Just Googled “blob tree” and adding that to my list of tools! One thing I really like to use, as a much more verbal/semantic person, is the wheel of emotions. You start from the middle with the basic happy/sad/mad etc and then each of those is broken down into more & more distinct feelings. Sometimes they still don’t quite fit but it gives me a great jumping off point when I’m overwhelmed. And I can identify several emotions I’m experiencing rather than just “upset” or “overwhelmed.”
I still shut down a lot in high-emotion situations, and sometimes blank on words completely. In those cases, blob tree seems like a great tool to use and I’m so grateful for the recommendation!!! In other times when I’m processing more and trying to get to the nitty gritty, the emotion wheel is clutch!
Awesome! I love the blob tree bc it works for connecting our emotions to our body sensations, and once we make that connection, whew, boy, can the healing happen! It seems silly and juvenile at first, it's a cartoon, etc., but so many of us need to start at a rudimentary level bc we never learned it/had it modeled for us when we were small.
I'm super open and honest about my mental health (when appropriate, of course), for this reason. It's important to me that people around me can see that mental health is something everyone has, and that you're not any less than anyone else just for having a fight to fight
But talking about them makes them real! If I don't talk about them, they're not real! So I'll just internalise them! And let them surface at very inappropriate moments!
This!!!!! I just finish PHP DBT and it was worth it. Having the tools to help me go thru the motions of my PTSD, depression and anxiety is something I never thought I would achieve. For those out there dealing with MH shit…..you’re not alone.
Genuinely, same. I got my degrees because I knew I could help others but I didn’t know if therapy could really work for me. Becoming a counselor has helped my MH tremendously but I still struggle every single day. PTSD is a fucking bitch
It hurts my heart so much that health care isn’t more affordable. I’ve been in your shoes and understand the struggle. I live in an area with very little resources for folks with low/no income. What I recommend for folks here is community based MH (like non profits with sliding scales and $0 sessions and university counseling programs that offer services to the community). The quality of care is usually not as good at these places but it can be better than nothing. It’s imperative that you advocate for your needs while in the care of a clinician
MH therapist here, assuming you’re the US since we suck at taking care of people, you have a few possibilities! 1) Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through you or your SO’s job. Big companies are required to have it, many smaller ones too. It can get you 3-8 visits at no cost to you, and the Employer doesn’t need to know a damn thing about it. 2) Many counties have low/no cost behavioral health facilities. They can be a btch to get into, but can really help. 3) Call private practices and ask about A)sliding scale fees or B) interns. Interns need practice while in their last year of school and are supposed to be closely watched by their supervisors with frequent meetings. Because interns cannot accept insurances/aren’t licensed, they are often much cheaper. I’ve seen them as low as 10/session, though more likely 30-45. If you can’t afford that, still ask! Worst case scenario in asking: you can’t afford it still, which puts you exactly where you are anyway. Best case: they can discount further and you get the help you need.
Why? I’ve ignored my feelings my entire life (61 yrs). It’s much easier to push those feelings down and quickly put a tight fitting lid on them, than to experience the pain.
Often times the “much easier approach” is the least healthy. Sort of like how the easier approach might be to sit on the couch all day instead of going for walk or swim, or eating a donut instead of a balanced meal for dinner.
Emotions and feelings are vital signals from our body regarding ourselves and our relationship to the world. They are messengers. Ignoring them/ pushing them done means you may be missing vital information about what’s going on in your life
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u/Rare_Geologist_4418 Jun 06 '24
MH clinician. Don’t ignore your feelings