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Problems: 

Low Mood, Stress, Anxiety, Irritability,

Fatigue, Feeling Overwhelmed,

Poor Concentration, Insomnia, Pain

Goals: 

Contentment, Well Being, Joy, Peace,

Uncommon Happiness, Bliss

 

We all have various problems that we would like to solve and goals we would like to achieve.

As a psychologist trained in cognitive behavioral therapies, hypnotherapy, neurotherapy and meditation, I help people to decrease excessive negativity, sadness, anxiety, fear and anger and to increase deficient positivity and happiness, which together comprise the basic emotions and emotional valences.

Notice that the goal is not to completely eliminate the negative emotions, nor to continuously bliss out. The basic emotions have their adaptive functions as calls to action, and continuous bliss  would be a completely unmotivated state requiring forced feeding.

 

However, when the negative emotional states increase too much in frequency, intensity or duration, their costs outweigh their benefits. And when these emotional excesses, and their behavioral consequences, interfere excessively with daily activities, they may be diagnosed as "psychological disorders" and benefit from various forms of treatment.

Psychologists often focus on solving cognitive, emotional and behavioral "problems" (and sometimes the physical conditions they cause). This focus on negativity has historical roots, including Freud's infamous goal of "transforming your hysterical misery into common unhappiness." These days, it has economic roots as well, as insurance companies require a diagnosis for reimbursement (of both therapists and clients) and there is no diagnosis for "Deficient Bliss." And for purely practical reasons, most psychologists focus on helping people solve problems because this is what most people go to psychologists for.

 

However, my goal is as much to help clients actually feel good or even very good as to help them not feel bad. So, sure, I'll work on helping you to solve your problems, but we don't have to stop there. I want for you what you want for you: Uncommon Happiness.

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