Success With the Burns Mood Survey

  Hello and Happy New Year!

 I’ve been wanting to let everyone know about some new tools that I am successfully using with my new and existing clients.  Last December, I introduced the Burns Brief Mood Survey into my practice.

 This survey, administered at the initial assessment, assesses Depression, Suicidal Ideation, Anxiety, Anger, and Relationship Satisfaction. Investigators have found that it correlates highly with the Beck Anxiety and Depression Inventories as well as the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety and Depression Scales (p < .0001).

 At all follow-up appointments, my clients are asked to complete a pre- and post-session Burns Brief Mood Survey, as well as a Therapy Evaluation Form at the end of each session, so that I can receive immediate feedback about how they experience me and my services.

 These tools help me and my clients to formally monitor symptoms, client motivation, and guide the treatment process. For your reference, enclosed is a sample of the Burns Brief Mood Survey and Therapy Evaluation Forms. To obtain more information about these tools, visit FeelingGood.com and check out the Therapist Toolkit.

 For more information about me, please call 619-379-7450 or visit my website at KimRoser.net You can also view my directory listing at PsychologyToday.com, Find a Therapist.

Overwhelmed By Trying to Do Too Much Too Well?

This is a fun 4-minute radio broadcast to help us all have realistic expectations of ourselves.

http://www.marketplace.org/topics/life/ladies-you-cant-have-it-all

 

If you need help becoming less overwhelmed, you  might consider a few sessions of personal counseling to help you reprioritize and get back on track in your life.

Why Therapy Can Be Helpful

When your “Life is On Overload”: http://ct.counseling.org/2011/11/life-on-overload/  This is a great article explaining the ever rising stress level on our society and how personal counseling can help.

For more information or if you would like to schedule an appointment, please call me at 619-379-7450.

Looking for Alternatives to Medication?

If you are open to or interested in non-traditional treatment approaches for mental health, you might like to read about the classical homeopathic approach to healing.

A highly regarded book covering the basics of classical homeopathy that I recommend is: Beyond Flat Earth Medicine, by Timothy Dooley, ND, MD.

Dr. Dooley has an office in San Diego and is highly regarded in the community.  For more information about his practice and a link to a free-read of his first edition of the book visit: www.drdooley.net.

Other titles of great value include: Prozac Free and Ritalin-Free Kids by Judith Reichenberg-Ullman.  These books may help you determine if a non-traditional path toward healing is right for you!

For more information or referrals to other homeopathic doctors or practitioners in the community, feel free to call me at 619-379-7450.

Researchers Investigate a New Class of Drugs to Treat Depression

Check out this two-part story from NPR’s Health Blog:

Part 1:  http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/01/30/145992588/could-a-club-drug-offer-almost-immediate-relief-from-depression

Part 2: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/01/31/146096540/i-wanted-to-live-new-depression-drugs-offer-hope-for-toughest-cases

Always consult a medical doctor before starting any new medication treatment. 

Do you want to talk to someone about your history of depression or anxiety?  It can be helpful to meet with a psychotherapist to discuss the severity of your symptoms and functioning.  Sometimes, a couple of months of therapy is all that is needed to get back on track. 

Feel free to call me at 619-379-7450 to discuss scheduling an appointment.

Some News About Anti-Depressant Treatment

Check out this article/radio program:  http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/01/23/145525853/when-it-comes-to-depression-serotonin-isnt-the-whole-story

The Pink Envelope

“It was bright pink, cheery…and it almost ruined my day.”

Someone who completed one my past Mindfulness- Based Stress Reduction Skills(MBSR) courses called me to share her success in using MBSR to manage intense anxiety triggered by this bright pink, cheery envelope.  Naturally, I was intrigued.  “What happened?” I asked.

“Well.  I got this pink envelope in the mail and it did not have a return address, which was the first trigger for my anxiety.  I wondered, ’Who was sending me this card-sized envelope at the end of July?’  There was no holiday or birthday to be celebrated, so I was suspicious.  Then I noticed the handwriting…it looked like an older woman’s handwriting.“

She went on to describe her awareness of her negative, automatic thoughts triggered by The Pink Envelope.  She was approaching the  anniversary of living in a house that she has rented for 12 years, and with the shaky economy and her husband’s job loss last fall, she was afraid that this pink envelope was a notice from her landlady to increase the rent—or worse—or a 30-day notice to move out.  “It looked like her handwriting!“

“In the past this would have totally stressed me out.  I might have avoided opening it.  The shift in my mood would cause me to be unpleasant to be around, and my poor husband and dog might not receive the quality of my attention they deserve.  …and I probably would have gotten an intense headache!“

She went on to share that because she had been practicing formal mindfulness on a regular basis (she learned how to do this in the class) and became aware of her patterns of thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations, she immediately recognized that The Pink Envelope triggered a cascading and nearly overwhelming stressful  bodily response.

“I noticed the tightness in my chest, the shallowness of my breath, the feeling of fear, and the risk of becoming consumed by what was inside of the envelope.“   When she noticed this, she was able to take a few deep breaths–just focus on her breathing for a few moments–to restore some control over these sensations.  This allowed her to challenge the evidence of her fortune-telling and catastrophizing that The Pink Envelope was something scary.

“I walked inside the house, set the envelope on the table, and with my full attention  greeted my husband and my dog who were eagerly waiting for me.  Afterward, I decided to face The Pink Envelope.  I told myself, I was being ridiculous and asked myself ’Why would my landlady send me a formal notice in a pink envelope?’

“I grabbed the envelope, tore it open, and discovered a beautiful photo of a friend’s newborn baby/announcement.  I took a deep breath, told myself that I was an idiot, rolled my eyes and shook my head at myself.  Aware that I was now beating myself up, I took another deep breath, forgave myself, blew it away, and took my dog for a delightful walk!“

No longer consumed by negative thoughts, anxiety, self-judgement or the once-dreaded Pink Envelope, she was able to take in the full experience of her neighborhood, the smell of flowers blooming, the cool breeze against her skin, delighting in her dog’s wonder and curiosity about all of the new smells, and enjoy the remainder of her day.

The next MBSR course starts in September! For more information or to register, please visit:  www.WhyMBSR.WordPress.com              or www.KimRoser.net

 Online registration will open soon.  If you have questions, please call me (619) 379-7450.

New Office–August 1st!

I am delighted to announce that my practice is moving to a new office, located in The Diversionary Theater, in the vibrant University Heights business district.

Kim Roser, LCSW–Now on FaceBook

If you would like to receive updates via FaceBook or share information about my services to your FaceBook network, check out the new FaceBook link!

Moving Beyond Stress in San Diego

We’ve all been there: recipients of unpleasant news or decisions by others that would negatively impact our lives and our feeling of peace.  Job loss (or the threat of it); changes to importance relationships through divorce, death, or breaches of trust.  Stress is a part of life.  Our emotions (negative and positive) are a part of being human.  However, sometimes we may find ourselves getting stuck in our stress, unable to move past our difficult circumstances.  Sometimes chronic anxiety and depression may ensue. Sometimes people develop stress-related medical conditions.  However, it is important to remember that we still have power and choices we can make.

It All Boils Down to Three Simple Choices.  We can:

1. Continue suffering.
2. Try to change the situation or how we feel about the situation.
3. Radically accept what has happened.

 

When we “radically” accept, we are accepting completely, wholly.  For most people, acceptance is a process.  We don’t just wake up and decide, “Today I will accept ‘xyz’ situation” and not continue to experience stress related to the event.  Inevitably, a thought, memory, encounter will trigger the emotions preventing us from accepting, and then we simply must begin the process of accepting again. 

Acceptance doesn’t mean that you agree with what has happened, but that you accept that a certain set of facts/events have taken place.  It involves letting go of fear and anger.  To radically accept, we might have to “let go” over and over.  When we move into acceptance, we can take back our power and begin to take the necessary steps to improve our circumstances and rebuild our lives.

If you need help with accepting and letting go, you might benefit from individual and confidential counseling or psychotherapy.  Another alternative is taking a stress-reduction course that helps you become calm and grounded within yourself.