#Alternative Therapy

A lot of people come into therapy thinking the goal is to “get rid of” or “fix” anxiety. I absolutely don’t blame them - anxiety suuuuucks. But here’s the thing I wish every single person understood about anxiety… The more we focus on the goal of getting rid of it…the stronger it will become. Let me explain. Trying to control or eliminate anxiety often backfires in a big way. By trying to eliminate it we teach our nervous system that anxiety itself is a threat. A thing to be avoided. And anxiety doesn’t like being avoided. If you’re not listening, it’ll just work harder to have its voice be heard. Coping skills for anxiety aren’t a bad thing. We should learn to manage things when they get overwhelming. However, for long term change when it comes to anxiety the key lies in acceptance. Acceptance based therapy teaches you to make space for anxious feelings instead of resisting or avoiding them. When you accept anxiety instead of battling against it, you reduce its intensity and disrupt the cycle of fear and avoidance. This doesn’t mean giving up or resigning to anxiety forever. It means learning to live with anxiety symptoms, noticing them without judgment, and understanding that anxiety is your body’s way of trying to keep you safe - even if it feels uncomfortable. It is about changing your relationship to it so that you can co-exist with your anxiety while maintaining control and decision making authority over your own life. Anxiety doesn’t go away…but it no longer calls the shots. Have you tried everything to cope with your anxiety and are still struggling? If so, maybe an acceptance based route is the right one for you. I am accepting new clients both in person in Airdrie and across Alberta virtually ✨ | mental health | therapy | mindfulness | acceptance and commitment therapy | anxiety relief | nervous system regulation | #mentalhealth #anxiety #anxietyrelief #anxietysupport #anxietyrecovery #mindfulness #acceptance #healingjourney #livingwithanxiety #therapyreels #therapist #airdrietherapist #calgarytherapist #albertatherapist

Some subtle things your therapist is probably picking up on 👇🏼 1️⃣ YOUR BODY LANGUAGE Sometimes your body says more than your words. Crossing your arms, fidgeting, or avoiding eye contact, we notice the subtle cues that tell us how comfortable or uncomfortable you’re feeling-even if you don’t realize it yourself 👀 . 2️⃣ YOUR SELF-TALK Your therapist picks up on the way you talk about yourself-whether it’s full of self-compassion or harsh criticism. Those little phrases like “I’m so stupid” or “I should’ve known better” don’t go unnoticed. We are tracking it all, to gently bring them to your awareness in the appropriate timing 🗣️ 3️⃣YOUR PROGRESS Even on the days when you feel stuck, your therapist notices the small shifts-like being more open, setting a boundary, or challenging an old belief. We remember where you were so we can reflect back to you how you are growing and changing all the time. Progress isn’t always big or loud; it often shows up in the tiny shifts 🌱. . . . #counselor #counselors #counseling #counselorsofinstagram #counselorlife #therapist #therapy #therapists #therapistsofinstagram #therapistlife #psychotherapy #psychotherapist #psychotherapists #psychotherapistsofinstagram #therapistmemes #therapymemes #therapylife #socialwork #socialworker #socialworkers #socialworkerlife

bonus: if you’re new to therapy, online therapy is a great way to get a feel for it while you’re in the comfort of your safe space! if you’re interested in dipping your toes in- click the link in my bio and let’s set up a FREE intro call, to see if we’re a good fit💛 #onlinetherapy #therapy #anxietyrelief

This is our kind of therapist 👏🏻👏🏻 *TikTok credit to md.therapy

Therapy can be a daunting process to start. It’s hard to find a therapist, and even harder to find one that feels like a good fit. There are many different modalities and styles, but for the most part, I think these 5 points hold true across the board, with a few exceptions (e.g., Num. 4 not as much in structured therapy protocols, and Num. 5 for more classical psychoanalytic approaches where the therapist is a “blank screen”). I see people in the comments talking about their negative therapy experiences sometimes, and wanted to give my take on some factors that I would look out for when referring my family and friends to therapy. Therapy modality and style is a whole other thing I can talk about in the future if people are interested, as certain approaches can be more effective or less depending on your difficulties/interpersonal style. I hope this helps give you a bit of a framework to go off. #therapist #psychologist #mentalhealth #healingjourney #psychotherapy

Different therapy modalities resonate with different types of people—and that’s a good thing. Some thrive with the structured, thought-focused approach of CBT. Others connect more deeply through the emotion-centered lens of EFT. And for those navigating life’s complexity, ACT offers a values-based path forward. There’s no one-size-fits-all in healing—just the right fit for you. 🎥 @therapy_to_the_point

Three things therapy taught me (the hard way): 1. You won’t always get it right the first time. Even when you want to heal. Even when you’re doing your best. Progress isn’t always clean—it spills, it leaks, it gets messy. 2. Your therapist isn’t there to fix you. They’re there to hold space, offer perspective, and sometimes catch what you drop. But the work? It’s still yours. 3. Eventually… you get it right. Not because you became perfect. But because you stayed with the process. Again and again. Let this be a reminder: healing isn’t linear—but it is possible #mind #mentalhealth

📚For more on this subject and other insights from therapy to help with everyday ups and downs, see the link in my bio to order my book, Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? Available for UK, USA and across Europe. When we feel painful emotion the most natural human response is to pull away, escape them and avoid. We block them out with anything that feels safe and pleasurable. But when we do that, the painful emotions don’t always disappear forever. We find ourselves trapped in cycles of addictive behaviours that keep the emotion at bay for just a short time. The way we guide people to process painful emotion in therapy is to allow the emotion to be there, turn towards it and feel it, while soothing yourself through the process with skills that help you to tolerate the distress. This enables the emotion to take its natural course and wash over you. Emotions come in waves so we know they will increase in intensity, peak and then come back down again. #anxiety #mentalhealth #psychologist #selfhelp #selfcare #selfhealing #recovery #trauma #resilience #anxious #therapy #lifetips #grief #bereavement s1805

Healing doesn’t usually announce itself. It shows up quietly in pauses, in softened responses, in the ability to stay present with what’s hard without rushing past it. #mentalhealthawareness #traumahealing #selfcare #therapy #midwest

When 80% of our internal communication is from our body to our brain and 20% from brain to body, we love therapies that can integrate both somatic & talk approaches! Integrative and holistic approaches are our favvvvv at @manhattanpsychotherapy . . Looking to get started with integrative therapy in NY? We’re accepting new clients! Book a free consultation at the link in bio. . . #somatictherapy #talktherapy #emdr #holistic #nyctherapy #integrative

Therapy should be somewhere you go and feel TOTALLY yourself. If it’s not, then you need to find a new therapist 🧡 Dylsa’ therapi fod yn le i chdi fod yn HOLLOL chi’ch hun. Os dydi’o ddim, da chi angen chwilio am therapydd newydd 🧡 • #therapy #onlinetherapy #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #couplestherapy #therapicymraeg #cymraes #wellbeing #wellness #beyou #selfcare #loveyourself

Hot take: Talk therapy can create awareness. But awareness alone doesn’t calm a dysregulated nervous system. Your body needs to process what it’s been holding, not just understand it. At some point, the body has to be involved. That’s where real change happens. If you’re done just understanding it and ready to actually shift it, you’re in the right place. #bodywork #energetichealing #nervoussystemhealing