30 September 2015
Why is Autumn Difficult?
There is a bit of a misnomer about December being the hardest time of the year for people. In fact, generally speaking, most therapists would say September is the harder month, and one in which a higher-than-average amount of people seek a therapist. Why is this?
- less hours of light in the day (and thus, exposure to light)
- less holidays
- less activity outside of work and home due to changing weather
All of the above seem to result in a sense of existential “reckoning,” in that whatever was feeling wrong before is now more difficult to avoid facing since there are less reasons (and means) for distraction.
I also like to remind my clients about three basic things to pay attention to: sleep, exercise, and diet. Issues with any one of these can also play a part in how we are feeling.
If you are interested in learning more about my services, about me, or perhaps booking an appointment, please call me at 416-873-7828 or email me at info@downtowntherapy.ca for more information.
filed under: anxiety• change• depression• general info• myth
30 July 2015
Talking Addiction
Whenever a potential client contacts me and uses the a-word, I can trust in a couple of things: 1) that this person is coming to terms with something that they must feel very uncomfortable speaking about openly, and 2) that the a-word potentially carries many other words along with it–fear, shame, perhaps self-loathing.
Talking openly about addiction is hard. For anyone.
I tend to prefer using the word compulsion rather than addiction. Why? Perhaps it’s because society often treats addiction as a disease, some biomedical poltergeist that possesses us. Compulsion describes a central action–a client feels a compulsive need to drink alcohol, or use opiates, or put themselves in unhealthy sexual situations. It’s no wonder no one wants to talk about this sort of activity if it feels like we are admitting to being infected by a virus.
There are often deeper reasons for compulsive behaviour. Reasons which, for some clients, reach as far back as their family upbringing. Often times certain words rise to the surface when a client is discussing their compulsive behaviour–words like control, and enough.
“If only I had more control over my life.”
“If only I were thin enough.”
I encourage anyone wrestling with compulsive behaviour to speak with someone they feel comfortable with. Although everyone’s experience of life is different, generally speaking the first step is to feel that you are not alone, and perhaps the second step is to feel that you are understood by someone else. Therapists are good at this.
If you are interested in learning more about my services, about me, or perhaps booking an appointment, please call me at 416-873-7828 or email me at info@downtowntherapy.ca for more information.
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