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2/23/2023

Help For Chronic Pain

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Recent research is opening up new avenues of hope for people suffering from chronic pain. These studies have shown definitively that chronic back pain, repetitive strain juries, headaches, fibromyalgia and other forms of chronic pain are often not the result of structural issues (although they may have started out that way) but of brain-based physiologic processes that can be reversed. This is called “neuroplastic pain.”
Neuroplastic pain results from the brain being hijacked and misinterpreting safe messages and sensations from the body as is they were dangerous or threatening. Really, neuroplastic pain is like a false alarm constantly going off when the fire department has cleared the building and deemed it danger free.
This is not to say that the pain is “all in your head” or even imaginary. Brain imaging studies show that the pain is very real. It’s just that the brain has been sensitized to look for threat where there is none, and its neural pathways need to be retrained to reframe pain as just a “sensation,” or “discomfort.”
The definition of pain is sensation PLUS fear. We need to take fear out of the equation, in order to feel better. This is easier said than done. If you have the anxious brain trained to seek out danger, you’re going to tell yourself there’s a structural reason you’re having these sensations, even if the doctors have found nothing structural as the cause. You will find reasons that this cannot apply to you and convince yourself that your pain is different, and not capable of being helped.
Often doctors will give a big scary diagnosis to people who then take that and make it into a catastrophic end. Take “Degenerative Disc Disease” for instance. What is that? Potentially a normal sign of aging. Just as we develop wrinkles on our skin, we develop changes internally when we age, like thinner tissue between spinal discs. But someone with anxious brain could start to pay attention to any spine changes, deem them catastrophic, and start having back pain. Whereas, someone with a less anxious brain might ask their doctor for a few exercises, and look for ways to lessen inflammation in the body and forget about the diagnosis, feeling no pain at all.
What causes this anxious brain that can lead to chronic pain? Researchers at the Pain Psychology Center suggest that our brains may learn this behavior from events such as challenging childhood experiences, past negative health experiences, everyday adult stress, perfectionism, and major life events . When the nervous system is overwhelmed it can start sending signals to produce symptoms such as migraines, fibromyalgia, fatigue, back pain, IBS and other GI issues, lingering pain from old injuries, etc.
This might seem overwhelming, but the good news is that it can be lessened or overcome by working with a certified Pain Reprocessing Therapy provider like Heather Hruby. PRT teaches proven ways to overcome chronic pain experiences by educating about neuroplastic pain and how the brain can misinterpret safe signals as if they were dangerous, retraining the brain and nervous system to find more safety in the body and in the world and finding successes in overcoming chronic pain in small ways that add up to big changes overall.
If this post resonates with you and you want to see if I would be a good fit counselor to meet with you, please contact one of the therapists at New Leaf today.

You can email us at [email protected] or fill out our website contact form.
​https://www.painreprocessingtherapy.com/neuroplastic-pain
Photo by Kampus Production: https://www.pexels.com/photo/tired-elderly-man-standing-on-the-beach-sand-8638038/
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Author

Heather Hruby

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12/20/2022

Whats your EQ?

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Emotional Intelligence

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How are your people skills?

​Are you aware of when someone may be happy, upset, or nervous? Can you tell when you are feeling sad, excited, scared, or filled with joy?

Emotional intelligence is our ability to recognize our own and others’ emotions, label feelings, know the difference between particular feelings, and use this information to direct our thinking and behavior.
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Having high emotional intelligence helps us in all areas of our lives. Why? Because humans are relational and we appreciate when others’ notice our emotional experience.

​Basic emotional intelligence skills are developed when you learn to be aware of yourself and others by tuning into your emotions and the emotions of others. Once you are aware of the emotions, process them by thinking through where that emotion is coming from and what do to with it. Care about others, their experiences, and their emotions. Talk to a real person, in-person. It’s difficult to be really, really mad at a person when you are looking into their eyes.


Some ways to increase emotional intelligence:

1. Process your feelings and experiences through journaling.
As you write freely, you become more aware of yourself and your experiences.
Step into another person’s shoes by thinking or journaling about what they might be going through. Try to see things from more than just your own perspective. Gain empathy towards others by hearing their story. Ask people about their perspective and experiences.
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2. Learn the names of various emotions.
Get a feelings wheel or list of feelings and download it to your phone to look at whenever you need to label an emotion.
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Click Here for a Feeling Wheel from The Gottman Institute.
3. Take it to the next level by naming the thought that accompanies that emotion.
Thoughts and feelings are generally tied together. If you are having a feeling, there is usually a thought that accompanies it. Such as feeling scared and thinking you should turn the lights on or thinking you are not safe.

​If you are having a thought, there is usually a feeling that accompanies it. Such as thinking you cannot wait to eat pizza tonight and feeling excited.
4. Are you experiencing your emotions in your body?
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The answer is yes. Begin to notice how your body feels when you experience various emotions. When you are scared, does your heart race or do you get that feeling like a pit in your stomach? Can you feel the tears gathering in your eyes before you even cry when you are starting to feel sad? When you are angry, do your palms sweat or cheeks flush? Do you have butterflies in your stomach when you are excited? How about the feeling of being completely relaxed in your muscles when you feel calm? Notice the emotional experience in your body.
5. Process emotions, thoughts, both yours and others.
It can take a moment to process information. Give yourself permission to pause for ten seconds. You do not have to respond to someone immediately. Take three really deep breaths by breathing in for a count of three, holding the breath for three counts, and breathing out for three counts. Repeat this at least two more times. Pausing gives your brain a chance to catch up before reacting. Ever heard the phrase, “think before you act” or “think before you speak”? That is really good advice. Ask yourself: what am I feeling? What might (another person) be feeling? What thoughts do I have about these feelings? Do I need to ask that other person what they are feeling to see if my assumption was correct?
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6. You have ownership over your life.
You can choose how you respond to any given situation. Try the suggestions in this post to increase your emotional intelligence. Focus on what you can control and experience the freedom that accompanies that mindset.
Thank you for reading!
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If this post resonates with you and you want to see if I would be a good fit counselor for you, please contact us today

You can email us at [email protected] or fill out our website contact form.

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Author

CAMILLA BUCHANAN, ​MA, LIMHP

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2/1/2022

Do I need counseling?

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​There are several factors that make counseling unique from other ways of seeking help. I love that there are many avenues of help for someone seeking mental health treatment. Growing up, I don’t ever remember hearing anyone talk about depression, anxiety, trauma, or any other mental health concern. Now that we are talking more about our mental health, it’s important to know about the different types of treatment available. Let’s talk about some ways that people seek help so you can decide if you need counseling to address your specific mental health concerns.

I read ______ book, do I still need counseling?

There are an abundance of self-help books available on the market today! Any type of concern or question you have, there are probably hundreds of books out there that can help. Reading self-help books is considered psychoeducation. Psychoeducation is any type of informational learning about mental health concerns, treatments, and diagnoses.
Psychoeducation is an important aspect of counseling. All the time I give clients information, materials, and book recommendations as part of their treatment. Psychoeducation or reading a self-help book alone is not going to provide the same care as meeting with a counselor. Counseling is all about the personal relationship between a client and a counselor. That counselor tailors treatment to meet your specific needs. A book cannot do that.
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Counseling is all about the personal relationship between a client and a counselor.

I follow ______ on Instagram, do I still need counseling?

There are so many incredible and skilled counselors and therapists that I follow on Instagram also! They may be a counselor, but they are not YOUR counselor. Following them on Instagram will not replace personal counseling. The material they provide on social media is considered psychoeducation as they are providing information and education about mental health. ​
They may be a counselor, but they are not YOUR counselor.

I HAVE GREAT FRIENDS AND SUPPORTIVE FAMILY, DO I STILL NEED COUNSELING?

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That is wonderful! There are a lot of people who do not have friends or supportive family, so I am happy that you have a great support system. Friendships and family relationships are considered two-way relationships. There is care and information shared between both parties freely. The relationship is not focused more on one person or the other.
Counseling is considered a one-way relationship. You go to counseling to talk about yourself and your needs. Many times you will know very little, if any, information about your counselor’s personal life. In counseling, you do not share information freely between both parties as you would in a relationship with a friend or family member. You are there to receive a service (counseling) that the counselor is providing.

I HAVE THE WISEST MENTOR, HOW IS COUNSELING DIFFERENT?

ost people also do not have a wise mentor, so that is great! Many, but not all, mentor relationships have the dynamic of a two-way relationship where you are freely hearing about the mentor’s life and you both know each other well. Many mentor relationships happen naturally within your community by reaching out to someone who you want to teach you something, guide you toward a goal, or just walk alongside you at your current phase of life. Many informal mentor relationships have not agreed that you are going to keep information shared confidential. Mentoring can happen in many informal settings, such as a person’s home or a coffee shop.
I think mentoring is wonderful, but counseling is different. Counseling is confidential*, takes place in more formal settings, like an office, and your counselor follows a specific treatment plan guided by a counseling theory to help you reach your goals.

HOW IS COUNSELING DIFFERENT FROM PSYCHIATRY, MEDICAL CARE, OR PSYCHOLOGY?

A psychiatrist is someone who prescribes mental health medication. They do this by diagnosing and treating your mental health diagnosis. A counselor also diagnoses and treats mental health conditions. A counselor cannot prescribe medication. A psychiatrist has been through medical school, medical residency, has a doctorate degree and a medical license. A counselor has a master’s degree and a state license for counseling or social work.
Many medical doctors, including general practitioners, prescribe medication for mental health diagnoses. Most do not have time to talk through your symptoms or develop a treatment plan besides the medication treatment. They will continue to check in with you to see how the medication is working, but many are limited to 15-30 minute visits every few weeks or longer. Counseling generally takes place in 45-60 minute meetings every week or every two weeks.
Psychologists have a doctorate degree. They have special training in running diagnostic tests, along with the further education of that doctorate degree. Psychologists generally cannot prescribe medication. In some states psychologists with extended education in medication management can prescribe medication. At this time, Nebraska is not one of those states.
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Side note: I fully support people taking medication to address mental health care needs. I have seen it work wonders in people’s lives. I recommend clients meet with a doctor to discuss medication if their symptoms are impacting their daily functioning. Please go to your doctor and have regular check-ups as well.

DO I NEED COUNSELING?

Ultimately, that is up to you to determine. If it feels like something is holding you back, counseling may help you figure out what changes you need to make in your life to live more freely and confidently.
Counseling has the formality of setting specific goals to meet your particular needs. A counselor follows a code of ethics, specific theories of treatment they follow, and ensures that the time in session is focused on you and your needs. Continue reading your books, following helpful social media accounts, be in relationships with friends, family members, and mentors, and take your medications as directed by your doctor. If you think you need another type of care, counseling may be able to help you reach your mental health care goals.

If this post resonates with you and you want to see if I would be a good fit counselor to meet with you, please contact one of the therapists at New Leaf today.

You can email us at [email protected] or fill out our website contact form.
*Similar to any healthcare provider, there are always exceptions to confidentiality, like if someone says they are going to hurt themselves, hurt someone else, or if abuse or neglect of a child or vulnerable adult is disclosed, etc. In those cases, other professionals, such as law enforcement, need to be notified in order to protect the client or others. Your counselor will always tell you what the limits are to confidentiality.
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Author

CAMILLA BUCHANAN, ​MA, LIMHP

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Copyright © 2015
  • Home
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Continuing Education
    • Community Involvement
  • Meet Our Therapists
    • Laura Allis
    • Camilla Buchanan
    • Shelly Gray
    • Heather Hruby
    • Kristin McCarty
    • Danielle Kempkes
    • Teagan MacKnight
    • Alexandra Renee
  • Services
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Meet Our Therapists