THERAPY FOR MORE VITALITY
Help with exhaustion & stress
Welcome to book a session, and we will talk through what you would like to have help with. I am a reg psychologist and meet clients online and at my practice at Östermalmstorg (Humlegårdsgatan) Stockholm, Sweden. You can get help with exhaustion, stress, and bodily problems. I offer in-depth sessions (individual therapy) where you can gain perspective and understanding of yourself and change in your life.
About exhaustion
Exhaustion and stress-related problems have some similarities. The symptoms can persist over a short and a long time and lack medical evidence. Cognitive problems with concentration, attention, and memory are common. Physical issues with stiffness, powerlessness, dizziness, and sleeping problems are also common.
For both exhaustion and stress-related problems, there is usually an emotional experience of feeling cut off from oneself. For both exhaustion and physical problems, clients typically find that their emotional life has been more or less shut down for some time, as stress often influences the emotional life. Anxiety and also depressive symptoms might be part of exhaustion and stress-related problems.
Reasons for exhaustion & stress
The reasons for exhaustion and stress can be varied. Exhaustion might occur after a long time with a strong commitment to (children’s needs, work, etc.), and clients say that this strong commitment from their side has been necessary (for example, while having responsibilities as parent, partner, or employed at work).
Exhaustion and stress-related problem can also be related to injury, trauma, or living with ADHD or similar.
For exhaustion syndrome, stress-related problems and bodily symptoms, experiences from childhood (bullying, abuse, parental neglect, etc.) may affect the individual.
Treatment of exhaustion and stress
In the therapy, the client and I will talk through what the client wants help with and find out where the obstacles are to find ways to approach and feel solid in relationships. We will also remain open to other areas in the client’s life where they wish changes to take place.
Those who come to me may have experiences of previous therapies where they feel that they learned a lot ('thinking and knowing') about themselves and relationships, but problems may have remained. There is a big difference between understanding the issues intellectually and experiencing emotionally what can be done constructively about exhaustion, stress, and bodily symptoms.
In affect-focused therapy, that I work with, the clients discover the difference between 'thinking and knowing' a lot about problems and solutions, and 'feeling and knowing' about emotional processes that more concretely give energy and empowerment. They also discover more about themselves and others on an interpersonal (emotional, relational) level.
Usually, the client and I work with an arrangement where the focus is on relational and emotional processes according to ISTDP. I experience that this arrangement has better results than a more intellectual approach to the problems. Other times we work based on a combination of ISTDP and seeking understanding and knowledge or a more cognitive-behavioral approach. The arrangement depends on what the client wishes to work with and what is needed for change.
