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Plainly put, we need others. And we need them most when we’re in pain, be it physical or emotional. Simply witnessing pain can be a powerful show of support. On Tribes and Tears

“Some say it is […] noble to live life and without time there is no life. Others disagree. They would rather have an eternity of contentment, even if that eternity were fixed and frozen, like a butterfly mounted in a case.” – Alan Lightman, Einstein’s Dreams Mindfulness is difficult to attain. Often, we forget how to think about the mind, and what mindfulness can do to improve the way the mind thinks. Our mind often works like a muscle. Using a muscle makes it stronger. For example, a weightlifter can lift more weight through practice. And repetition gives a muscle muscle memory. For instance, a classical guitarist can fingerpick effortlessly after many thousands of repetitions. The mind’s neural connections work similarly.  If we regularly use a neural path, its connections become stronger. If I work all day thinking about architecture, I might find myself dreaming about architecture. Similarly, if I’m depressed often and repetitively, I’m likely to find things depressing. For these reasons, it’s important to be mindful of the way you are using your mind. Are you falling into a cyclical repetition of thoughts? Do you wallow on a sore subject? What could or should I be thinking about? How can I embrace the positive aspects of my life, and overcome the negative? How can I slow down? How can I focus? And how can I find balance? These are answers that we can answer together. Consider the Metis Center for therapy in Boulder, Colorado. Our therapists are experts on exercising mindfulness!

College and the post-college years are stressful! In her book Bossypants, Tina Fey writes of stress: “I was…blorft. “Blorft” is an adjective I just made up that means ‘Completely overwhelmed but proceeding as if everything is fine and reacting to the stress with the torpor of a possum.’ I have been blorft every day for the past seven years.” It’s no wonder that college and the post-college years can be some of the most stressful years of a person’s life. These young adults have to contend with thoughts about education paths, career pursuits, financial issues, and the possibility of starting a family. On top of that, the late teens and early twenties are often the busiest years of your life. Between socializing, studying, and working, these formative years frequently go sleepless. If you’re concerned about the stressors of your collegiate career, or need mentoring and direction, consider talking to one of our counselors. We’ll discuss your current psychological state, and prepare you for a balanced future. Our experts will aid you in developing goals, forming schedules, and analyzing your strengths and weaknesses. Remember you can rely on the Metis Center as your professionals in counseling in Boulder, CO. If you’d like to learn more about our college career preparation work, check out our assessment page, or give us a call! And don’t forget, we offer therapy services, as well as several other counseling services. At the Metis Center, we strive to make sure you’re comfortable, you’ll enjoy the warmth of our waiting area, and the complimentary

In interview with an expert in what makes psychotherapy work: http://www.apa.org/research/action/speaking-of-psychology/psychotherapy.aspx

Two variables—genetics and life experiences—help explain why two people exposed to the same trauma may respond differently, but there is much more to learn. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/what-makes-some-people-more-resilient-to-trauma-than-others-0521155

As we are growing up and going through life, there are many thoughts we have. Some of those thoughts are positive, while others are negative. Our thoughts have power over our behavior. The only problem is, when we focus too much on thoughts that drive us toward the negative actions, beliefs and attitudes, it will have a negative effect on our everyday life and our relationships with others. There’s an old saying, “Even though you have a thought, it doesn’t make that thought true.” At the heart of this saying, there is power. Not everything we think is true, therefore, we don’t need to focus on its inevitability. Sometimes it is difficult to see which thoughts affect our behavior negatively, therefore, therapists are helpful in taking that role in a non-biased way and helping you to be aware of how your thinking affect your behavior. As you become aware, you can start to redirect these thoughts toward the positive truth and therefore live in a positive light. The clinical term for this process is called cognitive behavioral therapy. A therapist helps you take your thinking and belief processes and turn them to be positive. As you become more cognitive of your thinking, you can then become more aware of the behaviors associated with the thinking and make appropriate changes. Your emotional state will then change as you identify your negative thoughts, change to positive thinking, alter your behavior born out of the negative thinking and then feel more of a sense of calm and peace. Contact

PTSD can happen to anyone who has experienced a trauma. Often times, there are not very obvious symptoms that someone has suffered a trauma, but if you know what to look for, you may be able to help someone get the help they need to process the event and move forward with a healthy mental state. You may know someone who went through a traumatic event and is moving on with life, but not the same as before the event of onset. While the symptoms will vary along with the degree to which each person experiences them, there are some key factors that are similar for sufferers of PTSD. Here are a few symptoms you may see in others. Nightmares or issues sleeping Flashbacks to the event Panic attacks Jumpiness Strong reactions that aren’t warranted Anger, irritability or aggression Moodiness Depression and lack of interest in previously enjoyed activities, emotional numbness Difficulty concentrating Distancing self from people and family People with PTSD may not want help and getting them to seek treatment may have to be done gently and patiently. If you know someone with these symptoms, please contact us at the Metis Center for Psychological Services. We can help you know how to help them find the treatment they need to get back to living their lives without suffering. I, Dr. Sunda Friedman TeBockhorst, Ph.D., can also help you to know how to negotiate living with someone living with PTSD. Call us at 720-387-8458. Early treatment is better than waiting.

Experiencing trauma can affect people in different ways and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, caused by the prolonged symptoms of emotional or psychological trauma) is typically not a cut and dry diagnosis and will sometimes go undiagnosed. A traumatic event can include experiencing a natural disaster, being a victim of sexual assault, or something less violent — even living in a situation with constant stress, like dealing with a chronic illness. Events that happen unexpectedly, repeatedly, in childhood or a situation where you feel powerless or when someone is intentionally cruel can lead to emotional and psychological trauma. Symptoms can range from anger and irritability, guilt, confusion and difficulty concentrating to insomnia or nightmares or muscle tension and fatigue. They don’t have to point to the trauma, but can affect everyday life. If you have experienced trauma or know someone who has and are having a difficult time functioning at home or work or keeping relationships, therapy can help. Psychologists have been able to help those who have experienced trauma and need to work through the emotions that accompany a traumatic event. If you have experienced a traumatic event and have not been able to work through the emotional nature of the event, you may want to seek psychological help. The Metis Center for Psychological Services in Lafayette, Broomfield, and Durango, CO can help by offering therapy that focuses on your needs that are specific to your situation. Find a way out of the symptoms you experience and begin to live your life to the full

The American Psychological Association (APA) recently released its Stress in America report detailing that, as you may guess, school is one of the most common sources of stress for American teens. As a matter of fact, some 83% of kids report school as a major source of stress in their life. While stress from school can definitely have a negative impact on the entire family, it can also have a negative impact on the teen’s mental health. Here at The Metis Center For Psychological Services, we strive to create a safe place free of judgement for anyone looking for a psychologist in Colorado.  We work with teens and their parents to find ways to combat this stress as we know how much of an impact it can have in so many different ways. Unfortunately, almost half of the teens who report having stress from school do nothing to cope with said stress. This is a significant concern for us because of the impact this stress can have. One great way of combatting stress from school is to participate in physical activities. Parents also play a great part in helping their children manage stress by modeling healthy lifestyles and choices, promoting physical activity by encouraging their kids to join sports teams, engaging in activities as a family such as dancing or hiking, or finding ways to exercise that don’t cost money liking riding bikes or going to the park. If you’re a teenage who is looking for help in managing your stress levels, or if you’re a parent looking to help your

Most of us experience trauma at some point in our lives and they can be a devastating thing to work through, especially alone. Traumas experienced can be mild, moderate or severe. Even if a trauma is considered mild by some, it may be experienced as moderate to others. When we can walk away from a traumatic situation and move on with our lives relatively in the same way as we did prior to the event, we don’t tend to carry the trauma with us. For many reasons, some traumas, are difficult to let go of and can create a barrier to us living life fully. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is the persistence of that trauma in one’s life. PTSD can present with symptoms like flashbacks or reliving the trauma over and over; bad dreams; scary thoughts; strong feelings of guilt, depression or worry; loss of interest in activities that were enjoyable; emotionally numb; difficulty sleeping or feeling tense or on-edge; and other related symptoms that may cause difficulty in doing regular daily tasks. Getting diagnosed is just the beginning of treatment. There are a range of therapeutic techniques available to help those with PTSD deal with the symptoms and be able to progress past the recurring trauma. You can find the best coping strategies for your life with the help of a trained therapist. Therapy can help you find solutions.  Start on the road to recovery and contact our offices in Boulder, Lafayette, and Durango, CO for more information at (720) 387-8458 or book your