Most clients know relaxation techniques, but struggle to use them. I can help guide you through different exercises and keep you accountable. Examples of relaxation techniques include meditation, breathing exercises, guided imagery, mindfulness, stretching and yoga, among others.

EXAMPLE

Example of Relaxation Technique I use often called the Safe Place Visualization. Click here to learn more.

Imagine a piece of paper that has been folded ten times over and over again. You open the paper and easily folds back along the creases. Our repetitive thoughts create physical grooves in our brain and eventually become so automatic you are unaware of their power. Often these are connected to our core beliefs we have formed throughout childhood. They are often based on faulty information. Through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy we create new neuropathways that are more aligned with who you want to be.

EXAMPLE

A common tool used in CBT is the Thought Record. It can be helpful in identifying any faulty information or assumptions we are making. Click here to view a Thought Record.

So much of what we experience is held in our bodies, not just our minds. By connecting to our bodies, we can discover and identify past hurt, core beliefs and traumas we are still holding on to. We can also work to identify multiple parts of our psyche.

A great book about this is called The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk. Hakomi and Internal Family Systems Therapy both work to identify where in the body you are holding onto emotions, memories and trauma.

I use elements of these approaches in my sessions if the client is open to them. However, I am not certified in either therapy, and I encourage you to look into therapists that specialize in this if it sounds like the best fit.

EXAMPLE

An example of somatic work is The Body Scan and Felt Sense Exercise. Click to learn more.

Exposure is a powerful tool for those with anxiety, panic disorders, OCD, phobias, and eating disorders. It can be one of the most direct and successful ways to work through most intrusive thoughts and fears.

You can do exposure on your own, however, if you have a really intense fears or phobia it is best to do this with a therapist to minimize and work through any negative impacts.

Sometimes we will use an Exposure Ladder and begin with the first small step.

EXAMPLE

An example of exposure would be looking at a picture of a needle if you suffer from a fear of needles. That might be your fourth step in the exposure ladder. An example of the first step might be just hearing the word needle. Click here for the Exposure Hierarchy with other examples.