I find that people are always very willing to open up and discuss their life events whether they are patients in session or random people passing through my daily world. From what I can gather it seems that the average person nowadays is concerned about their livelihood.
Here are some of the Key Issues and Strategies for facing Stress head on~
With an ear to the street, many in the service industries, retail stores, personal services such as your acupuncturist, chiropractor, masseuse, web designers, etc. and yes even your doctors, are reporting a decline over the past year in their service industry business.Those with a spiritual spin speak the talk of remaining positive and not speaking of the dreaded negativity of a downward slide in earnings. I certainly am a believer and adhere to many a spiritual quest myself, however reality and the balance in your bank account is very real. Lighting candles and speaking positive words of enlightenment won't feed your families or keep the lights on.
As a Psychotherapist, counselor and healing energy to many of my patients I can only offer them options to consider. To begin with I believe that you must have a plan. I don't think that one should just sit and wait for life to happen to you. In my journey as a single mother, raising three children on my own, my kids used to laugh when I told them I had 3 plans lined up. Therefore if one failed, there were always the other two! My daughter once revealed to me a few years back that her college roommates stated that she was the most "hopeful" person they had ever met! The best compliment I ever could have received.
Staying emotionally healthy in this economy is tenuous at best. Beginning a new plan for life, restructuring your business, adjusting to a simpler lifestyle, developing a new sense of what you want to do in your life, what's truly important, wants vs. needs, etc. are all part of re-framing your life plan.
Find a friend to talk to that you trust and respect. Sometimes speaking your mind and getting some feedback can truly help in your thought and decision making process. It is always a great thing to be able to find a local and Licensed Therapist that you trust and feel comfortable with. Their level of expertise can often help you in helping yourself to a better place emotionally.
Also don't forget to take care of yourself. Exercise, eating right, getting together with friends sometimes, even when you don't feel like it is imperative in keeping you healthy and optimistic. You never know who can be of help or offer up enlightening possibilities.
Please remember that you can always ask your mental health provider to work with you on a payment plan or sliding scale fees.
Don't go it alone if you don't have to. We in the healing arts field don't get rich in this business. I believe that most of us that go into the field of Therapy truly care about people and want to help you and impart the knowledge that we were so blessed to have gleaned in our years of training.
In Love and Light,
Dr. Arlene Krieger
