When we feel overwhelmed with stress and trauma symptoms, it is hard to know where to start. Below I’ve compiled a list of free resources for mental health and trauma that I really trust.
website resources:
selfcompassion.org for information, exercises and meditation on self-compassion from the self-compassion researcher and guru Kristin Neff, PHD.
https://brenebrown.com/resources for information, topic, worksheets and vulnerability.
aftersilence.org is a message board for sexual assault survivors
coda.org for virtual and in-person codependent anonymous meetings
recommended reading:
Brach, T. (2003). Radical Acceptance
Brene, B. (2010). The Gifts of Imperfection
Chodron, P. (2016). When Things Fall Apart
Coelho, P. (2014). The Alchemist
Harris, R. (2008). The Happiness Trap
Neff, K. D. & Germer, C. K (2018). The Mindful Self-Compassion workbook: A proven way to accept yourself, find inner strength, and thrive
Manson, M. (2016). The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
telephone helplines:
- in a crisis to get immediate help call 911
- national suicide prevention hotline 1-800-273-TALK
- crisis text line: text SIGNS to 741741 for 24/7, anonymous, free crisis counseling
- national domestic violence hotline 1-800-799-7233 or text LOVEIS to 22522
- national sexual assault hotline 1-800-656-HOPE
- trans lifeline 1-800-272-3900
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metta holistic therapy BLOG entry:
Do I need therapy?
Unlike past times, going to seek mental health therapy has now become mainstream as well as respected and seen as a healthy trait in a potential partner instead of a red flag.
Whether or not to seek therapy is something that all of us have considered at some point in our lives. Therapy is not for people who can’t handle issues on their own, it’s actually for people who want to continue to grow and heal to reach their full potential of health, happiness, and fulfillment within their relationships.
I’ve made a list of the top five reasons why therapy might be helpful for you. There are an endless number of reasons why therapy may be helpful but this is a good list to get you started.
Here are the top five reasons to seek therapy today:
1. You are having overreactions to present-day situations. Overreacting in any given situation is a clear sign that there are unhealed past memories that are continuing to affect you today. This means that in order to heal and react in a way that feels more helpful to people at work, romantic relationships, to family, actively working on healing the past is necessary. Time heals all wounds is a myth. Active therapeutic work heals past wounds.
2. You are under-reacting which means you are shutting down in situations in the present. Just like overreacting can be a red flag that past memories are still affecting you, so is shutting down in moments that you need to be present for. If you have ever been in an emotional conflict with someone and instead of being able to express your needs or hear their needs you shut them out or emotionally shut down – this is a sign that therapy could be helpful.
3. You feel like there are issues with your attachment style which means you are either avoidant or anxious in relationships. Relationships can be the most fulfilling part of our lives. It is most commonly reported when someone is sitting on their deathbed that they look back and wish they had to spend more quality time and been better to the people in their lives. This is where healing your attachment style comes in and therapy can be one of the most effective ways to move more towards secure attachment.
4. You feel like you are always stuck in your head and overthinking and very rarely are in touch with your body. This is the sign that your nervous system has been overwhelmed at some point in your life and you need nervous system healing. There is a theory that past emotional stressors or traumas get stuck in our body and causes us to disassociate and not be connected to the emotional signals sent to us by her body. If this is the case for you I would recommend seeking a somatic or bottom up healing therapist
5. The way that you talk to yourself or feel about yourself is especially critical, harsh and judgmental. The way that we feel and talk about ourselves has an incredible impact on how we feel day to day. If we are relentless in picking apart every mistake that we make, it is going to be miserable to live in our own head. This is where seeing a therapist and changing the way that you treat yourself comes into play. There are a ton of techniques that can help you with this such as self compassion, cognitive behavioral therapy, somatic experiencing, and cognitive mindfulness therapy.
If any of these five reasons to seek therapy apply to you then I recommend looking into finding a therapist near you. I will have a blog coming up soon about tips in choosing the right therapist for you so keep an eye out for that. I hope you have enjoyed and gotten some thing out of this blog and if so like, share, and follow!
If you have any more questions about psychotherapy please reach out via the Metta Holistic Therapy contact page or email me directly at reneeminxtherapy@gmail.com
Thanks so much for reading until the end and hope you enjoyed it!
Metta Holistic Therapy 