I, along with millions of others, was devastated after learning of Robin Williams’ passing. I couldn’t watch Mrs. Doubtfire for two years after.
There were several things I learned from his passing. One was that mental health challenges do not discriminate; every single human, whether you are a celebrity or person holding immense power, is susceptible to difficulties regarding their mental health.
The second semester of my doctorate program is officially over and I can finally breathe…which is a bit concerning because it feels like I’ve been holding my breath the past few weeks.
It has been an adjustment. It’s strange going from talking to someone almost every day to them just not being there anymore. Add on all the end-of-semester stress, let’s just say that the past few weeks have been a blur.
One thing I definitely did NOT do is take care of myself, body or spirit. (more…)
These past few days have been immensely difficult for me. Writing this is immensely difficult for me. A good friend of mine passed away last week and I was of the opinion that I was not handling it very well.
And then I asked myself, what does “handling it well” even mean?
When I say home, I mean our bodies. After experiencing trauma, our minds change and the connection between our minds and bodies may be broken. We may no longer feel safe in our own bodies.
So what is trauma. I could give you the textbook definition of trauma that is listed in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Let’s be real, you can just look that up. Plus, I view trauma in a broader way than a checklist of criterion.
One of the reasons I love art so much is because of different peoples’ interpretations. Hearing peoples’ experiences of a specific art piece is fascinating, especially when their experience may be different
than my own.
When I saw this art piece, I had already learned about Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and was one EFT externship in. Naturally, this piece reaffirmed everything I learned about humans and connection,
through the lens of EFT.
For many people, when they hear the word “therapist” or “therapy,” a specific image may come to mind: an intimidating stern man with a clipboard, with the patient lying on a big leather couch being psychoanalyzed.
I am here to tell you that this is not the case. Therapy can look so many different ways, and it all depends on the client and what works for them. The most important aspect of therapy is the alliance between therapist and client; without that vital connection, there would be no movement or growth. I encourage everyone to find a therapist that they vibe well with because it makes all the difference.
I was asked today, “Who is Ida Fariba and what does she do?” and I was shocked to discover that I wasn’t exactly sure.
I am an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, and I am qualified to work with all individuals, couples, and families. Yet, that is not exactly who I want to work with.
I want to work with adult individuals and couples who have lost their way or experienced trauma.
I love Brene Brown, and more specifically, I love this video because it illustrates the power of human connection. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of vulnerability and telling the story of who you are with your whole heart. That is what I hope to accomplish in my therapy sessions. And, I enjoy being able to refer to breakdowns as spiritual awakenings!
