Tru Therapy- A Quick Dose Of Therapy For Maintaining Mental & Physical Wellness
It isn’t a far stretch to assume many people in this day and age suffer from anxiety, body image concerns, and a general feeling of worry toward their mental and physical wellness from time to time. According to a recent study by the American Psychological Association, “Rates of anxiety and depression among U.S. adults was about 4 times higher between April 2020 and August 2021 than they were in 2019.” And while there is nothing wrong with succumbing to these feelings of unease, stress, and discomfort in our own skin, we shouldn’t have to suffer through them every day without reprieve.
Therapy is becoming less taboo, and the idea that mental and physical wellness go hand in hand is becoming more widely understood. The stigma behind seeing a professional therapist has lessened, allowing those who really need help to feel comfortable seeking it. Regardless, it is important to have regular practices to help defuse panic attacks, anxiety episodes, and self-esteem black holes. We spoke to two practicing therapists who helped compile exercises, tips, and words of advice for anyone needing a little respite from their inner monologues and turmoils. Use these in your daily life, and let them help you get back some of your confidence and freedom.
Finding The Right Therapy Options For You
Local Las Vegas CPC Alexa Walker, who works at Veridian Wellness, deals with a variety of patients who suffer from anxiety, depression, and body issues. The scale ranges from moments of stress and unease to crippling anxiety that affects their entire day, a week, a month. She commented that when seeking a therapist to help you on your mental wellness journey, it is important to sit down with potential persons and have a consultation. You, as the client, can ask questions, discover their methods and proposed solutions, as well as get a feel for their personality and how it meshes with yours. These consolations should give you a feeling of confidence when you find a therapist that suits your needs and should show you that counseling is not as scary as it seems, nor is admitting you need help. Alexa comments that “normalcy is a myth,” and that no one has it completely together.
Grounding Exercise For Anxiety & Wellness
Anxiety can manifest in a number of ways, be it a full-blown panic attack, or a constant companion of negative thoughts that eventually build up and spiral out of control. While these are just a few examples, the simple fact is they can take over hours or even days of your life. Alexa Walker and Ashley Hazen, a Licensed Associate Counselor, recommend practicing grounding exercises when anxiety strikes. The idea of performing a grounding exercise is based on using your five senses to help bring you back to the present and dissipate the panic that comes hand in hand with anxiety behaviors and thoughts. Here is how it works, so you can try it the next time an attack happens.
Look around and acknowledge five things you see in the vicinity. Make sure to list them to yourself (this can be inside your head if you are in a public space).
Now acknowledge four items you can physically touch. This can be things on your person, the ground beneath you- anything that you can feel in that moment.
Acknowledge three things that can be heard where you currently are. Listen to them and list those in your head as well.
Recognize two smells– acknowledge these scents.
Acknowledge one thing associated with taste– something that you can taste. This can be the food you had earlier, a meal you are planning, the toothpaste you use- anything that you can recognize the taste of. Hazen also suggests using a mint or a piece of gum for extra sensation, if you have one handy.
After using this grounding exercise, make sure to follow up with some deep breaths to help keep the calming feeling. This practice encourages awareness, rather than letting yourself get swept up in the overwhelming moments of anxiety, according to Walker.
Practice Gratitude
Focusing on things you are grateful for can help redirect your mind and focus on the positives in life. Try journaling at the beginning or end of the day, and write down at least 3 things you are grateful for. This exercise is not meant to invalidate or minimize struggles, Walker notes. It simply helps refocus your brain on the positive aspects of your day and your connections, to help you appreciate them and the good things that come with them. Fitness classes like hot yoga or unheated yoga also focus on showing gratitude and acknowledging the positive, so drop into a studio near you to try a new way of indulging.
Care For Your Mental & Physical Wellness
Body image and self-esteem-based struggles differ with every individual. No one feels exactly the same about how they look, and it can be frustrating to try and share your personal issues with others who don’t understand them. The key to conquering negative body image is setting healthy expectations and reversing negative self-talk. Alexa Walker suggests paying close attention throughout the day, and when you catch yourself saying something bad or hurtful in regards to your body, immediately stop and try going the other way with your thought. If you think an outfit makes you look bad, change that thought to how nice your hair looks, or how well a certain article of clothing fits or appears despite the outfit as a whole.
Ashley Hazen also suggests posting positive sayings around your house, so they can help flip a negative narrative when you see them. Use sticky notes or small pieces of paper that leave encouraging messages, like “you’re doing so well at work,” or “you look really fantastic.” Sometimes we all need a boost, even if it is just from ourselves.
