Tag: Stress Management
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Crazy Sexy Anxiety
Kris Carr, author of Crazy Sexy Cancer, has lived with Stage IV cancer since 2003 by redefining illness and rejecting the victim mindset. Inspired by her work, Dr. Christine E. Dickson applies the “crazy sexy” approach to both medical and psychiatric conditions, helping clients view challenges like anxiety, depression, and PTSD not as sources of…
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Overcoming Anxiety: The Story of “Alan”
Dr. Dickson describes how she helps clients overcome anxiety with four simple tools.
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Improve Anxiety and Depression with Cold Showers
In 2017, when I first learned that cold showers could significantly improve symptoms of anxiety and depression, I immediately began suggesting it to all of my clients. Exposure to cold is known to activate the sympathetic nervous system and send an overwhelming amount of electrical impulses from peripheral nerve endings to the brain, which can…
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What is Mindfulness?
Sometimes we get stuck thinking about a particular thought and it feels like we have no control over our mind. All of this brain chatter can be overwhelming and affect how we feel each day. But if we really tune into our thoughts, we’ll notice how much they wander. We might be: Thinking about plans…
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How to Overcome Nightmares
Nightmares can feel terrifying and uncontrollable, leaving us anxious and shaken. Dr. Christine E. Dickson first experienced them while working as a prison psychologist, when she began using Jungian Dream Analysis to uncover their hidden meaning. By logging dreams, exploring recurring themes, and learning to embrace both the light and dark aspects of herself, she…
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9 Cognitive Distortions and How to Challenge Them
Distorted thinking can fuel stress, anxiety, and perfectionism. Discover 9 common cognitive distortions—from catastrophizing to blaming—and learn practical ways to challenge them for a healthier, clearer mindset.
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Stopping Obsessive Shaming Thoughts
The emotion of shame can be overwhelming to say the least. Stopping obsessive shaming thoughts can be even more difficult. Shame-inducing thoughts tend to fall into three categories: Self put downs such as “I’m stupid,” “I’m fat,” “I can’t do anything right.” Catastrophic thoughts about one’s ability to handle the future. Critical or shaming thoughts…
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3 Ways to Tolerate Stress and Anxiety
At times stress and anxiety can feel overwhelming, leaving us exhausted and drained. In this post, licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Christine E. Dickson shares practical tools for tolerating strong emotions. These strategies can help you move through difficult moments with greater resilience.
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Emoji your Emotions
Emoji your emotions! Make therapy and mindfulness fun. For most of my life, I have thought of my emotions as people. Jealously was a green monster, sadness was a blue creature hiding under my bed, anger was a nasty spike ball, anxiety was an energetic little monster bouncing all around, and happiness was always a…
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9 Ways to Accept Reality
In a previous post, I wrote about the practice of radical acceptance. Radical acceptance is accepting life on life’s terms. It is derived from deep spiritual wisdom that goes back thousands of years. The practice of radical acceptance has helped people thrive during periods of upheaval or change, and has helped decrease symptoms of anxiety,…