Gift yourself healing and embrace wellness through counselling and trauma therapy
Counselling Sessions with Trauma Therapist Karl
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Even though a relationship maybe causing us stress whether family or work related it is you who is affected. So while it may not be your fault, at the end of the day, however unfair it may be, it is you who is left feeling hurt, betrayed, angry, upset, helpless or frustrated.
You don't have to suffer in silence.
Individual therapy prov
Even though a relationship maybe causing us stress whether family or work related it is you who is affected. So while it may not be your fault, at the end of the day, however unfair it may be, it is you who is left feeling hurt, betrayed, angry, upset, helpless or frustrated.
You don't have to suffer in silence.
Individual therapy provides you, that safety to examine, reflect, vent or process your feelings in a safe confidential space with a professional who will witness your struggles, but never judge you or our loved ones, and will genuinely support you, walk with you and understand you so that you eventually rediscover, reclaim and rejuvenate the essence of you.
This whole journey together is individually suited to your own comfort and pace.
You get to choose the mode of therapy and what you specifically want to work with.
The therapist comes with no agenda except what you wish to touch on.
Couples Counselling is for partnered individuals either married couples, or those in committed or open relationships which aims to reclaim the joy, intimacy, passion, and trust in a relationship, The issues may vary from misunderstanding communication problems, sexual/intimacy problems, parenting styles problems, interference by outside p
Couples Counselling is for partnered individuals either married couples, or those in committed or open relationships which aims to reclaim the joy, intimacy, passion, and trust in a relationship, The issues may vary from misunderstanding communication problems, sexual/intimacy problems, parenting styles problems, interference by outside parties including in-laws, addiction, or chronic illness of one party, infidelity, work life balance or power dynamics or abuse in the relationship. At Listening Ear Counselling & Consultancy Pte Ltd, our Couples Therapy celebrates diversity and caters to the unique needs of all couples, including married couples, those preparing for marriage, and individuals in queer, LGBTQIA+ relationships. As a leading provider of relationship counselling, pre marital, and marital counselling in Singapore, our integrated therapeutic approach combines Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), the Gottman Method, Nonviolent Communication (NVC), and the Satir Model.
Our EFT Approach:
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT):EFT focuses on emotional bonds within relationships, fostering secure connections and transforming negative interaction patterns. Grounded in attachment science, our EFT approach employs a humanistic, experiential lens to restructure emotional experiences. Simultaneously, we utilize a systemic structural approach to amend interaction patterns, fostering transformative experiences and lasting positive change.
Gottman Method:
The Gottman Method:Based on extensive research, this method employs practical interventions to enhance communication, build trust, and strengthen overall relationship satisfaction. Our therapists use proven techniques to address conflict and promote positive interactions, contributing to the creation of a resilient and fulfilling relationship.
Nonviolent Communication (NVC):
Nonviolent Communication:Integrated into our approach is the principle of Nonviolent Communication, promoting compassionate and effective interaction. NVC aids couples in expressing needs and navigating conflicts with understanding and respect, fostering open and honest communication.
Satir Model:
Satir Model:We incorporate the Satir Model into our Couples Therapy, focusing on improving self-esteem and communication patterns. This model emphasizes personal growth and transformation, guiding couples toward increased self-awareness and connection.
Dedicated Sex Therapy Focus:
Sex Therapy:Recognizing the importance of intimate connection, our therapists specialize in Sex Therapy to address challenges and enhance sexual well-being within relationships. This confidential and supportive aspect of our Couples Therapy aims to create a safe space for couples to explore and improve their sexual intimacy.
What Couples Can Expect:
Take the First Step:
Whether you are navigating challenges, seeking to enhance your connection, or preparing for a major life transition, our marriage counselling therapist or relationship counselling therapist at Listening Ear Counselling & Consultancy Pte Ltd Singapore is here to support you. Contact us to schedule a consultation and embark on the journey of building a stronger and more resilient relationship.
Our Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) is dedicated to mending and fortifying familial bonds. Our core objective is to cultivate secure family patterns, emphasizing effective attachment, caregiving responses, and emotional bonds.
What Sets EFFT Apart:
EFFT focuses on:
Our Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) is dedicated to mending and fortifying familial bonds. Our core objective is to cultivate secure family patterns, emphasizing effective attachment, caregiving responses, and emotional bonds.
What Sets EFFT Apart:
EFFT focuses on:
Guided by Attachment Science:
Following attachment science principles, EFFT guides families through:
Fostering Growth and Connection:
EFFT is designed to foster not only individual growth but also intergenerational relationship enhancement. Our therapists at Listening Ear Counselling & Consultancy Pte Ltd are dedicated to helping your family create lasting positive changes.
Take the first step towards stronger family bonds. Contact Listening Ear Counselling & Consultancy Pte Ltd to learn more about how Emotionally Focused Family Therapy can benefit your family.
Whatever the form, Sexual, Physical or Psychological, the experience of childhood abuse is a trauma, which continues to have an impact on people throughout their adult lives. Childhood trauma can damage the client’s ability to enter into a trusting relationship, emotionally and physically.
Counselling for childhood abuse aims to tackle th
Whatever the form, Sexual, Physical or Psychological, the experience of childhood abuse is a trauma, which continues to have an impact on people throughout their adult lives. Childhood trauma can damage the client’s ability to enter into a trusting relationship, emotionally and physically.
Counselling for childhood abuse aims to tackle this trauma.
Childhood abuse counselling offers survivors the chance to talk face-to-face in a safe, secure, and non-judgemental environment. Therapists aim to help survivors come to terms with their emotional issues and realise their ability to take control of their lives. Strong emphasis is placed on personal empowerment.
Counselling for childhood abuse can offer survivors help with:
The reason that the subject of attachment is relevant in counselling is that attachment is often at the heart of some of the issues and problems we experience as adults. Sometimes counselling will explore this directly. It may be that you come to counselling wanting to discuss and look at a situation, relationship or event that involves
The reason that the subject of attachment is relevant in counselling is that attachment is often at the heart of some of the issues and problems we experience as adults. Sometimes counselling will explore this directly. It may be that you come to counselling wanting to discuss and look at a situation, relationship or event that involves your parent (s) or caregiver. Sometimes attachment is something we end up exploring, not because you came to look at attachment directly, but because, during the therapy sessions, it is revealed to have links to what is going on in your life and the way in which you react or cope with one or several situations, events or relationships in your life, such as: The way you react emotionally to certain situations Your relationships Your sense of confidence Exploring your attachment can begin to set off ‘light bulb moments’, and can lead to an understanding and clarity around certain issues in your life, either past or present.
Why is Counselling useful in relation to Attachment?
By looking at attachments in therapy, you come to the realisation that by examining your childhood and past experiences you begin to understand the coping strategies that you formed early on in your life and how they now impact your relationships, reactions and how you feel about yourself in the present. As a result, of your new understanding and awareness, you can begin to process your own experiences and in so doing come to understanding and clarity about why certain things in adulthood impact you so powerfully, or why something feels particularly difficult for you. Discovering your early experiences means you can begin to view yourself differently and more positively and you can perhaps start to approach yourself with a kindness and compassion that you have not done before. In doing this you can begin to bring about the changes you would like in the areas of your life you are finding difficult at present.
The Theory Behind it
Attachment theory is the understanding of how we seek ‘proximity’, or closeness and intimacy, with people in our lives.
This covers all relationships from family members, to friends and partners. Our style of attachment even effects the way we interact with our work colleagues.
John Bowlby developed Attachment Theory from the late 1950’s and it has been developed and researched by others since then.
It is recognised that depending on the way we are treated and responded to in our early life we can either become ‘Securely attached’ or ‘Insecurely attached’. theory can be used to understand the development of coping patterns or relationship patterns and the underlying dynamics of a person’s emotional difficulties.
Currently, adult attachment could be described in terms of two dimensions, adult attachment anxiety and adult attachment avoidance.
Adult attachment anxiety is conceptualised as the fear of interpersonal rejection and abandonment, excessive needs for approval from others, negative view of self, and hyper-activation of affect regulation strategies in which the person over-reacts to negative feelings as a mean to gain others’ comfort and support (Mikulincer, Shaver, & Pereg, 2003).
Conversely, adult attachment avoidance is characterised by fear of intimacy, excessive need for self-reliance, reluctance for self-disclosure, negative view of others, and deactivation of affect regulation strategy in which the person tries to avoid negative feelings or withdraw from intimate relationships (Mikulincer et al., 2003). help those with high attachment anxiety and avoidance to modify their ineffective coping strategy, but also can help them understand the underlying unmet needs that are satisfied by their ineffective coping strategy and learn alternative ways to satisfy their psychological or emotional needs (e.g., a need to connection, competence, and autonomy).
People with different insecure attachment patterns (i.e., anxiety and avoidance patterns) may use different coping strategies to manage their life difficulties. Counter-complimentary interventions are used to help break clients’ old patterns.
What is Attachment?
Attachment is all about the bonding process we have as children with our caregiver (s). For most of us, our primary caregivers were our parents. For some, their primary caregiver will be a grandparent or another family member, or will even be teachers or house masters for those who have been at boarding school throughout their childhoods. However, for most individuals the primary caregiver is a parent or parents in some form . . . either biological parents, step parents or adoptive parents. As a child, our caregiver or caregivers were the centre of our world. Consequently, how our needs were met as children, how we were treated as we grew up and how our caregivers responded to our needs is internalised. This means we store those reactions inside of us This internalisation, of how our caregiver responded to us, shapes the opinion we hold of ourselves and influences how we then attach to others in our adult lives. It becomes our attachment ‘style’ or ‘pattern’. There are different types of attachment styles and they affect how we feel about ourselves, how we relate to others, and how we relate to intimacy.
Intimacy & Sexual Health Problems
Intimacy and sexual health are crucial components of overall well-being, yet many individuals and couples may face challenges in this area that impact their relationships and quality of life. At Listening Ear Counseling and Consultancy Clinic, we provide a supportive and nonjudgmental space to address a va
Intimacy & Sexual Health Problems
Intimacy and sexual health are crucial components of overall well-being, yet many individuals and couples may face challenges in this area that impact their relationships and quality of life. At Listening Ear Counseling and Consultancy Clinic, we provide a supportive and nonjudgmental space to address a variety of intimacy and sexual health concerns, including premature ejaculation, performance anxiety, fertility problems, phimosis, and vaginal issues such as tightness and dryness leading to painful sex.
Premature Ejaculation:
Premature ejaculation is a common sexual health issue that can cause distress and frustration for individuals and their partners. Our counselors offer a safe and confidential environment to explore the underlying factors contributing to premature ejaculation, such as stress, anxiety, or relationship dynamics. Through personalized therapy techniques and strategies, we work collaboratively to develop coping mechanisms and improve sexual satisfaction.
Performance Anxiety:
Performance anxiety can manifest as fear, stress, or self-doubt related to sexual performance, leading to difficulties in arousal, erection, or orgasm. Our counselors provide guidance and support to address performance anxiety, helping individuals and couples understand and manage the psychological and emotional aspects contributing to their concerns. By fostering relaxation techniques, enhancing communication skills, and promoting self-confidence, we empower clients to overcome performance anxiety and enjoy fulfilling intimate relationships.
Fertility Problems:
Struggling with fertility issues can be emotionally and physically taxing for individuals and couples desiring to conceive. Our counseling services offer a compassionate and holistic approach to address the complex emotional and psychological aspects of fertility problems. Whether facing challenges related to infertility, miscarriage, or reproductive health issues, we provide support, education, and coping strategies to navigate the fertility journey with resilience and hope.
Phimosis:
Phimosis, characterized by tightness of the foreskin that makes it difficult to retract over the head of the penis, can lead to discomfort and challenges during sexual activity. Our counselors provide guidance and education on the management and treatment options for phimosis, including medical interventions and therapeutic techniques to alleviate symptoms and improve sexual function.
Vaginal Issues:
Vaginal issues such as tightness, dryness, and discomfort during sex can significantly impact sexual satisfaction and intimacy for individuals and couples. Our counselors offer compassionate support and guidance to address these concerns, exploring underlying factors such as hormonal imbalances, psychological stress, or relationship dynamics. Through personalized treatment plans and therapeutic interventions, we aim to enhance vaginal health and promote enjoyable and pain-free sexual experiences.
Comprehensive Support for Sexual Health:
In addition to addressing specific concerns such as premature ejaculation, performance anxiety, fertility problems, phimosis, and vaginal issues, our clinic offers comprehensive support for various aspects of sexual health. From communication skills and sexual education to relationship dynamics and emotional intimacy, our counselors work collaboratively with clients to enhance overall sexual well-being and satisfaction.
Empowering Individuals and Couples:
At Listening Ear Counseling and Consultancy Clinic, we believe in empowering individuals and couples to overcome challenges and embrace fulfilling and healthy intimate relationships. Through personalized counseling, education, and support, we strive to create a safe and nurturing space where clients can explore, heal, and grow in their journey toward sexual health and intimacy.
Pre-Parenting Support, including During Failed IVF or Infertility Counseling
Embarking on the journey to parenthood can be one of life's most significant challenges, filled with hope, anticipation, and sometimes unexpected hurdles. At Listening Ear Counseling and Consultancy Clinic, we recognize the emotional complexity surrounding concept
Pre-Parenting Support, including During Failed IVF or Infertility Counseling
Embarking on the journey to parenthood can be one of life's most significant challenges, filled with hope, anticipation, and sometimes unexpected hurdles. At Listening Ear Counseling and Consultancy Clinic, we recognize the emotional complexity surrounding conception, infertility struggles, and failed IVF attempts. Our pre-parenting support services offer compassionate guidance and understanding for individuals and couples navigating this deeply personal journey.
Compassionate Counseling for Infertility:
Struggling with infertility can evoke a myriad of emotions, from grief and frustration to guilt and shame. Society's expectations and misconceptions about fertility can further exacerbate these feelings, leaving individuals feeling isolated and misunderstood. Our counselors provide a safe and nonjudgmental space to explore these emotions, offering support and validation throughout the infertility journey.
Understanding the Impact of Failed IVF:
Failed IVF attempts can be devastating, marking a significant emotional and financial investment without the desired outcome. The experience of receiving a negative pregnancy test can trigger a profound sense of loss, disappointment, and even questioning one's self-worth. Our counselors help individuals and couples navigate these complex emotions, offering strategies for coping, resilience, and self-compassion during this challenging time.
Addressing Shame and Stigma:
In many cultures, the inability to conceive or experiencing failed IVF treatments can carry a heavy burden of shame and stigma. Women, in particular, may internalize feelings of inadequacy or failure, equating their worth with their ability to conceive. Our counseling approach is sensitive to these cultural dynamics, providing a supportive environment to challenge and reframe these harmful beliefs, promoting self-acceptance and empowerment.
Empowering Individuals and Couples:
Through our pre-parenting support services, we empower individuals and couples to navigate the complexities of infertility with resilience and strength. Our counselors offer practical coping strategies, communication skills, and holistic approaches to wellness, fostering emotional well-being and self-care throughout the fertility journey.
A Path to Healing and Hope:
While the path to parenthood may not always unfold as expected, it's essential to remember that there are many avenues to building a family. Our counselors provide guidance and support as individuals and couples explore alternative paths to parenthood, including adoption, surrogacy, or child-free living. Ultimately, our goal is to help individuals and couples find healing, hope, and fulfillment on their unique journey to parenthood.
Adoption Counselling At Listening Ear Counseling and Consultancy Clinic, we understand that adoption is a deeply personal and complex journey for both adoptive families and individuals. Our adoption counseling services are designed to provide support, guidance, and a safe space for those navigating the adoption process.
Services We Provide
Adoption Counselling At Listening Ear Counseling and Consultancy Clinic, we understand that adoption is a deeply personal and complex journey for both adoptive families and individuals. Our adoption counseling services are designed to provide support, guidance, and a safe space for those navigating the adoption process.
Services We Provide:
Understanding the Importance of the First Six Years:
The first six years of a child's life are critical for their development, shaping their future emotional, cognitive, and social well-being. During this period, children experience rapid brain development and form crucial attachments with their primary caregivers. Positive experiences during these formative years lay the foundation for healthy relationships and emotional resilience later in life.
Navigating Intergenerational Trauma:
When welcoming an adopted child into your family, it's essential to recognize the possibility of intergenerational trauma. The child's history before entering your life may involve experiences of abuse, neglect, or rejection by their birth mother due to challenging circumstances. These early traumas can significantly impact the child's emotional and psychological well-being, influencing their behavior and relationships.
Supporting Parents in Healing and Understanding:
Our counseling services aim to support adoptive parents in understanding and addressing these complexities. By working closely with parents, we empower them to navigate the challenges of parenting an adopted child, including potential trauma and attachment issues. It's crucial for parents to embark on their healing journey, addressing any unresolved traumas such as infertility struggles or previous miscarriages. This self-awareness and healing process enable parents to provide a supportive and nurturing environment for their adopted child's growth and development.
Guidance in Family Dynamics and Storytelling:
Additionally, post-adoption counseling offers guidance on navigating family dynamics and sharing the child's adoption story. Parents may face questions from family and friends or encounter challenges in explaining the adoption journey to their child. Our counselors provide strategies for honest and age-appropriate communication, fostering a sense of belonging and understanding within the family unit.
In essence, post-adoption counseling serves as a vital resource for adoptive families, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and support needed to navigate the complexities of adoption and foster healthy relationships within their family.
Parenting Support - For Pre-Teens and Teenagers in Trouble
Ever feel like your once adorable little angels have been replaced by aliens or monsters straight out of a sci-fi flick? Welcome to the thrilling adventure of parenting teenagers, where deciphering their language can feel like cracking hieroglyphics on an ancient tombstone. But fre
Parenting Support - For Pre-Teens and Teenagers in Trouble
Ever feel like your once adorable little angels have been replaced by aliens or monsters straight out of a sci-fi flick? Welcome to the thrilling adventure of parenting teenagers, where deciphering their language can feel like cracking hieroglyphics on an ancient tombstone. But fret not, fellow adventurers! At Listening Ear Counseling and Consultancy Clinic, we're fluent in teen-speak and equipped with the latest monster-hunting tools to help you navigate the wild and wacky world of parenting.
Understanding the Monster Within:
Parenting a pre-teen or teenager can sometimes feel like starring in your very own monster movie. Beneath the snarls and eye rolls lies a world of confusion and turmoil as your child navigates the rocky terrain of adolescence. Through the lens of attachment theory, we delve into the depths of your teenager's psyche, helping you understand the fears, insecurities, and challenges they're facing.
Embracing the Chaos:
From slamming doors to epic eye rolls, teenage rebellion can turn your household into a battleground worthy of an action movie. Our counseling services offer a safe haven amidst the chaos, where you can find support, guidance, and maybe even a laugh or two as we tackle the challenges of parenting teens together.
Healing Hurting Hearts:
Beneath the tough exterior, your teenager may be struggling with hidden pain and insecurities. Our counselors are here to help you peel back the layers, foster open communication, and build bridges of understanding and empathy within your family.
Navigating the Teenage Turbulence:
With hormones raging and emotions running high, parenting a teenager can feel like riding a rollercoaster without a seatbelt. Our parenting support services provide practical strategies for setting boundaries, managing conflicts, and nurturing healthy relationships with your teen, all while keeping your sense of humor intact.
Support for Teens in Trouble:
In addition to providing parenting support for the typical challenges of adolescence, our clinic specializes in assisting teens who may be experiencing difficulties in various areas of their lives. Whether your teenager is in trouble with the law, struggling academically, facing challenges within the educational institution, or dealing with bullying, our counselors are here to provide support, guidance, and advocacy.
Finding Light in the Tunnel:
While the teenage years may seem like an endless tunnel of turbulence, there is light at the end of the journey. With patience, compassion, and a sprinkle of humor, you and your teenager can emerge from the chaos stronger, wiser, and closer than ever before.
Whatever the form, Sexual, Physical or Psychological, the experience of childhood abuse is a trauma, which continues to have an impact on people throughout their adult lives. Childhood trauma can damage the client’s ability to enter into a trusting relationship, emotionally and physically.
Counselling for childhood abuse aims to tackle th
Whatever the form, Sexual, Physical or Psychological, the experience of childhood abuse is a trauma, which continues to have an impact on people throughout their adult lives. Childhood trauma can damage the client’s ability to enter into a trusting relationship, emotionally and physically.
Counselling for childhood abuse aims to tackle this trauma.
Childhood abuse counselling offers survivors the chance to talk face-to-face in a safe, secure, and non-judgemental environment. Therapists aim to help survivors come to terms with their emotional issues and realise their ability to take control of their lives. Strong emphasis is placed on personal empowerment.
Counselling for childhood abuse can offer survivors help with:
Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions in the world. It is more than sadness over a setback or a period of mourning after losing a loved one. It is chronic misery that hinders one’s quality of life.
It is rude. It barges its way into life, uninvited, and comes in various shapes and sizes, presenting itself in varyin
Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions in the world. It is more than sadness over a setback or a period of mourning after losing a loved one. It is chronic misery that hinders one’s quality of life.
It is rude. It barges its way into life, uninvited, and comes in various shapes and sizes, presenting itself in varying degrees – and it’s all gross.
Depression often involves sleep problems, appetite changes, and feelings of guilt or apathy. Some people can’t get out of bed. Others can function like they always do, but things just feel cloudy for no apparent reason.
No matter where you feel like you might fall on the spectrum, I can tell you this: therapy may be your answer.
Treatment can help individuals with these symptoms. Psychotherapy treatment for depression relies on trust and emotional support.
An effective therapist provides people a comfortable, private setting to heal. Together, they examine the causes and potential solutions to their concerns. Therapists help depressed individuals build new ways of thinking and reacting.
Therapy can allow people to return to the loved ones and activities that they care about most. Here are some types of depression that professionals often treat:
Major Depressive Disorder has symptoms severe enough to impact daily life. It is the most commonly diagnosed form of depression.
Seasonal Affective Disorder affects individuals during the colder months of the year.
Dysthymia, also called persistent depressive disorder, lasts for at least two years. Its symptoms are milder than those of major depressive disorder.
Eating disorders happen when someone’s relationship to food spirals out of control. This could manifest in all sorts of ways. Some people eat too much, some eat too little, and others struggle with the physical act of eating. Eating disorders generally occur because people develop complicated relationships with food or their bodies. The
Eating disorders happen when someone’s relationship to food spirals out of control. This could manifest in all sorts of ways. Some people eat too much, some eat too little, and others struggle with the physical act of eating. Eating disorders generally occur because people develop complicated relationships with food or their bodies. They may try to control their bodies through exercise, medicine, or diets. Others may use food to soothe painful feelings. Eating disorders don’t simply cause emotional distress. They can also cause physical health problems. In severe cases, they may even be fatal.
COMMON EATING DISORDERS
The different types of eating disorders are:
Binge eating is characterised by extreme overeating. A person will consume excessive amounts of food in a short period of time. The person usually feels as if they have no control over what they eat or when they stop. It is common to feel shame or regret over how much one has eaten. These binge-eating episodes usually happen at least once a week.
Bulimia nervosa is a cycle of binge eating and purging. A person will have a binge-eating episode followed by guilt and embarrassment. They will go to extreme measures to avoid gaining weight from the binge. The person may force the food from their system through laxatives or vomiting. They could also get rid of calories through fasting or excessive exercise. Usually someone with bulimia has an average or above average body weight.
Anorexia nervosa is marked by extreme food restriction. Like bulimia, anorexia involves an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat. Even when someone is dangerously thin, they will often see themselves as overweight.
Anorexia has two subtypes
Anorexia: Restricting Type: This type is the more common of the two. A person will lose weight by eating very little food. They may exercise a lot to burn off what few calories they have eaten.
Binge-eating/Purging Type: A person with this type may also restrict their diet. Yet they will also experience periods of binge eating and purging. Unlike someone with bulimia, this person will probably be underweight.
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is a condition where someone does not eat enough to get their daily nutrition and energy needs. Unlike anorexia, ARFID rarely involves any obsession with weight. Someone with ARFID often refuses to eat because they dislike the taste, smell, or texture of the food. If someone had a traumatic experience with choking or vomiting, that memory could also lead to ARFID.
Pica is a rare condition. Someone with pica eats substances that are not food, such as clay, paper, soap, chalk, mud, or laundry starch. A person may be drawn to consume such substances due to the texture or flavour of the item. The action of eating the substance may be self-soothing. Pica is more commonly found among specific populations, including adults with iron deficiency, pregnant women, and children.
Rumination is the compulsive regurgitation of food. After vomiting the food, a person may chew and swallow the food again, or they may spit the food out. To count as rumination, the symptoms should not occur as a part of a medical condition like an upset stomach.
EXTREME DIETING
Not all eating and food issues fall into the six categories above. If a behaviour causes distress and interferes with daily life, it can still qualify as an eating issue. One doesn’t need a diagnosis to have a problem. Many people can diet in a way that does not hurt their bodies. Some try to lose weight by reducing calories or avoiding certain foods. Others diet to manage their food allergies or cleanse their bodies. But if they take a diet too far, it can backfire and damage their health.
What does an extreme diet look like? It might involve long periods of fasting or severe calorie restriction. Or it could be an obsession with eating certain foods. If someone is so concerned with a healthy diet they would rather go hungry than eat “bad” food, they may have an eating issue.
Extreme dieting can seriously harm physical and mental health. If someone does not eat enough food, they could have digestive problems, dehydration, and decreased metabolism. Malnutrition could also lead to stress and concentration problems. While there is no clear distinction between a healthy diet and an extreme one,
the following signs may indicate a concern:
Decreased energy level: A significant lack of energy can mean one’s calorie intake is too low. Constant thoughts about food: One’s relationship with food may be harmful if they obsess about food in all times and situations.
Difficulty sleeping: Disrupted sleep can mean an individual is not eating enough. They may not be getting the nutrients necessary for good sleep.
Elimination of entire food groups: Each food group contains nutrients necessary for a balanced diet. Getting rid of an entire food group, such as carbohydrates, may lead to weight loss. However, it can also lead to health symptoms like dizziness or fatigue.
Mood swings: Severely restricting calories can lead to anxiety, depression, and irritability. Changing social schedule: A diet may be too restrictive if the person plans their life around their diet or declines social events to avoid eating.
WHY DO PEOPLE DEVELOP EATING DISORDERS?
Many Western cultures glorify thinness. American pop-culture is filled with weight-loss programs, diet trends, and body-shaming.
These messages can provide fertile ground for eating disorders. Some people come to believe thinness makes a person desirable, while fatness makes someone unworthy. In such cases, eating disorders are ultimately concerned with one’s self-worth.
People with eating disorders often experience anxiety, low self-esteem, and a strong need to please others.
They may feel pressure to achieve perfection, not just with their bodies, but in every facet of life. Other individuals are responding to past trauma, using food to regain a sense of control.
A family history of eating disorders may also increase a person’s potential for unhealthy behaviour.
EATING DISORDERS IN DIFFERENT POPULATIONS
Eating disorders do not discriminate. They can affect people of any age, race, gender, and sexual orientation. Around 30 million Americans will experience an eating disorder in their lifetimes.
Women:
Studies show women are more likely than men to experience eating disorders. Around 0.9% of women will experience anorexia in their lifetimes. This rate jumps up to 1.5% for bulimia. Eating disorders are the third most common chronic condition for adolescent females.
Men:
Around one in three Americans with an eating disorder are men. This number is growing, but the reason why is unclear. There could be more men living with an eating disorder, or more men could be opening up about their experiences. Like women, men can live with poor body image or low self-esteem. These feelings can contribute to problematic eating behaviours. But since eating disorders are often seen as “a girl problem,” many men feel ashamed of their conditions. Stigma could explain why men are less likely to get help for eating disorders.
LGBTQ+:
Certain LGBTQ+ populations have disproportionate rates of eating disorders. For instance, an estimated 5% of men are homosexual, but 42% of men with an eating disorder identify as gay. In a 2015 study, transgender college students were more likely to display purging behaviours such as vomiting. Studies suggest LGBTQ+ individuals may be prone to eating disorders due to the stresses of being a sexual minority. LGBTQ+ people may face bullying, isolation, homelessness, and general barriers to treatment. Discrimination can cause anxiety and depression, which then can lead to an eating disorder.
Adolescents:
Most individuals affected by eating disorders are adolescents. The average age of onset is around 12-13 years of age. Peer pressure and social media can promote unrealistic beauty standards. Some teens feel they must diet to "fit in." (That said, eating disorders are not limited to youth. A U.K. study found 3% of women ages 40-59 had problematic eating habits.)
Ethnic Minorities:
Marginalisation impacts the likelihood a person might have an eating disorder. For example, black teens are 50% more likely than white teens to develop bulimia. Studies show higher rates of binge eating among all ethnic minorities. However, researchers say national statistics tend to under-represent marginalised groups. Clinicians are less likely to diagnose eating disorders in women of colour, partly due to the myth that only white women get them. This erasure limits individuals’ ability to get help, and it may explain why people of color are less likely to seek treatment for eating disorders.
Change is inevitable in life, and therefore most changes include a transition or the process of going from one state or condition to another.
Life transitions are any change or adjustment that impacts your life in a significant way. We all experience transitions throughout our lives — big and small, planned and unplanned positive of negat
Change is inevitable in life, and therefore most changes include a transition or the process of going from one state or condition to another.
Life transitions are any change or adjustment that impacts your life in a significant way. We all experience transitions throughout our lives — big and small, planned and unplanned positive of negative, expected or unexpected.
Some examples of transition areas in life are:
These are just some examples of the periods in life that are about transition. As mentioned, the list could be endless because although there are clear markers of change in our lives e.g. leaving home or retiring, there can be subtler changes in our lives that impact all of us differently.
The way in which we cope with and manage these changes, and the feelings that these transitions bring about, can impact how we feel about ourselves, about others and about our lives.
Transitioning Smoothly With Counselling The goal of life transition counselling is to help individuals prepare and or make sense of these changes which were unexpected.
Many individuals also share their experience of feeling ‘stuck’, as though they are not transitioning or the feeling those around you are transition in the fast lane and your car is stuck in the mud. For example when at a certain age your close friends, family or colleagues all appear to be marrying, having children, retiring, moving house . . . whatever it may be, the fact that others around you are transitioning, can be the trigger that throws a light on your own life and cause you to feel sad, anxious, or a myriad of other emotions about where you are in your own life and how you would like things to be different or how you would have liked things to have turned out differently.
We sometimes use the Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe Scale which was a social readjustment rating scale that was designed to roughly approximate a person’s likelihood of future illness based on his or her stress level.
Existential Therapy
On a bigger scale, transitioning out of one area of life and into another can throw up bigger ‘existential’ feelings . . . About the meaning and purpose of our lives, the value we gain from our lives and how we value ourselves. Transitioning can bring up feelings such as the reality and inevitability of death or a feeling that time is ‘going too fast’ or ‘running out’ as we begin to face our own mortality. Feeling anxious about our own mortality is normal, but when anxiety of death becomes persistent and constant, it can negatively impact your ability to engage with your life and can be very distressing.
Ageing and Life Transitions
Ageing is often linked to transitioning in life, perhaps because you are coming up to, or have recently experienced a ‘significant’ birthday or reached, what feels to you, like a significant age. It could perhaps be a change in your life, such as retiring or having a child, that has brought about thoughts of your age. Individuals can struggle with ageing at different points in their lives This can be about the physical changes that occur and / or the meaning you associate with your age and where you are in your life.
How Can Counselling and Psychotherapy Help?
Counselling and psychotherapy provides the space and time to look at your life and to talk about your life, in a way in which you may never have in the past.
Therapy also gives you a confidential space where you can share feelings that perhaps you would find difficult to share and discuss with others close to you.
Therapy sessions give you the opportunity to talk to someone objective, who is separate from those close to you, about your life and your existence, and the way in which you are feeling unhappy with aspects of your life at present . . . feelings such as shame, guilt or regret. By exploring your response to Transitioning, counselling can help you to begin to connect with yourself again, to manage your own wellbeing and to think about the future differently.
It can begin a process of reflection, where you look at your life now, in relation to the past and the future, and decide on what you want to change, moving forward.
Losing a loved one and coping with grief can be difficult if not emotionally devastating- whether that be a partner, family member, friend or pet.
It is natural to go through a range of physical and emotional processes as we gradually come to terms with the loss.
Thus Bereavement is the experience of losing someone important to us. It is c
Losing a loved one and coping with grief can be difficult if not emotionally devastating- whether that be a partner, family member, friend or pet.
It is natural to go through a range of physical and emotional processes as we gradually come to terms with the loss.
Thus Bereavement is the experience of losing someone important to us. It is characterised by grief, which is the process and the range of emotions we go through as we gradually adjust to the loss.
Bereavement counselling can offer support through all stages of bereavement.
Bereavement affects everyone in different ways, and it's possible to experience any range of emotions. There is no right or wrong way to feel.
Feelings of grief can also happen because of other types of loss or changes in circumstances, for example: the end of a relationship the loss of a job moving away to a new location a decline in the physical or mental health of someone we care about.
In addition to the feelings of grief that you will experience following a loss, there are also other types of grief that you may experience at different times during bereavement.
Anticipatory grief Anticipatory grief is a sense of loss that we feel when we are expecting a death. It features many of the same symptoms as those experienced after a death has occurred, including depression, extreme sadness or concern for the dying person. It does not necessarily replace, reduce or make grief after the loss any easier or shorter, but for some people it can provide the opportunity to prepare for the loss and for what the future might look like.
Secondary loss After any loss you may also feel what is known as 'secondary loss'. After the initial shock of losing a loved one you may struggle when thinking of future experiences that those people will not be there to share or see, such as watching your children grow up, meeting partners or attending key life events like weddings.
MODELS OF GRIEF
Grief can vary between individuals. However, there are still global trends in how people cope with loss. Psychologists and researchers have outlined various models of grief. Some of the most familiar models include the five stages of grief, the four tasks of mourning, and the dual process model.
Five Stages of Grief
In 1969, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross identified five linear stages of grief:
Kubler-Ross originally developed this model to illustrate the process of bereavement. Yet she eventually adapted the model to account for any type of grief. Kubler-Ross noted that everyone experiences at least two of the five stages of grief. She acknowledged that some people may revisit certain stages over many years or throughout life.
Four Tasks of Mourning Psychologist J. W. Worden also created a stage-based model for coping with the death of a loved one.
He divided the bereavement process into four tasks:
Dual Process Model
As an alternative to the linear stage-based model, Margaret Stroebe and Hank Schut developed a dual process model of bereavement.
They identified two processes associated with bereavement:
1. Loss-oriented activities and stressors are those directly related to the death. These include: Crying Yearning Experiencing sadness, denial, or anger Dwelling on the circumstances of the death Avoiding restoration activities
2. Restoration-oriented activities and stressors are associated with secondary losses. They may involve lifestyle, routine, and relationships. Restoration-oriented processes include: Adapting to a new role Managing changes in routine Developing new ways of connecting with family and friends Cultivating a new way of life.
Stroebe and Schut suggest most people will move back and forth between loss-oriented and restoration-oriented activities.
Palliative Care: Supporting Individuals and Families Facing Terminal Illness
At Listening Ear Counselling & Consultancy, we understand the unique challenges and emotions that individuals and families face when dealing with terminal illness. Our Palliative Care counselling services are designed to provide compassionate support and guidance
Palliative Care: Supporting Individuals and Families Facing Terminal Illness
At Listening Ear Counselling & Consultancy, we understand the unique challenges and emotions that individuals and families face when dealing with terminal illness. Our Palliative Care counselling services are designed to provide compassionate support and guidance to those navigating the complexities of chronic and life-limiting conditions. Whether it's coping with cancer, HIV/AIDS, loss of limbs or mobility, dementia, or other debilitating illnesses, we are here to offer a safe space for exploration, acceptance, and healing.
Our Approach:
Our approach to Palliative Care counselling is rooted in empathy, respect, and understanding. We recognize that each individual's journey is unique, and we tailor our support to meet the specific needs and preferences of our clients. Our experienced counsellors provide a holistic approach, addressing not only the emotional and psychological aspects of illness but also offering practical strategies for managing symptoms, enhancing quality of life, and fostering meaningful connections with loved ones.
Areas of Focus:
Our Commitment:
At Listening Ear Counselling & Consultancy, we are committed to providing compassionate and comprehensive support to individuals and families facing terminal illness. Our goal is to empower our clients to find strength, resilience, and peace in the face of adversity, while also honoring their unique journey and personal choices.
If you or a loved one are struggling with a terminal illness, we are here to help. Contact us today to learn more about our Palliative Care counselling services and how we can support you on your journey towards acceptance, healing, and living well.
Recovery from Infidelity, Cheating & Extramarital Affairs
Infidelity, cheating, and extramarital affairs can inflict deep emotional wounds on the betrayed partner, triggering a range of intense and sometimes overwhelming reactions. The aftermath of betrayal can be likened to experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a
Recovery from Infidelity, Cheating & Extramarital Affairs
Infidelity, cheating, and extramarital affairs can inflict deep emotional wounds on the betrayed partner, triggering a range of intense and sometimes overwhelming reactions. The aftermath of betrayal can be likened to experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as individuals grapple with a myriad of emotions and challenges on their journey toward healing and recovery.
Trauma of Betrayal:
Discovering that a partner has been unfaithful can shatter the trust and security of the betrayed partner, leaving them feeling vulnerable, betrayed, and emotionally devastated. The trauma of infidelity can manifest in various ways, including intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, and emotional numbing. These symptoms are reminiscent of those experienced by individuals who have survived traumatic events, highlighting the profound impact of betrayal on one's emotional well-being.
Emotional Rollercoaster:
In the aftermath of infidelity, the betrayed partner may experience a whirlwind of emotions, ranging from shock and disbelief to anger, sadness, and profound grief. They may struggle to make sense of what has happened, questioning their self-worth, their partner's intentions, and the viability of their relationship. The emotional rollercoaster of infidelity can feel overwhelming and destabilizing, exacerbating feelings of anxiety, depression, and despair.
Loss of Trust:
Trust, once broken, can be incredibly difficult to rebuild. The betrayed partner may grapple with profound feelings of mistrust and skepticism toward their partner, questioning whether they can ever truly feel safe and secure in the relationship again. Every interaction, every word, every gesture may be scrutinized for signs of deception, further fueling feelings of paranoia and insecurity.
Navigating the Healing Journey:
Recovering from infidelity requires time, patience, and a willingness to confront the painful realities of betrayal. Our counseling services offer a supportive and compassionate space for individuals to navigate the complexities of healing and recovery. Through empathetic listening, validation, and guidance, we help clients process their emotions, rebuild their sense of self-worth, and explore the possibility of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Cultivating Resilience and Hope:
While the journey of healing from infidelity may be arduous, it also presents an opportunity for personal growth, resilience, and renewal. Our counselors empower individuals to reclaim their sense of agency and self-worth, fostering resilience in the face of adversity. By embracing the healing process with courage and determination, individuals can emerge from the shadows of infidelity into a brighter and more hopeful future.
Empowerment through Counseling:
At Listening Ear Counseling and Consultancy Clinic, we are committed to empowering individuals to navigate the complexities of infidelity with strength, courage, and compassion. Through personalized counseling, education, and support, we help clients cultivate resilience, reclaim their sense of self-worth, and forge a path toward healing and renewal. Together, we can navigate the journey of recovery from infidelity with empathy, understanding, and hope for the future.
Although a person’s sexual or romantic orientation or gender identity may not be a source of distress, people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, asexual, or any other orientation or gender identity may find that the social stigma of living as a minority is a source of stress or anxiety.
WHAT ISSUES MIG
Although a person’s sexual or romantic orientation or gender identity may not be a source of distress, people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, asexual, or any other orientation or gender identity may find that the social stigma of living as a minority is a source of stress or anxiety.
WHAT ISSUES MIGHT LGBTQIA PEOPLE FACE?
Despite rapidly growing cultural acceptance of diverse sexual and romantic orientations and gender identifications, oppression, discrimination, rejection, isolation and marginalisation of LGBTQ people persists.
Coping with discrimination and oppression, coming out to one’s family, and sorting out an “authentic” sense of self in the face of social expectations and pressures can lead to higher levels of depression, anxiety, substance use, and other mental health concerns for LGBTQ people.
Research shows that youth who identify as LGBTQ are at an increased risk of suicidal ideation and self-harm, particularly when they also experience discrimination based on their sexual or gender identity.
According to a 2007 survey in the USA, students who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender were almost ten times as likely to have experienced bullying and victimisation at school and more than twice as likely to have considered suicide as their heterosexual, non-transgender classmates within the previous year.
Discrimination may take several forms, including social rejection, verbal and physical bullying, and sexual assault, and repeated episodes will likely lead to chronic stress and diminished mental health.
Perceived discrimination—the expectation of discrimination—may also lead to diminished mental health. LGBTQ adults, too, may be subject to similar forms of harassment, as well as discrimination with regards to housing, employment, education, and basic human rights.
Many of the concerns and life challenges LGBTQ people bring to therapy are those common among all people. All couples argue over many of the same things—money, sex, the in-laws, quality time—and all people are subject to the same kinds of daily stressors, such as mood swings, workplace concerns, or low self-esteem. But the challenges they face are unique as a stigmatised marginalised minority leading to feelings of rejection ,shame and isolation.
At Listening Ear we understand the importance of an LGBTQIA+ friendly counselor or Therapist who is experienced, well trained, professional ,and compassionate, and non judgmental who can offer Queer affirming counseling & therapy services to meet the mental health needs and treatment for the LGBTQ population, so our Queer/LGBTQ clients feel more safe and comfortable. We practice affirmative counselling by validating their identity and helping them transition and journey to fully embrace and celebrate themselves without discounting but honouring the struggles that they have faced.
To find out more about why Listening Ear Counselling and Consultancy is considered a LGBT FRIENDLY COUNSELING & THERAPY CENTRE and the counselling & Sexual Identity issued we commonly encounter click on the button below.
What is drug addiction?
Drug addiction (also known as substance use disorder) can be defined as a progressive disease that causes people to lose control of the use of some substance despite worsening consequences of that use. Substance use disorder can be life-threatening.
Addictions are not problems of willpower or morality.
Addiction i
What is drug addiction?
Drug addiction (also known as substance use disorder) can be defined as a progressive disease that causes people to lose control of the use of some substance despite worsening consequences of that use. Substance use disorder can be life-threatening.
Addictions are not problems of willpower or morality.
Addiction is a powerful and complex disease.
People who have an addiction to drugs cannot simply quit, even if they want to.
The drugs change the brain in a way that makes quitting physically and mentally difficult. Treating addiction often requires lifelong care and therapy.
What drugs lead to addiction?
Drugs that are commonly misused include:
While these drugs are very different from each other, they all strongly activate the addiction center of the brain. That is what makes these substances habit-forming, while others are not.
Why do people with substance use disorder need more and more drugs over time?
People feel intoxicated after using drugs. Over time, the brain is changed by drugs. The brain becomes desensitised to the drug so that more of the drug must be used to produce the same effect. As the person consumes more, drugs start to take over the person’s life. One may stop enjoying other aspects of life. For many people, social, family and work obligations fall to the side. The person with SUD starts to feel like something’s wrong if he or she isn’t under the influence of the substance. They may become consumed with the need to recapture that original feeling.
Who is at risk for substance use disorder?
Causes & Risk Factors for Addiction
There are a variety of causes and risk factors that can contribute to the development of a substance use disorder. These may include:
How common is substance use disorder?
Substance use disorder and alcohol use disorder are the leading causes of preventable illness and early death. Research has shown that about 1 in 9 Americans uses illicit drugs (about 11% of the population). The most commonly misused drugs are marijuana and prescription medications.
How might substance use disorder affect me?
Drugs affect the brain, especially the “reward center” of the brain. Humans are biologically motivated to seek rewards. Often, these rewards come from healthy behaviours. When you spend time with a loved one or eat a delicious meal, your body releases a chemical called dopamine, which makes you feel pleasure.
It becomes a cycle: You seek out these experiences because they reward you with good feelings.
Drugs send massive surges of dopamine through the brain, too. But instead of feeling motivated to do the things you need to survive (eat, work, spend time with loved ones), such massive dopamine levels can lead to damaging changes that change thoughts, feelings and behaviour. That can create an unhealthy drive to seek pleasure from the drug and less from more healthy pleasurable experiences.
The cycle revolves around seeking and consuming drugs to get that pleasurable feeling. Addiction to drugs changes the brain over time. It affects how the brain works and even the brain’s structure. That’s why healthcare providers consider substance use disorder a brain disease. The first use of a drug is a choice.
But addiction can develop, creating a very dangerous condition. Drugs affect your decision-making ability, including the decision to stop drug use. You may be aware there’s a problem but unable to stop. With addiction, stopping drug use can be physically uncomfortable. It can make you sick and even become life-threatening.
SYMPTOMS AND CAUSES
Why do people take drugs?
People may begin using drugs for several reasons. They may:
What are symptoms of substance use disorder?
Symptoms of drug addiction include: