Exercise is a great way to reduce stress and anxiety.

Exercise increases metabolism of adrenaline and thyroxin which
contribute to a heightened anxious state.

Exercise increases endorphins as well as serotonin that help to offset
depressed moods and anxiety.

Activity helps increase self esteem as well as many metabolic
activities .

Exercise is one great tool for stress relief and alleviation of anxiety.

David R Abrams
Life Works AZ PLLC
David@Lifeworksaz.com
602 575 4030

You are what you think. Why do two people that get stuck in the same
traffic jam feel two different feelings.

One person thinks he is trapped and states he must get out of here.
One person sees the traffic as an opportunity to relax. The bottom
line is the messages we tell ourselves impact our feelings and mood!

Cognitive Behavioral therapy looks at distorted thoughts and helps us
recognize the unhealthy thought patterns.

CBT then allows the individual to modify or change the thinking
pattern to a healthier one.

Some distorted thinking patterns are: all or nothing thinking ,
overgeneralizing, mind reading, fortune telling, catastrophizing,
personalization, and many more.

Cognitive behavioral therapy and counseling has research based
evidence that shows it can be extremely effective in treating anxiety.

David R Abrams
Life Works AZ PLLC
David@Lifeworksaz.com
602 575 4030

Anxiety manifests itself in our physical body.

We can learn to become aware of muscle tension created by anxiety.
Learning progressive relaxation, imagery, and visualization will
reduce muscle tension and help alleviate anxiety.

Diaphramatic breathing and hatha yoga breathing are very important in
reducing anxiety.

Relaxing the body is a huge component to anxiety relief.

David R Abrams
Life Works AZ PLLC
David@Lifeworksaz.com
602 575 4030

Teens are at times taught that anger is bad. Anger is an emotion and can be used for good or for bad. Expressing anger in a health way without harming someone or self can be very positive. In fact it is unhealthy for teens to stuff their anger and act as if all is great when in fact they are very angry.

Anger that is not processed may likely ooze out in unhealthy ways: violence, verbal abuse, risky behaviors, attacking and judging others, Substance abuse, depression, anxiety and much more.

Healthy emotions and communication is dealing with ones feelings daily and not stuffing them down or avoiding them with: TV, internet, texting, cell, video games etc…this may be ok for a short time but eventually the anger will build and then there will be an expression of unhealthy anger because the avoidance becomes a habit and this will not work in the long run.

Take the time to help your child or teen cope with his or her anger sooner than later.

Many teens get angry! Anger is legal in the United States of America. You have the right to feel angry and you have the right to express your anger. Expressing your anger in a healthy way is key so you do not: victimize others, hurt others, disrespect family, disrespect your teachers, disrespect yourself, or break the law.

There are many ways teens can express anger in healthy ways. The first key is becoming aware that you are angry and you can usually feel it in your body: muscles, expressions, stomach, feeling hot or warm, eyes, jaw etc.

Expressing your anger in healthy ways can be: hiking, exercise, skateboarding, writing, creating music, singing, playing an instrument, punching a pillow, taking a relaxing shower, venting without hurting or attacking others, writing an angry letter and ripping it up before it is sent.

Lifeworksaz.com provides family counseling in Phoenix, Child Therapy phoenix, Adult Therapy Phoenix,Teen Anger management Phoenix, Child anger management Phoenix, Family therapy Phoenix and more.

There are many areas a family can work on in family counseling. One of the biggest components is healthy communication. Families can learn to communicate with each other in healthy ways on a daily basis. Some families can be sarcastic or critical and this impacts the whole family system. Learning to communicate without attacking and judging is important for families.

Families can learn healthy boundaries. Boundaries are limits we set so we do not get hurt or do not feel overwhelmed. Many families can work on creating strong healthy boundaries in the home. Healthy boundaries are based on mutual respect and must be modeled for a healthy system.Families can learn what a healthy system looks like and can work toward creating a healthy system.

A healthy family can learn to express thoughts and feelings in healthy ways on a daily basis. Healthy emotions are not: repressing feelings, stuffing feelings, zoning out to TV or internet, denial of what is going on at home, displacing anger, yelling, screaming, walking around upset and frustrated, stuffing stress and more..

Family counseling can help reduce stress and anger and create desired peace.

Counseling is a very personal experience and it is vital that you feel like you can develop a relationship and that you feel comfortable with the practitioner that is providing counseling and therapy.

I focus on a strengths based approach in counseling. I believe that highlighting and tapping into all the gifts and strengths people have makes all the difference in creating the changes they desire in their lives. He also believes that it is vital to obtain balance physically, mentally, emotionally, in order to create the desired change.

Some counseling qualities that have shown through research that are very important are:empathy, attentive listening skills, expert advise. This relationship accounts for thirty percent of successful outcomes in counseling therapy. Research repeatedly finds that a positive alliance with your therapist is one of the best predictors of outcome.(Horvath, & Symonds,1991) I believe this and that it is essential in my approach to children, teens, adolescents,and adults.

In 1994 there were 20,000 national visits where children or teens under nineteen were diagnosed with or were treated for Bipolar Disorder or Manic Depression.

In 2003 there were 800,000 national visits to treat manic depression or Bipolar in the same age group of children in The United States. This jump goes along with an increase in antipsychotic medicine used to treat Bipolar.( AP)

Most of the powerful antipsychotics used to treat adults are not well studied in children.(AP)

Symptoms can include but are not limited to: extreme mood swings, disruptive behavior, and extreme irritability in children.

Many suggest parents get a second diagnosis and many experts believe over 50% are misdiagnosed.(AP) ADHD, Conduct Disorders, ADD, anxiety and depressed mood disorders can have similar behaviors according to experts.

Psychotherapy and counseling combined with family counseling has shown positive results.

There are a wide array of reasons why a child or teen is performing poorly at school. Here are some reasons that can be addressed that may be impacting your child’s performance:

ADHD or ADD

Behavior Problems

Emotional Problems

Anger and Mood issues

Family issues

Relationship issues

Depression or Depressed Mood

Parenting style challenges

Self Esteem

Stress

Grief and Loss

Trauma

Social Skills and more

Substance use or abuse Alcohol and or Drugs

An assessment can narrow down what is really going on and then a plan of action can be created to address and treat these issues and change failing grades to A’s and B’s.

Adults and children that face constant stress at home or at work have an increased
risk being depressed.

Reports that stress at a young age permanently alters the activity of a key gene in the brain, resulting in a lifetime of elevated levels of a hormone that contributes to depression.

Science is just beginning to understand how stress affects the body causing depression. One process has recently been discovered by an international team of researchers. This team focused on a the serotonin transporter gene which regulates the levels of a brain chemical called serotonin.

There are many factors that impact mood: stress, loss, moving, a new job, a new relationship, self esteem , sleep, cognitions, unhealthy thoughts, health , diet, exercise and more.

Looking at a wide array of areas that may impact your depressed mood is vital in making changes and creating the balance and happiness you desire.