Is it hard to relax? Are you haunted by the events of the day or of the past? Are worries worries worries getting the best of you?

I often say to people that if you have to have some mental health trouble, having trouble with stress, with worry, with anxiety is the best kind of trouble to have because often it is the most easily treated. In other words, people often get better quickly. Therapy for this kind of problem is straight-forward, and looks like this:

For every problem, there are four and only four possible responses: you can solve the problem, feel better about the problem, accept the problem, or do nothing and stay miserable.

When the problem is solvable, we will work together to solve it. We will examine the obstacles to an effective solution, and tackle each one, watching as we go to make sure that we stay on target, and that our solution meets your needs.

When the problem is not solvable, we will see if it is possible to change your feelings about the problem. Lots of problems in life are unsolvable:

• Even though I’m afraid of flying, I still have to get on a plane.
• Even though parties or conferences scare me, I still have to go.
• Even though I worry about the kids, I can’t watch them every second.
• Even though I know the situation is not dangerous, I practically crawl out of my skin when I think about it going into it.
• Even though it happened in the past, it still haunts me.

In this case therapy consists of learning and practicing skills to reduce stress in the short and long term. For many people, relief comes quickly, in a matter of days to weeks. As miraculous as it sounds, it is common for people to get better quickly.  -continue-

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