Bertus Swanepoel Psychologist

28/08/2021

19/08/2021

I Great perspective taking tool....THE NOW.
Our minds are normally busy with the future or the past which very often starts with "What if...."

Fear driven "What If" scenarios during the Covid Pandemic is rampant.
What if....I or someone close to me dies?
What if .... I never find a job again?
What if.....my children can never live a normal life again?

And so on..

The problem with "what if" scenarios playing out in our head is that they seem so compelling to consider that we dont seperate the controllable from the uncontrollable.

A Quick exercise:

To "catch" your mind's stories about the "what if's" take three breaths and FEEL YOUR OWN BREATHING.

Sense the temperature difference of the air moving in and out through your nose or mouth whilst you do it and after doing it sit in silence for 30 seconds and notice the sounds you can hear.

DO IT NOW....It takes less than a minute.
If your mind gives you reasons not to do the exercise....DO IT anayway. You are allowed to ignore your mind.

Welcome....to the present. It is the only place you can DO something.

Let's focus on controllables and do that today and if our minds hijacks our attention to uncontrollable "what if" scenarios.....Feel your breath and be present.

27/09/2020

“It's a terrible thing, I think, in life to wait until you're ready. I have this feeling now that actually no one is ever ready to do anything. There is almost no such thing as ready. There is only now. And you may as well do it now. Generally speaking, now is as good a time as any.”
Hugh Laurie

20/09/2020

I see this too often in my Private Practice.
Please consider this!

18/09/2020

So true!

17/09/2020

When stressed, most people try to avoid it. Stress or anxiety is often something we try to control by doing different strategies. Read more

07/06/2020

This photo speaks for itself!

01/06/2020

Good summary of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Accept what you can’t control, step back from your thoughts, focus on the present moment, remove limiting self-definitions, live by your core values, take action toward what matters. This information is based on the principles of Acceptance and commitment Therapy, supported by over 330 clinical tr...