Michelle L. Bakalarski, LMFT

01/11/2023

Feeling Anxious? Music can help.
Nearly 40% of adults (and 60% of young adults) have experienced psychological distress since the beginning of the pandemic (Pasquini & Keeter, 2022). Feeling anxious, nervous, or on edge and having trouble sleeping were the most common feelings of psychological distress (Pasquini & Keeter, 2022). Wondering how to manage anxiety? There are plenty of stress management and relaxation techniques that are proven to reduce anxious feelings. Below are a few examples:
- Yoga
- Exercise
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Guided imagery
- Mindfulness
- Meditation
- Body scan meditation
- Spend time in nature
- Music, specifically curated
Today, I want to focus on this last one, music. Neuroscientists have been studying the effects of listening to calming music, finding that some music can have a 65% reduction in overall anxious feelings and a 35% reduction in physiological resting rates (Curtin, 2017). Those are remarkable statistics! Head over to my Resources Page for the full “Emotional Play List”. https://www.mlbpsychotherapy.com/resources

Anxiety should be taken seriously. This list is not all-inclusive and your overall treatment plan should be discussed with your therapist for the best results. Psychotherapy can help you assess, understand, and alleviate anxiety by using evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions.

It is brave to ask for help. Please get in touch with me for a free 15-minute consultation. I provide services to children (8+), adolescents, adults, couples/relationships, and families. I provide in-person services in my Santa Cruz office or by telehealth to residents of California.

Located in Santa Cruz, California, Michelle L. Bakalarski, AMFT, APCC, provides EMDR therapy, couples counseling, family therapy, neurodivergent children therapy, children's counseling, teen adhd therapy, and affordable individual therapy in California.

11/04/2022

Trauma does not have to be a life sentence. There is hope. The brain continuously evolves and is shaped by life experiences (Siegle, 2019). This notion is known as neuroplasticity. Trauma and overwhelming situations can result in changes in the brain that lead to lasting mental and physical symptoms (PyschCentral, 2022). Yet, just as the brain changes in response to trauma, it can rewire itself in response to intentional positive, healing experiences such as psychotherapy. EMDR is particularly powerful in achieving this goal by changing how traumatic memories are stored in the brain. Healing is possible.

It is brave to ask for help. Please get in touch with me for a free 15-minute consultation. I provide services to children (6+), adolescents, adults, couples/relationships, and families. I provide in-person services in my Santa Cruz office. Telehealth is available if deemed clinically appropriate.

10/22/2022

What is ANGER protecting you from?

Anger is something that we all feel from time to time. It acts as an internal alarm notifying us of something that is off, such as an injustice. However, anger, in its capacity as a secondary emotion, usually protects us from vulnerable, hidden feelings. We often feel guilt, shame, or confusion about anger. Therapy can help you access and process those vulnerable emotions, freeing you of them and the anger.

It is brave to ask for help. Please get in touch with me for a free 15-minute consultation. I provide services to children (6+), adolescents, adults, couples/relationships, and families. I provide in-person services in my Santa Cruz office. Telehealth is available if deemed clinically appropriate.

10/11/2022

Anxiety and Depression Commonly Occur Together: How do you know the difference?

Anxiety symptoms in U.S. adults increased from 8% in 2019 to 29% in 2022, and depressive symptoms from 7% to 23% (Friedman, 2022). You are not alone in these feelings.

Approximately 60% of people with anxiety experience depression and vice versa (Watson & Bhandari, 2021). As you can see from the image, there is an overlap between the two disorders, but they have important distinguishing qualities. Depression is marked by persistent sadness, and hopelessness, while anxiety is with ruminating thoughts about fears or worries outside of one's control. It is essential to tell your doctor or therapist about all of your symptoms so they can be effectively treated.

Many people wonder why they have anxiety or depression. Current science says that both disorders can be genetic (approximately 40%) or stem from traumatic experiences and other life adversities (Kalin, 2020). Anxiety and depression can be effectively treated with psychotherapy, EMDR, and medication if deemed clinically appropriate by your prescriber.

It is brave to ask for help. Please get in touch with me for a free 15-minute consultation. I provide services to children (6+), adolescents, adults, couples/relationships, and families. I provide in-person services in my Santa Cruz office. Telehealth is available if deemed clinically appropriate.

10/04/2022

Anxiety: When should you ask for help?

It is common to hear people say that they feel stressed or maybe even anxious. What is anxiety, and how does it differ from stress? Stress tends to be shorter term and linked to a recognized threat/danger, whereas anxiety is long-term and usually does not have an easily identifiable threat. The body sensations frequently feel the same, but stress ones dissipate after the event passes. Anxiety can overwhelm you with ruminating, worrying thoughts, and uncomfortable somatic symptoms.

How do you know when anxiety or stress is too much? Our body's natural physiological response to a real or perceived threat is to "fight, flight, or freeze." This response was designed to help keep humans safe from danger, but what happens when there is a false alarm? A good analogy is a smoke detector in your home. The alarm sounds the same, whether the cause is burnt toast or an actual house fire. Anxiety happens when your internal smoke detector is too sensitive, causing you to perceive a threat when there is none. Therapy can help you recognize those false alarms and help restore your body's natural ability to navigate real versus perceived dangers.

It is brave to ask for help. Please get in touch with me for a free 15-minute consultation. I provide services to children (6+), adolescents, adults, couples/relationships, and families. I provide in-person services in my Santa Cruz office. Telehealth is available if deemed clinically appropriate.