Managing Existential Dread and Existential Anxiety through Counseling
Someone who is experiencing heightened existential dread is likely feeling disconnected from what I call ‘life’s cornerstones,’ which have brought them a sense of security in the past. Often these cornerstones are represented by personal and shared beliefs about people, places, activities, communities, etc. When it is perceived that these belief systems are under duress, or the cornerstones are threatened, dread spikes.
And when there is a mass event affecting the entirety of a community, population, or society, it creates an existential experience that is then tied into ‘the human condition.’
The Psychology of Overachievement
In a society that uplifts hyper-productivity, competition, and resource control as indicators of ‘winning,’ the line between experiencing success and feeling safe blurs quickly.
Trust in Relationships, Couples Counseling Asheville NC
I encourage you to think of trust as a force of momentum. Trust is in a state of perpetual flux. It is either growing or dwindling depending on a variety of personal and interpersonal relationship factors. When the relationship feels safe and secure, trust is growing. When there are decreased feelings of safety and security, trust is diminishing. If trust dwindles past a certain threshold it can - and will - lead to the relationship ending.
My goal for this newsletter is to consider:
The dynamics of trust and betrayal in a relationship.
How you can shift the momentum to improve trust and safety with your partner(s).
The Intersection Between Financial Health and Mental Health in Counseling WNC
Raise your hand if you’ve ever found yourself stressing about money. My hand is right up there with you. Now, raise the other hand if you’ve ever considered the impact of chronic financial stress on your mental health.
Let’s talk about why this is important.
There is a documented link between one’s financial health and mental health. How broad of an impact and how severe depends on the person
The Practice of Nonviolent Communication in Mindfulness-Based Counseling, Asheville NC
Nonviolent communication (NVC) seeks to combine (1) consciousness, (2) language, (3) communication, and (4) sharing influence in order to increase our feelings of connection, choice, and empathy with others.
Counseling for the Polyamorous (ENM) Community in Western NC
You have likely heard the terms ‘Consensual Non-Monogamy’ (CNM) or ‘Ethical Non-Monogamy’ (ENM). Whether this came up during conversations with peers exploring polyamory, on dating app profiles, or in the news as a trending topic, non-monogamy is growing in the public sphere. I work with several clients who are either actively in polyamorous relationships or are curious about being in one. For some, that looks like being partnered with multiple people and for others, it’s simply opening their relationships up to new experiences. It’s important to recognize that ENM looks different for every person and every relationship.
My goal as a counselor is to understand each of my client’s world views so that I can better align with them and their goals for counseling. Thus, educating myself about ENM has been a priority this year as more clients practicing polyamory have come through my door.
Healthier Communication in Relationships, Asheville NC Mindfulness Counseling
I work with several clients who are in or are seeking a relationship. It is a common experience to struggle with your loved ones. One of my clinical interests as a counselor is understanding how and why the people we love can elicit the strongest emotions.
This newsletter will focus on using mindfulness in relationship with others. The hope is that we can turn to the present moment when experiencing escalated emotions and afford ourselves the opportunity to pause, breathe, and choose a response rather than a reaction.