Why Traditional Talking Therapy Isn't Always Enough For Lasting Change

Many people seek therapy to discuss their problems and find some relief through talking therapy. While talking therapy can be really helpful for processing your experiences, developing insight, and gaining understanding of what triggers certain thoughts, feelings and behaviours- it is limited when it comes to creating lasting change. Many individuals feel a sense of relief after talking and may end therapy, but then they find themselves seeing one therapist after another over the years. You might wonder why this happens. Well, neuroscience has confirmed that many psychological conditions affect not only our minds but also our bodies.

INSIGHT DOESN'T ALWAYS LEAD TO LONG-LASTING CHANGE - THE BODY STILL FIRES

When we encounter a perceived threat - such as a stressful situation or a traumatic event - the body activates its survival mechanism - the Alarm System. This leads to automatic responses such as fight (confronting the threat), flight (escaping from the threat), fawn (pleasing others to avoid the threat), freeze (becoming immobile), and/or collapse (shutting down). These instinctual reactions can bypass conscious thought for survival in the face of danger, but can persist long after the initial threat has passed, leaving individuals in a constant state of hyperarousal of panic or anxiety, or they may experience a state of shutdown, which can manifest as numbness or dissociation.

Experiences of these moments are stored in the body through sensations, images, emotions and reflexive responses. This is why bodily sensations can trigger a reactivity long after the event has passed. Over time, these repeated experiences form neural pathways in the brain, solidifying core beliefs about oneself and the world around them. These beliefs may include thoughts and feelings of insecurity, unworthiness, or mistrust, which further reinforce unhelpful thoughts about oneself that also coemerge with strong bodily sensations, leading to stuckness- habits of reacting to new situations the same way.

MINDFULNESS THERAPY HELPS THE BODY TO RECOGNISE THAT THE DANGER IS OVER

At Grounded Therapy Space, I am trained and have experience providing an evidence-based treatment called Mindfulness Integrated Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (MiCBT) to help individuals get unstuck. MiCBT is a 4-stage treatment that combines principles from 2,500 years of Burmese Vipassana mindfulness with contemporary Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to address both mind-body reactivity. Through MiCBT, individuals can learn to desensitise to bodily sensations and reduce reactive habits, increase self-awareness, and develop emotional resilience to the challenges of life.

Participating in MiCBT is hard work; a lot of my clients describe it like taking your mind to the gym - your strong determination to persist is needed, and the reward could be long-lasting change. You can read more on studies supporting the benefits of MiCBT.

READY TO REACH OUT

Are you interested, motivated & committed to investing in your self-improvement and personal growth for lasting change? Reach out to me at the Grounded Therapy Space in Liverpool, NSW, to learn more about MiCBT individual therapy.

I provide MiCBT to adults with stress, emotional dysregulation, ADHD, anxiety, depression, interpersonal trauma, perinatal anxiety, perinatal depression and parenting stress. I have also adapted MiCBT to young people and children with mental health challenges such as ADHD, OCD, perfectionism, and trauma. MiCBT may not be the first choice of treatment for some people; your suitability for MiCBT will be discussed with you following an initial assessment.

A Medicare rebate is available for all valid mental health treatment plans, and free counselling to children, young people and adults approved by the Victims Services NSW Scheme. Free psychological therapy for individuals eligible for SIRA Workcover and Motor Vehicles Compulsory Third Party (CTP) counselling. Reach out today, hello@groundedtherapyspace.com