“Get beach body ready!” — a familiar advertisement for well intentioned fitness centers. As the summer months begin, many in the city and surrounding Bay Area will head to the beaches, lakes, and pools for some quality downtime. Unfortunately for some, this can be less than pleasant, as they are forced to confront body image […]
How Do I Overcome Gym Anxiety?
“I should go to the gym … tomorrow.” We all know exercise is important for mental health. Despite knowing this, stress about the gym prevents some from following through on their goals. This stress occurs because we assume others are going to think about us in an overly negative or judgmental way. From this perspective, […]
Vacation Anxiety
With the summer months approaching the Bay Area, the notorious June Gloom often triggers thoughts of “I need a vacation.” However, for some this can be a highly stressful situation. From financial considerations to familial responsibilities, the summer vacation season can feel like anything but a … vacation. Below are often heard questions and answers […]
Anxiety Cognitive Distortions … the cause of our anxiety thoughts
What is a cognitive distortion? This is a term used by CBT therapist to identify unhelpful or irrational thoughts. They are the thinking errors that can contribute to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. Think of them as the labels that all unhelpful thoughts can be filed under. For example, the thought […]
What is a Thought Record? …. And other questions
What is a Thought Record? A thought record is a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy tool to help identify automatic thoughts that are creating problematic moods. There are many free forms available on the internet. What is an Automatic Thought? Automatic thoughts are present in every situation, and they happen so quickly, so automatically, we […]