“Tapping In” to Reduce Anxiety

Posted on February 11, 2012 by jimchristrup

The technique of Resource Tapping, or Tapping In, evolved from EMDR but has some important differences. While EMDR needs to be conducted by a trained therapist, resource tapping is a simple, easily learned, and can be done by almost anyone. It can be an effective way to activate your own inner healing resources through bilateral stimulation. It’s a tool that can be helpful for stress, anxiety, depression, or just improving your overall sense of well-being. Continue reading →

Slowing Down

Posted on December 21, 2011 by jimchristrup

Most of us lead very busy lives these days. The pressure to earn a living and to keep up with everything in our lives is incredibly taxing and can leave us feeling anxious and fatigued. Increased connectedness, with smartphones, emails, facebook, texting and twitters add to the constant pulls for our attention and activates that addictive part of our brains that is constantly seeking quick rewards. For those of us lucky enough to be employed, vacations and time off have been diminishing, while doing more with fewer resources and longer workdays have become common. We’ve become a nation of people working harder and harder with less and less downtime. Continue reading →

Coping With Holiday Stress

Posted on November 2, 2011 by jimchristrup

The holiday season, beginning with Thanksgiving and stretching out through New Years Day, can be a major source of stress and depression for many of us. Financial pressure, painful memories and associations, being alone, time pressure, and difficult relationships can all contribute. It’s a time of year when many of us have family expectations and obligations to meet, and old emotion wounds can get triggered and irritated. Continue reading →

Calm Your Mind

Posted on October 6, 2011 by jimchristrup

We evolved as a species to be anxious about things that might not really exist in the environment, because that was better than taking the chance of overlooking real danger. But in terms of our personal happiness, constantly being afraid of things that only exist in our minds is a miserable way to live. Continue reading →

The Science of Gratitude

Posted on September 7, 2011 by jimchristrup

While gratitude is a concept common to most of the world’s religions, the psychological study of gratitude has been late in coming. Studies over the last 10 years have indicated that gratitude has the power to heal, energize, and change our lives. One study separated participants into two groups (plus a control group.) One group kept track of life’s hassles (problems parking, money problems, not being recognized for doing a favor). The other group kept track of life’s blessings (generosity, a moment of beauty in nature, a bit of good fortune).

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Prescription for Happiness

Posted on August 24, 2011 by jimchristrup

It may be true that we have a basic ‘set-point’ of happiness, influenced by genetics. But studies in brain plasticity also show that it may be possible to improve our overall sense of happiness and well-being and raise that set-point. There are ways to improve your basic level of contentment and happiness in life. Here are some actions almost anyone can take to improve their overall sense of happiness and well-being: Continue reading →

Techniques for Help with Chronic Anxiety

Posted on August 5, 2011 by jimchristrup

Thinking Differently About Anxiety

In dealing with dangerous events in real life, it is often very useful to just get away and escape. If your house is on fire, the first thing you need to do is get out. But in the internal world of thoughts and feelings, the harder you try to “get away” from difficult feelings, like anxiety, the worse the results. What you automatically do, reacting to a thought as though it is actual danger, is exactly the opposite of what you need to do.

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The Nature of Anxiety

Posted on August 1, 2011 by admin

If you are someone who suffers from chronic anxiety, you know first hand how distressing the symptoms of anxiety can be: Worried thoughts, restlessness, panic attacks, problems with sleep, a pounding heart, trembling, or shortness of breath. Still, it’s important to remember that anxiety actually has a purpose. Anxiety is a form of fear, and fear is designed to energize and motivate us to deal with danger in the environment and survive. Continue reading →