Author: Judy Gurfein

Somatic Therapy

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Somatic Therapy

By: Amelia Amen

When an individual goes through a traumatic experience, the trauma they experienced may often remain in their body. Somatic therapy is a rising form of therapy that allows individuals to engage in a mind-body connection in order to minimize any arousals of stress. The practice of somatic therapy involves acknowledging how stress and trauma are experienced in the body, then following with engaging in body techniques such as dancing, body scans, etc. The re-occurring feeling of trauma being stored in the body is the result of the nervous system remaining in survival mode, leading to high levels of cortisol being continually released. Cortisol is one of the leading hormones that increases stress levels in the body. Incorporating somatic therapy with CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) is a gentle approach to managing the body’s stored trauma. Somatic therapy can benefit individuals with PTSD, anxiety, depression, coping with grief, experiencing chronic illness or pain, sexual dysfunction, addiction, insecurities, abuse, and more.

Types of Somatic Therapies

  • Hakomi Method: Encouraging the growth of an individual by using mindfulness and experimental practices. It is a holistic approach that focuses on increasing our internal awareness
  • Grounding: Connecting the body to the earth. The individual will use sensory skills to feel energy from the ground to their feet. This is to embody and experience the present moment.
  • Titration & Pendulation: Slowing down and portioning the recollection of trauma to reduce immediate emotional and physiological responses. Pendulation, moving back and forth between feelings, is needed to achieve titration in order to make sensations of stress more manageable.
  • EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): The process of moving your eyes in a specific direction while discussing or embodying traumatic memories. The goal of EMDR therapy is to encourage the brain to process any discomforting experiences and memories. 
  • Resourcing: A therapist will have an individual recall a precious memory or resources that are attached to positive and calming feelings. An example of this could be reminding oneself of a location or person in which they find happiness.

Some benefits that may be a result of somatic therapy include self-regulation in the nervous system, increase in resilience and re-empowerment, developing bodily awareness, and releasing tension along with other positive results. It is important to remember that somatic therapy is not meant to be in replacement of CBT. When experiencing emotions stemming from anxiety, trauma, or depression, it is beneficial to attend talk therapy sessions as a primary source of mental health care, with somatic therapy being only an addition. The goal of somatic therapy is to find relief in your mind and body’s negative sensations to produce more calming and comforting feelings.

If you or someone you know is seeking therapy please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Psychotherapy & Psychiatric Services. Contact our Manhattan, NY or Paramus, NJ offices respectively at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit https://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com

Sources: https://psychcentral.com/blo

Autism: Benefits of Early Intervention

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Autism: Benefits of Early Intervention

By, Maro Mikhaeil

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 36 children and 1 in 45 adults are found to have autism in the U.S.

What is autism?

Autism Spectrum Disorder is characterized as a neurodevelopmental condition where challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication may occur. The CDC says that autism can be detected as early as 18 months and may even go undiagnosed until years later. The earlier the diagnosis, the better, as early intervention is crucial for speech, communication, motor skills, and many more.

What is early intervention?

Early intervention is described as therapeutic services for young children and babies with developmental disabilities. There are many types of early intervention services used, such as speech therapy, applied behavioral analysis, occupational therapy, and more. Early intervention is found to be very beneficial as it addresses many life skills, which in turn makes so much progress for children with ASD in the long run.

It can be difficult to see a loved one struggle with autism spectrum disorder. If you or a family member is struggling with mental health, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists,
psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling &
Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively,
at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more
information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Sources:

https://www.autismspeaks.org/autism-statistics-asd#:~:text=1%20in%2036%20children%20in,diagnosed%20with%20autism%20than%20girls.

https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism

https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/safeguarding-child-protection/early-help-and-early-intervention#:~:text=Why%20are%20early%20help%20and,impacting%20a%20child’s%20life%20negatively.

https://behavioral-innovations.com/blog/critical-early-intervention-children-autism-spectrum-disorder/           

Addiction: Family Therapy: Families of Addicts

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Why are Support Groups for Families of Drug Addicts Important? - Recovery Centers of America

Addiction: Family Therapy: Families of Addicts  

By: Isabella Favuzza

Addiction is a challenging journey that should never be traveled alone. Asking for help is the first and most challenging step for addicts and their loved ones. Addicts struggle with the painstakingly long road to recovery, but many neglect the pain of the addict’s family. Addiction is not an isolated incident as the disease affects the entire family and other loved ones. Family and friends typically receive most of the backlash and consequences associated with substance abuse. The loved ones may place the addict’s feelings/needs above their own and endure self-guilt due to the addict’s substance abuse and subsequent behavior.

Many families are challenged with the addict’s behavior and their personal emotions, resulting in a lack of self-care. A lack of emotional and/or mental care may lead to depression, and/or anxiety. You can’t pour from an empty cup. Family therapy provides the appropriate tools to help struggling families and friends cope with feelings of guilt, shame, anger, sadness, etc. Family therapy is specifically designed to remedy these undesirable emotions by allowing each individual to be heard and accepted in a nonjudgmental space. Family and friends can feel cared for and fulfilled, creating positive reactions with the addict. Ultimately, family therapy sessions enable loved ones to understand/support one another and cope with the addict’s conflict/behavior in a health manner.

If you or someone you know is struggling with alcoholism or alcohol abuse please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Source:

https://www.healthpartners.com/blog/how-to-support-someone-through-substance-use-recovery/

Therapy, Men in therapy: Why do men find it difficult to seek help for psychological issues?

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By: Ipek Yurttutan

Barriers in our society have prevented men from seeking therapy, but why? According to CDC, only 8% of American men received counseling or therapy in 2020. (CDC, 2020) Help-seeking may be perceived as a feminine quality and as well as a direct threat to the concept of masculinity. Depression is the leading mental health disorder that effects men. (6 million every year) Men tend to express their depressive symptoms different than women, and majority do not fit in the criteria for the DSM5-TR. For instance, externalizing behaviors such as alcohol consumption, aggressive behaviors and irritability are very common among men. Some men stay away from therapy because they might dislike the idea that seeking help will make them look “weak”. These biases are deeply ingrained within our society that even some professionals may have certain expectations of men such as behaving like the masculine stereotypes. In some cases these expectations may lead to misdiagnosis and wrong treatment plans. It is very important that we diminish these unrealistic expectations and let everyone have the same access to mental health care.

If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Interviewing Children as Eyewitnesses: Ethical Challenges

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By: Ipek Yurttutan

Eyewitness memory plays a significant role in up to 75% of wrongful convictions in a
criminal justice system. Because of the nature of our memories, some information
might get lost or new piece of information might alter what we remember. According
to Gail S. Goodman and Jennifer M Schaat, it is still up to debate if accepting
misleading information that is suggested in leading questions may change
children’s memory. Emotions may play a big role as the misleading questions
during an interview when a child is an eyewitness and, therefore, memory
accuracy may depend on the child’s emotional state. It is important that the
interviewee does not take advantage of the children because they interpret the
world differently than we do.  More
research is needed in order to determine whether children are reliable as
eyewitnesses and if an age restriction should also be required for children’s
testimony to be taken as evidence during trials.



If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental
health, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to
talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists,
psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling &
Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively,
at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more
information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/


Source:

Click to access is-there-consensus-about-childrens-memory-and-suggestibility.pdf


Social Anxiety: Social Anxiety vs. Introversion

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Social Anxiety: Social Anxiety vs. Introversion

By, Maro Mikhaeil

People often find themselves confusing social anxiety with just being shy. This leaves many individuals go undiagnosed and may even worsen overtime. But what’s the difference?

First and foremost, social anxiety disorder is characterized as feeling symptoms of anxiety when it comes to social situations. Social anxiety is the feeling of being judged by others causing one to feel suppressed and feel unable to express oneself. One who feels symptoms of anxiety when presenting in front of a class or even have trouble making friends may be experiencing social anxiety.

However, introversion can certainly look the same as well. Introversion is characterized as being quiet most of the time in social situations and feeling more energy when spending time alone. An introverted individual spends time alone as a way of recharging for a social event and is a choice as opposed to individuals who experience social anxiety.

Individuals who experience social anxiety want to connect with others but feel held back because of the anxiety that is attached to the idea. They will often use alone time not to recharge themselves but as a way of protecting themselves and ultimately avoiding a social situation altogether.

If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, and may be experiencing social anxiety please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/.

Sources:

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/social-anxiety-disorder-more-than-just-shyness#:~:text=They%20feel%20symptoms%20of%20anxiety,of%20situations%20or%20social%20interactions.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/shyness#what-causes-shyness

https://mhanational.org/introversion-vs-social-anxiety#:~:text=With%20social%20anxiety%2C%20avoidance%20of,care%20rather%20than%20self%2Dprotection.

Motivation: How to Complete your To-Do List in the Midst of a Depressive Episode

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Motivation: How to Complete your To-Do List in the Midst of a Depressive Episode

By, Dyami Efroimson

A major symptom of depression that can make life difficult for those experiencing it is the loss of motivation. Activities one may have enjoyed in the past, no longer bring joy and everyday responsibilities feel impossible to accomplish.  

What Causes This?

With depression, there is a severe lack of dopamine which is responsible for the rewarding feeling we get when we complete at task. This chemical imbalance in conjunction with other factors like lifestyle choices, genetic predisposition, and medication causes a decrease in one’s motivation. The thought of doing any activity can feel overwhelming, causing those struggling with depression to be unable to push themselves to complete even simple tasks.

How does one deal with this lack of motivation?

The key thing is: be patient with yourself. Do not beat yourself up for not being able to do seemingly “easy” tasks. Break the task making you feel overwhelmed into smaller parts that seem a little more doable. For example, if you’re having trouble getting out of bed, start with just sitting up if you are lying down. Or if you need to clean your room, just focus on picking up one piece of clothing off the ground, then another, then another, until you have no clothes left to pick up. By breaking your projects down into simpler tasks, the larger items on your to-do list become a little more manageable. As you complete these bite-sized tasks, your motivation will slowly make its way back as you build healthy habits, and your to-do list will get smaller and smaller.

If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling and Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Depression Motivation: A Brief Guide

Hypnosis: What can you do to help with your anxiety?

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Hypnosis: What can you do to help with your anxiety?

By, Maro Mikhaeil

Anxiety has occurred amongst millions of individuals from all over the world. In fact, Anxiety is the most common mental illness for its effect on a wide range of individuals.

There are many treatments for individuals experiencing symptoms of anxiety. One of the most successful treatments is hypnosis, which entails hypnotic inductions. Hypnosis essentially teaches you how to be in a state of trance and deep relaxation. Hypnosis helps to decrease feelings of anxiety by keeping your emotions in check and actually helps you anchor these calm feelings. Anchoring is a technique being used here that teaches an individual undergoing hypnosis to associate to more positive triggers instead of negative ones (Leming, 2023).

Hypnosis may even allow individuals to recall memories and revisit them, in a way that decreases one’s anxiety. In other words, it may take you into a dream-like state where you will go back to the time that caused your anxiety and help you conquer it.

If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, severe anxiety please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/anxiety-statistics/#:~:text=Roughly%20301%20million%20people%2C%20an,are%20affected%20by%20anxiety%20disorders

https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/anxiety-statistics/#:~:text=Nationally%3A%20Over%2040%20million%20adults,mental%20illness%20in%20the%20world.

https://www.choosingtherapy.com/hypnosis-for-anxiety/#:~:text=A%20hypnotherapist%20guides%20a%20person,focused%20awareness%2C%20and%20soothing%20suggestions.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Being the Child of a Narcissistic Parent

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Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Being the Child of a Narcissistic Parent

By, Dyami Efroimson

                Narcissistic Personality Disorder is characterized by having an inflated sense of importance. Those that have this disorder crave attention and admiration from those around them and have an obsession with others agreeing with their convictions. If these people feel as though they are not receiving this validation, they can be unpredictable in their reactions, sometimes lashing out at the people around them. Having narcissistic parents can result in an unstable household that leads to harmful personality traits in developing children. Some of these traits include

  1. Fawn Effect: This act of befriending and appeasing a perceived threat is also known as people pleasing and can manifest in children going along with whatever they believe will make their parents happy out of fear of retaliation. From this, their lives may begin to revolve around the happiness of others.
  2. Poor self-esteem: Because narcissistic parents desire to have the spotlight on them at all times, they may tear down their children and play off of their insecurities to then build themselves up, leading to their children holding a low opinion of themselves.
  3. Inability to set boundaries: After being trained to consider their parents wants and needs before everything, children of narcissistic parents can have trouble setting boundaries and doing what is best for themselves without feeling guilty.

                Although these traits can make transitioning into adulthood incredibly difficult for these children, it is possible for them to break out of these ingrained processes through therapy and can lead a healthy and happy life.

If you or someone you know is struggling with having a narcissistic parent or with their mental health please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling and Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Sources:

https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-deal-with-a-narcissistic-parent-7373070

The Impact of Growing Up With A Narcissistic Parent

Self Esteem: Inadequacy-Breaking the Chains of “Not Good Enough”

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                      Self Esteem: Inadequacy-Breaking the Chains of “Not Good Enough”

By: Lorentliz Sosa

With the New Year coming, people start thinking about what should be their New Year resolution. These thoughts may make people to start analyzing themselves and their lives, leading to the question “Am I even good enough”?

Inadequacy is not being good enough. The feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness can be challenging and painful. These thoughts can make it difficult for a person to feel motivated, perform well, and maintain a healthy relationship. These feelings can come from childhood trauma or even workplace harassment.

People who feel inadequate may also experience:

  1. Fear of Rejection
  2. Low self-worth
  3. Feelings of powerlessness
  4. Reluctance to accept affection from others
  5. Anxiety
  6. Self-criticism

In order to recover, it’s important to work with a therapist to explore the source of your negative feelings. Through therapy people discover more about themselves, such as their strengths and their weaknesses, while also helping increase their self-confidence.

If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, or has seasonal depression please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Source: https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/issues/inadequacy