Therapy in a Nutshell

Overthinking Part 1: The 4 Subconscious Reasons You Overthink Everything

Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.co...

Want individualized support to stop dwelling on the past? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional counselor from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanuts...

Depressive rumination is a type of overthinking where you create the habit of dwelling on the past. You rehash all the terrible things you can think of over and over and over. Depressive rumination says “Why is life so awful? Why am I such a failure? Why can’t I ever be happy?” Rumination is like ruts in a road, whenever you’re not paying attention, you slip back down into thinking about all your regrets. But then you spin your wheels, you think and think but never get anywhere. One of my other clients, Elena, constantly dwelt in the past, she’d Ruminate like this “ Why did I buy this car? I’m such an idiot!” Or she’d say “Why am I so depressed?” and she’d worry about it for hours every day, for months. But she didn’t just dwell in the past, she projected it into the future. In session she’d often say “What if my depression never gets better?”. Another type of rumination is dwelling on how you were mistreated. Maybe your dad shamed you when you came out to him as gay, or your boss threw you under the bus at work, or your lover ghosted you, and you spend hours of your day wondering why they did that, alternating between resentment towards them and wondering if it was your fault. Rumination might also look like fantasizing about how your life could have been better if you had done things differently. Rumination contributes to depression, anxiety, and hopelessness.

Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanut...

Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapyinanutshell.com?utm_medium=YTDescription&utm_source=YouTube

Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/bes... 

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.

And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/c...

If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services. Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC

The 10 Best Books for Healing Trauma/PTSD

Check out my FREE online course- Grounding Skills for PTSD, Stress and Anxiety: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/store

Hey, everyone! I love to read and learn more about how to treat trauma and PTSD, so I thought I’d share my favorite books about recovering from trauma and PTSD. #1. Ok, here’s my favorite PTSD Self-Help book: -Healing Trauma by Peter Levine. Awesome book explaining how trauma gets trapped in the body and how you can process through it and heal. A short read with gentle examples and some easy exercises. It’s my number one book about overcoming PTSD and trauma because it’s very accessible, not very triggering, easy to understand and comes with exercises to start healing your relationship with your body. #2 The body keeps the score by Bessel Van Der Kolk. Dr. Van Der Kolk has done so much research on effective treatments for PTSD and childhood trauma, and in this dense book he outlines how trauma impacts the brain, mind and body. Bessel explains what effective treatments are available, and gives some clear insights into actions both individuals and society as a whole can do to prevent and treat trauma, including childhood trauma. Includes a lot of detailed stories that could be quite triggering. This book has spent 74 weeks on Amazon’s top 20 nonfiction books and with good reason, it’s just a really good, really comprehensive approach to trauma. #3. The Transformation by Dr. James Gordon Written by a compassionate doctor who understands the biological and medical aspect of trauma treatment, but also the importance of dancing, laughing and pets as part of healing, this book is an excellent holistic approach to treating the body, mind and the heart after trauma. #4. Moving Beyond Trauma by Ilene Smith #5. Getting past your past by Francine Shapiro #6. I know why the caged bird sings- Maya Angelou #7. Man’s search for meaning- Viktor Frankl #8. My Story- Elizabeth Smart #9. Pete Walker- CPTSD-From Surviving to Thriving #10. What happened to you- Oprah

Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell

Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/store

Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell

Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapyinanutshell.com?utm_medium=YTDescription&utm_source=YouTube

Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books

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.

And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe

If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services. Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC

PTSD Treatment Options: How to Find a Good Trauma Therapist

Check out my free Grounding Skills Course here: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/grounding-skills-for-anxiety-stress-and-ptsd

When it comes to therapy it’s really good to be an informed consumer. There are hundreds of different types of therapy, and every therapist is different in how they approach issues like PTSD, so whether you’ve never tried therapy before or you’ve worked with other therapists in the past and you want something different, learning about different PTSD treatment modalities can be really helpful. So first, what is trauma? Trauma is any experience that was overwhelming, threatening, that caused pain, distress, fear to the point where you feel or felt helpless. It can include abuse, assault, witnessing tragedy, it can include frightening medical experiences, near death experiences or a severe loss. When your response to these situations interferes with your life you might receive a diagnosis of PTSD or if the abuse was ongoing for long periods, Complex PTSD (CPTSD). Symptoms include nightmares, feeling tense or anxious all the time, being jumpy, feeling numb or detached, exhausted and depressed, and struggling in relationships, sleep, and work. While almost all therapists have some skills in treating depression, anxiety and trauma or PTSD- because these are so universal, not all therapists specialize in trauma treatment. That means that most therapists have at least a handful of tools to treat PTSD, but some therapists have a lot of skills, interventions, and resources plus experience to help you out. And that’s not exclusive to trauma, the more specific you can get with your diagnosis, the more specific you can get in finding a therapist who has interventions tailored to your needs. OK, so what are the trauma treatment options out there and how do you find a therapist who uses them? There’s an gazillion ways to do PTSD treatment, but I’m going to highlight the ways that are research backed, meaning a strong body of consistent evidence that these treatments are effective.

Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanuts...

Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.co...

Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanut...

Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapyinanutshell.com?utm_medium=YTDescription&utm_source=YouTube

Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/bes... 

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.

And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/c...

If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services. Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC

7 Signs You’re Not Processing Your Grief

Understanding Grief and Loss Online Course- only $9: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/products/understanding-grief-loss-and-mourning

What happens when you don’t process your grief? What happens when you avoid dealing with loss? People say that time heals, but I would argue that it doesn’t unless you allow yourself to work through your pain little by little. Now it’s clear that each person’s grief is unique, there isn’t a concrete set of steps you can do in order, there isn’t a time limit for mourning. But there is a big difference between working through stuff and not working through stuff. People who process their grief allow themselves to face their pain, even in small doses. They address their feelings, they may talk about them or write about them, they mourn. When someone doesn’t work through their pain, they try to distract themselves, they keep busy, they desperately avoid their pain, which in the long run leads to more pain. So we’re going to talk about 7 signs that you’re not processing your grief. And you’ll learn 3 ways to start to face your grief in small steps. Recently I partnered with Sarah Engler, LCSW, to create a course called ”Understanding Grief and Loss”. She teaches how loss can stem from a loved one dying, but it can also come from many more situations- like a divorce, an expectation that doesn’t happen, a lifecycle change like aging or change in employment, and so many more situations where you may experience strong emotions about losing something you care about. Sarah does a great job explaining how not dealing with your loss can lead to these 7 signs.

Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell

Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/store

Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell

Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapyinanutshell.com?utm_medium=YTDescription&utm_source=YouTube

Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books

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.

And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe

If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services.

Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC

How to Deal With Anxiety at Night: 2 Essential Skills

Check out my free Grounding Skills Course for Anxiety: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.co...

Anxiety at night can be brutal, you just want to lay down, rest, go to sleep, and your brain is like “Hey, let’s do a quick review of everything stupid you’ve ever done” and you’re like “What? No!” and your brain is like…ok, point number 1…”

Or it’s like- hey, let’s try to imagine every awful thing that could happen. You’re relaxing, let’s worry for a little bit, doesn’t that sound like fun? Nighttime anxiety can be so painful, but you don’t have to just suffer- let’s talk about 2 really powerful skills to turn down anxiety at night and sleep better.

Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanuts...

Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.co...

Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanut...

Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapyinanutshell.com?utm_medium=YTDescription&utm_source=YouTube

Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/bes...

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.

And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/c...

If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services.

Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC

How Grief Shows up in the Body

Grief is a painful experience, but it's not just in the mind, or spirit, Grief actually has a physical impact on our bodies. In this episode I have a conversation with Dr. Dorothy Hollinger, the author of The Anatomy of Grief, about how Grief shows up in our physical heart, in our brains, our tears. How grief impacts sleep and appetite and digestion. Grief and loss can be terribly painful, but there is also hope for healing and growth through the process. 

Check out our mini-course Understanding Grief, Loss and Mourning https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/grief

 

Dr. Hollinger's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Grief-Dorothy-Holinger-Ph-D/dp/0300226233

Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/store Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapyinanutshell.com?utm_medium=YTDescription&utm_source=YouTube Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books Check out my podcast, Therapy in a Nutshell: https://tinpodcast.podbean.com/ 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. And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services. Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC

How To Find Free or Affordable Therapy

Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell

Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/store

Therapy can be really expensive, I’ve actually never been able to afford therapy until the last couple of years, and I know many people are in the same boat. So let’s talk about how to find a good therapist that you can afford. Now first, I know this video may not apply as well to other countries. In the UK or Canada, they have universal healthcare- getting mental health services doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. But there may be long waitlists or difficulty finding a therapist that fits your needs. In other countries, there may not even be mental health providers in your area or financially they are just completely out of reach. In the US, some insurance covers some types of therapy, but even with insurance I know that most people end up paying a lot out of pocket, often in the realm of $100-150 a session which adds up to $5,000-8000 a year. My previous insurance when I was working for a mental health company had a $5,000 out of pocket deductible and my current coverage being self-employed doesn’t cover mental health at all. And then there’s the people with no insurance. So it’s easy to see how mental health services seem out of reach for many. And that’s one of the reasons why I make these videos, to help people access mental health education for free or much cheaper than therapy, but there is no replacement for real, in-person, individualized therapy. So let’s talk about a few more ways you can find a therapist that are less expensive or more accessible. - EAP's - Employer assistance programs - School or University Counseling services - Community Mental Health Services - Private Practice Therapists - Support Groups - Online Therapy -Open Path collective Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/store

Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell

Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapynutshell.com?utm_medium=YTDescription&utm_source=YouTube

Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books

Check out my podcast, Therapy in a Nutshell: https://tinpodcast.podbean.com/

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. And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe

If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services.

Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC ----

Music licensed from www.Bensound.com or Artlist.io Images from Freepik.com (premium license), Pixabay, or Wikimedia commons

Ketamine Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression

If you have severe depression, PTSD, or anxiety that just won’t go away despite therapy and medication you should know about Ketamine. 30-40% of people with depression have treatment-resistant depression (that means that you’ve tried at least 2 types of medication and it isn't helping). And scientists and doctors are really excited about the potential for ketamine as a new and effective treatment for mood disorders, PTSD, and chronic pain.

Ketamine has been approved by the FDA for anesthetic for operations for decades. And in the 80's and 90's it became a party drug known as special K. But scientists in the late 90’s started to realize that glutamate, a neurotransmitter in the brain, may play a huge role in depression so they started to look for a medication that impacted glutamate- and voila- ketamine was the drug.

Ketamine is known to modulate the glutamate receptors in your brain, glutamate is an amino acid that the neurons in your brain use to communicate. Where SSRIs slow the reuptake of serotonin, ketamine targets a completely different system in the brain- glutamate and connectivity. SSRI’s usually take 3-8 weeks to see results. But ketamine reduces the symptoms of depression, usually quite rapidly (within 24 hours) and the effects of one treatment can last weeks to months. So ketamine reduces the symptoms, but we don’t know if it treats the underlying causes of depression.

Obviously when depression is a normal response to challenging experiences, no drug is going to solve those problems, but it may give the brain enough of a leg up so that you can get functioning again to face those problems. We still don’t have enough studies to know the effectiveness on a large scale, but initial outcomes appear to show effectiveness with 60-85% of people with severe depression. This is huge for a group of people who felt no meaningful improvement on antidepressants.

Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional for $65/week. Try it now for 10% off: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell

Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=03252022

Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell

Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapyinanutshell.com?utm_medium=YTDescription&utm_source=podcast

Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books

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. And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe

If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services.

Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC

Mastering the Paradox of Acceptance and Change With Anxiety

Are you on the side of accepting and embracing who you are now or do you crave more change? Do you think that change is always a good thing? Join me for a discussion on acceptance and change to see which side you land on. I hope to give you a new perspective to help you live your best life!

I’ve made a lot of content about acceptance and about how being willing to feel your emotions can be really helpful. But if you’ve watched a lot of my videos you also know that I make a ton of videos about growth and hope and change and lowering anxiety.

So it’s fair that I often get asked how do I reconcile this idea of acceptance with change, for example this question from a student: “I'm a bit confused about how doing exercises to regulate the nervous system fits in with the previous section where we were encouraged to be willing to 'feel' emotions. These exercises sort of feel like an attempt to get rid of negative emotions.”

This is a great question and I think it’s a really important question to carefully consider. I think it is really easy to get mixed up when it comes to figuring out how to manage emotions. Because it does seem like such a paradox: in order to resolve emotions you have to be willing to accept that they may not resolve. In order to change how you feel, you need to stop trying to change how you feel. I can see how this is confusing. I’m going to do my best to clear it up. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, aka ACT, really walks that fine line of balancing acceptance and change.

Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional that you can see from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell

Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=03162022

Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell

Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapynutshell.com?utm_medium=YTDescription&utm_source=podcast

Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books

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. And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe

If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services. Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC  

Are You Ask Culture or Guess Culture? This Communication Skill Is Life-Changing

Most people don’t even know about this communication style, but if you did, you could solve a lot of problems in your relationships.

You can learn to improve relationships by learning how to identify whether you are an asker or a guesser. This is a communication style that no one is talking about, but if you learn it, your life can change for the better.

In guess culture style of communication you try to put out feelers, because you don’t want to make someone uncomfortable by asking directly. You may hint at a request or subtly suggest something, and then only ask directly if you’re pretty sure the answer will be yes.

In guess culture you rely on shared cultural norms. For example in Greece, it is rude to leave food on your plate- it signals that you didn’t like it. In China it is rude to clear your plate because it sends the message that there wasn’t enough food offered. The subtleties of the culture allow for people to show respect and consideration for each other, but can lead to confusion for outsiders. Askers may hate this, but the reality is, a huge amount of communication is nonverbal.

This is ask culture. In some families you grow up with the message “It can’t hurt to ask.” but you might get no for an answer. That’s ok. 

My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional for $65/week. Try it now for 10% off: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell

Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=03102022

Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell

Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapynutshell.com?utm_medium=YTDescription&utm_source=podcast

Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books

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. And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe

If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services.

Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC