Wilson Counseling: The Armchair Chronicles

Grounding is a coping skill that helps you stay more in the present moment. It is really helpful for decreasing anxiety, panic, PTSD, and feelings of disconnection, or flashbacks. When people are highly anxious or feel numbed out, spaced out, or like you are in a dream state, becoming mindful through a grounding technique will help. It can help you be more in the here and now so you feel safe, comforted and calm. Give this technique a try and let us know how you like it. If you have been struggling with anxiety and need to talk to a counselor and begin the process of healing, please  contact us  at Wilson Counseling. We have  Texas-based therapists  who can meet with you  virtually  or in person. 

image:dzineblog.com One of the common traits of anxious people is that they tend to catastrophize events in their lives. For example, I might be worried that something I said to a co-worker might be construed as unprofessional and that might lead to me having a bad reputation on the job which might lead to me not being promoted, or even fired. I don't necessarily have any evidence to back this up, but I just feel like it is true. That is catastrophizing. I was working with a client named Kim (not her real name) recently. She rated her anxiety at work at about a 10 out of 10 - in other words very high. Kim had a run in with a co-worker that had resulted in her being called into the human resources office. Ever since that time, she was highly anxious and afraid of any interaction with her co-worker. She avoided this individual, and any possible conflict, at all costs. She felt deep shame about being reprimanded. This was a woman who had twenty years of exemplary service wit...

image: http://artilleri.blogspot.com/2011_11_01_archive.html I had a client, Sandra (not her real name) who came in this week feeling particularly down about her weight. She is anorexic, and at least 25-35 pounds under what most doctors would consider a minimum healthy weight. She avoids looking at herself in the mirror, afraid of looking at her "fat body." When Sandra gets in the shower, she checks herself out to see how far out her ribs stick out. It never feels like enough.  Frantic to know that she was skinny enough, she weighed herself and found that she was "only" about 25 pounds underweight. Considering how little she eats, she was sure she would weigh less. Sandra was crushed to see the number on the scale. She ruminated for days feeling disgusted about how much she weighed. I had a second client who came in this week, Claire (not her real name),  also feeling down about her weight. She had started exercising regularly and eating better. Yet, wh...

This is a great article from National Public Radio about how you can deal with past trauma or current feelings that are troubling you by simply editing your life story through journaling. If you can commit 15 minutes a day for four days, you can do this. The article includes a link with instructions on how to conduct the exercise. This is similar to what I do in therapy sessions when I help my Houston clients who are stuck learn to reframe their views of themselves and their life situations. It is often exactly what my clients need to get un-stuck. Are you feeling stuck? Contact one of our Houston counselors to find out how to become unstuck and find your happier ending today!

It is day two of 2014 and some of you may have already broken your new year resolutions- if you had the time or energy to make resolutions at all. With the holidays behind you, you are starting to think about work, school, kids, bills, and feeling the anxieties of your real life start to creep back in. The anxiety can start to suck the energy and enjoyment out of your life. In the Christian scriptures, there is a verse with wisdom about how to handle worry and stress, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." I have also heard it said this way, "Do not borrow trouble." Think about how much time and energy you invest in worrying. How many minutes, or hours of your day are spent worrying. And then ask yourself as the scriptures do,"Who of by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" But, how can you worry less, and enjoy your life more??? Today you can start with one simple t...

We are just days away from Thanksgiving, and the marathon race towards Christmas has begun. Holiday shopping, holiday parties, hosting family and a full calendar of to-do's can make this season more hectic than holy. To enjoy the holidays in a way you may not have in years, I encourage you to do two things. First, learn to say not to unnecessary commitments. It can be hard to tell someone no, but learning to set boundaries will help you keep your sanity. Second, make time to set aside to just be quiet and meditate, pray, think...whatever you need to do to slow down the hurried thoughts in your mind and create a sense of peace and order. Even 15 minutes a day of this type of meditation, can will help you feel calmer, more empathetic, and allow you to see your life more clearly and with more perspective.

If things feel off-kilter in your life, you may be doing some of these twelve things listed in this Health.com article that sabotage your mental health. The great thing about the article is that it also give you practical ideas for what you can do to change those behaviors. http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20694928,00.html?xid=healthyliving05012013

image from: http://modfemme.blogspot.com/2012/10/modern-femme-at-homefrazzle-free.html Sometimes this does not feel like the most wonderful time of the year.  There is so much to do, the weather is gray, and there are food temptations galore. So, you may be feeling a little bit stressed out. Here are some quick tips to help you beat the stress, and actually enjoy the holiday season. 1. Whatever you do, don't stop doing the things you normally do to take care of yourself. Whether it is exercising, meditating, reading, coffee with friends, or a hot bath, take the time to attend to your needs on a daily basis. The small investment in your health will allow you to be more efficient, more energetic, and generally more agreeable. Even half an hour a day will give you the fuel you need to thrive. 2. When you start having visions of work dancing in your head, try making a to-do list. Writing down your thoughts will help you organize your mind. Break down your to-do's into sh...