Anna G. Munro, LICSW

06/23/2022

06/13/2022

4 Signs It May Be Time To Seek Professional Mental Health Help

05/02/2020

04/28/2020

I was talking to a parent the other day, and she described her son to me as, "always having the most trouble within his recovery when things start getting good again." Life gets back on track -- a job, money in savings, a positive outlook -- what could be so hard about that? Well, a lot, when you think about it.

In consideration of the "fear of success", or "self-sabotage", many parts and pieces come to mind. Success brings stress! When things start growing, they inevitably become more dynamic and complicated. Suddenly there's more at stake. The pressure of building something, and then maintaining it, can feel very overwhelming.

We tend to gauge a 'successful' adult life with certain achievements that are common amongst typical grown-ups -- our own apartment, a vehicle, a romantic partner, bills, career, and other responsibilities. It can be easy to underestimate the delicate balancing act that we must undertake to manage all of these serious parts of our world against themselves. Acquiring them is one thing. Keeping them intact is another.

I remember one client who described his experience of relapse when life had been on an upward trend as being motivated by a desire to return to the strange comfort of what was most familiar to him. He reported understanding the likely perils that would result from returning to he**in use, but that "at least he knew his role there." He knew what to expect. No surprises. No uncertainties. It tells you how scary change can be.

Sometimes, people feel unworthy of success. After a long period of difficulties and missteps, lost opportunities and burned bridges, it can be easy to convince oneself that success is something that other people deserve. Never underestimate the powerful voice of guilt and shame.

Internal growing pains are real. And they're always spurred on with feelings of angst and discomfort. 'Discomfort' is also where much of our best growth takes place. We get through something hard, and we come out the other side stronger for it. More battle tested. As time marches on, we learn that there is much success to be found within that process of growth. Success is no longer measured in terms of things that have been acquired externally. Our greatest and most valuable wealth is the stuff within.

04/04/2020

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In these challenging times it's normal to experience sleep problems. Because proper sleep is so important to well-being, here are some tips for improving sleep — actions you can take both during the day and at night.

03/31/2020

Something to keep in mind during the pandemic crisis ❤️

If your child is acting out or having tantrums, he may seem angry or manipulative, but he may be extremely anxious and not know any other way to express his feelings.

03/30/2020

The coronavirus pandemic has led to a collective loss of normalcy.

03/29/2020

FACE COVID – How To Respond Effectively To The Corona Crisis In this brief animation, Dr Russ Harris, author of the international best-seller The Happiness T...

03/29/2020

COVID-19 volunteer form for Massachusetts health professionals

03/27/2020

Book an initial appointment:

https://annamunro.clientsecure.me