Here’s the truth - about psychology, how it can give individuals and families the same “edge” it gives expert sports teams, and police departments. If you have ever -
• needed to shake off life draining depression and obtain vigor and joy de vie,
or
• needed to carry on a hyperactive or disruptive child or teenager, or negotiate peace with your spouse or partner,
or
• shake off a fear that has crippled your talent and work or communal life, such as a fear of speaking up at meetings, or calling on high status people, or of spiders, flying, crowded places, open spaces, elevators etc.,
or
• needed a psychologist’s narrative for your lawyer to present in court – for house court issues, criminal matters, criminal injury, workcover or other guarnatee claims,
or
• as an employer needed to have your best job candidates scientifically profiled so you can distinguish between the best of them,
or
• needed to fine tune your performance – in sport, business, academia, job hunting, or communal skills?
If you answered “yes” to any of the above this could eventually prove to be the most profoundly life changing letter you have read! A psychologist could help you with any of the above issues.
Fees: Psychologist's fees in Usa and Australia can be rebated (i.e. Some money refunded) by incommunicable condition guarnatee if you are appropriately insured. In Australia Medicare rebates are available for patients who have special doctor's referrals - see: www.psychologynatural.com/fees.html [http://www.psychologynatural.com/fees.html] Note: You don't need a doctor's referral to see a psychologist unless you are looking for a Medicare rebate)
Psychology "Basics".
*Body and Mind are interdependent.
Biology is such that it is natural for us to fight or flee when we feel threatened. When we are threatened hormones are automatically released that maximise our bodies’ capability to do whether of these as required for survival (while functions like digestion close down). When the threat passes our hormone levels and normal biological equilibrium returns to normal. The activity of “fight or flight” itself helps to “use up” those excess hormones and their effects. When the lion loses interest in the chase, the panicking herd of animals observation this and approximately abruptly rule back to grazing and digesting their food asif nothing had happened.
The threats we face in modern life however, normally cannot be escaped by using our muscles and rarely end quickly. The adrenalin and other stress chemicals that would normally be "burned away" by a muscular response to a short term stress stay in our systems too long. These perceived stresses come from our work-life, house and communal life. Some of the threats driving us are generated from within ourselves as a ensue of attitudes we learned in childhood causing us to be chronically vigilant. Three straightforward examples are compulsive perfectionism, cleanliness or approval seeking. When a sense of threat stays too long it means that our bodies are geared-up for danger too long and then things start to break down: We produce such physical symptoms as stomach aches, heart pains, dizziness, rashes, our immune ideas weakens and we become more vulnerable to illness. Our desperation to cope with perceived threat may drive us to eccentric behaviours, or “twitchiness” (noticed by friends, house and workmates) or painful emotional states such as panic attacks, depression and anxiety. When these latter two go together, it is ordinarily called a “nervous breakdown”. Most of us encounter this situation at least once in our lives.
"Pulling Ourselves Together"
It is a very human form of self-delusion to think we can deal with our lasting psychological conflicts and anxieties by the application of willpower alone. This is why a “pull-yourself together” advent is finally unhelpful in changing ones’ inner realities and their eventual consequences.
When known will is out of harmony with inner reality.
Doctors and psychologists ordinarily see patients suffering debilitating illness resulting from the tension caused by a strong commitment to a lifestyle, or a form of work for which they are not temperamentally well suited. Psychological appraisal and counselling helps to research and rationalise the factors involved. Sometimes a lifestyle change is needed, and a psychologist can help guide and preserve the change process which can be difficult.
Possible reasons for being referred to a psychologist.
*You suffer a curative condition that can be aggravated by stress
Certain kinds of heart problems, skin conditions, alopecia (hair loss), some cases of torticollis (shoulder muscle spasm), ulcers or other digestive ideas problems are just a few examples. Some curative conditions indicate a change in lifestyle for prolonged well being. A psychologist can teach you stress supervision techniques and attitudes, and coach you through life-style changes, often as part of a “2-pronged” advent appealing both curative and psychological interventions. Work Cover patients often need psychological treatment and restoration counselling.
*Phobias:
Irrational fears, of say spiders or birds, inanimate objects or of driving a car subsequent to motor accident, can interfere with the conduct of daily life. Psychologists are specialists in helping you overcome these fears.
*Panic attacks:
These sudden, crippling attacks of anxiety (fear) are normally associated to exact situations, e.g., crowded venues such as shopping centres or conversely, wide open spaces. Psychologists use proper techniques for moderately guiding patients to overcome these attacks using behaviour modification methods often in concert with a detailed exam of ones’ life history. Often these conditions, when severe, acknowledge to a combined curative and psychological advent to therapy.
*Depression:
This comes in varied forms. Some sorts of depression have an organic basis and acknowledge only to medication. The more common forms of depression ensue from a sense of loss, or a feeling of failure. In the later stages of life one becomes prone to depression based on an acute awareness of mortality and the strangeness of looking meaning in life. Psychologists often use “cognitive behavioural” techniques to help guide clients through this depression. It is an leading area where doctors and psychologists work together because depression is a very common condition. Depression is normally accompanied by some degree of anxiety. Sleep and appetite disturbances are the common symptoms of depression.
*Anxiety:
This is a feeling of fearfulness. It can be attached to an object or situation as in a phobia or it can ensue from having to deal with a difficult life situation, or it can be “free floating” meaning that one feels fearful without knowing why. Psychologists use cognitive behavioural techniques to treat anxiety. Ultimate anxiety is also a feature of serious thinking illness requiring curative intervention.
*Personality problems:
Shyness with the opposite sex, stage fright in enterprise meetings, or a fear of approaching high status executives can interfere with communal life and enterprise life. Psychologists guide their clients through these problems with a high level of success.
*Trauma counselling:
Persons who have suffered a severe trauma such as a motor urgency can suffer many of the symptoms mentioned above, e.g. Panic, anxiety, depression, bad dreams, “flashbacks” and exact fears.
*Children’s problems:
Poor school performance and behavioural problems are investigated by psychologists who can then help parents and teachers devise sufficient approaches to managing the problem. Juvenile behaviour too, is often a source of house tensions that need improved supervision and is helped by a psychologist’s guidance.
*Relationship counselling.
A skilled independent person like a counsellor can keep discussions focussed and constructive.
Psychologists' Methods.
Many psychologists use a combination of methods that can be notion of as (a) “cognitive-behavioural” and (b) methods that can be loosely notion of as “analytical”. The former methods encourage you to see yourself and your world from a new viewpoint, to experiment with and practice new forms of behaviour. You might be asked to study the behaviour of person who is very good at what you are not good at, or to keep a diary in which you note your behaviour and reactions at safe bet times or situations. The notes are then discussed. You might be shown how to relax and asked to visualise safe bet scenes in your mind and perhaps to recall safe bet memories and “rewrite” them as if the memory was just a movie that needed to be rescripted and refilmed.
Or you might really be taken out into the community to practice safe bet behaviours in real life with a mentor by your side. “Analytic” methods however contemplate your life history, and your dreams in information to find any faulty learning that might have occurred, or the symbolic meaning of any symptoms you might suffer. Regardless of the recipe used sometimes a psychologist will suggest using hypnosis to help you more sharply focus your concentration. Hypnosis is not a therapy anymore than a scalpel is a therapy. Hypnosis can be used to entertain an audience and a scalpel can be used to sharpen a pencil. Hypnosis is however often used to "supercharge" approximately any of the psychotherapy and counselling methods. For more facts about science of mind and thinking condition issues: www.PsychologyNatural.com
Psychologists, When to See them, How they Work