Alberta Mental Health
616 3rd Ave South T1J0H5 Lethbridge, AB, Canada

https://lnk.bio/NlgN Highlights & Takeaways *How seeing a counsellor can be for everyone, not just people in a crisis or diagnosed with a mental illness... *The analogy of mental health being like a house *How to better connect with yourself and others *The fear ladder approach to breaking down fears around connecting with people *Combating social anxiety through exposing yourself to more social situations See more

https://excusestoconnect.com/podcast/2

https://www.instagram.com/p/CRhMpsVszPb/

We all have patterns playing out in our lives. Some are obvious that we can connect right away to our origin. For example: parents were workaholics and now you have adopted this same pattern of a work / life balance (or lack there of). Some patterns are less obvious. Example: parents were too overwhelmed with their own emotions growing up that yours were missed, perpetuating a felt sense of not being seen, heard, or attended to in the ways you needed. This may now result in a... pattern of avoiding your own emotions or showing up in other relationships in your life such as seeking out connections with others that may lack in greater emotional depth and vulnerability. Counselling can be a step to building more awareness of our healthy and unhealthy patterns that stem unconsciously from our origins of upbringing. Questions to consider : What patterns am I aware of that I may want to consider changing ? Can I recognize others in my life with these same patterns ? What did my younger self need more of ? #lethbridgeonlinetherapy #albertaonlinetherapy #albertamentalhealth #lethbridgetherapy #albertatherapy #counselling #telecounselling #mentalhealth

Meta communication- telling the story that’s in your head. Sharing the story behind the story. Some examples of this in your communication might sound like : We don’t spend a lot of time together anymore, and the story I tell myself is that this is because my husband would rather work.... I didn’t hear back from my friend when I texted her and the story I am telling myself is that she must be ignoring me and that I’m annoying. I didn’t get a raise at work and the narrative in my head is this is because I must not be good enough at my job.

What did 2020 teach you?

Read that again. It is critical that we make time for our wellness. It is NOT a want. ... It IS a need. We cannot show up for others if we ourselves are burnt out. Now more then ever people are feeling the effects of continuous strain on their nervous systems. Because of the threat of COVID-19, our brains have been in a chronic state of hyperarousal. This means you may be feeling an increase in irritability, fatigue, difficulty concentrating or remembering things, affect the way you are interacting with others, and over reactions that don’t feel like yourself. Consider finding and making use of recharging activities, which are things that make you feel more energetic when you finish than when you start. Common recharging activities include sleep, eating healthy foods, connecting with loved ones, find ways to laugh and to take a mental break from all the media coverage of COVID-19. #lethbridgecounselling #counselling #lethbridgecounsellor #lethbridgetherapist #albertamentalhealth #mentalhealth #lethbridgementalhealth #wellvitality #therapy #psychotherapy #albertacounselling #socialworker #mentalhealthprofessional #lethbridge #alberta #ecounsellinglethbridge #ecounselling #telehealth #socialworker #clinicalsocialwork #therapist #cbt #somatictherapy #dbt #emdr #anxiety #depression #stress-management #lifetransitions #universitycounselling

A lot of us are in survival mode right now. Trying our best to function and make it through day to day during a pandemic. At this time, it’s important to acknowledge that our nervous systems may be feeling more depleted then normal. Validating our experience can be powerful in itself. Just naming those added stressors on your plate and acknowledging that they may be feeling heavy at this time. That is okay. You are doing your best in an unprecedented time. You might notice that your way of surviving best is through coping mechanisms such as avoidance or numbing out. This may be the best thing for you in this time. Perhaps later, when you feel there is more emotional space to tap into processing, we can consider doing so.

Box breathing can be a useful tool to use when you are feeling flooded with emotion. The benefits of box breathing can be to calm your nervous system, reduce stress and improve mental focus and self awareness. Add box breath to your many tools to help you ground when your anxious or overwhelmed. ... #lethbridgecounselling #counselling #lethbridgecounsellor #lethbridgetherapist #albertamentalhealth #mentalhealth #lethbridgementalhealth #wellvitality #therapy #psychotherapy #albertacounselling #socialworker #mentalhealthprofessional #lethbridge #alberta #ecounsellinglethbridge #ecounselling #telehealth #socialworker #clinicalsocialwork #therapist #cbt #somatictherapy #dbt #emdr #anxiety #depression #stress-management #lifetransitions #universitycounselling

Everything we encounter has something to teach us. Perhaps that is something to learn about ourselves or about others, or maybe both at the same time! These lessons can often be hard to absorb and we might try to meet them with resistance or denial. Stop, pause, and instead of asking why? ponder this question What is this revealing to me? ... Approach experiences as if your a student of your own life. I find taking this standpoint often leads to more openness for growth and self awareness. It also can feel less persecuting and more open minded. #lethbridgecounselling #counselling #lethbridgecounsellor #lethbridgetherapist #albertamentalhealth #mentalhealth #lethbridgementalhealth #wellvitality #therapy #psychotherapy #albertacounselling #socialworker #mentalhealthprofessional #lethbridge #alberta #ecounsellinglethbridge #ecounselling #telehealth #socialworker #clinicalsocialwork #therapist #cbt #somatictherapy #dbt #emdr #anxiety #depression #stress-management #lifetransitions #universitycounselling