Question:
Self-Coached healing of anxiety-panic?
Answer:
I've been a psychologist in private practice for over 25 years. Initially, I
studied psychology hoping to find an answer to my own anxiety struggles. I
began with Freud, then progressed to Jung, but over the years I became
disenchanted with traditional therapy's rather passive approach to healing (as
well as a therapist-centered mentality). For me and for my patients, I felt a
more aggressive form of therapy was needed, especially for my anxiety patients
whose symptoms can be so debilitating. One perception that has made all the
difference was that anxiety, panic, even depression, can be treated as habits.
Habits of insecurity. I can't tell you what a difference this revelation has
made for me. Simply put, if you accept the notion that all habits are learned,
then it stands to reason that all habits can be broken! This simple notion has
been the catalyst for what I feel is a revolutionary new approach to
therapy–I call it Self-Coaching. Essentially, Self-Coaching is a program
designed to break the distorted habits of insecurity that ruin and rule our
lives. Using this coaching approach along with a technique called Self-Talk
there are some simple things you can do to break the habits of anxiety. First
you must learn to listen to your thoughts of insecurity. Next you need to
actively stop these destructive thoughts and finally you need to direct your
thinking towards your "truth" (i.e., that in you which is not contaminated by
insecurity). Along with the techniques mentioned above, let me give you one
concept that makes everything else fall into place. It's understanding the
principle of control. Look at it this way (Remember my thoughts on treating
anxiety as a habit?), at some early point in our lives we became insecure (a
death, difficult parents, trauma, fear, etc.). What's a child to do with
insecurity? The answer is anything! Anything that brings control. It's the
quest for control that eventually leads to anxiety. Worry, rumination,
perfectionism and so on, are all attempts to control life and side-step
vulnerability and insecurity. But control comes with a price tag. It requires
energy and effort, which eventually brings us to our knees with anxiety.
See if you can use the above thoughts to begin to approach your anxiety and
panic with a new perspective. The success I've had with this technique has
been incredible. You can learn more about my approach at
www.self-coaching.org. Just keep in mind that anxiety is fertilized by faulty,
insecure thinking. Stop feeding you insecurity and your anxiety will stop. Been to the website. You can buy a book. I don´t see much harm in it. It doesn´t sound
*revolutionary* though, it sounds like bits and pieces of CBT.
