Approximately 3% to 4% of Americans deal with worry that goes well beyond a normal degree. While this level of worry and anxiety does not have a quick fix, there is support and help in the form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Depression is characterized by persistent sadness, lack of interest in enjoyable activities, and an overwhelming sense of despair. At the heart of many depressive episodes are cognitive distortions—unrealistic, negative thoughts that distort one’s perception of reality.
Anne Lamott once said, "My mind is like a bad neighborhood, I try not to go there alone." Our anxious thoughts can play like a tape of bad things that have happened to us in the past, or worry about bad things that could happen in the future.
"And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” - Anais Nin This quote has always been one of my favorites. It inspired the name of my practice, Heart Bloom Therapy.