Search Results for: lisa firestone/feed/2009/11/fear-of-intimacy

Skiing – A Metaphor for Emotional Regulation

…the child’s skill level? What is the terrain/challenge? Is my child bold, fearless, or overconfident, requiring limits to stay safe? Is my child fearful, tentative, or over cautious, requiring support to manage challenges? Is my fear taking hold, knocking down bumps the child needs to learn to navigate? Considering the process of learning to ski as a metaphor for learning how to regulate or manage emotions can help us keep the bigger picture in m…

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coping with addiction

The Critical Inner Voice and Addiction

…hol to distract myself — from the fear that loved ones would die; from the fear that I would lose my job and might not be able to get another one; from the fear that hospitals were going to run out of their limited supplies.” In addition to a chilling sense of uncertainty, many people are coping with the isolation felt from social distancing. Studies have shown feelings of loneliness to be stronger in drug abusers, which may increase their probabi…

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Anxiety: An Emotion to be Listened to, not a Symptom to be Eliminated

…But, perhaps we have gone too far. When the representational and functional significance of anxiety are viewed as irrelevant and ignored, people are deprived of self-knowledge sources that are inroads to lasting solutions to anxiety. 11 Ways to Ease Your Anxious Mind Length: 60 Minutes Price: $15 On-Demand Webinars     In this Webinar: It’s time to stop letting anxiety rule you. In this program, Elisha Goldstein invites you to experience 11 essen…

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Recovering from the Trauma of this Past Year

…s including family and friends not wanting to leave a particular place for fear of “what might happen” Reactions to Trauma Most people have some kind of stress reaction after a trauma. This reaction can be subtle, insidious, or outright destructive. The less obvious effects, termed “subthreshold” trauma symptoms, can involve having difficulty regulating emotional states, maintaining steady and rewarding social and family relationships, and functio…

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life during the pandemic

The Second Wave: The Emotional Impact of the Prolonged Pandemic

…h that are being offered. I make an effort to be aware of what triggers my fear and anxiety. There are some that I consciously avoid: the news channels with “breaking news” enhanced by swirling graphics and dramatic music. Updates popping up on my phone notifying me about the latest political corruption, natural disaster, or death toll from Covid. But there are others that are real and part of my life: having to socially distance from my grandchil…

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Dear Voices…………Goodbye.

…agonising double bind. You fill me with your toxic shame, Your guilt, your fear, and how to take the blame. You’ve taught me how to fear success, And believe I’ve failed, having done my best. Sometimes I voice my protest, At what you say to me, But you’re always there to lead me back where you need me to be. Confused, lost, and broken, as if I’m not really there, A torturous re-education, from you, the voices; The ones who really care. How can you…

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steps to worry less

Worrying Less in 5 Steps

…of intention saying, “May I feel safe and secure, may I be free from this fear, may I feel a sense of belonging.” Make this personal to whatever your needs are. Expand awareness and wishes to all people Whatever the worrying is about, it’s important you know you’re not alone. Feeling vulnerable is part of the human condition and millions of people struggle with the same source of vulnerability that you experience. But when we’re feeling vulnerabl…

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Insight into Extremism and the Terrorist Mentality

…re essentially “immortality projects” that attempt to defend against death fears, one can learn better methods to cope with the terror. The author suggests that (1) people can be taught to communicate their fears openly about the subject with a person close to them or in a group format. This type of communication affords a certain relief from the pain; (2) they can develop the ability to express the full range of their feelings in an emotional cat…

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Living Life as an Authentic Adult

…f discontent. The major deterrent to living an adult existence lies in the fear of growing up. This includes the fear of breaking imagined connections with parents, being alone, standing out as an individual, having a strong point of view, recognizing one’s value and confronting the inevitability of death, the ultimate separation from self. Like this woman, many people have a strong desire to hold on to fantasy bonds or imagined connections to par…

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The Appeal of Online Dating and Suggestions for Success

…urage via confidence or liquid, you won’t initiate a conversation due to a fear of being rejected. How humiliating to hear, “I’m sorry but I have a girlfriend,” or when you ask for her number, she responds “Why don’t I take yours?” The chances of rejection are often too high to place confidence in vulnerability. Online dating provides enough options in a small amount of time, and a computer screen between us to alleviate the fear of rejection. Ano…

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