One of the top things that people never say is, “What I like most about you is that you’re a control freak.” We are drawn to people who are in control, but we are repelled by people who are controlling. 

Although some dementia is caused by genetics, it might surprise you to learn that the majority of dementia is not. Depending on the cause, some dementia symptoms can be slowed or stopped. Here are some lifestyle changes you can make with the start of this new year to reduce your risk of dementia.

According to the American Institute of Stress, about 33 percent of people report feeling extreme stress, 77 percent experience stress that affects their physical health, and 73 percent have stress that impacts their mental health. Sadly, for about half of all Americans, levels of stress are getting worse, not better. What is “chronic stress” and how can it be treated?

Anxiety makes it hard to be present and engaged with your spouse. Instead of being in the moment, you are worrying about the past or the future and on edge, which makes it nearly impossible to focus on your partner so you can get and stay close. Here are six strategies to help your relationship anxiety and save your marriage.

The stereo-type is someone who has to knock on a door a certain number of times, have the towels folded a certain way, and is terrified of using public restrooms or touching surfaces. While ordering things and fears of contamination actually can be symptoms of OCD, that is just the tip of the iceberg of the kinds of obsessional thoughts that can plague those who suffer with this malady.

Many mental health professionals pathologize depression and anxiety. That is, they see these issues as illnesses, which they then label and treat with medical approaches. But in Emotionally Focused Therapy, we don’t think of anxiety or depression as mental illnesses; rather we group them together as emotional disorders. EFT therapists see people as emotional beings seeking connection above all.

So, we work very hard to avoid anxiety. Yet, there are some good things that come from anxiety, some benefits of anxiety.

According to a recent article by the Mayo Clinic, the symptoms of depression and anxiety have been shown to improve with exercise.

Regardless, I would agree with the author of the article that people who suffer a loss do experience anxiety. Anxiety is a normal response to the loss of a loved one, but one that should not be ignored if it persists or heightens.

Some fear is healthy and motivates us to be careful with our choices, serious about our work, wise with our money, kind in our relationships, and reverent toward our God, which are all good things. But when fear takes control of your life, that’s not good

When I think about dealing with anxiety in couples counseling, I recall one couple in particular when I first started as a counselor. They had a very reactive attack/attack negative cycle. But because I was inexperienced and not trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy, I didn’t know then what I know now: anxiety “fuels the fire” of the negative cycle.

Everyone knows about postpartum depression. It is a serious problem. But people are not as aware of a possibly more common problem, postpartum anxiety. A study out of Canada, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, shows that perinatal anxiety may be more prevalent than postpartum depression.

I am a big fan of the Seinfeld TV show. The character of George Costanza, as Jerry says, needs a team of therapists working on him around the clock. One of his issues is social anxiety, but he inadvertently stumbles upon the solution in the following exchange.

The beauty of Emotionally Focused Therapy, the therapy model we practice at SoulCare Counseling, is that it is based on the science of the brain. We know how to the brain responds to distress. Regardless of culture, race, gender, age, or any other factor, all human beings react the same way.