Sometimes, life feels out of control. The future is uncertain. We’re not sure how to cope. Most of us like to feel in control. We like things to be predictable. We like it when we can plan something and make it happen. We like it when other people do what we want them to do. We like things […]
Author Archives: Dr. Sharon Martin, LCSW
Insomnia During Times of Stress, Anxiety, and Uncertainty
Many people are experiencing insomnia due to stress, anxiety, and uncertainty. Insomnia, trouble falling or staying asleep, is a common symptom of stress or anxiety. So, it’s no wonder that so many of us aren’t sleeping well as we’re faced with growing coronavirus cases, a high-stakes election and divided nation, fire season in California, and a multitude of other […]
Journal to Reduce Stress and Anxiety
Everyone experiences stress – the tension and pressure of too many demands on our time and resources (both emotional and material). And even if you don’t meet the clinical criteria for an anxiety disorder, I’m sure you’ve experienced some of the most common symptoms of anxiety from time to time: uncontrollable worry trouble concentrating insomnia rumination or obsessive thoughts […]
End Self-Criticism and Learn Self-Acceptance
Learn how to end self-criticism and replace it with self-acceptance! I’m an idiot. What’s wrong with me? I can’t believe I did that – again! I look so fat in these jeans. Why am I so careless? I’m never going to figure this out. My inner-dialogue used to sound a lot like this. And I know, I’m not […]
What Every Adult Child of an Alcoholic Needs to Know About Self-Worth
Children who grow up in alcoholic, dysfunctional, or abusive families often feel inadequate, defective or broken; and these feelings don’t magically disappear when they grow up and leave home. Feelings of inadequacy stick with us – plaguing many Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACAs) or Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families with a lack of self-worth. Why do some […]
Moms Deserve Self-Compassion
Motherhood is a blessing. It was a long and difficult journey for me to become a mother and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to mother my three not-so-little-ones. But being a mother is hard. Really hard. And we make it harder by setting impossibly high standards for ourselves. In May we celebrate Mother’s Day in the United States. May […]
Understanding the Need to Please
Do you have a strong need to please others? When was the last time you told someone “No, I can’t help you with that” or “I have a different opinion”? It can feel risky – emotionally vulnerable – to set limits or assert our needs or opinions (especially if we know they are different than other people’s). Of […]
Tips from a Therapist for Coping with Coronavirus Anxiety
Life feels scary and out of control for a lot of us due to the coronavirus outbreak. Our normal activities are disrupted. People are panic shopping. Schools are closed. Things are changing quickly and that’s disconcerting. We don’t know what to expect because we’ve never experienced anything like this before. In an effort to help you calm your anxiety […]