http://compassiontherapyblog.com An Individual's Counseling and Therapy Resource Tue, 29 Dec 2009 21:51:11 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en As we settle down to some sense of normalcy following our hectic holiday schedules, let us remember to be kind to ourselves in the coming year. Making resolutions and setting goals are ways to embrace the kindness of self-care. Let us resist the temptation to condemn ourselves when we ... http://compassiontherapyblog.com/happy-new-year-2010/ Does the mere thought of setting New Year’s resolutions and goals increase your anxiety rather than motivate you? Perhaps you have avoided setting goals in order to avoid this feeling. Rather than focusing on failures of the past, maybe it is time to focus on positive steps you can take in ... http://compassiontherapyblog.com/resolving-anxiety-associated-with-setting-goals/ Making New Year’s resolutions is a common practice in our society. There is just something encouraging and hopeful about starting a new year with promises to improve our lives. Any other time of year, this practice would simply be known as setting goals. However, the New Year can bring an ... http://compassiontherapyblog.com/new-years-resolutions/ By following certain traditions in daily life and around the holidays, we all contribute uniquely to our heritage and to society as a whole. Traditions help to express and pass down the values and beliefs that are important to a family, as well as to the larger culture and society. ... http://compassiontherapyblog.com/holiday-traditions/ There have been a few studies recently that have found a correlation between happiness and general appreciation. People who genuinely appreciate others and circumstances seem to generally be happier individuals.   Appreciation is the ability to recognize the value or importance of a stimulus or event, and perceive it in ... http://compassiontherapyblog.com/relationship-between-happiness-and-appreciation/ Family caregivers are faced with unique challenges of balancing their individual home life with caring for additional family members. Whether simply checking on a loved one in a structured facility, providing total care for someone living in the same home, or somewhere in between, additional stress is faced. This ... http://compassiontherapyblog.com/national-family-caregivers-week/ According to most historians, the Pilgrims never observed an annual Thanksgiving feast in autumn. In the year 1621 they did celebrate a feast near Plymouth, Massachusetts, following their first harvest. This was a time to celebrate their first successful harvest after a time of fasting and prayer. It was ... http://compassiontherapyblog.com/the-history-of-thanksgiving/ The holiday season can be an enjoyable time with family, friends, and traditions. However, for many people, the holiday season is a time of increased stress, anxiety, worry, and grief. The pressure of trying to get additional things accomplished in the midst of an already full schedule, coupled with cultural ... http://compassiontherapyblog.com/holiday-stress/ It may be time to seek the help of a professional when you are feeling: overwhelmed, anxious, irritable, “stuck”, or if you are experiencing changes in your sleep patterns. These symptoms may arise as a result of stress, grief, or other life transitions. When working with a psychotherapist, you will be:   1. ... http://compassiontherapyblog.com/what-is-psychotherapy-all-about/ There are many different approaches to treating depression. Of course medication is very common, as well as using various “self help” books. If counseling is sought, there are about as many different approaches as counselors, depending on therapeutic orientation and styles.   I find gaining insight into the root cause of ... http://compassiontherapyblog.com/treatment-for-depression/