What You Need to Do Outside of Therapy

“Choose the truths that serve you.“- Abraham Hicks

I’m big on talk therapy. It’s important to be aware and talking through what’s bugging you is one way to be more aware of what you’re going through. In order to change any habit, behavior, or feeling you have to be aware of where it’s coming from. Here’s where therapy can get dangerous: you keep talking about your problems. You keep reliving your trauma. You keep yourself in a cycle of victimhood. When you keep repeating a memory out loud, your body can’t tell the difference between whether it’s happening or whether it’s a memory so you end up in a cycle of retraumatizing yourself. If you go to a good therapist, they’ll lead you in the right direction to help you get out of that cycle. If not, and you’re feeling stuck, there are things you can do outside of therapy to help you get out of your comfort zone and move on with your life.

What You Need to Do Outside of Therapy

Yoga, acupuncture and more- For many 9/11 victims, talking about the traumatic events in therapy only exasperated them. Social workers who worked with survivors suffering from PTSD found that what helped the most was acupuncture, yoga, and massages. If you’re in the cycle of victimhood and want to get out, these are great methods for bringing your attention elsewhere.

Mindfulness- Try out meditation practices and mindfulness. It’s less about being in the present and more about practicing self-compassion. When those tough thoughts come into your psyche, you need the tools to spot them before they turn into emotions you find harrowing.

Get out of your comfort zone- Growth takes doing hard things you’re afraid to do. So if fear is what’s holding you back from growing in therapy. You’re going to have to recognize that and work through that fear in your everyday life to come out the other side.

Find what works for you- Journaling is a great tool to help process difficult emotions. Some people site tapping or EFT as a way to calm them down when they’re feeling overwhelmed. What works for you to help you get out of that cycle?