Introduction
What Can Therapy with Empower Counseling Do For Me?: Be That Positive Person
Nurturing your mental health is akin to tending to your physical well-being, but it’s a facet often overlooked. Mental health is frequently disregarded until a breaking point is reached, with lasting consequences. To safeguard your mental wellness, it’s crucial to routinely prioritize it, just as you would your physical health.
Birmingham, a city renowned for its rich history, diverse culture, and iconic landmarks, serves as the backdrop for a discussion about the transformative power of therapy. This article will discuss therapy’s profound impact on your life and explore how it can help you become more positive and resilient in life’s challenges. As we navigate our beautiful city of Birmingham, we’ll uncover how therapy can catalyze personal growth and positive change.
Just as streets wind their way through the city, therapy can help individuals navigate the twists and turns of their own lives. Through introspection and self-discovery, therapy enables people to understand themselves and their motivations better.
Therapy provides a safe space for individuals to explore their thoughts, feelings, and past experiences. It allows them to unearth hidden strengths and confront unresolved issues, ultimately leading to personal growth and a more positive outlook.
Understanding Therapy
Therapy is a collaborative process between a trained therapist and an individual seeking help. Its primary goal is to promote mental and emotional well-being, offering a safe space for individuals to explore their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. At Empower Counseling using ACT, we not only offer deeper self-awareness and understanding, but also, a clear path toward a more fulfilling life.
Cognitive Distortions: Unhelpful thinking
Our brains are problem solving machines that are always trying to protect us. Have you ever noticed what happens when you think about trying something new, something you have never done before? Have you noticed a few seconds after thinking about that new thing, your brain starts pounding you with “what if’s”? “ What if I can’t do it?” “What if I make a mistake?” “What if, what if, what if….”.
Our brains are very helpful, alerting us to dangers in life. But often times when our brains are trying to protect us they are actually causing more harm than good. Our brains try to protect when we do not need protecting scaring us away from doing the things we really want to do. Sometimes our brains make things into a much bigger deal than they are. Sometimes our brains keep us stuck through convincing us we only have two polar opposite choices in a situation, neither which is good. And sometimes out brains convince us that things other people do mean something bad or negative about us.
Types of Cognitive Distortions:
1. All or nothing thinking
This type of cognitive distortion involves our brains telling us we have 2 choices at very different ends of the spectrum with nothing in between. This way of thinking can make us see the world in a very negative light. All or nothing or black and white thinking directly affects our emotions. How we behave is a direct reflection of our thoughts and emotions. All or nothing thinking is associated with anxiety, depression, trauma, ptsd, substance abuse disorders, and eating disorders. Overall, this type of thinking simply makes us focus too much on the negative.
An example of all or nothing thinking is “If I don’t make an A, I am a failure”. You can see how such thinking can cause unnecessary pressure and fear. If you think anything less than an “A” is failure, you might be so worried about making an “A” that you can not concentrate and actually learn the necessary material to do well.
Our therapists, trained in Acceptance Commitment Therapy, know how to spot all or nothing thinking and can help you move away from this unhelpful way of thinking. We can help you begin to see all the grey areas in between, giving you more choices in life and a more positive outlook on life.
2. Catastrophizing
Catastrophizing is making something small into something huge. Our brains can be very skilled at this type of thinking. If our brains make small things into huge things that means small insignificant instances then become huge problems to be worried about…clearly an unhelpful way of thinking.
An example of catastrophizing is having the thought, “If I make a “B” I will never get into a good college”. It is easy to see how thoughts like this could put anyone into a downward spiral.
3. Overgeneralization
Overgeneralization is when you make an assumption about something because it happened one time. It is when you make a rigid rule about something in life when you really don’t have the data to back it up. For example, maybe one time a friend cancelled plans with you because something came up. If you took that one instance and decided, “No one ever wants to do things with me”, that would be an overgeneralization. Once, again, it is easy to see how this way of thinking can get us stuck in a very negative place emotionally.
4. Personalization
Personalization is looking at things other people do and making them mean something about you when you really have no proof that it has anything to do with you. For instance, if you were in Target and you saw someone walking by who you know and that person did not say hello or acknowledge you, it would be easy for your brain to give you the thought “She walked right past me. She must not like me at all.” This might not be true. She might just have been thinking about something and just did not see you. But if you took her not speaking to mean something negative about you, then negative emotions are sure to follow, and your day has now taken a turn for the worse.
5. Emotional Reasoning
Our brains are pros at telling us we are right. Our brains tell us that whatever we are feeling must be true. You could be anxious getting on a plane and your brain will convince you that means something bad is going to happen. Another way our brains get us stuck in the negative is by convincing us that if we don’t feel like doing something then we can’t or shouldn’t do it. If you don’t feel like working out, then you shouldn’t go work out. You should wait until you feel like it. We do not have to feel like doing something to be able to do it. But getting stuck in emotional reasoning will take us off of the path of productivity to a negative space.
Therapy with Empower Counseling using ACT can help you be that positive person
Our Acceptance Commitment Therapy trained counselors know how to recognize all form of dysfunctional or unhelpful thinking that our brains often engage in. These unhelpful ways of thinking can make us always focused on the negative. When we focus on the negative, it is easy to become anxiety riddled or completely depressed. Not only that, our relationships suffer. We might isolate thinking that no one wants to be around us when we are negative, only making your situation worse.
Having a knowledgeable, compassionate therapist from Empower Counseling looking for unhelpful ways of thinking during your therapy is the first step toward becoming that positive person you want to be.
Mindfulness to Become a More Positive Person
Through ACT, our therapists will teach you mindfulness techniques so you will begin to be able to recognize unhelpful thoughts and patterns of thinking on your own outside of therapy. Once able to recognize these types of unhelpful thoughts you will be able to separate from them.
Now there is room for positive, helpful ways of thinking. In therapy, your Empower Counseling therapist will hep you switch your focus from what you don’t want, from what is keeping you anxious and stuck, to what you do want in life.
Now you are in the driver seat. Now you are becoming that positive person. No longer spending your days in fear or overwhelm. Life becomes clearer. Your path in life becomes filled with light and hope.
Therapy with Empower Counseling to be That Positive Person
Just as Birmingham has transformed itself over the years, individuals can transform their mental health with therapy. Therapy provides a safe and supportive environment for addressing mental health issues and unhelpful, dysfunctional thinking.
Through therapeutic engagement, you can learn strategies for moving away from unhelpful thoughts that feed a negative mindset and move toward being a positive, uplifting person.
Unlocking a Richer Life through Therapy
Anxiety can suffocate, limiting your ability to savor life’s pleasures. However, anxiety therapy is like a beacon of hope, guiding individuals to confront their fears, step beyond their comfort zones, and regain mastery over their existence. This transformative journey leads to a life brimming with vibrancy and fulfillment as individuals progressively expand their horizons and seize exciting new opportunities.
What to Anticipate from Therapy with Empower Counseling
Opting for therapy is a significant choice. It demands considerable bravery to seek assistance, and it’s typical to feel uneasy about what lies ahead. Therapy offers a secure environment to enter your thoughts and emotions, fostering the development of fresh skills.
Your therapist at Empower Counseling in Birmingham, Alabama, will collaborate with you to establish treatment objectives and aid you in examining the underlying origins of your difficulties.
We will devise actionable measures to enact positive transformations in your life.
Therapy can serve as an effective method to address the obstacles you’re confronting. It can give you insights, lucidity, and a novel, positive outlook. It can also equip you with innovative proficiencies and tactics for handling demanding circumstances. Nevertheless, it’s essential to recognize that therapy isn’t a swift solution; it necessitates time, energy, and steadfast commitment.
Exploring Therapy’s Possibilities with Empower Counseling
For those contemplating therapy, consider the possibilities with Empower counseling. Our suite of behavioral and mental health services, accessible through in person and online therapy, brings therapy how and when you need it to you wherever you are in Alabama.
Our online therapy platform offers convenience and flexibility. They can benefit you if you have busy schedules or limited access to in-person services.
Conclusion
Embracing the path to positivity through therapy is a profound step toward a brighter, more fulfilling future.
Finding the right therapist is essential for a successful therapeutic journey. Consider specialization, location, and compatibility factors when choosing a therapist.
When you’re ready to take the next step, follow our simple process:
- Reach out to Empower Counseling and schedule your initial appointment.
- Get acquainted with your therapist.
- Embark on your journey towards personal growth and success.
Counseling services for Homewood, Mountain Brook, Vestavia, Hoover, Trussville, and Birmingham are offered by Empower Counseling and Coaching.
At Empower, Kathryn, Savannah, and Marti offer anxiety therapy, counseling for depression, trauma counseling, counseling for PTSD, therapy for difficult transitions in life, and therapy for perfectionism. We offer counseling for teens, online counseling and in person therapy for college students, therapy for young adults, and counseling for professionals.