English Doesn’t Have Enough Words – The Benefit of Art Therapy

by Micaha | May 9, 2023 | Therapy

The English Language has about 170,000 words that can be used to express everything from how to fix a Mustang to rocket science to love. But even 200,000 words is often not enough to fully convey what we’re experiencing, how we are feeling, and what we need to share. There are feelings and emotions and struggles where the English language is simply not enough, and unless we want to all learn dozens of other languages hoping to find the words we need to share how we feel, we need other ways to convey what the English language cannot.

That is why some patients find that what they need isn’t words at all. What they need is art therapy. 

Why Art Therapy Exists

Art therapy is designed to do what words can’t. It’s designed to give people a way to convey things without worrying about whether or not they know the words to do it. Patients with trauma, that may have trouble expressing themselves, can use art to do it so that they do not have to find the words.

It is the ability of art therapy to help share thoughts and ideas in situations where words are not enough that makes it so valuable. Art is expression, and so using art therapy to express ends up giving the patient the ability to show the therapist what they need to say and work through those emotions together.

That is what makes art therapy so valuable. But it is also not the only benefit. Art:

• Gives the patient a chance to process their emotions and traumas in a safe, productive way.
• Takes it slow. Art isn’t fast, which means that art therapy doesn’t overwhelm the patient.
• Starts a conversation. Working with a trained art therapist allows the therapist and the patient to have a starting point for the conversation.

Art therapy also does not have to be the only type of therapy. It can be a complementary therapy to other treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Combining therapies is thought to make the process more effective, allowing the patient multiple avenues to recovery.

The English language may have 170,000 words. But sometimes, all you really need is a paintbrush. Learn more about art therapy and how it allows for better self-expression by contacting Flourish Psychology, today. 

Do You Need to Be An Artist for Art Therapy?

by Micaha | Mar 8, 2023 | Therapy

Flourish Psychology approaches your mental health treatment by trying to discover the most effective therapeutic technique for your specific emotional and psychological needs. We offer many approaches to therapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), DBT, Gestalt, and more.

One of the approaches that make us a bit different is that some of our counselors are able to offer “art therapy.” Art therapy, as the name implies, involves engaging in artistic expression while working with and talking to your therapist about your emotions and responses.

It allows for sharing feelings, understanding conflicts – even problem solving – all under the care of a therapist that takes a proactive approach to using art to help you resolve your mood and mental health challenges.

“But I’m Not An Artist”

One of the most common responses we hear from others when we recommend art therapy is that they’re not an artist, and do not feel like they can do art in a way that will help with their recovery.

But art therapy isn’t about art. It’s about therapy. This is not an art class, and you are not going to sell your art when you’re done, and the quality of your art is not part of the discussion.

Your art therapist is a therapist, and you are using art for expression in ways that words frequently struggle to convey. Essentially, art therapy is not that different from other forms of therapy, like CBT (considered by many the gold standard of therapy), but instead of words, you’re using paint or other mediums to help you convey what words cannot.

It’s a process that is also extensively researched and has been shown to directly help with many conditions, including:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Trauma
• Low Self-Esteem

Any condition that affects mood may respond well to art therapy in NYC because many mood-related conditions are also exacerbated by situations where the individual is unable to truly say or understand how they are thinking and feeling. Art gives them an outlet where words can’t, and – when guided by your art therapist – helps you to better understand yourself and your feelings.

Choosing a Treatment Method for Your Struggles

Art therapy may be one of the best ways to treat your mood related challenges. It also may not be. We want to meet you first and do our best to see you in a way that will help us understand what treatment and support will help you the most. Let’s start a conversation today. Book a call today, and let’s talk about what you need and how we can help you get to where you want to be.

Mental Health and Negative Thinking – Thoughts from a Brooklyn Psychologist

by Micaha | Jan 11, 2023 | Therapy

Most of us have at least a general understanding of mental health. We understand that we can develop conditions like anxiety and depression that cause us to feel worried, sad, stressed, and overwhelmed. We also tend to recognize that these symptoms are not something we easily control, and often benefit from treatment from an experienced NYC psychologist.

But, despite this general understanding of mental health, not all of us can fully process the idea that our thoughts and feelings when we struggle with anxiety and depression may not be genuine – and that the way that we process the world with a mental health condition is affected by these same conditions.

How Mental Health Creates Negative Thinking, Hopelessness

We tend to believe that the way we feel and the way we think are logical and genuine. Even when we struggle with a condition like depression, we still tend to feel like the way that we experience things is how they *are*.

We can see this show up in many different ways:

• Neutral Interactions – When we experience an emotionally neutral interaction, such as ordering a coffee from a coffee shop, those with mental health struggles may process it as a negative event. We may feel like it was unenjoyable, or part of a bad day, or a negative experience, even if nothing specifically negative occurred.
• Limited Tolerance – With our stress levels high, we have very little capacity for discomforts of any kind, which can lead us to feeling easily annoyed, irritable or stressed. Yet we do not always realize that our stress levels are high, so that intolerance feels like a general annoyance with others.
• Fewer Positive Experiences – When you have mental health struggles, the things you enjoy are unlikely to feel as enjoyable, while the things you don’t enjoy feel even worse. If you look back on a day of ½ enjoyable, ½ unenjoyable activities, the day is going to feel like a bad day simply because the enjoyable activities were not able to be enjoyed as often.

But perhaps the most problematic symptom is that depression and anxiety are conditions that feed themselves.

For example, a symptom of depression is a feeling of hopelessness. What this means is that, if a person tries to treat their depression, they are naturally and organically going to feel like the treatment will not work – because the depression causes them to process it as hopeless. That hopelessness feels so genuine, that even a person that knows they have depression may not associate it with their mental health.

The way that psychology affects how we think and how we process the world is fascinating, yet it also means that struggling with a mental health condition can affect us in ways we do not always realize or understand.

Treating Thoughts Can Change Mental Health

All of this is about recognizing that the way that we think isn’t just our personality, our character, or our natural emotions and thought processes. Sometimes, the way that we think and the way we feel is affected by our mental health.

Yet, perhaps what is most fascinating about mental health, in general, is that it’s possible to treat depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions by systematically altering how we see our thoughts and behaviors. Just as depression can cause you to think negatively, so too can learning to think positively help cure depression. It is one of the many ways that mental health is fascinating, and also why anyone struggling with their mental health should consider seeing a therapist for support.

Learn more about our psychotherapy services at Flourish Psychology, today.

Brooklyn Therapist: 5 Unexpected Ways We Can Make a Difference

by Micaha | Nov 16, 2022 | Therapy

Many of our patients come to therapy with a cursory understanding of what therapy is and what it can do. You have a struggle, such as anxiety or depression, and your therapist uses evidence-based practices (like CBT) to help you cope with stress, change your thought patterns, alter behaviors, and better understand yourself.

We at Flourish Psychology are always happy to talk to you about therapy: what it is, why you might benefit, and how we can help. But today, we wanted to talk about some of the benefits of therapy that you may not expect. These are benefits that often extend beyond therapy, and are a consequence – both intended and unintended – of seeing your very own Brooklyn therapist.

Additional Benefits of Therapy

1. Healthier Breathing – Anxiety and stress can trigger the activation of your fight or flight system. This system speeds up your heart rate and causes you to breathe faster, leading to hyperventilation. People that hyperventilate often may find themselves developing bad breathing habits that cause them to tire more quickly, experience weakness, or feel unwell. By addressing the anxiety, some people find that their breathing seems to be under control as well. 
2. Better Sex and Intimacy – There is, of course, far more to a person’s ability to enjoy intimacy than mental health alone. We work with many patients that struggle with intimacy, libido, and other conditions. But while curing anxiety or depression does not always make someone more capable as a lover, it does tend to increase a person’s own personal enjoyment, as they are less distracted by negative thoughts and better able to focus on the present.
3. More Morning Energy – People with anxiety and depression often complain about feeling low energy in the morning, or more tired at night. Part of that is because these conditions are very draining. But another reason for these feelings is that people with mental health challenges tend to have less restful sleeps, so they’re drowsier in the morning. 
4. Less Flatulence/Bloating – Your mental health has an effect on the gut, and the symptoms of many mental health disorders can do so as well. Stress can affect gut flora, making it more difficult to process food. Sleeping and breathing better both reduce bloating and gas. Anxiety and depression slow down digestion. Managing your mental health means reducing these discomforts.
5. Noticing More Around You – When a person struggles with their mental health, they are often “in their own brain.” That can make it difficult to pay attention to the world around them. A person that sees a Brooklyn therapist and has their anxiety and depression under control is able to process more information. This means they can often see more of what’s going on, enjoy and appreciate the beauty of nature, and even hear sounds they may not have heard before.

Learn More – Come See Our Therapists at Flourish Psychology

These only touch on some of the potential benefits of seeing a therapist in NYC, and while they may not hold true for everyone, one thing that we like to emphasize here at Flourish Psychology is that therapy is so much more than just “managing anxiety” or “reducing depression.” It has life-altering benefits in ways both big and small.

If you’re interested in getting started, please call Flourish Psychology, today.

Getting Started – How to Find a NYC Therapist You Connect With

by Micaha | Oct 19, 2022 | Therapy