Aaron Gander

Services Offered

Counselling is a process that enables an individual to draw upon their own internal resources to resolve difficult issues experienced within their lives.

Psychotherapy is a healing process that takes place within the relationship between the client and the therapist. Psychotherapy heals personality by helping individuals to correct flawed developmental processes, thus enabling needs to me met in more productive and healthier way.

Cognitive Coaching is a goal orientated process that develops an individual’s capacity to problem solve, using a cognitive behavioural approach. Such a process is more orientated towards thought process with a belief that it is not the event that causes emotional distress, but our thinking about the event.

Family Coaching helps families to resolve conflict and develop their relationships with one another. Families have a tendency to develop more effectively when they engage as a whole unit as opposed to engaging on an individual basis.

The above services can help with:

Anxiety
Relational Issues
Depression
Addiction
Life Transitions
Phobias
Poor Self Image
Work Related Problems
Stress Management
Low Self Esteem
Assertiveness
Anger Issues

The cost of the therapeutic services offered is based on a sliding scale, and is subject to the individuals income. This is to make therapy and coaching affordable to all, despite their financial status.

Wednesday, 28 April 2010

Mindfulness and Depression

Beyond Coping: An Mindfulness Exercise
by Matt Laughlin, MA.

You can apply today...

"The important thing is not the neurosis, but the man who has the neurosis. We have to set to work on the human being, and we must be able to do him justice as a human being."

Carl G. Jung1Jung is correct. The most important thing is not the depression, but the person who has depression. Among all the clients I work with, what I can say for certain is that the quality of each person's inner experience and their life situation is very unique.
Yet...
While treating depression is unique for each person, there are great general practices that can be helpful.
This is where mindfulness and depression practices have their relevance. While most mindfulness practices are designed to help you cope with the symptoms of depression, others reach deeper.
They address the collective aspects of the human psyche and simultaneously help you uncover and realize your unique, individual potential.
Applying mindfulness to depression isn't simply a technique. Its clinical value is a consequence of the context in which it is presented.
Before applying a mindfulness exercise for depression, guilt, worry, shame or any other depleting emotional state it is critical to acknowledge a central element of a successful mindfulness practice...
A contextualization of the nature of consciousness.

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Mindfulness and the Nature of Consciousness
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Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and other psychological applications of mindfulness share two things in common. Each has roots in various wisdom traditions, and each asserts there is a difference between you and your thoughts.
A core aspect of mindfulness is becoming aware of one's sense of self, and our misleading tendency to identify ourselves as our body and/or mind. Numerous spiritual traditions make an essential distinction - we have a body and mind, but we are not the body and mind. One of the most powerful contextualizations of these distinctions is offered by psychiatrist, David R. Hawkins.

Body

Hawkins notes it is relatively easy, experientially, to realize that our inner sense of awareness and presence is not dependent on the body.2
How many times have you awoken with your arm or leg "asleep," only to find that while 20% of your physical body wasn't registering - your inner sense of self was unaltered?
As children we recall poking our arms that fell asleep, perhaps surprised that we didn't register any sensations. Yet our sense of "me" didn't change.
A common question highlighting this point is this...
If both legs were amputated, would your awareness of yourself - your inner sense of presence - be disturbed?
While a significant portion of the body may be missing entirely, or may not be registered in the mind, the core sense of 'I' or 'me', does not change in the slightest. As Hawkins notes, the sensations of the body are registered and experienced in a larger field of awareness commonly referred to as Mind.2

Mind

The mind, which registers the sensations of the body, is commonly assumed to be the locus of our sense of self and the source of our thoughts. If you think this is true, take one minute and cease thinking entirely...
Any luck?
If you tried this you noticed right away that the mind went on chattering of its own. If you were the mind, you could cease thinking at will.
What's more...
Practically speaking, in the context of mindfulness and depression, if you were the mind you could stop all negative, ruminating thinking at any moment.
Like the body, the mind is actually experienced in a still larger field of awareness2. And this is where the value of mindfulness practices comes in.

The Witness

What is it that watches and observes the content of the mind? How do you know what you are thinking? Depending on the tradition or psychological technique, there are many names used to describe this impersonal quality of human consciousness that watches the content of the mind. We will refer to it as the Witness.
Just as the sensations of the body are registered in the mind, the content of the mind is recognized in a larger field of awareness. This greater field is consciousness. As Hawkins notes, the song of a songbird would go unnoticed if not for the silent back drop of the forest.3 Similarly, our thoughts would go unnoticed if not for the silent field of human consciousness.
This is point is essential
Why? Because one of the greatest obstacles to overcoming depression is identifying your sense of self with your thoughts and feelings.
That which we are is far greater than our mind would tell us. If you're constantly swept up in your thoughts and negative feelings, and believe them to be true reflections of what you are, you naturally feel trapped and hopeless.
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Setting the Stage for a Mindfulness Practice
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The common inclination is to attempt to stop, shut down, control, deny and change all these thoughts, assuming this is the way to go about lifting yourself out of depression. A core tenet of a mindfulness approach to depression is to stop trying to do anything with your thoughts.A friend of mine once joked that practicing mindfulness or sitting in meditation is like picking up the phone and listening to a lunatic on the other line, only the lunatic is "you."
More accurately, this voice on the other line is the mind, and the "real you" is that which is aware of its chatter.
Mindfulness practices invite us to make friends with this worried, desperate person on the phone. We need not heed their advice or take what they have to say literally. Instead, we are to compassionately allow this person to be as they are.
As we allow the difficult sensations accompanying negative thoughts to come up and be experienced within, this voice on the other line gradually becomes more sane and reasonable.
In the modern spiritual classic, I Am That, one of the most celebrated sages of India, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, continuously invited visitors to simply watch their minds. As Maharaj suggests, simply watching the mind begins a process in which the nature of the mind and the corresponding emotional states change for the better.4 In other words, your task isn't to convince the upset person on the other end of the telephone line to change his ways. Instead, you are to watch and listen to him with as much compassion as you can muster.
The first step in a mindfulness exercise is to have the willingness to allow yourself to feel and experience what comes up once you cease attempting to change or control your thoughts.
Jung's famous quote, "What you resist persists" could not be more apt. And as Hawkins notes, "when you let go of resisting a thing, you disappear it."
Paradoxically, trying to overly analyze your negative thoughts or change your thinking may be a form of resistance. A mindfulness practice invites you to take your attention away from the specific content of thoughts and ruminations.
Instead you are to bring your awareness to the sensations within your body. As you do this you stop resisting the unconscious pain and fear that may need to be released and undone by experiencing it out.
A very useful metaphor commonly applied to a mindfulness psychotherapy process is to picture your repressed feelings and thoughts as residing in a compressed tank of propane gas. As you allow yourself to feel the sensations in your body that accompany sadness, worry and self-contempt you gradually open the valve of the tank. With time the intensity of difficult inner states diminishes and you no longer feel dominated by the next wave of painful thoughts and feelings.
I like this metaphor, because it is up to you to determine how much to open the valve at any time, and how long to leave it open. The good news is that there is only so much the tank can hold, and with time, it empties.
A final, classic analogy is useful to set the stage for a step-by-step mindfulness and depression practice...
The feelings and sensations in your body, like the thoughts in your mind, are all like the tumultuous waves on the surface of a vastly deep and calm ocean. Our tendency is to personally identify with the tumult of thoughts, feelings and sensations that collectively make up the waves on top of the ocean, forgetting that one mile below is an infinitely peaceful stillness, completely unaffected by the activity on the surface.3
The bottom of the sea is like the witness, that sane person on the telephone line listening to the desperate beliefs and thoughts of the mind. Naturally, if you identify with this irrational 'person' on the other line as you, you will feel scared. Yet, dis-identifying with the mind and simultaneously allowing it to rant, creates an empowering space to dwell in.
We know that in reality there is no way this desperate person on the other line can actually harm us - much like the bottom of the sea remains absolutely still and calm despite the waves above.
The Mindfulness Practice

Now that we've set the stage, let's turn to a mindfulness practice which helps diminish the intensity of difficult feelings, not by running from them, but by going into them and allowing them to run through you. For less intense emotions, you can apply this practice in ordinary daily activities.
Clinical Note- this practice is not for everyone. If you are having suicidal thoughts, are severely depressed, or have a history of trauma or abuse, do not apply this practice. It could potentially be harmful. In such cases, it is strongly suggested you seek support from a licensed, mental health professional.

References

1. Jung Carl G. 1966. The Practice of Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy and a Philosophy of Life. (Collected Works Vol. 16). Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press.
2. Hawkins, David R. 1987. DVD Lecture: Archival Office Series, A-10 Depression. Sedona, AZ: Veritas Publishing.
3. _______. 2002. "Realizing the Root of Consciousness: Meditative and Contemplative Techniques." Lecture 6, June. Sedona, AZ: Veritas Publishing.
4. Maharaj, Sri Nisargadatta. 1973. I Am That. Trans. By Maurice Frydman. Durham, NC: The Acorn Press.

Matt Laughlin, MA

Psychotherapist

303-929-3353

Contact Me

http://www.spirituscounseling.com/mindfulness-and-depression.html

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Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal healthy reaction that we all will experience from time to time through out lives. In a sense, we can say that anxiety is a primitive defence mechanism that alerts us when our basic needs are at threat.

Though the above is true, anxiety can also hinder many people’s experiences on a day to day basis. How does this work? It is based on the fact that unless there is a real danger in the present moment, anxiety is generally created by catastrophic think. Catastrophic thinking is when a person continually thinks that danger will occur. Here are some examples:

People are always laughing at me.
I best not go into the town.
I will die if I drive on the motorway, cars are always crashing.
I am stupid, so I will fail that exam.

The problem with anxiety is that the feeling is unpleasant. We also are pre-programmed to avoid situations that are a threat to our survival. So in essence, we avoid. The more we avoid the situations that create the anxiety. The more powerful the emotions become associated with the given situation.

Fight or Flight

When we become anxious, thinking that danger will occur, our bodies go into the Fight or flight process. This process prepares us to either stand and fight, or to run away from the perceived danger. Here is a list of the common physical sensations associated with the fight or flight process:

Increased heart rate
Sweating
Tingling
Dry mouth
Blurred vision
Butterflies in the stomach
Needing to use the toilet
Shaking
Excessive breathing

So let’s now tie all of these symptoms together. In signs of threat, our body releases the chemical adrenalin when the brain associates threat with our well being. When this occurs, we will begin to shake. The tingling feelings running up and down our backs, are the electrical signals being sent to the adrenal glands from our brains to release the chemical adrenalin. Our mouths will become dry and we will experience butterflies in our stomachs. The butterflies are associated with blood being moved from our stomachs into our larger muscles groups. Associated with this is an elevated heart rate. Not only is our heart working hard to move blood to the larger muscle groups, it also is working harder to oxygenate our blood. Hence, you will experience your breathing increasing, becoming more rapid. Our vision also blurs initially, as it becomes more acute to the danger, and we also begin to sweat as our body attempts to cool us down. You may also experience the need to use the toilet as attempts to rid excess fluid. But do please remember, all of these above processes are designed to make us the ultimate fighting or running machine.

Blood Pressure and anxiety

A pounding heart and racing pulse is a common physical experience with anxiety. People will often think that such symptoms are associated with having a heart attack. Again remember from the above example, our blood pressure increases as our heart attempts to move blood into our larger muscle groups and provide our brains with a higher level of oxygen.

People also believe that they are going to faint. This is almost impossible with anxiety, as fainting is associated with low blood pressure and not high.

Hyperventilation

This occurs during times of anxiety and panic. Hyperventilation can be described as a process where a person breaths to quickly. In a sense they over breath. This can make an individual feel even more breathless. Symptoms associated with hyperventilation can be:

Blurred vision
Dry mouth
Tightness in the chest

Why do the above symptoms occur? They occur due to the rapid shallow breathing, and in when this happens we fail to hold onto enough carbon dioxide.

Other Forms of Anxiety

Social Phobia – The general fear of situations that expose us to other people. This can lead us to avoiding social interactions with others.

Agoraphobia – The general fear of being alone or in public spaces that we cannot escape from. Most common are crowds of people, busses, busy streets or shops.

Specific Phobia – The irrational fear of a specific object, activity or situation.

General Anxiety Disorder – The essential feature here is the prolonged experience of anxiety for a duration of a least one month.

Post Traumatic Stress – The development of intense episodes of anxiety following a psychological/emotional traumatic event that is generally outside the normal range of human experience. What is characteristic is that the individual re-experiences the traumatic event initiating the original associated emotional response.

Panic Disorder – The essential feature here is the recurrent panic attacks that occur unpredictably. Such attacks could occur whilst driving a car or visiting the shops. Such attacks are manifested with an intense feeling of anxiety, often associated with impending doom.

Drs. Hal and Sidra Stone’s work, Voice Dialogue, Relationship, and the Psychology of Selves can be used by individuals for their own personal growth or by professionals in the fields of psychotherapy, counseling, personal coaching, and business and organizational consulting. Their psychospiritual approach to consciousness and transformation includes an in-depth study of the many selves or subpersonalities that make up the psyche, as well as work with dreams, archetypal bonding patterns, and body energy fields

What is Big Mind?

Dennis Genpo Merzel Roshi formulated his "Big Mind Process" in the late 1990s, which is most succinctly described as a combination of western psychological technique with a Zen Buddhist understanding of reality. The primary inspiration for the Big Mind Process exercise is the Voice Dialogue method created by Hal Stone and Sidra Stone. Voice Dialogue and Big Mind are similar to a variety of awareness exercises in Gestalt psychology, with Big Mind situating this process within a Buddhist ontology that moves one between the domains of the relative and absolute.

Depression

What is depression?
Depression is different from feeling down or sad. Unhappiness is something which everyone feels at one time or another, usually due to a particular cause. A person suffering from depression will experience intense emotions of anxiety, hopelessness, negativity and helplessness, and the feelings stay with them instead of going away.

Depression can happen to anyone. Many successful and famous people,who seem to have everything going for them, battle with this problem. Depression also affects people of every age.

Half of the people who have depression will only experience it once but for the other half it will happen again. The length of time that it takes to recover ranges from around 6 months to a year or more.

Living with depression is difficult for those who suffer from it and for their family, friends and colleagues. It can be difficult to know if you are depressed and what you can do about it.

Signs and symptoms of depression
The following are the most common symptoms of depression. If you experience 4 or more of the symptoms listed below, for most of the day, every day for more than 2 weeks, you should seek help from your GP.

Tiredness and loss of energy
Sadness that does not go away
Loss of self-confidence and self-esteem
Difficulty concentrating
Not being able to enjoy things that are usually pleasurable or interesting
Feeling anxious all the time
Avoiding other people, sometimes even your close friends
Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness
Sleeping problems - difficulties in getting off to sleep or waking up much earlier than usual
Very strong feelings of guilt or worthlessness
Finding it hard to function at work/college/school
Loss of appetite
Loss of sex drive and/or sexual problems
Physical aches and pains
Thinking about suicide and death
Self-harm

What causes depression?
Depression can happen suddenly as a result of physical illness, experiences from childhood, unemployment, bereavement, family problems or other life changing events.

Examples of chronic illnesses linked to depression include heart disease, back pain and cancer. Pituitary damage, a treatable condition which frequently follows head injuries, may also lead to depression.

Sometimes, there may be no clear reason for your depression but whatever the original cause, identifying those things which may affect how you feel and the things that are likely to trigger depression is an important first step.

Types of depression
There are several types of depression, some of which are listed below.

Mild depression
Depression is described as mild when it has a negative but limited effect on your daily life, for example, you may have difficulty concentrating at work or motivating yourself to do the things you normally enjoy. It is described as more severe when it has a major impact on everyday life, such as being unable to work or look after yourself, or needing to be hospitalised.

Major depression
Major depression interferes with an individual’s ability to cope with their daily life; with eating, sleeping and many other everyday activities. Some people may experience only one episode but several episodes in a lifetime is more common. Recognising the signs that indicate an episode is very useful as it means the person can seek help earlier. Sometimes, there may not be an obvious cause.

Bipolar (Manic) depression
The mood swings which define bipolar depression can be extreme. These range from highs – where the individual feels extremely elated and indestructible; to lows – where they may experience despair and lethargy. Sometimes there will also be severe symptoms where the person cannot make sense of their world and does things that seem odd or illogical. Bipolar depression is a long term illness.

Post-natal depression
Many new mothers experience what are sometimes called “baby blues” a few days after the birth. But these feelings of anxiety and a lack of confidence are unlikely to last more than a couple of weeks. Post-natal depression is more intense and lasts longer. It can leave new mothers feeling inadequate, completely overwhelmed and unable to cope. They may have problems sleeping, panic attacks or an intense fear of dying.
They may also experience negative feelings towards their child. It affects one in ten mothers and usually begins two to three weeks after the birth.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
This type of depression is associated with the start of winter and can last until spring when longer days bring more daylight. When it is mild, it is sometimes called “winter blues”. SAD can make the sufferer feel anxious, stressed and depressed. It may interfere with their moods and with their sleeping and eating patterns.

Taking control of your depression

Depression often makes you feel helpless. Taking action to make yourself feel more in control will have a positive effect, whether it’s going to see your GP for treatment, joining the local gym, or doing something that you are interested in or good at. If you don’t feel up to starting something new or joining a local group on your own, ask a friend if they will join with you.

There are many things you can do to help manage your symptoms yourself and a wide range of treatments, both medical and non-medical, available through your GP.

http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/information/mental-health-a-z/depression/#control