Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

On January 28, 2023 By thinkcarebelieveIn Healing & Empowerment, ToolsLeave a comment

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy(CBT) identifies distorted patterns of thinking, emotional response, inappropriate behavior and substituting them with more objective, realistic thoughts and coping skills. It can address challenges such as:

Anxiety
Mood Disorders
Eating Disorders
Schizophrenia
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Social Anxiety Disorder
Panic Disorder
Generalized Anxiety
Specific Phobia
OCD
Dysthymia
Substance Abuse
ADHD
Stress
Relationship Difficulties
Anger

CBT Steps:

Identifying Negative Thoughts- To learn what thoughts, feelings and situations are contributing to maladaptive behaviors. It can be difficult for people who have trouble with self assessment and insights into what their negative self limiting thoughts.

Practicing New Skills- In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, people are taught new skills to use in real life situations to improve experiences and demonstrate empowerment in a situation. To practice coping skills and rehearse ways to avoid or deal with social situations that could trigger a reaction.

Setting New Goals- Goal setting can be an important step to establish forward momentum and to use newly polished interpersonal and coping skills. A CBT therapist can help set SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based) with a focus on the process of attaining the goal.

Problem Solving- Learning problem-solving skills during CBT helps to identify and work to solve a problem resulting from life stressors. Being adept at solving problems can reduce harmful impact of psychological and physical illness. Problem Solving steps are:

Identify the problem
Generate a list of potential solutions
Evaluate the pros and cons of each possible solution
Choose a solution
Follow through with the solution

Self-Monitoring- Tracking behaviors, symptoms, or experiences over time and sharing them with someone to whom you are being accountable.

Other CBT Techniques- Journaling, role-playing, relaxation strategies and using mental distractions.

Benefits of CBT:

Healthier thought patterns
Potential short-term improvements
Effective for a wide variety of problems
Online or face to face
Doesn’t require medication

Challenges to CBT

Change can be difficult and uncomfortable while going through it. CBT is very structured and some people may not do well in heavily structured programs. For CBT to be effective, it will take an investment of time and effort on the patient’s part. A willingness to put out the effort and to be honest in the analyzation of ones thoughts and feelings. Progress can be gradual, and may not be for someone wanting immediate results. Change takes time.

Trauma Focused CBT (TF-CBT)

TF-CBT is a treatment approach in helping mostly children and adolescents process and overcome their experiences of trauma. One of the ways a trauma survivor heals is to help them normalize their responses. TF-CBT can give them new skills to manage their feelings while educating them why they respond the way they do around the traumatic memories. By understanding the effects of trauma, they are better equipped to cope and find practical solutions. When someone with PTSD feels stuck in some of their thoughts because of the trauma they underwent TF-CBT can assist a person to recognize false beliefs they hold because of the trauma and to correct unhealthy behavior patterns that allows forward growth and momentum. It helps them develop new ways to cope, through self care, self healing and choosing emotional expression in healthy ways. In TF-CBT, parents and caregivers can also be involved in the therapy. This supports parents in building skills related to better parenting, improving communication, and managing any distress about the child’s trauma, all of which help the child feel more supported. The child is able to disconnect the memories and thoughts of the traumatic experience with the overwhelming emotions which arise by association.

Summing Up

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT can be an effective way to correct unhealthy habits and emotional responses and inappropriate behaviors. The changeover to productive empowered living involves practicing new skills, setting new goals and learning problem solving techniques. Progress is tracked using self monitoring and measurable results. Trauma Focused CBT or TF-CBT is mostly used for children and teenagers who have experienced one trauma event or repeated abuse. It has been successful in helping the young person disconnect their thoughts and emotions from the trauma event.

Choosing Love as Our Lens

On January 25, 2023January 28, 2023 By thinkcarebelieveIn Healing & Empowerment, The ShiftLeave a comment

If you could imagine the future into being, what do you see our better future looking like?

Now is the time to engage our thoughts and imagination into our view of how we see the new world functioning. In our brighter, better future, how are we going to express love for ourselves as well as others around us? In what way will we conduct business and interpersonal relationships with a better sense of heart? Can we lead the world with more compassion, forgiveness, empathy, connection, acceptance and generosity?

As the changes of life unfold before us, everything can be viewed through the lens of love or fear. How we see it, is the texture it takes on in physical reality. When layers of protection and confusion are peeled back enough, most everything we want for our future lies in a universal desire and right to be loved and feel love.

It is an innate belief that we have the right to seek our happiness and raise our children in a safe and healthy environment. It is a divine right that children be safe. When we realize what has been stealing the innocence of children, something clicks inside us, we just won’t see the world the same way, and in that instant the world has changed. We will not tolerate anything less than a world that allows us to see our children protected and treated as the special gifts from God that they are. What it may take to bring it about is for us to revolt and refuse any more targeting of our children and stand up and be loud to the point that we are heard clearly. If not now, when? If not us, then who?

Love heals and God is love. We must consider forgiveness an essential part of moving forward. To drop all baggage right here and now and step forward. Drop our fear of living life without excuses and protections.

“As regards my own sins it is a safe bet (though not a certainty) that the excuses are not really so good as I think; as regards other men’s sins against me it is a safe bet (though not a certainty) that the excuses are better than I think. One must therefore begin by attending to everything which may show that the other man was not so much to blame as we thought. But even if he is absolutely fully to blame we still have to forgive him; and even if ninety-nine percent of his apparent guilt can be explained away by really good excuses, the problem of forgiveness begins with the one percent of guilt which is left over. To excuse what can really produce good excuses is not Christian charity; it is only fairness. To be Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you. This is hard. It is perhaps not so hard to forgive a single great injury. But to forgive the incessant provocations of daily life—to keep on forgiving the bossy mother-in-law, the bullying husband, the nagging wife, the selfish daughter, the deceitful son—how can we do it? Only, I think, by remembering where we stand, by meaning our words when we say in our prayers each night “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us.”

―C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

We are offered forgiveness. To refuse it is to refuse God’s mercy for ourselves. There is no hint of exceptions and God means what He says. To forgive others, we have to be ready to treat others as we would want God to treat us, refusing to go into old justifications and being willing to step forward in a new way. To forgive ourselves, we simply don the lens of love and see ourselves through God’s eyes. To consider our bodies as sacred vessels miraculously carrying a spark of God, not something that falls short of a picture in a magazine, that has probably been doctored in some way, but beautiful and special and a unique work of art. Worshiping and idolizing stars on a screen, has been a very poor replacement to living in the flow of nature and following the stars in the sky.

When we awake and come aware in the now moment, if we apply the lens of love to our world and our own lives, then we can draw from our experiences of suffering and adversity to apply patience and tolerance in our interactions with eachother. Love, patience and tolerance are a must for reducing negative emotions like hatred or anger. When things are going well, there just isn’t as much need to be patient and forgiving. But, when we come across tricky problems, when we suffer, we can work to develop and adjust these important tools of the heart. We aren’t always encouraged to bring these to a fight. Societal programming may even term them as weakness, but, when we are stepping into our vision of a bright new future, perhaps it is time to consider the true power of seeing eachother through the lens of love for one another as part of the human family, ready and willing to create this future together.

On Elevated Levels

On January 23, 2023January 23, 2023 By thinkcarebelieveIn Healing & Empowerment, The ShiftLeave a comment

It doesn’t take much to be a friend indeed to a friend in need. It doesn’t take a whole heck of a lot to sit and listen. To lend a compassionate ear. The kind of conversation that incorporates patience and kindness. To encourage a space that is safe and induces healing to occur. To be a manifestation of God’s lovingkindness in an active moment. To embody Grace, and give of it freely. It shows someone that the kind of unconditional love that comes from God does exist, and even if someone is on their deathbed, that can be a miraculous healing balm to the Soul.

I’m not talking about superficial gossip or gripe sessions. In his book, The Four Loves, author CS Lewis comments on people who seem to have the world at their fingertips but just refuse to be happy. He describes it as “the demand of the loveless and the self-imprisoned that they should be allowed to blackmail the universe: that till they consent to be happy (on their own terms) no one else shall taste joy: that theirs should be the final power; that hell should be able to veto heaven” This can become a virus of negativity and discontent. A malaise that has the capability of spreading from person to person, if one is not awake and aware, refusing to dive down into darkness, keeping their light shining brightly.

We have become so used to complaining that, as Lewis aptly puts it, “We want to be loved for our cleverness, beauty, generosity, fairness, usefulness. The first hint that anyone is offering us the highest love of all is a terrible shock.” What he means is, we tend to conduct personal interactions based on ego terms, but, when a conversation becomes elevated as to communicate soul to soul, it can be somewhat shocking. Our soul kind of does a double-take, and quickly tries to decide how to respond. But we will need to get used to it because this elevated level of communication is fast becoming the new normal.

Our world is rapidly shifting from ego mind-based matrix to something that is much more profound. Something that makes one want to be awake, and participate in their world. To awaken in man, a supernatural appreciative love for all the gifts life has to offer. When we take a moment to listen to someone who is truly in need, we nibble the precipice of Angelic action. Lewis, once more offers, “This is of all gifts the most to be desired. Here, not in our natural loves, nor even ethics, lies the true centre of all human and angelic life. With this all things are possible.” It is the act of carrying divine love in order to be divine love when needed, or, called upon. We can be this loving, this compassionate, this honest, we only need to summon the courage. He goes on, “God knows, not I, whether I have ever tasted this love. Perhaps I have only imagined the tasting.”

On Being Human

by CS Lewis

Angelic minds, they say, by simple intelligence
Behold the Forms of nature. They discern
Unerringly the Archtypes, all the verities
Which mortals lack or indirectly learn.
Transparent in primordial truth, unvarying,
Pure Earthness and right Stonehood from their clear,
High eminence are seen; unveiled, the seminal
                 Huge Principles appear.

The Tree-ness of the tree they know-the meaning of
Arboreal life, how from earth's salty lap
The solar beam uplifts it; all the holiness
Enacted by leaves' fall and rising sap;

But never an angel knows the knife-edged severance
Of sun from shadow where the trees begin,
The blessed cool at every pore caressing us
                 -An angel has no skin.

They see the Form of Air; but mortals breathing it
Drink the whole summer down into the breast.
The lavish pinks, the field new-mown, the ravishing
Sea-smells, the wood-fire smoke that whispers Rest.
The tremor on the rippled pool of memory
That from each smell in widening circles goes,
The pleasure and the pang —can angels measure it?
                 An angel has no nose.

The nourishing of life, and how it flourishes
On death, and why, they utterly know; but not
The hill-born, earthy spring, the dark cold bilberries.
The ripe peach from the southern wall still hot
Full-bellied tankards foamy-topped, the delicate
Half-lyric lamb, a new loaf's billowy curves,
Nor porridge, nor the tingling taste of oranges.
                 —An angel has no nerves.

Far richer they!  I know the senses' witchery
Guards us like air, from heavens too big to see;
Imminent death to man that barb'd sublimity
And dazzling edge of beauty unsheathed would be.
Yet here, within this tiny, charmed interior,
This parlour of the brain, their Maker shares
With living men some secrets in a privacy
                 Forever ours, not theirs.

Compassion

On January 22, 2023January 22, 2023 By thinkcarebelieveIn Healing & Empowerment, Inspirational, PoetryLeave a comment

Compassion

by thinkcarebelieve

Reaching out, we cannot bear,

Pain and confusion plaguing there.

Understanding for what it cost,

Almost every hope is lost.

A doorway opens, light pours in,

Lighting the darkness which has been.

To see and soothe, comfort with song,

Lifting up… fragile to strong.

What we see in another’s Soul,

God blesses us and makes us whole.

The sun comes out, a bird sings,

The tender joy that healing brings.

The Help Hub

On January 22, 2023 By thinkcarebelieveIn Healing & Empowerment, The ShiftLeave a comment

I imagine that we’re so very busy in the astral whilst we’re sleeping. Now is such a dynamic time, I see Souls staffing something called a “Help Hub” where someone can go to be directed to their new work. Don’t think this couldn’t actually be happening during our sleep while we dream. It follows the theme that people are getting organized to start new phases of their lives. We each have a calling and we are about to step into it, if we haven’t already.

A second form of helping is a reciprocal exchange. Someone pops into our lives to give us a hand and directs us to look inward and locate our home, that infinite, unwavering depth of oneness and Light that is at our core. We accept the help with gratitude and offer something in return to show our appreciation. This exchange, blessed by God.

Sometimes in the search for God everywhere out in the world, desperate for a real connection, it sometimes leaves us feeling deserted. God has not deserted us, the connection we are yearning for is not outside us, it is inside. It is when we look inside that we discover that God is in the home that resides within each of us.

“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” –Hebrews 6:10

Our way home to the truest part of our infinite selves, is to know ourselves beyond the socialized matrix of the mind-constructed reality. When we find it, we want to rejoice that we found home again. That deep heart-based presence of our home being at our core. In that Light, we are whole and complete and perfect. We take our divine home wherever we go. When we resonate with the Love that we are, our world reshapes around us. Realizing we are worthy of receiving any and all gifts that we are blessed with now. 1/22 is an Angel day (today) so expect a wink and a smile from your Angelic family, perhaps a surprising appearance of something that reminds you how much you are loved. Be open to new gifts; your worthiness is real.

“The first characteristic of the spiritual life is the continuing movement from loneliness to solitude. Its second equally important characteristic is the movement by which our hostilities can be converted into hospitality. It is there that our changing relationship to ourself can be brought to fruition in an ever-changing relationship to our fellow human beings. It is there that our reaching out to our innermost being can lead to a reaching out to the many strangers whom we meet on our way through life… But still- that is our vocation: to convert the hostic into a hospes, the enemy into a guest and to create the free and fearless space where brotherhood and sisterhood can be formed and fully experienced.” –Henri Nouwen, from his book Reaching Out

Changes are accelerating. Mayhaps that is why there is such a need for a “Help Hub.” People sharing a common goal, a sense of family, each wielding their own individual special skillset, all in service and being directed from within according to divine guidance. In that spirit of networking to make forward progress toward common goals and solving common problems. Keeping forward momentum going, helping others as we go, help will come as needed. Where will it come from? It is all around us, we just may not see it yet…

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. -2 Kings 6:16-17

Just as we, in service to the greater good, agree to appear to be of help to someone else… help appears for us, from all around. And that is just how it is to live in Mother Earth’s flow. The synchronicity is real. The flow carries us. In the flow and exchange of energy creating something greater than the sum of its parts.

Dawn is Coming

On January 17, 2023 By thinkcarebelieveIn Healing & Empowerment, The Shift2 Comments

God and Mother Earth are moving forward rapidly.

As we consciously work together to make the world a more positive place, I am feeling victory emerging from a swirl of chaos.

Advice:

Keep rising up with The Light
Use your wisdom
Drink plenty of water
Focus on your own energy
Go back to your baseline when things feel wonky
Exhale everything that no longer serves you
Let your body reprogram, recode and repair
Set the intention to connect with the new Christ Consciousness grid
Line up with the North Star and let it all go into The Light
Inhale light, freedom, joy, love and your best life!

In the past we may have attracted others to help us heal our inner wounds and unhealed traumas. The shift means now we will start attracting those who are are truly meant to be in our lives. That is exciting. We are aligning and harmonizing with the higher vibrations. We can feel that it’s different this time around and know that it has become clear that this is the way now. You are starting to create the life you have always intended for yourself and once and for all everything is going to start to feel right.

If you feel tired and unmotivated, then you may be picking up on the energy of the Collective. There are a number of dense emotions being released by the Collective as we rise. Send them into the Light and clear your own energy. The pressure is on us to evolve and rise above a multitude of things.

Tea to Relieve Mental Stress

1oz Reishi tincture

1oz Rosemary tincture

1/2oz Gotu Kola tincture

1/2 oz Milky Oats tincture

1/2oz Passion Flower tincture

Add a small dropper full to a glass of water and drink throughout the day.

This tea can also be made hot by steeping the ingredients in dried herb form in boiling water for 5 minutes and straining.

Don’t forget to treat yourself to a long hot bath or a walk outside in the fresh air in nature.

Breaking Chains

On January 16, 2023January 16, 2023 By thinkcarebelieveIn Healing & Empowerment, Poetry, The ShiftLeave a comment

I always felt MLK Jr’s words were for everyone. Wisdom like that doesn’t come along very often in leadership. It has always been my belief that nobody can own another and that true equality exists between humans on a soul level because we are each eternal souls in a human body. That is what makes us truly equal.

It is the light that shines from inside of us that reaches out and touches, that gives evidence of our uniqueness, demonstrating who we truly are. Can we break out of all limitations and shine our best, our truest light? It is possible to drop the chains holding us and step forward as beautiful, magnificent fractals of God.

Breaking Chains

by thinkcarebelieve

Let the Light come into Humanity’s Hurt,

The pain and sorrow that hang, inert.

To permeate the hearts of greed and power,

That makes the kindest souls shrink and cower.

The Battle of the Shadows is now ending,

Mercy and forgiveness starts the mending.

If you’ve never felt another’s pain,

Then go stand naked in the rain.

Light shines into Humanity’s Heart,

So we see each Soul from the start.

The Golden Rule must be our guide,

So we can start the healing… worldwide.

Inspired to Inspire

On January 15, 2023January 18, 2023 By thinkcarebelieveIn Healing & Empowerment, Inspirational, Poetry, The ShiftLeave a comment

My Guidance is letting me know that we are making progress. As darkness dispels and decreases, People, Lightworkers showing up and coming online is on the increase. The wheels of progress in this magnificent change happening without falter. We must remember to go inside and feel into the silent stillness for our guidance from our divinity within, so that we stay on track, abiding humility, careful not to feed ego.

As dormant gifts emerge, they become buoyed by our light and we simply cannot deny them. We feel the Song of our Soul calling our gifts forward. The elegant organic dance that is taking place, as if a spell has been broken and for the first time people are hearing the call that entices them to rise.

Our bodies, the temple within, carry the divine spark that whence ignited, begins to flame and sputter. We seek to maximize that divine energy in everything we do. To channel the potent life force energy in our work and send it outwards to reach the scared, dormant, cut-off part of another may be one of the most noble pursuits one could undertake. By being in touch with one’s own passion, in all innocence, releasing it out into the world to perform a “seek and find” for those who are ready and just waiting for our signal. Inspiring another to long for and reach up to that God force energy in its purest form. That is the goal.

It is Chi, the Mana that feeds us that we are channeling through our bodies and through our work. It touches others and communicates directly. It helps them by inspiring them to rise above the problems of the world to resonating with a lighter, better version, and magnetically drawing it into our reality. Mother Earth is already a diverse, bio-dynamic, loving force to be esteemed. Starting with our own temples, cleaning and clearing our bodies of heaviness. Because maximizing our own life-force energy is the gateway to bringing heaven to Earth. We can shift our path by aligning our choices with this higher life energy, then we will naturally create more opportunities to anchor higher energies into our world. When we know the joy of this life-force, feeling so vibrantly alive, others are inspired to make higher vibrational choices too. It is the gift that is within us, and all around us.

Inspired

by thinkcarebelieve

~

Greatly known My Soul akinder,

Wings of flight take off a-winder.

Glorious glowing slippery-sliding,

Progress made, no more hiding.

Not known from whence awareness came,

Perhaps in dewdrop or lion’s mane.

By evidence, a fire has been lit,

Passion swells and does not quit.

A force of life in honesty,

Touches a Spark in dormancy.

Inspires it to rise from awaken,

Choosing, committing, the new path taken.

In Light of Truth

On January 13, 2023 By thinkcarebelieveIn Healing & Empowerment, The ShiftLeave a comment

As more and more information comes out, it will unravel a shocking picture of the true current state of our old systems as they are revealed in full spotlight. It’s something we won’t want to face and some will still have difficulty having conversations. As we unravel complicated storylines and bureaucratic messes, we must stay grounded in our faith and maintain hope.

When we look at an issue, read up on an article, watch a news story, have a conversation… we are engaging our conscious awareness with the issue. As we seek to understand, the light of our attention shines on the subject matter. That light comes directly from our divinity because of our Soul’s direct connection with God. We bring God’s Light here to Earth and shine it all around as we choose to interact with our reality.

When we work in groups, we multiply our light and magnify the issue that holds our consideration. We benefit from different viewpoints. We ask questions and bounce ideas off one another. By refusing to become frightened and withdrawn, we stay engaged with the subject matter and that leads to critical thinking…. the key to elevated understanding and rising above.

I just want to offer this up… When we’ve studied something and made up our minds how we feel about it, know there is always more to learn. Understanding needs to be fluid, because, in a multidimensional reality, there is always another dimension to things and we are the ones that dictate our reality. So, as we seek to unravel tightly knotted world storylines, my advice is to stay fluid until all the dust has settled. This is a storm and it is difficult to know what is what until there is a settling and peace and light shine through.

The people are taking their power back… know that… jump onboard. On both sides of the aisle… use your voice any way you can. Stand up. Speak up. Be empowered and let’s step into our bright new future together.

If you start to feel frightened… or know someone who is.

If you are getting sucked down under the waves, and begin to feel hopeless, I have this to offer…

There is hope.

Life may be hard right now, maybe even unbearable. But you are not alone. No matter what you’re going through, getting through it and feeling happiness again is possible.

Nobody says it will be easy. You’ll probably stumble a few times and want to give up and go in a different direction. Keep trying. You are stronger than you realize.

There will be bumps in the road and reasons to stop and take a pause. Nothing will ever be like smooth sailing. There are some things you couldn’t control. But you can control how you respond. That is the key.

There’s always hope and light at the end of the tunnel. This pain that you’re feeling, will eventually fade. You will grow from the experience. It may not be the way you first intended, but it will be in a way that pushes you forward. And that’s a good thing.

You’ll look back and thank yourself, and everyone who came into your life to help you along. You will pat yourself on the back for making consistent, daily efforts to become a better person. And for rising above false beliefs of hopelessness.

Fight for yourself. No matter how difficult it gets, never let yourself give in and stop. After some time, your spark will return. And a new you will come out happier, healthier, and wiser.

Control your MIND. Control your LIFE.

Work on your yourself to:

-Feel more relaxed and sure of yourself

-Make better decisions

-Excel at everything you try

-Live a happy life

-Experience success again

-Become a better person

-Achieve higher level thinking

Being a Lightbearer

On January 12, 2023January 12, 2023 By thinkcarebelieveIn Healing & Empowerment, Inspirational, The ShiftLeave a comment

It is of a noble nature that we carry the light. Considering it sacred therefore guarding it with care. It is time now to feed our flame so that it shines at full capacity. To have the courage to be the true us and pour it out into the world. To express our unique perspective without holding back. Your unique gifts, allowed to expand and strengthen are just what the world needs right now. Be bold. Be confident.

Being a light-bearer means we are contributing to humanity with high vibrational intentions. They expand outwardly, glazing everything with a light that carries our love, our care, our dreams, our compassion. This is not a time to dull ourselves down in order to fit in, the beauty that is our self-expression wants to burst forth, and it may be just what the world is waiting for.

Holding the light means not dipping down into hopelessness or despair. It holds space for the miraculous and nurtures the seeds of their making. We dream the dreams and cultivate the soil for new growth. We allow ourselves to finally emerge as a full expression of our authentic selves. Connection and possibility nourish us so that we may own our power and dance our most magnificent dance yet.

If you have a choice to make, choose the one that makes you feel light, excited and passionate. Make the choice that empowers, not the one that puts out fear. We want to make choices that allow us to unfurl our wings and seek flight past all limits. We are flying past worrying about what is considered acceptable and being that expression of love that bathes the world in a new unique Light.

This is a completely new paradigm. As we undergo changes deep within us, we realize that time is up for playing it safe anymore. This new evolution of the Soul is unlocking insights that will change reality in positive ways. The responsibilities of a light-bearer means that we grant ourselves the freedom to finally be able to say what needs to be said. Having a voice of freedom of self expression is essential for power to shift back to people and communities. Our hard work and experience allows us to speak directly to hearts and minds. If we can trust enough to let go of rigid forms of thinking, follow our own wisdom, we may take our place as light bearers in this shifting world.