Don’t S*** on the Present
Addressing Anxiety and Regret
Instructor: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes PhD, LPC-MHSP, LMHC
Executive Director: AllCEUs Counseling CEUs and Specialty Certificates
Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox, Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
Counseling CEUs can be earned for this presentation at https://www.allceus.com/member/cart/index/product/id/716/c/2
~ Explore the concept of anxiety and regret being energy tied up in the future and the past
~ Identify 5 anxiety management techniques and learn methods to tech those
~ Identify 5 regret interventions and learn methods to teach those
~ Identify ways to find happiness on a daily basis: Daily scavenger hunt
Anxiety (Worry) and Regret
~ Worry is a term assigned to anxiety about things which have not yet happened
~ Energy tied up in the future
~ Regret is a term assigned to anger or disappointment at yourself for things that already happened
~ Energy tied up in the past
~ People only have too much energy
~ Is holding on to regret or worrying helping you achieve your goals and live a rich and meaningful life?
~ How could you more effectively use your energy to achieve your goals
Question
~ What are some common anxiety themes or issues for you?
Anxiety Management Technique 1
~ Physical
~ The mind and body are intertwined. Anything that stimulates your nervous system can trigger or worsen anxiety
~ Stressors can be additive (Straw that broke the camels back)
~ Think about a day when you have few stressors and then your boss called and told you to report to HR immediately
~ Think about a day filled with minor stressors followed by that same stressor
~ The body recognizes it is running low on resources so it perceives each additional stressor as a greater threat.
Anxiety Management Technique 1
~ Physical
~ Interventions
~ Examine what stimulants you are consuming
~ Look at side effects of medications (Opiates, benzos, SSRIs, SNRIs, decongestants…)
~ Learn about good nutrition
~ Lack of quality protein
~ Insufficient magnesium, calcium, B vitamins
~ Dehydration
~ Blood sugar issues
~ Practice good sleep hygiene to ensure your circadian (and cortisol) rhythms are in synch
~ Get a physical to rule out hormone issues
Anxiety Management Technique 2
~ Environmental
~ Your environment can be calming or draining.
~ Feng Shui for Anxiety
~ Too much brightness (including fluorescent lights), harsh lines and orange/red colors can contribute to anxiety
~ Make sure you can always see people approaching you
~ Essential oils (lavender, chamomile, valerian, clary sage)
~ Get organized (for you)
~ Examine the environment for stressful items and sounds (pictures, bills, reminders of stressful people or times)
Anxiety Management Technique 3
~ Cognitive
~ Thoughts trigger nervous system response. If you tell your body there is a threat, it will respond.
~ Systematic desensitization for fears
~ Think of the stressful situation.
~ Imagine yourself there.
~ Note your stress level.
~ Identify and dispute your stressful thoughts.
~ Practice this until you can imagine the situation without getting stressed out.
~ When you experience the situation. Use the disputing thoughts you have already identified to talk yourself down.
Anxiety Management Technique 4
~ Cognitive
~ Challenging Questions (one issue at a time)
~ What is the evidence for and against this fear?
~ Is my reasoning based on fact or feelings?
~ What other explanations might there be for this?
~ Am I using extreme (all-or-nothing) words?
~ Which parts of this are wi
