Individual Therapy (Using IFS)
Life feels overwhelming – creating anxiety.
You’ve realized that the belief “life will be better as an adult” that got you through your teenage years isn’t true. Adulting requires a lot, and messing up leaves much heavier consequences now.
The anxious parts of yourself cause you to have a dialogue with yourself about work. “What will Amy (my boss) think if I don’t finish this? Oh, I forgot to add that to my to-do list. I have so many emails to answer; will they ever stop? There’s so much work to do. I can’t believe I said that yesterday; Amy must think I’m not smart.”
Then, your concerns about personal responsibilities create more dialogue. “I need to go to the grocery store, but when will that ever happen? I have a headache again; I’m worried I might have a brain tumor. I must stay around for my kids. I can’t believe I forgot to fill out the field trip form. I’m so worried I’m traumatizing my kids every time I yell.”
There’s a never-ending stream of thoughts or a feeling in your body of needing to act now, and anxiety is in control.
Then, your depressed part comes into play.
Like Eeyore, you start feeling glum. “There’s too much in the world to do. Our world is a shit-show. There’s nothing I can do. I’m SO tired. I wish I could lie in my bed forever. It’s so hard to get up. Motivation has vanished. I want to curl up under my blanket forever.”
Depression takes over the body, making every movement feel so heavy and slow. It’s hard to find satisfaction in anything. Life feels flat.
Your young child parts pipe up. You might hear statements like this in your mind or have a deep feeling of unrest: “I feel so worthless. Deep down, I feel fundamentally flawed. What is so wrong with me? I’m never going to be good enough. I hate myself.” You feel shame.
A suicidal part of you works to solve the problem.
Feelings of shame, hopelessness, and despair make you think even more negatively.
“Life is too hard; I’m a burden to everyone. They would be better without me. It’s time to end it all. I wish I could stop existing. What if I kill myself this way? I want out.”
When suicidal thoughts have a grip on you, they can be all-consuming. There is a way through the suicidal thoughts WITHOUT needing to act on them. *(If you are experiencing intense suicidal thoughts, please call 988 to get help right now.)
Therapy can provide relief from life’s challenges.
Using Internal Family Systems (IFS), we will work with parts of you to provide clarity around your needs, compassion for yourself, and healing. At the start of therapy, we clarify your goals and create a map of what is needed to get there.
When anxiety is out front, we will develop a goal to help you control anxious thoughts, so you take control. If depression feels overwhelming, we will craft a goal to navigate through lows so you can find more joy and function in life. When suicidal thoughts are strong, we will mindfully define goals that keep you alive AND heal the underlying reasons for wanting to die.
If your young parts are filled with shame, our goal will be to develop ways to help you release those burdens and beliefs that were never meant to hold you back and create healing so your young parts can be joyful children.
As your therapist, I will guide you with clarity to connect with each part of yourself. You will experience your authentic self and find the real you – more confident, compassionate, courageous, and calm. In addition, you will find it much easier to connect authentically with others in your life.
Live a more aligned and authentic life.
Through individual therapy, feeling overwhelmed will begin to slip away, clarity will come into focus, and you will feel joy, allowing you to be in the present. With a sigh of relief, you will be on your way home, back to yourself, a deeper you in your soul.
That freedom will allow you to make decisions more efficiently and create a connection with yourself, helping you meet your needs. Now, you can feel all the parts of yourself, those in need, and those that help you be you. And the best of all, you will feel free beyond your parts, not bound to be any one way but free to exist as you are.
Finally, you can be yourself and free from those worrying expectations that you must make everyone else happy at your expense. Are you ready to clear away overwhelm and find yourself?
Take this as your sign to care for yourself. Schedule a free 20-minute consultation call to ask me all your questions and start your freedom journey back to yourself.