What is anxiety? Emotionally, anxiety is a state of inner turmoil often marked by intense worry, fear, orunease. It can show up as racing thoughts, dread about the future, or a constant feelingthat something bad might happen—even if there’s no obvious reason. Physically, anxiety activates the body’s stress response. It can manifest physically in arapid […]
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Strange title, right? Everybody knows how to breathe! However, there may be more to breathing than we may realize. Everybody has gone through moments of nervousness and worry, be it when taking a test, thinking about the next sports game, or even choosing a gift for someone you care about. When feeling anxious or generally […]
READ NOW
When we think of having a healthy diet, we naturally think of how this will impact our body. What we often overlook is how our diet impacts our mental health. Research continues to support this idea that our very diet can leave us more susceptible to negative moods and even our overall mental health (Firth […]
READ NOW
It is never an easy process to acknowledge that we may be struggling. Oftentimes in our struggles, we may seek quick relief. Substances are a popular choice for finding this quick relief. Unfortunately, some may fall victim to the dark side of substances and face addiction. When we think of addiction in general, substances are […]
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THE BLOG
Cognitive development in teenagers is a fascinating topic. As teens develop both socially and cognitively, they are also able to think more deeply about complex ideas and concepts, and they begin to understand the world around them in a more complex way. This however, does not come without its share of successes and challenges for the teen and those committed to supporting them.
While building insight about any particular idea or choice, our minds tend to have little conversations or monologues weighing all the different aspects and facts around the situation. Sometimes we look to our trusted supports in our life to help in this process and offer an outsider’s perspective. As a therapist, insight-building is often a part of the therapeutic process. Sometimes it is a clear objective and other times it is a byproduct of the therapeutic process itself. Regardless, insight refers to our ability to use our wisdom to build a complete understanding of an idea or situation. This is very important when related to making a choice or building motivation for change.
One of the things that distress people struggling with mental health challenges like anxiety and depression is the inability to make a decision or sometimes feeling like they do not know what it is they want in a given situation. This can cause much distress and make undesirable situations even more difficult. There are many insight-building strategies that help people clarify what is important to them and what choices they want to make. In this blog, we will be going over one of those strategies in the form of a four-square pros and cons exercise. This is inspired by that from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy but includes a few differences. This exercise is designed to help you access your wisdom regarding a particular choice. Please keep in mind that when using this exercise, each time it is used it is used for the positive statement of a choice, and then the negative statement of the choice. For example, this tool would be done with statements such as “attending my friend’s birthday party” and “not attending my friend’s birthday party” instead of 2 different statements such as “Attending my friend’s birthday party” and “Going to the mall”. Now, let’s review more about how this exercise is used.
Many people struggle with making changes in their lives. Some people may not be convinced of the need for change. Some people may understand the change required but may be unable to act due to resources or timing. Some people understand the changes that they want in their lives, have the capability and resources, and yet still struggle with activating that change. It is this third group of individuals with which many folks suffering from mental health difficulties can identify. While working with individuals who list a “lack of motivation” as a reoccurring symptom that is significantly affecting their life, building motivation is one of the first steps needed because motivation is needed to cope, to change symptom-reinforcing habits, and to eventually experience a more desirable mood and quality of life. The next few steps would be one of the most effective ways to help build motivation for change, even for those who particularly struggle with this challenge.
What is anxiety? Emotionally, anxiety is a state of inner turmoil often marked by intense worry, fear, orunease. It can show up as racing thoughts, dread about the future, or a constant feelingthat something bad might happen—even if there’s no obvious reason. Physically, anxiety activates the body’s stress response. It can manifest physically in arapid […]
READ
Strange title, right? Everybody knows how to breathe! However, there may be more to breathing than we may realize. Everybody has gone through moments of nervousness and worry, be it when taking a test, thinking about the next sports game, or even choosing a gift for someone you care about. When feeling anxious or generally […]
READ
When we think of having a healthy diet, we naturally think of how this will impact our body. What we often overlook is how our diet impacts our mental health. Research continues to support this idea that our very diet can leave us more susceptible to negative moods and even our overall mental health (Firth […]
READ
It is never an easy process to acknowledge that we may be struggling. Oftentimes in our struggles, we may seek quick relief. Substances are a popular choice for finding this quick relief. Unfortunately, some may fall victim to the dark side of substances and face addiction. When we think of addiction in general, substances are […]
READ
Relationships take effort, whether with a partner, friend, family member, or coworker. Conflicts arise naturally from our differences, but the key isn’t always immediate problem-solving—it’s understanding. Learn how to navigate relationship challenges more effectively.
READ
Understand the key differences between sadness and depression. While sadness is a temporary emotion, depression is a more persistent condition that affects daily life. Recognizing these distinctions can help you navigate emotions and seek the right support when needed.
READ
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What is anxiety? Emotionally, anxiety is a state of inner turmoil often marked by intense worry, fear, orunease. It can show up as racing thoughts, dread about the future, or a constant feelingthat something bad might happen—even if there’s no obvious reason. Physically, anxiety activates the body’s stress response. It can manifest physically in arapid […]
Strange title, right? Everybody knows how to breathe! However, there may be more to breathing than we may realize. Everybody has gone through moments of nervousness and worry, be it when taking a test, thinking about the next sports game, or even choosing a gift for someone you care about. When feeling anxious or generally […]
When we think of having a healthy diet, we naturally think of how this will impact our body. What we often overlook is how our diet impacts our mental health. Research continues to support this idea that our very diet can leave us more susceptible to negative moods and even our overall mental health (Firth […]
All Recent Posts
Dating during the pandemic? What are the rules? Is there an etiquette to it? While we currently live in an ever-changing world as social distancing remains at the forefront of much of what we do there are still ways to determine how to date safely and form connections with others, while still practicing social distancing. What are the fears around dating during the time of COVID?
What is anxiety? Emotionally, anxiety is a state of inner turmoil often marked by intense worry, fear, orunease. It can show up as racing thoughts, dread about the future, or a constant feelingthat something bad might happen—even if there’s no obvious reason. Physically, anxiety activates the body’s stress response. It can manifest physically in arapid […]
Strange title, right? Everybody knows how to breathe! However, there may be more to breathing than we may realize. Everybody has gone through moments of nervousness and worry, be it when taking a test, thinking about the next sports game, or even choosing a gift for someone you care about. When feeling anxious or generally […]
When we think of having a healthy diet, we naturally think of how this will impact our body. What we often overlook is how our diet impacts our mental health. Research continues to support this idea that our very diet can leave us more susceptible to negative moods and even our overall mental health (Firth […]
It is never an easy process to acknowledge that we may be struggling. Oftentimes in our struggles, we may seek quick relief. Substances are a popular choice for finding this quick relief. Unfortunately, some may fall victim to the dark side of substances and face addiction. When we think of addiction in general, substances are […]
Dating during the pandemic? What are the rules? Is there an etiquette to it? While we currently live in an ever-changing world as social distancing remains at the forefront of much of what we do there are still ways to determine how to date safely and form connections with others, while still practicing social distancing. What are the fears around dating during the time of COVID?
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