What is psychotherapy?
"If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable" [Seneca]
What is the difference between self-optimization and being chalanged to finding your purpose? Therapy helps you to find your true self, but what does that mean? Especially in todays fast and responsive times we have the tendency to give ourself too many aims and suddenly we experience ourself torn in too many directions. It remains a feeling of stress, being overwhelmed together with the helplesness of loosing yourself within all these oportunities and expectations. In therapy we try to find out who is this ME within all of this. How can I deal with expectations and oportunities? How can I create a stable SELF and how can I navigate through this life by fulfilling my true purpose.
anxiety
First of all, fear is a necessary affect that protects us from carelessness. However, if the fear response is inappropriate and exaggerated compared to the threat, it can be called an anxiety disorder. This can be noticeable in various areas. In generalized anxiety disorder, the danger of situations is overestimated. The person concerned develops an intense fear without any specific danger.
General symptoms of anxiety show up, for example, as tremors, palpitations, nervousness, irritability, worry, hot flashes, feelings of anxiety, sleep disorders, diarrhea or the feeling of going crazy.
Treatment takes place in several steps. First of all, detailed information about the fear model is required. With the help of conversations, fearful situations are worked out more precisely and possible causes are identified. By learning relaxation techniques, it is possible to confront one's fears in a safe environment.
At the same time, cognitive thought structures are addressed and questioned.
panic
A panic attack occurs suddenly without any external cause and usually only lasts a few minutes. Signs are: shortness of breath, hyperventilation, palpitations, feelings of oppression, tremors, sweating and thoughts of fear.
Panic attacks can have various causes, for example they can be triggered by accumulation of everyday stress, physical illnesses, but also alcohol abuse or medication.
Anxiety and physical excitement with simultaneous tension usually go hand in hand. Through relaxation processes it is possible to reach the emotional level of fear on the physical level: "Where there is relaxation, there can be no fear." That is why relaxation therapy - in addition to discussions to identify the causes - forms the basis of therapeutic action.
Stress
Stress arises when we feel that we are losing control of what is happening to us, but at the same time we try to compensate. The more we experience situations that are overwhelming and demanding the more we feel stressed. With the time our batteries are emptying and even familiar situations are being experienced as more and more stressful.
In order to overcome stess we can work on:
- Defining and eliminating stress triggers
- Creating new daily structures
- Organizing work more efficiently
- Delegating tasks
- Setting priorities
- Learning to say "no"
- Gaining time for yourself through effective time management
- Converting negative thought structures into positive ones.
- Finding balance to relax.
The aim of this stress management training should be to find peace and inner balance in order to slow down life again
burnout
Burnout is a state of emotional exhaustion, accompanied by a decline in performance and the feeling of being burned out.
It is known as a syndrome, i.e. it has several symptoms, the intensity of which depends on the person and the depth of the burnout phase.
Usually it is an intersection of stress, depression and exhaustion and requires treatment in all three areas. But also double and triple stress (e.g. career woman, housewife, mother with a sick parent), perfectionism, "helper syndrome", idealism, high demands etc. can be a cause of burnout and we need to find out what drives you doing all that.
In order to find a way out of burnout, everyday life usually needs to be restructured so that there is a balance between tension and relaxation phases. The goal is to find time that you didn't have before by rethinking your priorities.
In addition, the family environment, diet and sport may play a role.