Alternative therapies
I'm a veteran of therapy. I've been seeing a counselor/dietitian/etc pretty much weekly for the past 7.5 years. I know a whole freaking LOT about therapy.
I've talked about my problems. I've thought and thought about how my parents might have screwed me up, of my fears about growing up. I've tried how to change my thoughts. I've tried to change my behaviors. I've set goals. I've learned to tolerate my emotions. To ask for what I need.
And sometimes, that isn't the best kind of therapy.
When you leave the apartment at 6:45 am and don't get back until 8:30 pm because of multiple transportation snafus, talking isn't going to cut it.
I highly recommend loud angry music, several reruns of Grey's Anatomy on DVD with a big bag of microwave popcorn and scrubbing out the sink to deal with anger (and a boatload of dirty dishes).
And an early bedtime.
7 comments:
Amen! One thing I would add: some playtime with a dog. My dog is extremely in tune with my moods, and it doesn't matter how black my state of mind is, he invariably finds a way to literally make me laugh out loud. Pet therapy can't be recommended enough!
I'd agree with Anne-Marie about the value of dogs. There's nothing like puppy love.
Loud angry music. Black Sabbath, Rage Against the Machine, Neil Young, Nirvana, Berlioz, Who, Rolling Stones, Pretenders.....
I prefer Kill Bill to Grey's Anatomy.
And venting vociferously using good ole Anglo-Saxon from my Manhattan upbringing that's been honed to razor sharpness. Latin just doesn't cut it when you really need to EMOTE
;{
I miss my dog, she helped me a lot as a teenager!
For me reading poetry - Shakespeare, Cohen, Byron, Keats out loud, really loud can turn my mood around.
Vicky
Playtime with my cat is good therapy- assuming, of course, that she wants to play. But she's usually pretty good about letting me dance with her (she's a tango kind of gal). And sorry all you dog lovers but Aria doesn't drool.
Kill Bill? Yikes, IU- remind me *not* to get on your bad side.
My other favorite anger-reducing activity (that's not, you know, self destructive) is beating my bed with a pillow. And swearing. And hoping my neighbors don't hear.
Hmm - was that too angry? Well, maybe, but the story about righteously kicking butt to get her kid back ... just kinda suits my mood these days.
In my real everyday life I'm a pacifist.
And pets rock - I lean more to cats myself, but we have do have a cute dog who will totally slobber you up if that's what you need.
I just seldom need that - mostly b/c she likes to root for snacks in the grossest places. She's great company on long trail hikes, though.
I like dogs, too, but I'm not always sure I'd want to own one. For that matter, I'm darn sure that Aria wouldn't let me!
I'm a solitary hiker, myself.
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