Psychologist in Randwick & Sydney CBD

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

admin — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 10:25:06 +0000

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a therapy approach based on the observation that thoughts can influence feelings and behaviours, and, conversely, behaviours and emotions can influence thoughts. The therapist helps clients identify and change unhelpful thoughts, and associated emotions and behaviours. CBT has two core components, behaviour therapy and cognitive therapy, as well as a skills-training component (e.g. stress management, social skills training, parent training, anger management). Behaviour therapy Behaviour therapy assists clients by changing learned behaviour and emotional responses to certain situations and stimuli, through a process of re-learning or conditioning. Examples of behavioural techniques include exposure, activity scheduling, relaxation, and behaviour modification. Cognitive therapy Cognitive therapy is based on the theory that distressing emotions and problematic behaviours are sometimes the result of unhelpful patterns of thinking. Therefore, interventions such as cognitive restructuring and self-instructional training are aimed at replacing dysfunctional thought processes with more helpful cognitions, which leads to an alleviation of associated emotions and behaviour. Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is probably the most well-researched approach to psychological therapy – there are literally thousands of scientific studies which support its effectiveness in the treatment of many psychological disorders. The Australian Psychological Society compiles a summary of evidence for the effectiveness of many common different therapies in the treatment of psychological disorders. CBT is listed as having the most (or equal-most) amount of supporting evidence of all the therapy approaches reviewed, for the following disorders: Are you ready to live more, struggle less? Make an appointment to change the way you think, feel, live and connect.

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Mindfulness training

admin — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 10:20:55 +0000

The power of mindfulness is one of the most exciting recent discoveries in the field of psychology and neuroscience. It offers hope to patients with substance dependency, recurrent depression, chronic pain and many other difficulties, as well as enhancing the lives and performance of students, parents and athletes alike. Although it has only recently begun to be properly researched and applied in modern psychology, mindfulness is a skill that humans have been practicing in various different ways for at least 2500 years. What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is a state of focussed awareness and observation, in which one is open to all aspects of one’s moment-to-moment experience as it unfolds. It involves experiencing your thoughts, feelings and sensations, for what they are, whatever they may be at the time, without reacting to them or attempting to alter your experience. Being mindful means paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment. Learning mindfulness Mindfulness training can take many forms but, like any skill, is improved with regular practice. One of the most common ways of practicing mindfulness is through meditation. There are many different types of mindfulness meditations but, at their core, they all involve focus and observation in the here-and-now. For example, a mindful breathing meditation could involve paying attention to the breath as it flows in and out of the nostrils – noticing the sensations created by the movement and temperature of the air, whilst also making room for any other sensations, thoughts or feelings that may arise. However, meditation is just one way of developing the skill of mindfulness – there are an almost unlimited number of ways of incorporating mindfulness into your daily activities. Many people find this is a more practical approach to learning and developing the skill than formal meditation. The neuroscience of mindfulness Brain-imaging studies reveal that mindfulness practice actually leads to observable physical changes to the brain’s structure and functioning, particularly in the frontal lobe (you guessed it, at the front of your brain). The areas that are most affected by mindfulness practice are those that are used for tasks such as directing attention, decision-making, emotional regulation, impulse control, compassion and empathy, and interpersonal attachment. Imagine what enhancing these vital functions could do for your mental health, quality of relationships, work performance and overall wellbeing. Mindfulness in psychological therapy There are now numerous evidence-based psychological therapy approaches that incorporate mindfulness, including: Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Mindfulness-integrated CBT. There is now a large body of scientific research which demonstrates that mindfulness training can: Are you ready to live more, struggle less? Make an appointment to change the way you think, feel, live and connect.

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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

admin — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 10:10:20 +0000

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (abbreviated to the word “act”) is a relatively recent mindfulness-based behaviour therapy, which has been shown to be effective in treating a wide range of clinical difficulties and enhancing quality of life. It shares many core features with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy but also includes additional aspects such as mindfulness, acceptance and values. ACT helps clients to increase their acceptance of subjective experiences, including unpleasant or distressing thoughts, feelings and sensations, while moving towards meaningful goals. The aim of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy The primary goal of ACT is to live a meaningful and fulfilling life, while accepting the unavoidable pain that comes with it. It is about doing what matters in the face of life’s challenges, fully engaged in the present moment. This is achieved through six core processes: acceptance, defusion, contact with the present moment, the observing-self, values, and committed action. Symptom-reduction is not an immediate goal of ACT – due to the fact that attempts to control or suppress ‘symptoms’ can often create additional difficulties and even cause disorders in the first place. Happily, however, studies show that symptom-reduction is often a pleasant ‘side-effect’ of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Mindfulness in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Mindfulness is a central component of ACT. However, unlike with many other mindfulness-based therapies, it is not taught in any one specific way. Instead, mindfulness is used to facilitate acceptance (the opposite of avoidance), defusion (letting go of thoughts and seeing them for what they are, not what they mean), contact with the present moment, and developing a sense of self as the observer of one’s experience (rather than the experience itself). Values and committed action In Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, living a rich and fulfilling life and pursuing meaningful goals is the ultimate aim. After all, what is the point of living a relatively pain-free life (if that was even possible), if it is empty, unfulfilling and meaningless? This means that clarifying your core values - what you choose to stand for in life – and using these to set goals and take committed action in the present moment, is a vital part of the ACT approach. Are you ready to live more, struggle less? Make an appointment to change the way you think, feel, live and connect.

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Why am I depressed? 7 common reasons why we get depressed

admin — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 00:35:56 +0000

Do you feel depressed, but can’t figure out why? Everybody feels sad from time to time, but depression is different. Depression is much more pervasive and longer-lasting than a passing feeling of sadness, and often includes the following symptoms: out-of-character moodiness and irritability being over-sensitive to criticism losing interest in pleasurable activities withdrawing from friends and family having sleepless nights or sleeping all day confused or slow thinking low self-esteem or confidence Sometimes it’s obvious why we’re feeling depressed – falling-out with a friend, missing out on a promotion at work, or putting weight back on after you’ve worked so hard to lose it, are just some of the many ways that our circumstances can get us down. But sometimes the reasons are much less obvious, and this can create additional confusion and distress. Here are 7 common reasons why we get depressed: 1. You are what you eat Your brain is an organ, just like your heart or your liver. If your body isn’t being well looked after, chances are your brain isn’t in great shape either. Diet is extremely important for brain health – eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meats, fish and wholegrains, provides your brain with the building-blocks it needs to function the way it’s supposed to. On the other hand, a diet consisting of a large amount of processed food is often very low in the nutrients you need. For example, Omega-3 (an oil found in many species of fish and seeds) is an essential component of the myelin that coats your brain cells, and studies have found a link between Omega-3 deficiency and depression. 2. Active body, fit mind In addition to eating the right food, getting adequate exercise is a prerequisite for a healthy brain. In fact, several studies have found regular exercise to be as effective in reducing symptoms of depression as antidepressants. Furthermore, the only ‘side-effects’ you can get from regular exercise are likely to make you feel better too – losing weight, increased sex-drive, improved strength and stamina, to name a few. Exercising with friends or as part of a social sports team can be a lot more enjoyable than going solo, which increases the likelihood that you’ll keep it up in the long-run. 3. No man is an island We are social animals – if your significant relationships are unfulfilling or in turmoil, chances are you will suffer as an individual too. We thrive on having close connections to the people we love as well as a wide, supportive network of friends and family. Without these meaningful relationships and frequent positive interactions with other people, you are likely to feel lonely and depressed. Although Facebook and other social media are useful tools for staying in touch, there is no substitute for hugging someone you love or sharing a laugh with a friend. 4. Goals aren’t everything Focusing excessively on your goals (whether you end up achieving them or not) can cause you to neglect the things that are really meaningful to you and ultimately leave you feeling empty and burnt-out. If your goals aren’t based on your core values and don’t enrich your relationships or add value to your life, then they can suck energy from you and lead you in the wrong direction. Make sure you examine your goals and evaluate them in terms of who you are as a person and what you choose to stand for in life. And don’t forget to enjoy the journey too – many of your goals may ultimately never be achieved, but that shouldn’t stop you from finding fulfillment and satisfaction in pursuing them passionately. 5. Stuck in your head If you spend a lot of time caught up in your thoughts, ruminating about the past or worrying about the future, you can end up feeling deeply distressed about problems that no longer exist or catastrophes that haven’t even happened (and may never happen). Regrets about past mistakes, painful memories, fears about the future, or about yourself being a failure, can go round and round endlessly in your head – getting caught up in them can really get you down, and rarely leads you to a useful conclusion or outcome. Even ‘positive thinking’ can be problematic if you’re giving your thoughts too much attention. Letting go of your thoughts, and focusing instead on doing what matters in the here-and-now, is much more likely to produce positive changes in your life and enable you to enjoy your experiences more fully. 6. Fighting feelings You’re supposed to be the kind of person who can handle life’s challenges and stay cool under pressure, right? If you see feeling sad, anxious, tired or stressed as a sign of personal weakness, then you’ll probably do whatever you can to fight these feelings off when they show up. Unfortunately, struggling with your feelings can be like swimming against a rip-tide or thrashing around in quicksand – the more you fight, the more stuck you get (not to mention exhausted). Making room for uncomfortable feelings when they arise is challenging, but it actually enables you to get through them more quickly and builds your emotional strength over time. On the other hand, fighting with your own emotions often ends up creating an additional layer of pain – feeling sad about being anxious, for example. 7. Avoidance Whether it’s being assertive with a rude co-worker, visiting a relative in a nursing home, or remembering a traumatic event, we all have things we’d rather not do, or even think about, because of how they make us feel. But continually avoiding your feelings can make them seem bigger and scarier than they really are, and cause you to miss out on doing things that really matter to you in the long run. Using unhelpful strategies to avoid your feelings (drinking excessively, for example) can pretty quickly end up creating even bigger problems. Truth is, the only sure way to overcome your fears is by facing them. The first [...]

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The panic attack survival guide

admin — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 06:23:34 +0000

What is a panic attack? Panic attacks, also called anxiety attacks, are nearly as common as they are unpleasant – about 1 in 3 people will experience a panic attack at least once. Although they are harmless, the physical sensations of a panic attack can feel so intense that they are often mistaken for symptoms of a medical condition. If you have ever experienced one yourself, you’ll know just how unpleasant and scary panic attacks can be. A panic attack is the body’s flight or fight survival response. It is designed to protect you from life-threatening situations by putting your body into a state of hyper-arousal, so you can respond to extreme danger by running away or fighting for your life. It also functions to create a negative association with whatever situation triggered the panic attack, so you will do your best to avoid getting in a similar situation again. A panic attack is defined as a sudden rush of fear or discomfort accompanied by at least 4 of the following: 6 steps to survive a panic attack: 1. Remember it’s harmless Even though they feel horrible, panic attacks are completely harmless. Reminding yourself of this fact when you have a panic attack can make it a lot easier to follow the next steps. 2. Stay put Your mind might be telling you that you need to get out of there as quickly as possible, but unless you’re in real danger, it’s much better to stay where you are and try to ride the panic attack out. Leaving the situation can often make it very hard to go back in the future and create unnecessary anxiety about having another panic attack in the same place next time. Sit down if you can. 3. Breathe It sounds so simple, but in the midst of the panic storm, focusing on your breath can act as a sort of anchor that you can use to stop yourself from getting swept away. Breathe through your nose and notice the air coming in and out. Try to take slow, deep breaths if you notice you’re breathing fast. 4. Notice your senses Your mind can get a bit foggy during a panic attack, so it can help to ‘get out of your head’, so to speak. Focus your attention on what you can see, hear and feel around you. Notice the sensation of your clothes on your skin or the sounds you can hear in the distance, for example. Use your awareness of these physical sensations to keep you in the present moment and just let your thoughts play out like a radio in the background. 5. Be kind to yourself A panic attack is one of the most unpleasant experiences you can go through – you certainly didn’t choose to feel this way or ‘bring it on yourself’. Treat yourself the way you would treat someone you love who was feeling this way – with kindness and compassion. 6. Be patient Unfortunately, you don’t get to choose how long the panic attack will last. While most panic attacks are usually over in 5 to 10 minutes, they can sometimes last longer. The more you try to rush things along, the more you will end up fueling your anxiety. ALL panic attacks eventually subside. Wait until you feel calm again before you get up and leave. If you are having recurring panic attacks, or are avoiding doing things because of them, then be smart and ask for help. Your mind will thank you for it.

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