Understanding Why An Emotional Block Might Be Preventing You From Crying

If you have ever felt like your tears of sadness are "stuck", you know the frustration of feeling an emotional block (also known as emotional numbing). This often happens when your nervous system feels overwhelmed and enters into a self-protective "freeze" response.

Trauma Responses: The Freeze Response

You might feel the intense pressure of a lump in your throat, but your mind perceives this type crying as a potential threat to your emotional survival and safety. This "freeze" response is known as a trauma response. 

What Are the Reasons Why Your Tears Might Feel "Stuck"?

• Your Nervous System "Freeze" Response: When you experience prolonged stress or intense trauma, your sympathetic nervous system (SNS) can become overloaded. Instead of triggering a fight-or-flight response, your body reacts with a survival mechanism called dissociation (also known as a dorsal vagal shutdown).  Your brain reduces the intensity of your emotions to protect you from being overwhelmed by them. This response acts like a "circuit breaker" that cuts off power to your tear ducts (see my article: What is Trauma-Related Dissociation?)

Trauma Responses: The Freeze Response 

• Emotional Exhaustion and Burnout: Crying is an active biological process that requires emotional energy. If you have been trying to "hold it together" for months or even years, your emotional reserves can become depleted. The sadness is there, but your body might not have the stamina to release the tears.

Emotional Exhaustion and Burnout

• Unconscious Conditioning and Safety Walls: If you grew up in a household where there were rules that you shouldn't cry or you were punished for showing emotional vulnerability, these experiences can teach your brain to suppress tears. If you might ahve been given the message that you had to be "independent" when you were a child so you had to keep your emotions suppressed. In addition, forcing yourself to "power through" can leave you with no room to pause, soften, feel your feelings and cry.  

Being Scolded For Crying as a Child?

• Mental Health Conditions: Even though depression is usually associated with sadness, it frequently shows up as emotional blunting or anhedonia. This can make you experience your feelings as "flat" which makes tears inaccessible.

How to Safely Release Blocked Emotions in Experiential Therapy

You can't force an emotional release by trying to force yourself to cry because when you put that kind of pressure on yourself, your nervous system tightens up even more. In order for you release pent up emotions, you need to have a sense of safety so your body can gently release the emotions.

When you are dealing with "stuck" emotions, traditional talk therapy can be too much of an intellectual process that keeps you in your head. You might gain intellectual insight into your problems, but you don't get an emotional release.

The most effective therapies for processing trauma and releasing "stuck" emotions are mind-body oriented therapies, also known as Experiential Therapies (see my article: Why is Experiential Therapy More Effective For Healing Trauma Than Traditional Talk Therapy?).

The following are some of the main types of Experiential Therapy:

• Somatic Experiencing (SE): SE was developed by Dr. Peter Levine. SE treats emotional numbness as trapped survival energy from past stress or trauma. An SE therapist helps you to slow down so you can track subtle sensations (warmth, tingling, tightness) rather than asking you to only talk about what you're experiencing. By slowly introducing small amounts of "stuck" energy at a time (a process called "titration" in SE), your nervous system gently "thaws out" of its freeze response without becoming overwhelmed (see my article:  What Are the Benefits of SE to Heal Trauma?).

Somatic Experiencing Therapy

• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): While EMDR is usually associated with the bilateral stimulation process it uses, it is deeply rooted in how the body stores distressing memories. During the processing phase of EMDR, you focus on a particular memory or, if you are stuck in a freeze response, you focus on the physical feeling of numbness and where you feel it in the body. Then you follow either a physical or tactile bilateral stimulus. EMDR can help you to process "stuck" emotional information. Over time, this can lead to a somatic discharge like crying or a deep sense of physical relief when your body and mind feel safe enough to do it (see my article: How Does EMDR Therapy Work: EMDR and the Brain).

EMDR Therapy

• Internal Family Systems (IFS) Parts Work Therapy: In IFS an inability to cry due to a trauma-related freeze response is viewed as a protective strategy rather than a "broken" emotional system.  From an IFS perspective, this freeze response shields you from being overwhelmed by grief, fear or overwhelming sadness. In traditional psychotherapy the freeze response is often viewed as a symptom to eliminate, but in IFS the freeze response is appreciated as a protective aspect of the client. An IFS therapist uses the process called "unblending" to help the client to step away from the freeze response so that they can access Core Self, which is a part that is compassionate and curious to get to the underlying emotional wound that the emotional numbing protects (see my article: IFS Therapy is a Gentle Evidence-Based Trauma Therapy).

IFS Parts Work Therapy

• Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP): An AEDP therapist treats the freeze response with a safe relational environment that gently helps to "thaw out" the nervous system. One of AEDP's primary goals is to "undo aloneness" where the therapist uses attachment-oriented affirmation ("I am here with you" or "We are doing this together") to build a secure base. When the brain registers true relational safety, the nervous system naturally begins to release it's survival-driven emotional numbing. The AEDP therapist also uses moment-to-moment tracking of the client's somatic cues. She will bring awareness to these somatic cues ("I notice that your jaw seems tight" or "I notice that your breath seems shallow. Can we slow down so we can see what's happening there?" Similar to IFS, AEDP recognizes that emotional numbing was once an adaptive defense when it wasn't possible to express emotions. So, she helps the client to process the emotional numbing. When the client begins to "thaw" from the emotional numbing, the therapist shares the emotional burden, validating the client's feelings and keeping the client anchored within their "window of tolerance" so that this energy can be discharged in a way that is manageable for the client (see my article: What is AEDP and How Does It Heal Trauma?).

What Are the Benefits of Integrating Experiential Therapies Like EMDR, IFS, AEDP and SE?

When an Experiential Therapist integrates EMDR, IFS, AEDP and SE (or any combination of these therapies), it means she is practicing an integrative trauma-informed "bottom up" approach to healing trauma.

Rather than using an intellectual top-down approach of talking about trauma conceptually, as would be done in traditional psychotherapy, the Experiential Therapist targets how trauma is held in the mind and in the nervous system. 

By using a combination of Experiential Therapy, the trauma therapist builds a complete plan that addresses the cognitive, emotional, relational and physical layers of your trauma. 

Get Help in Experiential Therapy

Whereas traditional psychotherapy is a "top down" approach, Experiential Therapies are a  "bottom up" approach to healing trauma.

Get Help in Experiential Therapy

The bottom-up approach of Experiential Therapy is often more effective than a top-down approach because because trauma, intense anxiety and emotional stress are stored in the lower brain regions and the autonomic nervous system which rational thoughts and traditional talk therapy cannot access.

If you are struggling with unresolved trauma, seek help in Experiential Therapy so you can heal your trauma and lead a more fulfilling life.

About Me

I am a licensed New York psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, EFT (for couples), IFS, Somatic Experiencing and Certified Sex Therapist.

I have helped many individual adults and couples over the years.

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.

Also See My Articles:

EMDR Therapy - When Talk Therapy Isn't Enough 

Somatic Experiencing - A Mind-Body Oriented Therapy to Heal Trauma 

AEDP: How Does AEDP Process Emotions? 

IFS: How Are Emotions Processed in IFS Parts Work Therapy? 

Looking at Depression From an IFS Parts Work Therapy Perspective

As I have discussed in prior articles, IFS (Internal Family Systems) Parts Work Therapy is a form of Experiential Therapy (see links at the end of this article for more articles about IFS).

Looking at Depression From an IFS Perspective

From an IFS perspective, depression is viewed as a "part" or a collection of "parts" rather than a permanent identity or a sign of a problem in the brain.

Depression From an IFS Therapy Perspective

In IFS, the mind is naturally subdivided into parts (or subpersonalities). 

As I discussed in my prior article, What is the Connection Between IFS Parts Work Therapy and Neural Networks?, the word "parts" is a metaphor for these naturally occurring subdivisions that everyone has. This makes the language of IFS understandable and accessible to clients.

In IFS, depression is typically viewed as either a proactive part, a reactive part or a wounded part depending upon the function of the part:

• Depression as a Proactive Part ("The Shield"): Depression can act as a protective proactive part where the objective is for the part to act as a preemptive "shutdown" mechanism.  The goal is to keep you safe from taking risks that could lead to failure, rejection or overwhelming disappointment. In IFS language, this part is called a "Manager" due to its proactive role.

Depression From an IFS Therapy Perspective

• Depression as a Reactive Part ("The Circuit Breaker): When emotional pain from the outside world is sudden or overwhelming, this reactive part can step in as a way to numb you emotionally. The goal is to instantly extinguish anxiety, shame or grief. This part is called a "Firefighter" due to its sudden reactive function.

• Depression as a Wounded Part ("The Wound"): This is often a young wounded part of you that is stuck in unresolved trauma. This part isn't trying to protect you. Instead, it carries the burden of the early emotional wounds ("I'm unlovable" or "I'm no good" or "I'm powerless"). This part is called an "Exile". The Exile is frozen in the past at whatever age the trauma occurred. The feelings it carries are raw and unprocessed. When someone is triggered, it is the Exile that experiences the trigger. However, the Exile, as the name implies, usually remains below the surface (unless triggered) and what is usually more apparent is either a the proactive Manager or reactive Firefighter.

How is IFS Therapy Different From Traditional Therapy For Depression?

Traditional therapy usually treats depression as a single entity. This can leave clients feeling consumed by it. 

Depression From an IFS Therapy Perspective

IFS therapy teaches clients how to "unblend" from the part of them that is depressed so instead of a client saying "I'm depressed", an IFS client would say, "A part of me is depressed."

This shift allows an IFS client to access their Core Self with the guidance from the IFS therapist so they can approach their depression from a curious and compassionate stance rather than be consumed by it.  

How Does the IFS Therapist Verify the Role of the Depressed Part?

An IFS therapist tracks the depressed part by facilitating communication between the client's Core Self and the depressed part. This is a skill the therapist helps the client to develop.

The depressed part might respond that they are protecting the client from failing, which would indicate a proactive protector part (a Manager).  Alternatively, they might say they are tryng to numb the client, which would indicate a reactive part (a Firefighter).  The other possibility is that the part is a young wounded part that is feeling alone and stuck in unresolved early trauma (an Exile).

How is Depression Healed in IFS?

An IFS therapist will lead the client through a process of helping them to lift the depression which would include recognizing depression as a part, helping the client to access their Core Self and from the Core Self's perspective the client observes the depressed part, befriends the part, and encourages the part to release their psychological burden.

Depression From an IFS Therapy Perspective

This allows the parts to take on a new and healthier role .

Although this might sound simple, it's often not so simple for a variety of possible reasons. Most of the time the proactive and reactive pars will step aside when asked, so that the client and therapist can work with the wounded part that holds the trauma. 

But there are times when these parts haven't developed trust yet with the client and the therapist, so it can take longer for them to agree to step aside.  

In the long run, IFS, which is a gentle, evidence-based trauma therapy, tends to be more effective at helping clients with depression. This is due to IFS's non-pathologizing stance and its step-by-step process of working with depression and unresolved trauma.

Get Help in IFS Therapy

If you have been struggling on your own or you haven't had success in traditional talk therapy, you could benefit from working with a licensed mental health professional who is an IFS therapist.

Get Help in IFS Therapy

When you free yourself from the burden of depression and trauma, you can lead a more fulfilling life.

About Me

I am a licensed New York psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, EFT (for couples), IFS and Ego States Parts Therapist, Somatic Experiencing and Certified Sex Therapist.

I have helped many individual adults and couples over the years.

To find out more about it, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.

Also See My Articles

IFS is a Gentle, Evidence-Based Therapy 

IFS Therapy Can Help With Anxiety 

How Are Emotions Processed in IFS Therapy? 

Healing Trauma With IFS Therapy

Debunking Common Myths About Depression

Depression is one of the most common diagnoses in the United States and, yet, it's a diagnosis that is still poorly understood with many misconceptions (see my article: What is the Difference Between Sadness and Depression?).

Debunking Common Myths About Depression

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), more than 21 million people had at least one depressive episode in 2020. However, people who are depressed continue to be stigmatized because misconceptions about depression persist.

What Are the Symptoms of Depression?

Depression symptoms involve a persistent low mood or loss of interest in activities lasting two weeks or more as well as some or all of the symptoms mentioned below.

The following are among the symptoms that can be depression, but a differential diagnosis must be made by a skilled mental health professional:

• Feeling Down or Empty: A feeling that does not go away
• Loss of interest in activities that were enjoyable before: Anhedonia
• Hopelessness/Pessimism: A bleak outlook about the future
• Feelings of Worthlessness/Guilt: Intense feelings of failure or self blame
• Irritability and Restlessness: Particularly common in men
• Suicidal Thoughts: Thoughts of death or self harm
• Fatigue: Extreme lack of energy or feeling "slowed down"
• Appetite/Weight Changes: Significant weight loss or weight gain; increased or decreased appetite
• Physical Pain: Headaches, cramps or digestive problems that do not improve with treatment
• Reduced Concentration: Difficulty focusing, remembering or making decisions
• Social Isolation: Withdrawing from friends and loved ones

Symptoms in Different Groups:

Men: Men are more likely to show anger, irritability, aggression and more likely to engage in high-risk activities.

Debunking Common Myths About Depression

Women: Women may experience symptoms related to menstrual cycles (e.g., Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder)

Children/Teens: Children and teens may exhibit irritability, outbursts or poor performance in school--although some children and teens don't exhibit these symptoms.

When to Seek Help Immediately

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, seek help immediately by calling 911 or going to your nearest emergency room.

Common Myths About Depression Debunked

• Depression Isn't All in Your Head: Depression is a biological, social and psychological disorder. It can be chronic and requires psychological treatment. 

• Depression Isn't Only Brought On By a Traumatic Event: A traumatic event isn't necessarily the cause of depression. For example, while experiencing grief is common, someone who is depressed can experience symptoms for a longer period of time than someone who has a loss but who isn't depressed. 

• Medication Alone Doesn't Always Help Depression: The best combination of treatment is often a combination of psychotherapy and, if needed, medication.

Debunking Common Myths About Depression

• You Can't Just "Snap Out of It": Depression isn't a choice. You can't just "snap out of it" with positive thinking (see my article: What is Toxic Positivity?).

• Depression Doesn't Look the Same For Everyone: There is no one-size-fits-all experience of depression. Each person can have different symptoms and a different experience.

• Depression Isn't the Same as Feeling Sad: Feeling sad and being depressed are two different things. Feeling sad or "down" usually doesn't last as long as a depressive episode. 

• Depression Isn't a Sign of Weakness: Anyone can experience depression. Depression is a biological and psychological condition that has nothing to do with being "weak" or "strong".

• Talking About Depression Doesn't Make It Worse: Working with a skilled mental health professional can help to provide clarity and hope. Silence perpetuates the stigma against depression and can increase feelings of isolation.

Note: The purpose of this article is only to provide information. For medical advice or diagnosis, consult a mental health professional who has an expertise in working with individuals who experience depression.

About Me

I am a licensed New York psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, EFT (for couples), Somatic Experiencing, Parts Work (IFS and Ego States Therapy) and a Certified Sex Therapist.

I have helped many individual adults and couples.

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.

How to Support a Friend Who is Depressed

Supporting a depressed friend can be challenging, especially if you don't understand what it means to be depressed, so it can be helpful to familiarize yourself with the symptoms of depression (see my article: What is the Difference Between Sadness and Depression?).

Supporting a Friend Who is Depressed

What is Major Depression?

Major depression is a common serious mood disorder.

Depression isn't just "feeling bad". It's a persistent condition that is often episodic and which usually lasts at least two weeks.

Depression isn't a sign of "weakness." It's a mental health condition that is treatable for most people.

Approximately 8-9% of adults in the U.S. experience at least one episode of major depression in their lifetime.

Approximately 15-20% of children ages 12-17 experience depression in the U.S. (see my article: Adolescent Depression).

There are gender differences with women being twice as likely to experience depression than men in the U.S.

Symptoms can include:

• Intense sadness

• Irritability

• Loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyable

• Problems sleeping

• Feeling worthless

• Problems concentrating

• Poor appetite

• Weight loss

• Possible suicidal thoughts

• Possible intent and plan to commit suicide

What Causes Major Depression?

Major depression is often a combination of genetic and environmental factors including (but not limited to):

• A genetic predisposition for depression

• A traumatic history including:
• Emotional neglect
• Abuse
• Loss of a loved one
• Other losses

• Major life changes including (but not limited to):Moving to a new areRelationship problems
• Separation or divorce
• Children moving out of the house (see my article: Coping With Empty Nest Syndrome)

• Low self esteem

• Pessimism

• Medical conditions

• Substance misuse/abuse

• Financial problems

• Medications

How Can You Help a Friend Who is Depressed?

Supporting a friend who is depressed can be challenging.

Supporting a Friend Who is Depressed

Here are some tips for helping a depressed friend:

• Listen without judgment

• Keep in touch to check in with them

• Offer help including
• Helping with chores
• Running errands
• Offering childcare to give them a break
• Helping with other tasks

• Encourage your friend to get professional help which might include helping them to find a psychotherapist or psychiatrist in their area.

• Be patient and understand that recovery from depression can take a while.

What Should You Not Do?

• Don't say things like "Snap out of it' or "Cheer up" or "You have so much to be grateful for."

• Don't minimize or dismiss their pain by saying, "Things could be worse."

• Don't compare them unfavorably to others (see my article: Comparison and Judgment Are the Thieves of Joy).

• Don't blame them for their depression.

• Don't try to be their psychotherapist. Be their friend.

Take Care of Yourself

Supporting a loved one who is depressed can be physically and emotionally draining 

Self Care

Make sure you have your own friends and support system.

Set boundaries.

Seek help for yourself if you feel overwhelmed by your friend's depression.

About Me

I am a licensed New York psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, Parts Work (IFS and Ego States Therapy), EFT (for couples), Somatic Experiencing and Certified Sex Therapist.

I work with individual adults and couples.

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.

Also see my articles: 

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Are You Concerned About Your Spouses Depression? 

What is the Connection Between Anxiety and Depression?

How is Contemporary Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Different From Traditional Psychoanalysis?

Contemporary psychodynamic psychotherapy, a modern therapy, originates from traditional (Freudian) psychoanalysis and there are some similarities between them and many differences.

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy vs Traditional Psychoanalysis

In fact, all therapy originates with Freud, but contemporary psychodynamic therapy has evolved beyond Freudian psychoanalysis in many ways.

Both traditional psychoanalysis and psychodynamic psychotherapy are depth-oriented therapies that strive to get to the root of the client's problems, but there are significant differences between them.

 

How is Contemporary Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Different From Traditional Psychoanalysis?

• Frequency and Setting: Whereas clients attend traditional psychoanalysis anywhere from 3-5 times a week, clients in contemporary psychodynamic therapy tend to meet once a week either in person or online.

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy vs Traditional Psychoanalysis 

• Focus: In traditional psychoanalysis there tends to be a deep, extensive exploration of unconscious conflict, early childhood and dream analysis. In contemporary psychodynamic psychotherapy, although the unconscious is important, the focus tends to be on current life problems, current interpersonal relationships, emotional expression and recurring patterns which often originate from earlier relationships.

• Therapist's Role: The therapist's role is a "blank slate" in traditional Freudian psychoanalysis. The neutrality of the traditional psychoanalyst is seen as important to encourage the client's transference which the therapist interprets. However, in contemporary psychodynamic psychotherapy the therapist's role is more interactive and dynamic. Instead of just focusing only on the client's transference, psychodynamic therapy focuses on the relationship between the client and therapist--in other words, it focuses on both transference/countertransference of the client and therapist. 

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy vs Traditional Psychoanalysis

• Duration: Whereas traditional psychoanalysis tends to last for years, contemporary psychodynamic psychotherapy tends to be shorter and more focused.

• Goal: The goal of traditional psychoanalysis is usually to gain insight into repressed conflicts to resolve them. Depending upon the goals of the client, in contemporary psychodynamic psychotherapy the goal tends to be improved functioning and self understanding for the client's current challenges.

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy vs Psychoanalysis

• Accessibility: Compared to traditional psychoanalysis, contemporary psychodynamic psychotherapy tends to be more accessible for common problems like depression and anxiety. 

• Technique: Whereas traditional psychoanalysis tends to be Freudian, contemporary psychodynamic psychotherapy incorporate elements from various other modern theories, including objection relations and attachment theories, among others, not just Freudian psychoanalysis.

My Next Article: 

In my next article, I'll discuss Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), a cutting edge trauma therapy which is a psychodynamic psychotherapy.

About Me

I am a licensed New York psychotherapist who is a psychodynamic psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, EFT (for couples), Parts Work (IFS and Ego States Therapy), Somatic Experiencing and Certified Sex Therapist.

I work with individual adults and couples.

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.

Overcoming Loneliness

Loneliness is not defined by how many people you have in your life. You can have hundreds of people in your life, but if your connections with them aren't deep and authentic and if these connections aren't meaningful to you, you will experience loneliness.

Overcoming Loneliness

Loneliness is a subjective feeling. It's usually defined by the gap between the social connections you wish you had compared to what you actually have.

Loneliness isn't about being physically alone. It's a feeling--not a physical state. It doesn't matter how many people are around you, if your connections are shallow, you will probably feel lonely. 

Clients often describe their sense of loneliness as feeling emotionally disconnected from others and, in some cases, feeling misunderstood.

What Causes Loneliness?

Loneliness can be caused by many internal and external factors including:

    Internal Factors:

• Mental Health Conditions: Depression, anxiety (including social anxiety),a low sense of self worth and other mental health conditions can make it difficult to develop and maintain relationships.

Overcoming Loneliness

• Past Unresolved Trauma: Unresolved trauma where your trust was violated can make it difficult to trust people.

• Personality: For some people, personality is a factor. For instance, people who are very introverted might find it difficult to form and sustain friendships. 

    External Factors:

• Loss: The death of a loved one, divorce, a breakup or other types of loss can create a sense of loneliness (see my article: Coping With the Loss of a Loved One).

• Life Changes: Moving to a new area, retirement, starting a new job or school or becoming a new parent can disrupt social networks (see my article: Being Open to New Experiences).

Overcoming Loneliness

• Social Isolation: Living alone in a remote area, having a disability that impacts mobility and the ability to have social interaction as well as other circumstances, can have a big impact on loneliness.

• Economic Factors: Financial struggles can make it difficult to participate in social activities.

• Cultural and Societal Pressures: An overreliance on technology instead of having more direct human contact, career stress and discrimination often contribute to loneliness.

What is the Difference Between Loneliness and Solitude?

There are fundamental differences between loneliness and solitude (see my article: What's the Difference Between Loneliness and Solitude?).

• Loneliness: As previously mentioned, loneliness involves wanting to have deeper connections with people but not having them. It can also involve an involuntary separation from meaningful relationships.

• Solitude: Solitude is a voluntary state where people are alone but they enjoy their time alone. They continue to have social relationships with others that they can return to when they want to reconnect with them. Their time alone can be balanced with their time with others.

How to Prevent or Overcome Loneliness

Overcoming loneliness requires making a conscious effort to make a change in your life.

Here are some suggestions that might work for you:

• Be aware that everyone experiences loneliness at some point, but it you feeling lonely most of the time, it's an indication that you need to make a change in your life (see my article: Developing the Internal Motivation to Change).

• Understand the impact that loneliness is having on your health, mental health and overall well-being.

Overcoming Loneliness

• Talk to someone in your life you can trust--a family member, friend or someone else you consider trustworthy.

• Get involved in community service or an activity you enjoy where you can connect with others in a meaningful way.

Overcoming Loneliness

• Anticipate the best from people instead of expecting to be rejected.

Overcoming Loneliness

• Focus on developing quality friendships with people who have similar attitudes, interests and values.

• Strengthen existing connections. While it's important to develop new connections, it's also important to strengthen current connections. Maybe there's a friend or family member you haven't spoken to in a while. Reach out to them.

Get Help in Therapy

Therapy can help you to overcome loneliness.  

Get Help in Therapy

Therapy provides a supportive environment to understand the root causes of loneliness including how mental health issues, coping skills, social skills, negative beliefs and prior traumatic experiences among other issues might be getting in your way.

Therapy can also help you to set and follow through on goals to overcome loneliness and deal with internal blocks which might be unconscious (see my article: Overcoming Emotional Blocks).

Rather than struggling on your own, contact a licensed mental health professional to develop a more meaningful life with deeper connections.

About Me

I am a licensed New York psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, Parts Work Therapy (IFS and Ego States Therapy), Somatic Experiencing and a Certified Sex Therapist.

I have helped many individual adults and couples to overcome loneliness.

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW -NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.

Also See My Articles:

Why Are Close Friendships Important?

Making Changes: The Need For Emotional Connection and a Sense of Belonging

Vulnerability as a Pathway to Emotional Intimacy  

Feeling Lonely in a Relationship

Why Do Heterosexal Men Tend to Have Fewer Friendships Than Women?