Re-entry Anxiety

In most cities we’ve seen offices, entertainment, and schools reopen. Some people are struggling with anxiety about re-entering. There may be increased anxiety about socializing in person, feeling scrutinized by others or feeling self-conscious. For other people it may feel or be risky to engage in-person due to health concerns. Here are a few points…

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Compassion for yourself

I was a graduate student when I first heard Kristin Neff (pioneer in the field of self-compassion) speak. I remember being blown away by this concept of being kind towards yourself. As a student I had a crazy schedule, juggling two labs, three clinical sites, a dissertation, and classes. I felt the need to always…

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Press pause on your thinking

We have anywhere from 50,000-80000 thoughts in a day. ⁠ That is way too many thoughts to keep track of. So many of our thoughts pass through without us noticing. ⁠ ⁠ But we cannot believe every thought we have. There are so many untrue thoughts or unhelpful thoughts that we accept because we just…

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Dr. Google

  Web MD, healthline, mayoclinic and other sites like these can be helpful in deciding when to visit a doctor or deciding treatment for mild concerns.   If you have anxiety though, you may experience panic and fear when googled symptoms are ‘consistent’ with severe illnesses. You can spend hours on the internet convinced that…

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Happy-ish Holidays

  If you struggle with anxiety, the holiday season can be a time of high stress. There are gifts to buy, decorations to hang, traditions to follow, and people to please. This can lead to worries and tension about doing things ‘right’.   This desire to do things ‘right’ is mentally and physically exhausting.  …

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Just think happy thoughts?

Not all thoughts are positive and that’s okay. A mistake people make when they try to challenge thoughts is to just think rosy positive thoughts. “I’ll do perfectly on my presentation” “I’ll be totally fine while driving” “Today is going to be the best day ever” While some people enjoy mantras or manifesting good things…

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Ride the waves of anxiety

A lot of metaphors around anxiety use water. ⁠ ⁠ Waves, rivers, ocean currents, rainstorms… When we talk about these natural elements, we can understand the lack of control. ⁠ ⁠ Most people have heard stories about fighting against ocean currents and the need to swim parallel. Many people have ridden down a river and…

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But what caused the feeling?

There is not always a direct trigger for our feelings. And sometimes the endless search for a “reason” behind a feeling turns into a hyper focus on our feelings. That can even make it feel bigger. Sometimes there isn’t a reason. Feelings come and go. ⁠ ⁠ The goal isn’t to dissect every feeling that…

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SoCal OCD Conference

Are you interested in learning more about OCD either for yourself or for a family member? You may be interested in attending the OCD Southern California Annual Conference. This conference is unique because it was developed both for professionals and for those affected by OCD. It’s a wonderful chance to get questions answered and learn…

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