Category: Anxiety, Panic Attacks & Depression Recovery

There are nearly 6000 followers on a Facebook page with the same title above created about three years ago. I am hoping those who are in recovery will appreciate the insights that will be posted here.

To learn more about my professional therapeutic services please visit: https://www.anxietycentre.com/Stacey-Ellertson.shtml

I understand the despair and challenges of severely debilitating anxiety. My struggle began almost immediately when I spent the first year of life in the hospital, and the next nine years in and out of hospital due to multiple surgeries.

Because of these early life experiences, my childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood years were filled with fear, loneliness, and a sense of loss of control and inferiority. Consequently, I learned to live anxiously, expecting that bad things would continually happen to me.

I did my best to try and feel better, by trying harder and harder to be better and better, however, the persistent thought of, “It’s never enough,” continued to pervade in my life.

To relieve the “gloom and doom” I was feeling, I began to sleep excessively, because I found that my dream life was safer than my real life. As a result, I often slept sixteen hours a day. Nicotine, caffeine, and immersing myself into work also became my drugs of choice, all in an attempt to relieve the heaviness and fear I was experiencing.

In 1991, I experienced excruciating panic attacks, social anxiety, and deep depression. It was during this time that I seriously considered suicide.

I hold a Bachelor of Theology degree from Gardner College in Camrose, Alberta; a Master of Arts degree in Christian Ministry majoring in Marriage and Family Counselling; and a Master of Arts degree in Leadership and Management with a major in Organizational Leadership. Because of my personal experience with anxiety and depression, I am passionate about helping others. I specialize in offering support to adults and teenagers who are experiencing:

Debilitating anxiety, stress, and/or depression
Conflicts in the family, blended-family or marriage
Separation or divorce
Loss of meaning in life
Loss and grief
Life transitions
Who feel:

Loneliness
Fear, anger, or rage
Confusion or low self-confidence
And may find it difficult to:

Be in healthy relationships
Be satisfied and productive at work or school
Make good choices
Engage in appropriate parenting
Cope with life’s stresses
Stay committed to a recovery program
I am an associate member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, and own the Southwest Family Life Centre in Swift Current, Saskatchewan.

Anxiety, Panic Attacks & Depression Recovery, Faith, Family

I want More

by Stacey K Ellertson2 Comments on I want More
I want More

The concept of wanting more is a common distortion many have. A client I am working with said this about their life,

My life is defined by More. More sales growth, more profitability, more freedom, more time away from work, more time at work, more coaching the kids, more relaxing (looking for relaxing time), more time as Mayor, more planning for retirement with wife, more thought about future political office, more, more, more. 

Provided with permission.

DO YOU WANT MORE?

The truth is, less really is more. There are those of us who are simply chasing time and shoulding themselves into a chronic anxiety disorder. Sure, the “I want more” approach to life holds several benefits but at what cost? You simply cannot be “on” all of the time. Eventually your body will shut down. Chronic stress and tension built up over time leads to several negative physical, mental and emotional consequences. It is inevitable. All that time, chasing time, only to lose it.

The more on you are, the more off you will feel.

Stephen W. Smith, The Jesus Life

Consider yourself challenged to reflect “more” on the “less is more” concept. If you really want more out of life we need to define what less looks like. Less driveness mean more health. Less perfectionism means more flexibility. Less people pleasing means more sanity. Less avoidance means more solutions. LESS REALLY IS MORE

So, if you really do want more try incorporating more less. Sit back, enjoy a cool drink a hot cup of decaf coffee and enjoy the moment. Stop trying to create more of everything and everyone. Be quiet. Be still. Be patient. Sit with yourself a while and feel more of you!

Stacey