PSYCHOTHERAPY & COUNSELLING
Help conceive another view
ACQUIRED
The world we
We were born without our consent. Such a consent is not possible. And then we were thrown in the midst of it, the world. With unrelenting repetition; language, behaviour and etiquette were enforced upon us, call it education/ development/ maturation. We acquired a world and began to make sense of it.
Through primary carer or parental holding and containment, we were insulated of early anxieties, well most of us. The world was constituted for us and we offered it blind adherence or call it seamless coping, at least the first 15 years of our life which we lived with an attitude of spontaneity.
This primary caring and nurturing, was not available to some and the world that they envisage is different. To such an extent that they do not even have a concept of what is it like to be cared for.
The path we
PRESCRIBED
The jump start that we received in life began with the prescriptive attitude of others. The early meanings, values, conventions, beliefs, shoulds, musts and obligatory requisites were handed over to us by others.
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Our sense of ‘daring’ was tamed, and societal interference and conditioning became inescapable. We were inoculated with the idea to tread the known path prescribed by others, which eventually became our choices and our own path.
Job, financial stability, relationship, marriage, children, home, security, entertainment, holidays became the code and we pledged ourselves into compliance and conformity. Many live by this code, a few branched out. The code was not flawed but then life happened.
TRANSPIRED
The way it
Wrapped around familiarity and routine of the prescribed code, life proceeded and then a relationship breaks down or one encounters death in the family or a business goes bust or job redundancy/ accident/ health scare/ calamity happens and it wrecks one’s psychic coping and sense of stability.
One is thrown into the unfamiliar and whatever made sense earlier is now meaningless and a sense of uncanniness prevails. If none of the above happen perhaps flatness at the workplace or a static relationship or financial anxiety eats into the tapestry of one’s wellbeing.
Alerted by anxiety and this uncanniness, some re-establish themselves, some just stay stuck (perhaps depressed) and a few just give up (suicide).
Depression, Anxiety, Loss, Trauma, Stress and its prevalence
around the world is extremely common.
Not everyone encountering these, seek therapy but upon experiencing unbearability and breakdown in coping, one must alert oneself in seeking out for talking therapy.
WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS?
Human mind has the resilience to deal with changes in its lived world. Most of us cope with some level of uncertainty and at times even negotiate despair but life could take a sinister turn (death, accident, loss, terminal illness, financial fright etc.) and our capacity to cope gets out of kilter. We are overwhelmed with unpleasant feelings/emotions and invaded by the mood of anxiety.
WHEN ONE IS UNABLE TO MANAGE ANXIETY AND WHEN IT INHIBITS EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING THEN ONE BEGINS TO EXPERIENCE PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS.
The level and ability to endure life’s imperfections, aberrations and inconsistences depend upon secure attachments, well-cared upbringing, early encouragement offered, one’s philosophical disposition, the way one processes external stimuli and a sense of adventurous attitude picked along the way. Regardless of these, life will appropriate suffering at various points and some level of anguish is inevitable but
WHEN IT BEGINS TO ENCROACH NORMAL FUNCTIONING AND IF LEFT UNATTENDED,
IT COULD LEAD TO PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AND EVEN DEPRESSION.
PRIOR TO RESIGNATION OR DRASTIC MEASURES
won't you try talking therapy?
WHAT DO TALKING THERAPIES ACCOMPLISH?
HELP RECONSTITUTE ONE'S CAPACITIES & REACQUAINT WITH OWN POTENTIALITY
TALKING THERAPY CAN OFFER CLARITY, RESPITE, INTEGRATION AND UNDERSTANDING
LET US JOINTLY EXAMINE THE UNEXPLORED
Perhaps a thin line separates the unfeasible from the doable
“Not the torturer will scare me, nor the body's final fall, nor the barrels of death's rifles, nor the shadows on the wall [...] But the blind indifference of a merciless, unfeeling world.”
- Pink Floyd (Each small candle)
As the world moves so rapidly around us, human beings will occasionally breach the basic convention i.e. compassion and a feeling for the other. They will leave behind people who cannot integrate themselves so rapidly with the changing environment, new ways of socialising and mattering.
THE RESULTING DISTRESS AND A SENSE OF DESOLATION IN CERTAIN SECTIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY WILL CALL FORTH FOR A SPECIAL KIND OF SIGHTING.
WHY DO CLIENTS COME
FOR THERAPY?
Unexpected disruption, chronic conditions, major life upheaval, triggering of past experiences, bereavement, repentant guilt, any of these could either invoke anxiety or could eventuate into anger, fright, obsessions, phobias or depression. Understanding falls away, support system is unhelpful, anti-depressants become ineffective and one’s own coping deserts one. In spite of various self-soothing attempts, addiction, denial, obsessions, suppression and other methods, when the situation becomes untenable, clients seek therapy as a respite.
WHAT DO CLIENTS SEEK FROM THERAPY?
In general, clients feel overpowered by their circumstances and seek support, guidance, reinforcement and a hand to hold on to as they negotiate the bend. Some seek quick symptom fixes, some want to share their struggle with loss (relationship, job, money, health, cause) and some seek deeper analysis of their experiences. A common thread however is their need to get their complex issues contained and regain their ability to cope. Some have a clear idea and seek specific help whilst others, through the explorative characteristic of the therapeutic engagement, stumble upon what is really bothering them.
'We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy is when men are afraid of the light.'- Plato
ABOUT EXISTENTIAL PSYCHOTHERAPY
THE VICISSITUDES OF EXISTENCE
WHAT WOULD IT MEAN TO YOU IF YOU COULD
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Contain your constant worrying nature?
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Get a grip over anxiety and panic attacks?
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Generate understanding about loss, death, meaninglessness and loneliness?
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Surmount depression, stuckness and get your creative courage back?
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Intercept and dismantle the self-surrender attitude and regain agency?
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Recapture hope and faith in the abyss that you find yourself in, at times?
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Exercise your freedom, desires and goals?
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Eliminate your preoccupation with adverse consequences?
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Get a hold of your traumatic past and able to prevent its dysfunctional interference?
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Acquire the capacity to self-regulate yourself regardless of unfolding circumstances?
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Process your loss & grief and able to re-synchronise with the environment?
WHAT DO WE GRAPPLE WITH ?
anxiety
depression
bereavement
trauma
IT STRIKES US ALL BUT HOW STUCK WE REMAIN IS A CHOICE
AT HEADSTRIDE, WE BRING THIS
UNDERSTANDING TO GREATER RELIEF
WELCOME TO OUR PSYCHOTHERAPY SERVICES
HEADSTRIDE PSYCHOTHERAPY BLOGS
WELCOME TO OUR PUBLISHED WORLD
WE AFFIRM OUR INTENT TOWARDS AUTHENTIC, PURPOSIVE AND WELL-RESEARCHED PUBLICATIONS AND BLOGS IN THE PSYCHOTHERAPY, COACHING, APPERCEPTION, LEADERSHIP & SALES SPACE.
We attach much appreciation to the views of like-minded people who can come and share with us their views, feedback, take on any matter and alternate perspectives, all of which help us towards refining our content which can then be used by all.
INDULGENCE IN OUR BLOGS COULD
ESTABLISH SOME LEVEL OF TRUST PRIOR TO OUR ENGAGEMENT.
We have always sought for advancement and alteration of our frame of reference as and when new philosophical/psychological constructs or material emerge, and our psychotherapy blogs and publications preserve and reflect this ethos. Our participation in CPD, events, seminars, workshops, our reading, our critical contrasting, our privilege in interviewing experts, our exposure to symposiums, groups, webinars, podcasts and our rendering of workshops, all of these express undeviating inclination towards:
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THE OPENING OUT CAUSE IN THE MENTAL HEALTH ARENA
We express gratitude at being able to mine the rich seams of London’s mental health resources (forums, libraries, films, published material) all of which have contributed towards these blogs that we periodically generate.
HEADSTRIDE AUGMENTS THIS JOURNEY TO STRENGTHEN
THE WIRING IN THE HEAD
TO ATTAIN THAT CONVICTION AND STRIDE.
THE ESSENCE OF THE QUESTION IS THE OPENING UP,
AND KEEPING OPEN, OF POSSIBILITIES.
- Hans-Georg Gadamer