Journey to Healing and Growth: Healing Through Self-Compassion
Compassion isn't a Luxury, it's a Necessity
Healthy Relationships
As human beings we long to be in relationships where we are seen, heard, and understood. We also need to know that we can reach out for connection and support through the good times and through the bad times. No relationship is perfect, but even in the imperfection couples and families can support each other through the ups and downs of life.
Dealing with Trauma
Going through a highly stressful or alarming even that brings feelings of helplessness and loss of emotional control can be traumatizing. Psychological trauma can bring on severe anxiety, unsettling emotions and bad memories that don’t just go away. Sometimes it can make you feel numb, distrusting and disconnected with those around you. There are helpful strategies and support to help you recover and heal. You can move on with your life even if the trauma happened years ago or just recently.
Learning Self-Compassion
It’s common for most of us to beat ourselves up when we make mistakes. From a young age, many of us learn to be hard on ourselves and to feel ashamed when we do something that doesn’t get desired results. It may seem that self-criticism is the approved path to motivation and success. While we may offer sympathy and understanding to our loved ones, rarely do we offer ourselves the same level of kindness. Then if we do, we feel that we are being arrogant or selfish. Learning to be compassionate on oneself can bring incredible healing and joy in life. It is an art that we should endeavor to continually grow in.
Compassion Focused Therapy
What is Compassion Focused Therapy
Life can be downright hard sometimes. It is a rare person who escapes at least some form of suffering during their lifetime. From being born into families and circumstances that we didn't choose, to other painful situations we would have preferred not to live through, we struggle and are often just trying to do the best we can. Compassion Focused Therapy helps our tricky brains respond to the challenges in life in a compassionate way that helps us move forward.
Why Compassion?
In CFT, compassion is defined as "a sensitivity to our own and other people's distress plus a motivation to prevent or alleviate it." Sometimes being compassionate towards oneself can be seen as being too soft or unmotivating. The exact opposite is true. Compassion requires wisdom, strength, courage and commitment to move towards our distress and then do something to alleviate it. Compassion also activates our emotional soothing system leaving us feeling safer and calmer in all areas of life.
Research on Compassion Focused Therapy
Studies are supporting how compassion can benefit our lives. Higher levels of self-compassion are associated with fewer mental health issues. Research also supports benefits for our social and emotional wellbeing. Some suggest that it can also change our neurophysiology and may even strengthen our immune system. CFT has been successfully used to treat mood disorders, anxiety, trauma, and eating challenges.
Relationship Support
Couples Therapy
The Gottman Method Couple's Therapy and Emotionally Focused Therapy I utilize for helping troubled marriages and relationships has decades of research that help make marriages succeed. They are practical, emotion and attachment focused and extremely effective in creating and sustaining marital stability. The tools and strategies used help couples to successfully manage their conflict and create secure attachment.
Consultation
We will have a phone consultation to understand the issue and determine the best course for support.
Determine
Once the optimal course of action is determined, a plan for customized assistance will be devised.
Deliver
We will schedule appointments to deliver the plan to help provide the needed healing and growth.