Stop Catastrophizing About Your Future. Try the Skill of Mental Imagery Instead
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- Опубліковано 20 гру 2023
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Catastrophizing makes you anxious. When you visualize all the awful things happening, it literally turns on your physical stress response in the present moment. You create the reality of that catastrophe in your body when you imagine yourself failing, being rejected, getting harmed, or struggling in the future. Catastrophizing creates the perception of danger and hopelessness right in the present moment. Your brain uses it's imagination and ability to visualize the future to help protect you. Catastrophizing is essentially a defense mechanism but one that isn’t the best, it backfires. It can contribute to depression and anxiety and other mental health conditions. So let’s replace it with a more helpful one.
In this video you'll learn how to use the skill of mental imagery to combat anxiety and create greater chances of success. You'll learn to ask “What if it all works out?” Let’s visualize ourselves working through challenges. You can physiologically create a sense of confidence and efficacy with the simple exercise- what if everything works out?
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Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.
In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.
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God bless the best therapist on UA-cam
😂❤
True
haha! Thanks!
Hello!
You're talking about Emma McAdam, right? 😄
I just want to make sure 😄
@@TherapyinaNutshell You are welcome Emma
“Not imagining perfection, but imagining myself facing challenges with the grace that I want to be facing them, in order to create the outcome I want.”
That is terrific advice.
I learned from another one of Emma's videos that keeping out the bad "What if's" is the key. You can also replace them with What Ifs like "What if that doesn't happen, and everything goes fine, like it has sooo many times before?" or "What if something bad does happen, but it turns out to be an easy fix, or just not as big a deal as I'm imagining right now?" I lean toward the positive knowing that the excruciating suffering I put myself through with catastrophizing is absolutely certain and real, but the bad scenario I'm imagining is just drama theater going on in my head about things that will very likely never happen that way.
Very well written.
This helped me. Thanks. I'm going on roller coasters tomorrow and I have to get my mind ready.
Sh** i never thought of that i always favor the what if (negative) and the what if ( positive ) sh*ts wild. 😂
I needed to see this today. Thanks ❤
That works if your problems are minor. If your health is in jeopardy, it's another issue.
It's taken me 69 years to realise there IS NO FUTURE. All we have is the Mindful Moment. I've done worse case scenario ALL my life especially with PTSD but all we have is the here and now and IF I can manage to focus on that moment I'll be sweet. Tomorrow becomes today and today becomes History. We live 24/7/365 in the Mindful Moment. Don't waste your life worrying about the "FUTURE" ... Steph says with serious Hindsight ❤ Happy Christmas and New Year ❤
Very good thanks
What if your "now" is an absolute nightmare? I don't want to focus on that, it kills me.
The events in the future do arrive and become that day. If someone has a big exam coming up, that exam day will be here. The fear that comes with it is the issue.
@@Hildred6 well you could say that your funeral will eventually arrive with that manner of thinking but what I'm saying to people here is that too many people are worried and preparing for next week's speculated bad weather when they all miss the beautiful sunshine of today with all things surrounding it. I'm working dawn to dusk designing retail clothes to try and get my own place even at my age but I've had to STOP and take a breath in the mindful moment to appreciate the things in the here and now that many people if not all take for granted. Mindfulness is not easy but if you practice long enough you'll start to appreciate the little things of TODAY in the here and the now and this FUTURE Will dissipate with all its warts and all. I've followed that horizon for decades in search of a dream and I've missed the beauty of every single day up until now. Today could be ANYONE'S LAST day, make it count, that's what I'm saying. Greets from Down Under
@@StephSanciabest wishes with getting your own place, really hope you achieve your goal.
I’m just a couple of years younger, I’m a tough person but my biggest bug bear is anxiety, it’s life long. It did get worse post menopause.
I’ve explored every avenue with it, mindfulness included, these days I see mindfulness more as being aware of my thoughts and actions and where they lead.
The anxiety is more general feelings of disaster and like it’s waiting just over the hill, in a way it is, but I’m more aware of it than most.
It’s also to do with all the suffering in the world and of children in particular and an awareness that it’s never ending.
Anyway thanks for reply, it’s always good to hear other people’s perspective and I agree with the advice in the video, and I think it helps a lot of people
2:33 - Exactly! My brain actively tries to catastrophize because it thinks that it can “soften the blow” of rejection or failure if it does happen. My brain tells me that if I don’t dwell on the worst case scenarios, that I will end up being disappointed.
That’s the logic behind it. But the catastrophizing just ends up ruining the present moment.
Soooo true!!
I even do this in conversations and will say out loud the negative thing I'm expecting others might think so they don't say it to me. But I realized I'm just making myself live all those scenarios in my head and half the time the person isn't even thinking that to start with. I also feel like I'm sabotaging myself by saying it out loud so I'm starting by trying not to do that and trying to use bridge statements like "it's possible this person is not thinking these critical things or going to reject me"
This.
I believe that’s my main problem. I see everything wrong and bad around me. I’ve been suffering from depression and anxiety for too long. I am looking to see myself making a positive change soon.
One of the worsts for me is "What if I live like this forever?", "If I never get better?", "If I loose life joy?". 😓
😥 sounds familiar. hang in there
Here you 🙏
I get the same feeling often😢 What helps me is thinking, what if I overcome it - and then I think about how much more resilient and confident I would feel looking back at the challenges I’ve overcome, how I could stand taller, and it helps me get back on my feet.
As long as you still trying, it will get better at the end
What if you do get better? What if you live a completely different life starting tomorrow? What if you start enjoying the life? This is also an alternate possibility. Why not think about it this way?
what my therapist told me to do which im trying to put into practice is change the story in your head or add onto the story. Dont leave the catastrophizing or the worst case scenario as the only outcome in your head give your mind another option, another story where youre able to move passed and continue on living life. Give your mind that space to realize there are better outcomes. If our minds can make us feel so anxious and unwell surely we can do the same thing to make ourselves feel better . 'We suffer more often in imagination than in reality'
One of the things that prevented me from doing the positive instead of negative imagery was thinking that if I thought about the worst outcome, I'd be prepared and not be so disappointed if it happened. But at the end of the day, that doesn't really help me achieving my goals. Instead, it's better to be optimistic and imagine the things I want to come true, but also keep in mind that I am capable of dealing with let downs and it's not the end of the world.
This is so good. We lost our daughter in law and I’m helping my son raise his 3 girls. I’ve really struggled with anxiety since taking them in. I think it’s my fear of failing them. I can’t possibly fill the void of their mother.
Your anxiety shows that you care a lot , tell them you love them and always will , youre an amazing grandma , you’ve got this girl
You are fulfilling the roll as grandmother and doing a damn fine job! Keep up the good work. 🎉👏🥇
Your son trusts you to be there as a loving and supporting person during this time. That speaks VOLUMES! You watching videos like this to try to be the best you can for them shows how much you care and how willing you are to put in the work. Knowing that you can't just fill that void and not trying to shows that you respect their emotions and their grieving process. Keep being amazing because it means the world to them to know that the worst can happen and they will still have family to depend on to help them!
In Jesus Most Mighty Name amen
Yeah we call this in AA "Future Tripping" and it's quite common. The visualization techniques you mentioned really do help but I'd also offer for anyone who's stuck in a future tripping mindset to bring your thoughts back to the present moment. In AA we also say "You've got one foot in tomorrow, one foot in the past and you're pissing on today" as a way to remind us that this present moment is all we have. We can't change the past. It's over and done with so forgive yourself for not being perfect in the past. You did the best you could with what you had to work with at the time. If you were better or healthier or whatever, you may have handled the situation differently. BUT you weren't so whatever. Let it go. Dwelling on it won't change it and it won't help you moving forward. Give yourself the gift of a clean slate moving forward.
It's OK to make plans for the future - that's 100% NOT future tripping. It's simply setting a focus point. In sailing a ship using only wind power, you have to set a focus point or else you'll be blown all over the water. You also aren't usually able to sail directly at your focus point because you're at the mercy of the wind. The focus point is simply that point you want to reach at some point in the future. You may take a really squiggly path to that end focus point but eventually you'll get there.
It's also OK to be concerned about future events and try to plan for them. Like the runner in the story. But when fear stops you from taking action, then it's often times helpful to write these things down and develop a plan for what you'll do if that fear actually materializes. You should write these things down so that you can let them go in your mind, you free up mental energy so you can move forward and surprisingly when you do this, you often discover additional options you never considered before because your mind was free to come up with other solutions rather than remembering what to do if something goes wrong.
I found this immensely inspiring, thankyou. I will keep this, its gold.
Absolutely, but if you can't stop believing in the worst case scenario (sometimes it's hard), you don't have to. I remind myself, while also engaging in self soothing, "I never really know what's going to happen." Positive visualization is great, definitely, but in a dark place, if it's not possible, introducing uncertainty works. When feeling negative the brain will trick us into certainty and by reclaiming the reality of more possibilities we can reclaim our peace and our power.
From that place we CAN go to positive visualization. If we want to, if not, remain open to more possibilities, that is actually enough.
Yes, this is a brilliant tip too! Sometimes slowly adding a range of possibilities to the imagined worst case scenario can help shake you out of the anxious stronghold
Could be a useful approach for some... for others, uncertainty all by itself is anxiety-inducing.
@@hestiathena4917 true, I have noticed that. For me it's comforting because I am never certain of anything except the worst outcome.
Wow such a well expressed comment and point, thank you!
True. For me if I can’t stop visualizing the worst case scenario then I’ll accept it but also being able to cope with it
For some reason, the following tweet from Byron Katie made my anxiety plummet a few months back. Of course, I still have some worries and concerns, but the overwhelming anxious feeling has stayed gone ever since. FYI, I'm not a religious person, so it wasn't the "God" or "prayer" part that got me. It was something about how she worded what came after. Here it is: "If I had a prayer, it would be this: 'God spare me from the desire for love, approval, and appreciation. Amen.'" It felt like a weight had been lifted off me. I had cared too much about doing a good job that it was fueling my anxiety prone mind. Reading this quote from her freed me. I went into a "I don't care" mode where I no longer put other people's feelings above my own. I didn't need their stamp of approval to know I was doing a good job. I didn't need acceptance from anyone but me.
Thank you. I needed to hear this. I’m a young stroke survivor and I’m restarting my life again this year. I’m going to drop 50lbs, finish my course and go back to work. I’ve been stuck for 22 months since the stroke in a state of fear of having another one. I start to catastrophise with health anxiety. I will try your technique. X
Thanks you so much for making these videos! I really needed to learn these skills to cope with anxiety and am so grateful that you have these free resources available for everyone to access.
Thank you!
Your past is not your future. You don't have to have the same negative thoughts that you have had before. Every day, we are a new person. We change with every day. Good advice in this video. This is just another place now where I've heard about visualization.
Just listening to this makes me realize when I was younger as a waitress. If I had a great day I had a great day I made great money I didn’t make any mistakes, but let somebody throw a monkey in the wrench and say the wrong thing to me and I would get inside my spirit Something that wasn’t from God and wasn’t a good space in my head. Next thing you know I’m dropping plates arguing with the manager being called out for bad behavior not even realizing that I put this in my own head with my own feelings. I’m so glad I found your channel years ago and now I can share with my own daughter who struggles with pretty much the same thing I do I’ll call that a generational curse and then rebuke it in the name of Jesus but I just wanted to tell you thank you so much for letting me learn what Godsent you to tell me amen. All his promises are yes and amen forever Jesus thank you so much for all that you’ve done for me. Thank you for therapy in the nutshell. God bless everybody everywhere sorry for being so long but the spirit said it would be like that.
I just went through same thing. I pride myself on my self discipline through meditation, but, the wrong combination of events came together and I involved myself in an altercation. I accept culpability and see the triggers. I will be smarter next time. Move on and learn from this
On the other hand, some catastrophes actually occur, even if I don't worry about them before the fact.
“It’s not magical thinking, it’s problem solving from a place of love and action.” 💯 (Some people would call that magic 😉 but I totally get your point, it’s not passive or relying on something irrational or superstitious- it’s actually very rational).
BRILLIANT IDEA!!
The mind only see things as targets not if those things/outcomes (targets) are good or bad. When you start catastrophizing, your mind only see this things as "oh he is focusing on this things, lets go towards this." Then you see it as *self sabotage* as "NOOO!! I dont want this why is this happening, is my body/mind betraying me?! I DO NO NOT want?! I repeat I DO NOT WANT!!". Unfortunately the *subconscious mind* "So much focused energy and emotions, this MUST be what he wants. Full speed ahead!"
So yes you must flip things on its head and focus on what can go right, focus on it get your emotions behind it. Thank you so much for this.
I worry about my future, not being “good” or “successful enough.” I worry about people judging me for my shortcomings. I worry about feeling this anxiety for the rest of my life and not being able to do the things I want, like writing, listening to stories, enjoying my free time, panicking in public, etc.
You don't even realize the impact you made in my life. I just discovered you a few days, then had to use one of your techniques today. I was so sad thinking I was going to spoil the holidays with my son and my husband( this is our first Christmas Mr and Mrs). I truly thank you❤. Now I'm full of energy, ready to cook and attacking this head-on. Thank you. God bless you.❤
6:39 Focus on what you want instead of what you fear => give you problem solutions than bury you with problems
My visualizations are so strong and 'real' to me. The problem is that I see it (a task) all completed; and it overwhelms me, due to a deficit of self worth and belief in myself. I rally for a bit, then catastrophizing takes over. Tomorrow, I will do what I have never done - approach a task in a narrow way, breaking it into several parts, 'seeing' one part done, and then completing that part. Taking credit for the one part is critical - and will be new to me. Intellectually I know that one step at a time, done consistently, will get the entire task done. Putting this into practice, going against my failure mindset, will be challenging. I am ready.
I’m on my 3rd marriage because of this trait. Luckily, my honesty and his grace have helped me to move forward when it happens.
Such an amazing person for bringing us this content. So many out there feeding off those in desperate need, exploiting them financially. You’re so inspiring and you relax us so much. Thank you for helping so many people.
Yes she is. Check out her body of work on several topics.
I catastrophize having a panic attack when traveling, freaking out so hard that I die or put others at risk. Lightheaded, rush of numbness down my arms, shortness of breath
I’ve learned how to de-catastrophize through my own therapy and it’s been a game-changer! I’m not perfect, but this reminder helps a lot. Thank you so much for sharing this ❤ It’s so important!
I do healing meditation & definitely I loved this video
@ShelliHunterSmith you can jam into my world to see meditation
I’m THE worst or maybe the best at catastrophyzing. But most is health related. When I work out I always think I might have a heart attack and maybe I’m pushing my heart too much. When I go to the doctor I already fear he’s going to tell me I have a disease. When I get labs done I know there’s going to be abnormal results. When I eat I think what if I’m damaging my organs by eating this?! When I feel a symptom in my body I’m assuming it’s a new disease or my organ is failing. It’s never ending. It’s a horrible cycle and goes on an on for me.. been on medication and have felt better, but it comes back sometimes with a vengeance. It’s literally draining the energy out of me daily.
Same problem with me .. but how did ur problem start ? Mine started due to a lower back injury while doing exercise in the gym .. i thought i would not be able to walk in future.. then i started getting anxious about my other organs like heart bcoz my heart was beating at a faster rate and then my kidneys as my bp also rose.
I took therapy sessions in which i was taught some strategies for managing anxiety. At present i have some improvement but sometimes it returns.
At present what are you doing to manage it ?
@@Acavinash I’m sorry you’re going through it as well. Mine started with a horrible positional vertigo episode in the middle of the night back in 2010. Then a terrible experience at the ER when doctors tried to help me. Since then it’s caused me anxiety and panic attacks. Took me years to be okay to watch TV or not panic seeing things in action. I was afraid everything was going to spin if I moved a certain way or seen something moving too fast. Just strange. Never in a million years did I think something like this could happen. Then it snowballed up to today.
@@Acavinash I know how you feel. I’ve gone through the same.
I am going through a horrible divorce with a soon-to-be-to-Ex. He has Asperger's high-functioning disorder, he has blamed me for everything and has become very nasty. the amount of anxiety I am feeling is just horrible. You are amazing I've been following you for some time and I love all your content. I continue to learn from you and your professional advice and guidance thank you.🙂
I catastrophize so I dont get let down
You've become so confident in videos over the years, its amazing to see the transformation
i have been catastrophizing so much for a long time. your voice is calming, while i go through a difficult time mentally
On mom fears; it helps me to remember how much I *desperately* longed for my parents' approval growing up, what it felt like to be biologically wired to seek the approval of a specific person. Children come out wanting to love and be connected with their parents, regardless of the parents. Until, they don't (avoidant attachment/ bond damage).
I am a mom now, so I know how pervasive that fear is! Especially because no one is perfect, and we so want to be, we want to be able to function in alignment with what we know our babies deserve. Knowing that they are so precious, it is easy to get psyched up about it.
With my son, my number one rule to be a "good enough" mother, is to ensure I am emotionally available to him, frequently enough so that he can expect or request it. It is important that success is not the equivalent of perfection! When we expect perfection out of our kids (or ourselves), they adapt to also expect that from us. Children become unforgiving when that is what they have experienced.
Our kids need to know that it is worth telling us something; that being vulnerable will have a neutral result at worst, and massive, positive, validating support at best. The worst possible outcome for the kid can't be so steep that they will not risk it. It is easy when we are in our own heads, to miss where we taught them not to speak with us. If we are too busy, we can easily miss a shy child's bids.
In my childhood, the lack of emotional and sometimes material support made it so that I *knew* it was not worth telling my mom anything, unless I had a major issue that I could not resolve alone, AND had already exhausted all of my other resources and connections. I did not need additional judgment and persecution on top of a challenge I was already struggling to resolve. I know I can get her help, if I can prove it is needed and am persistent enough, but if I can find literally anyone else to help, I will try them first. I do not recall her ever apologizing, nor discussing how she might have done something differently (interpersonally), nor even acknowledge my hurt during childhood. She has since admitted to feeling guilty about the past, but that she feels digging it up would only create more pain for herself. She doesn't seem aware of the struggles her adult children have with her in the present are due to the precedent she set in the past. She doesn't know that by refusing to acknowledge it, she is continuously bringing the past with her, into her present relationships.
So, just don't be like my mom. 😅 A child might have grown in our body, we might have sacrificed everything for them, but they are STILL their own autonomic beings, with their own lived experiences that are just as real and important as ours are. The way my mom responds to me was never very relevant to *me,* and as a child, I couldn't see that. I did not understand why my experience was not valid when hers supposedly was.
I apologize to my son all the time; I tell him how I wish I could've handled a given situation. When I know I can do better, I tell my son that, and we talk about what would be meaningful to him, moving forward. We can't know what our kid really needs if we don't ask. I am careful to not create a peer dynamic, but I do want him to know that we all make mistakes, and that there isn't anything wrong with that, at all. There is more likely something wrong with you if you appear to never make mistakes. 😂
It is very important to me that he knows that admitting to mistakes means we get love and support, not punishment and ostracization. It's easier than I expected, to apologize and own up to poor behavior, in a parent role. I thought maybe it would be more soul crushing, because of my mom's resistance. Deciding that I was willing to apologize to my terrible twos toddler was honestly one of the things that has bonded us the most; we have spent much time talking about where we were wrong and the options we have to do better next time. My son and I are so much more relaxed with each other, than I had ever been around my mother, or my father. When one of us has a bad day and gets snippy, by the evening we are back on the same page. His dad isn't involved, so it's just me. I never want my son to struggle with the confusion and frustration that I experienced with my mom, especially because he doesn't have another parent to go to. Not getting parental validation totally warped my sense of self. No kid deserves that.
True! When we apologize heartfeltly to kids they usually reassure us and immediately say it's fine.. it's adults it's harder with 😅
You said EXACTLY it. Enough said
When I worry I start shaking I get tense dizzy my heart beats fast and I get strange chills and sensations
a panic attack....
I don't know about you BUT for me it all starts with physical symptoms and then the thinking occurs. I don't create fake scenarios. For me it's all about that FCKNG physical feeling in my heart, my chest, etc.
Me too. Nightmarish cycle.
@@tomr3193 Thanks for sharing Tom. It helps me to know that I'm not alone and I hope knowing that there's people like you out there also helps you even if just a little.
Me too.
For me worrying about the physical symptoms would cause the sensations or worrying about having anxiety again would cause more anxiety
@@maggiemm1000 X2 I feel I could 100 percent manage my anxiety if the physical symptoms would just back the F off
Anxiety always gets better with two hundred millions dollars.
This was helpful. I often think about what Jesus said about worrying, but sometimes, it is hard to stop catastrophizing.
The first most important thing is to train yourself to be able to be aware of your internal mental state when you are in situations that trigger your anxiety, because if you aren't aware, your brain will end up spiraling into anxiety before you can stop it. Practicing meditation or just checking in with your internal conversation regularly is good training. The biggest realization for me and it is something I remind myself of whenever I am feeling anxiety is to acknowledge the fact that thinking ahead of possible problems that can occur is actually something we have developed from an evolutionary standpoint that helps us stay alive and arms us with the ability to prepare for possible negative outcomes necessary for our survival and attaining our goals. The next thing to understand is that too much of anything becomes a negative. We need water to survive but too much water can end up killing us. The same logic applies here. The understanding that helped me the most is to know that when we think up possible negative outcomes the purpose is to prepare us to prevent those outcomes from happening with the main goal of succeeding in our positive outcome goal. When we worry too much we are actually taking something that is meant to help us achieve our goals so far that it has become a hinderance to achieving those goals. Whenever I am in that state of mind I remind myself that in my attempt to achieve a goal and avoid negative outcomes I am now ensuring a negative outcome by taking it too far. Once I realize this, it is easier for me to realize that although these are valid concerns, they are now working against me and I reset my brain with that understanding. I agree that focusing on positive outcomes is very powerful, but for people like me who think too much I wont allow myself to focus on a possible positive outcome because I would tell myself that the negative outcomes I am thinking of are valid concerns. Reminding myself that by focusing on these valid concerns in order to achieve my goal I am now stopping myself from achieving a positive outcome, has helped me squash that part of my brain that is holding me back from allowing myself to focus on a positive outcome.
This GAL is GREAT!She speaks from her heart, and seems so sincere!
I could never grasp mental visualization and found out I have aphantasia.
Me too!
I’ve suffered this Evil as long as I remember. Thank you for this video. It really helps, Your awesome 😃
It’s hard to stop catastropizing when you’re about to retire and not have any supplemental funds because the economy has been so bad.
EXACTLY this 😢. It's impossible not to worry about this. I think about it every day. Living is so expensive now
You're are awesome❤ I'm glad you didn't quit UA-cam & grateful to came across your channel 2 years ago
The last story was especially moving for me since I am currently going through similar and additional changes. However visualization has helped greatly with keep consistent and focused.
You are such a blessing! Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us all!
I really appreciate your channel, it helps me immensely.I'm 56 (almost) have fibromyalgia and family issues. I love listening to your advice while foam rollering and stretching on my mat. Perfect start to each day. Much love to you & merry christmas xx
Great video and I super appreciate you and people like you who are passionate about serving others in improving mental health. Currently, I am trying to help my 22 year old son who will be graduating college soon. He is not the same person who left for college 4 years ago. He is very negative, pessimistic, and creates catastrophes out of everything. It is heart breaking to witness. I plan on absorbing every minute detail of your content and hopefully help him rid his life of these awful and needless burdens. Thank you so much💓
Was anxiously waiting for this video. Thanks for making it.
love this! Dr. Edith Eger "Edie" speaks of this on how she survived holocaust by imagining each day of showing her boyfriend her eyes and hands, then when tomorrow came same thing. It is very powerful!
Thank you so much for all your videos 🤗 I keep re-watching on it. It's really a great help for me.
Amazing, you help so much! I remember someone tell me one time that perhaps I should try hard to switch my outlook of the world. This resonates with that and it is so helpful. Thank you for what you do :) it is invaluable.
What a splendid video! It's wonderful when it all clicks! Thank you so much!
This is such a precious video!! Thank you for sharing this and many more strategies at no cost 🙏
I like meditation because it breaks that circle of destructive obsessive thoughts. After it puts the situation into a different perspective. Also it helps to accept imperfection and that imperfection is normal to it and should be embraced.
Emma, You are sharing wisdom in a profoundly light and easily understood manner. To analyze treatment for anxiety/emotional disorders as “exercises” redefines and reframes recognition and process.
In an increasingly complicated and complex world, awareness and responsibility of our mental health has never been more needed or appropriate.
Thank you for your work that is resignating with many who are seeking freedom. Thank you…
i used to suffer a lot from work pressures. After being a father, had my debt paid and a lot of this pressure simply disapeered. Now i say rhe worst my job can do to me is getting me fired, which is ok and not the end of my life. So people, first get rid of everything or most that brings you some kind of stress, consume less, don't make debt and always think this life is limited and whatever you may think or imagine doesn't matter.
God please bless all of you and have a wonderful and safe Christmas and New Year Emma and all of you!😀
Sending u love and light this holiday season.
Thank you. Excellent presentation.
Perfectly timed video. Thank you for sharing with us.
Helpful as always. Thanks, Emma.
You are a blessing ❤ thank you for your knowledge and the desire to share it!
Thank you Emma! Great video!
Very good video, I really needed this today. Merry Christmas Emma, keep up the excellent work!
Thank You! U helped me get thrue very dark times this year. I wish u the best!
Thank you for this!
Just what I need to hear today. Thank You.
I’ve tried sensory imagery with therapists. It worked somewhat but I think for me, my anxiety is more physiologically rooted (trauma) so a different modality is needed.
Same here. Especially if it is also associated with actual health traumas. How then do we manage?
@@normeee I’m still trying different therapies. Haven’t found the right solution yet and meanwhile, my anxiety has turned into worsening trauma with continuous disassociation. But even that’s just a proposed diagnosis. My health issues are rare and overlap so it’s been difficult to figure out what’s going on and even harder to treat.
Yes, I really like the concept of having a toolbox of skills to use, for me, imagery isn't my go-to tool, I often use more compassion, body soothing, journaling and challenging those thoughts, some cognitive defusion (just noticing those thoughts) and then, when I'm really paying attention, I'll use Imagery
@@TherapyinaNutshell sounds worthless...to me.
I wasn’t ready to watch when you uploaded this, but today I watched twice. It was a good thing to hear, and I appreciate so much how much better I feel and the new understanding that will also help me with anxious students. Thank you.❤
Excellent info! Thank you!
Thank you so much for this!
Emma, you are fabulous inside and out. You look gorgeous. Your videos have been helping me. Thank you. Wishing you the best this holiday season and more. ❤️🥰💜
It’s easy. Stop buying newspapers, stop watching television. I did this 20+ years ago and can thoroughly recommend it. I’m surrounded by people who simply regurgitate the media negativity. They are not actually thinking they are imitating.
Haaaaappy Christmas Emma!
Much love to you and anyone else reading this.
Have a non catastrophic 2024 ✌❤😁
Thank you so much for educating us. Makes a big difference in my life.
Yet again, wonderful advice
So helpful, thank you for this content!
Glad I found this channel. Thanks helping me and persons like me improve our lives day by day
Thank you!!! This was so helpful. Im going to do it.
Thank you so much. Love your work, I share it on Pinterest and with my friends on Discord. Your videos always make me think with good guidance to work through problems.
Thanks for sharing!
The only behaviour that would lead you kids to break contact with you later is ……..inconsistency.
The emotion roller coaster ……..you are marvellous……you are evil.
Breaking up promises for their own comfort
These are the 2 I went through as a kid and had to feel guilty on top of it
Thank you so much for your content!
I could listen to you for hours.
You bring clarity to really cloudy subjects.
It is so helpful to me.
Thank you, and have a blessed day!
After listening to this video, an old saying came to mind.
Worrying is just enthusiasm that is malnourished. ✌️
This was so beautiful thank you so very much
Your videos are such a blessing thank you
Aloha! Its bri from hawaii and ive just wanted to share that This has been one of your best videos of therapy that ive watched thus far. Ive been suffering with alot of mental challenges and have had the hardest time coping with how to relax my tensions and so on. Your videos have helped me to find a way to go outta my comfort zone to better see things in a better way.. thank you so much. I send you blessings🙏🏼
In 2021 I was earning a high income but was driven out of my job due to a hostile environment. Since then, I have struggled to get back to that place…I have had to take lower paying gigs and have not had the confidence I need to get back to that place. I attribute that to catastrophic thinking due to the trauma I experienced. I was also victim of an online scam in 2022 which depleted most of my savings and further added to the trauma and catastrophizing. This video is a good stepping stone to begin to overcome this.
beautiful, simple tool. thank you.
It was a blessing for me to run across your videos tonight. I feel like they are very helpful. Keep doing what you are doing which is helping people all over the world. Thanks 🙏
The last segment with your guest was really profound to me, to imagine things working out, thank you both so much 🙏
Good stuff. Replace catastrophic thinking with positive mental energy.
This was very helpful and interesting. I am on the cusp of making a huge change during this coming, like the one the Better Help therapist talked about. Worry and anxiety can be paralyzing. I will definitely try this.
I gave a thumb up because there wasn't a heart-up. This advice seems so 'simple' but requires a lot of practice and perseverance (and a lot of failing). Do this today! Worrier, sad or anxious person. Good luck in your path within neuroplasticity.
Absolutely love this video!
Amazing..thank you so much❤
this video is jam packed with helpful info 😳
Your voice is so relaxing as well as your content .
Thank you - you are extremely good at explaining this in a precise manner. Thanks for sharing - best regards from Denmark
THANKS A LOT FOR HELPING ME, MA'AM.
this channel has always helped me in bad times . thank you for sharing such important and valuable conten for freet❤