-vitamins and ginseng in the morning, not before bedtime.
Get regular physical exercise (three to four times a week).
Avoid drinking alcohol near bedtime (although alcohol may cause drowsiness initially, alcohol inhibits sleep continuation).
Make sure sleeping conditions are comfortable (proper temperature and darkness).
Create a bedtime-relaxation routine, which might include:
• Getting ready for and going to bed at the same time each night.
• Taking a hot shower or bath before bed.
• Enjoying a cup of chamomile tea before sleep.
• Reading a book rather than watching TV once in bed. (Instead of having a relaxing effect, watching television before bed actually stimulates the mind.)
• Journaling – as a way of getting problems “off your mind” and onto paper – so they can be dealt with in an orderly way in the future.
Overall, try to remain consistent with your sleep routine – even on weekends and holidays.
Q: Someone near and dear to me suffers from such powerful, long-standing shame that he cannot, or won’t, admit engaging in behaviors that are destructive to his personal relationships (e.g., verbal abuse). Is there any way to confront him gently, in a way that helps him feel safe so that he and his loved ones can start healing their respective relationships?
Jodi Brayton, L.C.S.W., M.S.W.:
This is such a great question on many levels. It involves a universal emotion – to be human is to feel shame – and the very wording of the question shows that the writer already understands the antidote to shame: love, connection, and compassion. I like that the writer gets the fact that destructive behavior should be confronted (in a safe way) in order to begin healing any relationship. There are some very thoughtful experts exploring current research on the issues of shame and compassion and I want to share some information that may be useful to you.
One of my favorite writers from a psycho-therapeutic point of view is Janina Fisher, Ph.D., a therapist who looks at the shame and self-loathing associated with childhood trauma from a neurobiological perspective. Fisher does a beautiful job of explaining that many of our negative behaviors are, or were at one time, beneficial adaptations to traumatic circumstances. Anger, for instance, may be a self-protective maneuver designed to push people away before they can hurt us. She explains how shame and perfectionism are adaptive strategies that drive responses such as hypervigilance, automatic obedience, and total submission; strategies that help young victims survive abuse[i].
The dilemma with confronting people who struggle with shame is that even the kindest, most gentle approach can confirm their worst beliefs about themselves. The thought, “it’s my fault,” can activate areas of the brain that lead to emotional and autonomic reactivity, according to Fisher, which may explain reactions that are destructive to personal relationships, such as verbal abuse.
Curiosity and mindfulness, on the other hand, tend to activate the medial prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that regulates such emotional and autonomic reactivity[ii]. The job of a therapist is to help clients remain in the medial prefrontal cortex part of their brain because when we are curious and mindful we find meaning and gain perspective. Your friend is more likely to accept a recommendation of therapy if you come from the approach that he is not where he wants to be. The website janinafisher.com has several informative articles that can be downloaded for free.
Understanding the hard science behind behavior can help many people recognize and accept the need for change and there is fascinating research on the physiology behind the healing power of self-compassion. It seems that our body responds to an emotional attack of self-criticism just as it would to the physical threat of having a gun pointed in our direction. The fight or flight response is triggered and the stress hormone cortisol is released in order to mobilize our body to avoid or confront the threatening situation. We all know that too much cortisol over a long period of time can be destructive to our bodies; however, recent research shows that generating feelings of self-compassion can actually decrease those cortisol levels and increase the release of the hormone oxytocin in our system. When we increase the level of the oxytocin we increase feelings of calm, trust, safety, generosity, and closeness to others – all of which are needed to counter the painful emotion of shame[iii].
Kristen Neff, Ph.D., one of the leading researchers on the physiology of self-compassion, has a website – self-compassion.org – that many of my clients find useful. It offers several guided meditations and various exercises designed to help people increase their self-compassion skills. There’s also a self-administered test that measures the elements of self-compassion, as well as the things that hinder our self-compassion, such as self-judgment, isolation, and over-identification. You can recommend this site not only to counter the effects of shame but to anyone who wants to live a more contented and fulfilling life.
The last writer I want to mention is a researcher who has an exceptional ability to inspire people to go to those deep, dark places of shame and fear. Brené Brown, Ph.D., believes that we begin healing by sharing our difficult stories with appropriate others in order to feel worthy, connected, and lovable. She gave a 2010 TEDx Houston talk on the power of vulnerability that was one of the most popular talks on TED.com. She followed up with a second talk in 2012 called Listening to Shame, and together these talks have received over 25 million views. They are chock-full of humor, humanity, and interesting information and you can recommend these talks based on the entertainment value alone.
Another thing I hope you consider reading, and/or offering to your friend, is Brené Brown’s book, The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are. Brown has devoted most of her professional career to the study of human vulnerability, courage, worthiness, and shame, and she really leads by example in this book. In order to help others find the courage to explore their own feelings of inadequacy, Brown fearlessly, and wholeheartedly shares hers. This leaves the reader with a sense of connection to our common humanity, as opposed to the feeling of isolation and alienation that results from keeping things hidden. Many people find this book a valuable tool for self-exploration.
The concept that permeates all the works cited above – and that can help your friend find the non-judgmental state of mind he’ll need in order to observe his own thoughts and behavior in a safe way – is mindfulness. Suggesting mindful practices, such as meditation, prayer, and journaling (especially a gratitude journal) could prove most valuable in helping your friend gain perspective and find a sense of peace even in the most complicated and difficult situations.
Thank you so much for this opportunity to share this information. Your question is important and the task is a challenging one, but Brené Brown sums up what is at risk with the following quote[iv]:
“Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy – the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”
– Jodi Brayton, L.C.S.W., M.S.W.
We are here for you, and we want to help.
Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2
[i] Fisher, J. Working with the Neurobiological Legacy of Early Trauma: Paper presented at the Annual Conference, American Mental Health Counselors July, 2003. [ii] Fisher, J. Brain to Brain: The Therapist as Neurobiological Regulator. Psychotherapy Networker. 34:1, January 2010. [iii] Neff, K. D. (2012). The science of self compassion. In C. Germer & R. Siegel (Eds.) Compassion and Wisdom in Psychotherapy. New York: Guilford Press. [iv] Brown, B. (2010). The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are (p. 6). Center City, Minnesota: Hazelden Publishing.
Coping With the Emotional Impact of Cancer
/in Mental Health, Wellness/by Jodi Brayton, LCSWReceiving a cancer diagnosis can be a profoundly stressful event in a person’s life. According to NIH’s National Cancer Institute, there are over 18 million Americans living with – or have survived – some form of cancer. The emotional blow of the diagnosis, combined with the pain and discomfort of the disease and treatment, can impact one’s ability to work, provide financially for dependents, or engage in social and recreational activities. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatment can cause unwanted changes in a patient’s physical appearance and self-esteem, undermine his or her ability to relate to loved ones emotionally or sexually, and lead to an increased sense of isolation and depression. Often, the diagnosis and the reality of living with cancer challenge an individual’s spiritual beliefs, their sense of purpose, and their life priorities.
Given the scope of cancer’s effect upon a person’s life, ideally, the treatment should not be focused only on the physical aspects of healing. It is estimated that as many as 65 percent of cancer patients seek complementary therapies to augment the conventional medical care they are receiving. Medical research has demonstrated that interventions such as psychotherapy, relaxation, prayer, meditation, and massage can reduce stress, improve sleep, encourage a sense of optimism, and boost the body’s immune response.
Here are 4 alternative therapies that, when used in conjunction with conventional medical care, can enhance the quality of patients’ lives by helping them to cope more effectively with the effects of cancer and its treatment:
Questions? Give Us a Call!
703-532-4892 x2
Psychotherapy can help patients find the inner strength they need to cope more positively with their diagnosis. Talking about their feelings with a qualified and caring professional, and receiving ongoing emotional support can help reduce the sense of isolation, anxiety, and hopelessness that cancer patients commonly experience. There are many different kinds of psychotherapy; some patients meet individually with a counselor, others meet in a group setting to discuss common problems and coping strategies.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a relatively new protocol used by some psychotherapists that can facilitate a remarkably swift and permanent healing of negative and distressing thoughts and feelings. It can also alleviate certain types of physical pain that have become “locked into” the memory of a person’s central nervous system.
Guided Imagery is a process where patients use their minds to visualize and sense soothing experiences, like the sight of a favorite place, or the feeling of warm sun on the skin or cool water on the toes. Guided imagery and hypnosis can help channel the power of a person’s own mind to produce real physiological benefits for the body, including boosting the immune response, reducing blood pressure, increasing the sense of well-being, and even decreasing the pain of cancer and cancer treatment.
Mind-Body Stress Reduction Programs help patients learn stress management and meditation techniques. Medical studies show that mind-body meditation can improve a patient’s mood, coping skills, and quality of life. It also can boost a patient’s immune response and help to alleviate disease-and-treatment-related symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and pain. Meditation programs have proven to be so successful in improving patient outcomes that they have become a reimbursable medical service under many health insurance plans.
Additional Resources:
Psychotherapy, EMDR, and Guided Meditation
We are here for you, and we want to help.
Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2
How Sleep Disorders Affect Us and How To Lay Them to Rest
/in Conditions/by Gary Kaplan, DOSleep is absolutely essential to good physical and mental health, and most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep EVERY night. Sleep deprivation — caused by insufficient sleep or poor quality of sleep — impairs the body’s immune system, physical reflexes, emotional stability, and cognitive functions, such as memory, decision-making, the capacity to focus one’s attention, and the ability to complete complex creative activities or mathematical calculations. Severe sleep deprivation may lead to weight gain, an increase in muscle, joint, and nerve pain, depression, and even hallucinations. Sleep disorders can also be symptomatic of more serious illness, such as clinical depression and/or heart disease, meaning that it’s essential to talk with your doctor if you are having problems falling, or staying, asleep.
If you or your doctor think that you might have a sleep disorder, the first step in further evaluation is to answer the 8 questions on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. If your score is equal to or higher than 10, the results should be discussed with your doctor. Depending upon your symptoms, your physician may determine that you are a candidate for a sleep study.
Another step is to begin keeping a sleep diary that documents your daily activities, including your sleep activities (i.e. tossing and turning, waking in the middle of the night, sleepwalking, grinding teeth, etc.). Take careful note of the times you actually get good sleep versus the times you don’t. If you’re attempting to heal from an acute injury or a chronic illness, your treatment program will be greatly enhanced by your commitment to proper sleep hygiene.
Commonly-Diagnosed Sleep Problems
There are a large variety of sleep disorders. Some are caused by physical problems, such as an airway obstruction that leads to sleep apnea, or chronic pain or indigestion/reflux sufficient enough to cause insomnia. Sleep problems can also occur as a side effect of taking certain medications or supplements, or because of emotional difficulties including depression, post-traumatic stress disorders and/or anxiety about life situations. In many cases, there can be several factors contributing to the sleep disturbance, including anxiety about the sleep deprivation itself. Some commonly-diagnosed sleep disorders include:
Questions? Give Us a Call!
703-532-4892 x2
Treatment of Sleep Disorders
There is a wide range of over-the-counter and prescription medications advertised as sleep aids. All of them – including nutritional supplements, Chinese herbs, non-prescription-medications and prescribed-medications – may have side effects or cause drug interactions; for example, long-term use of Benadryl or Tylenol PM may increase your risk for developing Alzheimer’s. Please talk with your doctor before taking any sleep aids.
Alternative Treatments
Immediate Steps You Can Take to Help Ensure You Get the Rest You Need
• Getting ready for and going to bed at the same time each night.
• Taking a hot shower or bath before bed.
• Enjoying a cup of chamomile tea before sleep.
• Reading a book rather than watching TV once in bed. (Instead of having a relaxing effect, watching television before bed actually stimulates the mind.)
• Journaling – as a way of getting problems “off your mind” and onto paper – so they can be dealt with in an orderly way in the future.
Overall, try to remain consistent with your sleep routine – even on weekends and holidays.
Good night!
This article was first seen on US News & World Report.
We are here for you, and we want to help.
Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2
How to Help Someone Who Exhibits Destructive Behavior
/in Mental Health/by Jodi Brayton, LCSWQ: Someone near and dear to me suffers from such powerful, long-standing shame that he cannot, or won’t, admit engaging in behaviors that are destructive to his personal relationships (e.g., verbal abuse). Is there any way to confront him gently, in a way that helps him feel safe so that he and his loved ones can start healing their respective relationships?
Jodi Brayton, L.C.S.W., M.S.W.:
This is such a great question on many levels. It involves a universal emotion – to be human is to feel shame – and the very wording of the question shows that the writer already understands the antidote to shame: love, connection, and compassion. I like that the writer gets the fact that destructive behavior should be confronted (in a safe way) in order to begin healing any relationship. There are some very thoughtful experts exploring current research on the issues of shame and compassion and I want to share some information that may be useful to you.
One of my favorite writers from a psycho-therapeutic point of view is Janina Fisher, Ph.D., a therapist who looks at the shame and self-loathing associated with childhood trauma from a neurobiological perspective. Fisher does a beautiful job of explaining that many of our negative behaviors are, or were at one time, beneficial adaptations to traumatic circumstances. Anger, for instance, may be a self-protective maneuver designed to push people away before they can hurt us. She explains how shame and perfectionism are adaptive strategies that drive responses such as hypervigilance, automatic obedience, and total submission; strategies that help young victims survive abuse[i].
The dilemma with confronting people who struggle with shame is that even the kindest, most gentle approach can confirm their worst beliefs about themselves. The thought, “it’s my fault,” can activate areas of the brain that lead to emotional and autonomic reactivity, according to Fisher, which may explain reactions that are destructive to personal relationships, such as verbal abuse.
Curiosity and mindfulness, on the other hand, tend to activate the medial prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that regulates such emotional and autonomic reactivity[ii]. The job of a therapist is to help clients remain in the medial prefrontal cortex part of their brain because when we are curious and mindful we find meaning and gain perspective. Your friend is more likely to accept a recommendation of therapy if you come from the approach that he is not where he wants to be. The website janinafisher.com has several informative articles that can be downloaded for free.
Questions? Give Us a Call!
703-532-4892 x2
Understanding the hard science behind behavior can help many people recognize and accept the need for change and there is fascinating research on the physiology behind the healing power of self-compassion. It seems that our body responds to an emotional attack of self-criticism just as it would to the physical threat of having a gun pointed in our direction. The fight or flight response is triggered and the stress hormone cortisol is released in order to mobilize our body to avoid or confront the threatening situation. We all know that too much cortisol over a long period of time can be destructive to our bodies; however, recent research shows that generating feelings of self-compassion can actually decrease those cortisol levels and increase the release of the hormone oxytocin in our system. When we increase the level of the oxytocin we increase feelings of calm, trust, safety, generosity, and closeness to others – all of which are needed to counter the painful emotion of shame[iii].
Kristen Neff, Ph.D., one of the leading researchers on the physiology of self-compassion, has a website – self-compassion.org – that many of my clients find useful. It offers several guided meditations and various exercises designed to help people increase their self-compassion skills. There’s also a self-administered test that measures the elements of self-compassion, as well as the things that hinder our self-compassion, such as self-judgment, isolation, and over-identification. You can recommend this site not only to counter the effects of shame but to anyone who wants to live a more contented and fulfilling life.
The last writer I want to mention is a researcher who has an exceptional ability to inspire people to go to those deep, dark places of shame and fear. Brené Brown, Ph.D., believes that we begin healing by sharing our difficult stories with appropriate others in order to feel worthy, connected, and lovable. She gave a 2010 TEDx Houston talk on the power of vulnerability that was one of the most popular talks on TED.com. She followed up with a second talk in 2012 called Listening to Shame, and together these talks have received over 25 million views. They are chock-full of humor, humanity, and interesting information and you can recommend these talks based on the entertainment value alone.
Another thing I hope you consider reading, and/or offering to your friend, is Brené Brown’s book, The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are. Brown has devoted most of her professional career to the study of human vulnerability, courage, worthiness, and shame, and she really leads by example in this book. In order to help others find the courage to explore their own feelings of inadequacy, Brown fearlessly, and wholeheartedly shares hers. This leaves the reader with a sense of connection to our common humanity, as opposed to the feeling of isolation and alienation that results from keeping things hidden. Many people find this book a valuable tool for self-exploration.
The concept that permeates all the works cited above – and that can help your friend find the non-judgmental state of mind he’ll need in order to observe his own thoughts and behavior in a safe way – is mindfulness. Suggesting mindful practices, such as meditation, prayer, and journaling (especially a gratitude journal) could prove most valuable in helping your friend gain perspective and find a sense of peace even in the most complicated and difficult situations.
Thank you so much for this opportunity to share this information. Your question is important and the task is a challenging one, but Brené Brown sums up what is at risk with the following quote[iv]:
“Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy – the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”
– Jodi Brayton, L.C.S.W., M.S.W.
We are here for you, and we want to help.
Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2
[i] Fisher, J. Working with the Neurobiological Legacy of Early Trauma: Paper presented at the Annual Conference, American Mental Health Counselors July, 2003.
[ii] Fisher, J. Brain to Brain: The Therapist as Neurobiological Regulator. Psychotherapy Networker. 34:1, January 2010.
[iii] Neff, K. D. (2012). The science of self compassion. In C. Germer & R. Siegel (Eds.) Compassion and Wisdom in Psychotherapy. New York: Guilford Press.
[iv] Brown, B. (2010). The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are (p. 6). Center City, Minnesota: Hazelden Publishing.