YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

this came up in therapy session today: "Knowing that my voice matters"

sometimes i do things to discount my own voice around people that i love

will work on this next therapy session...

other things from today's session:

using R-A-I-N on "i feel like a failure because i am not getting enough done"

[*] R - Recognize, and not just in the moment, but also trying to recognize triggers

[*] A - Allow feeling in body, allow body to inform me

[*] I - Investigate where in my body i would like a different feeling, also Investigate strategies to make another way

[*] N - Nurturing and Kind message - say it in 3rd person point of view, say it in 2nd person point of view, say it in 1st person point of view, to really get it across

using R-A-I-N on "In the past I had the habitual tendency to have depressing thoughts/feelings, depressing meanings to things, depressed bodily affect"

Investigated and came up with strategy of using a changed bodily affect to change my feeling: body stance, relax the face, relaxation around the mouth, face tilted up, spine straighter, arms opened wide (acceptance),

Nurturing and Kind message: (in 2nd person here, but also say in 3rd person and 1st person) "It is alright, you got this, i love you, you are capable, you are not alone, I am here by you"

I see this is a real hill climb and you are really doing it. I also see that you are loving yourself through the middle of it. Sometimes the only way is to stand where you are and respond as yourself.

Hello Manny,

"....came up with strategy of using a changed bodily affect to change my feeling: body stance, relax the face, relaxation around the mouth, face tilted up, spine straighter, arms opened wide (acceptance),"

Good observation and plan. Why is it so easy to forget the mind-body connection? It's so easy to sit and stew and curl up and get absorbed in our thoughts like we're one of those "advanced" races in the old Star Trek series that are disembodied-brains-under-glass

I came across a quote in a psych book recently that said "Your brain is connected to a body, and it wants to use it!"

Breathing, stretching, and standing straight are such small things but they help!

Good luck!

SD

Agreed with BeanyBoo and SnoringDog.

Your voice does matter, and I hope you'll continue share your progress. We're here for you, supporting every step.