Part II of using the inner gyroscope: I earlier posted the audio of a client who recently described incredible successes in activating her brain’s internal gyrostabilizing, or self-comforting ability…
Every individual is unique, and proper treatment is unique to each individual.
- Dr. Stephen Pravel
Many people with a health anxiety can experience frequent fears about their health with a tendency to amplify a sensation and then catastrophize the…
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The post contains an audio clip from a recent session with a client who – since she is unidentified – wanted to share her success with others who struggle with OCD or other forms of intrusive worry. She has struggled with OCD since childhood and has been in therapy several times in her life, including use of various medications. She has had periods of significant remission of symptoms but acknowledges she has never been entirely free of compulsive behaviors.
When I say, “act normal”, I mean: try to behave like a normal person in that situation. It condenses the cognitive work they have been doing especially with Step 1 Labeling of their anxiety and Step 2 Devaluing of the threat. The suggestion to “act normal” is a concise behavioral guide for how they need to implement Step 3 Refocusing/Replacing behavior…
STORY UPDATE!
I just wanted to tell you that I am still flying with no problems. I have even stopped the preflight Xanax. Since our sessions, my wife and I have visited about 90% of all islands in the Caribbean and even Columbia SA. I still credit you with getting me off the ground. I now live in Ohio, actually we moved back home after Brenda retired. Her parents are 90 and we knew it was time to go and take care of them…
Somatosensory amplification refers to the tendency to experience bodily sensation as intense, noxious and disturbing. It includes an individuals disposition to focus on unpleasant sensations and to consider them as pathological rather than normal. Amplification appears to have both trait-like and state-like properties.
Many people with a health anxiety can experience frequent fears about their health with a tendency to amplify a sensation and then catastrophize the…
A few days ago a client with very significant OCD reported much success in reducing her recurring fearful intrusive thoughts about muscle twitching she had been experiencing.
A cognitive model of panic is described. Within this model panic attacks are said to result from the catastrophic misinterpretation of certain bodily sensations. The sensations which are mis-interpreted are mainly those involved in normal anxiety responses (e.g. palpitations, breathlessness, dizziness etc.) but also include some other sensations. The catastrophic misinterpretation involves perceiving these sensations as much more dangerous than they really are (e.g. perceiving palpitations as evidence of an impending heart attack)
A few days ago a client told me of an episode of anxiety she experienced in the prior week and how she responded to it and succeeded in eliminating it. Her story was so compelling I asked her to repeat the story after our session into her phone so I could post it for the benefit of others as an impressive example of effective use of the 1-2-3 method. The entire episode from onset of symptoms to resolution was brief which can give much needed hope to others who also struggle with anxiety. The following is the exact transcript of her recording: