When the Student is Ready
by James Callner, MA, AFOCD President. James Callner is an award winning writer, filmmaker and speaker on mental illness. Excerpt from James Callner’s up coming book on OCD: “It’s a Matter of Trust – Spiritual Prescriptions for OCD”. (Note: Use of the word...
Letting Go of Control
This article is an excerpt from James Callner’s up coming book on OCD, “It’s a Matter of Trust ~Life Lessons from OCD ~ A Memoir”. Mr. Callner is President of The Awareness Foundation for OCD afocd.org Life Lesson: Letting go of Control In the last...
Spiritual Medicine
by James Callner, MA, AFOCD President. James Callner is an award winning writer, filmmaker and speaker on mental illness. Note: Use of the word “spiritual” is not meant as a reference to any organized religion; instead, “spiritual” is meant to...LIKE our FB Page
If a thought doesn't bring you inner peace, don't follow it.
Here's a phrase or slogan I heard from my wonderful therapist, Sharon Davies - "If a thought doesn't bring you inner peace, don't follow it." Now in my experience, two things will happen when I hear a slogan like this; I will kind of believe it or kind of dismiss it as some spiritual stuff. If I go with the "dismissing it" thought, I almost immediately throw it out as a tool I could use to help myself. If I kind of - and I mean I don't have to fully believe it or do it perfectly- but, if I consider believing it - then, I set into motion a new healthy belief system with a new tool. So, I choose to believe it and now I catch myself almost every time an OCD thought comes along. I ask myself, am I going to label this as OCD and move on even if it persists? Or, am I going to follow the thought and exacerbate the obsession even more which will lead to anxiety. I choose to not follow OCD thoughts the best I can. This practice does get easier. JC <3
1 day ago
Thank you JC. You helped already
Life begins at the end of your confort zone. ~ Neale Donald Walsch. I’m going to paraphrase this great quote a bit for us. I believe - recovery begins at the end of your comfort zone.
3 days ago
There’s a whole lot of uncomfortable waiting for me, but taking it slowly is what it’s all about👍
Dear Anxiety,
You've been around my life for almost all of my life and I've decide to finally take some real action. Most of my friends with anxiety might not understand this action - but in my experience with you, I believe this will be the most effect way to deal with your continual presences in my life. I've decided to stop fighting you. Now, that doesn't mean I'm surrendering either. Those two options are too black and white for the devastation you do to me. I'm taking an approach that might throw you - but it's my life not yours. I'm going to work with you. Not "for" or "against" but –“with.” When you do your thing to my adrenaline, I'm not going to freak out but I'm going to calm it down with soothing self talk and/or meditation. When you tell me my life is a disaster, I'm not buying that thought - but I will use mindfulness to stay present and grounded. When you make me sweat with fear, I'm going to connect with others that feel that same anxiety and humbly ask for help. When all else fails and nothing seems to work - I'm going to just feel the feelings of you - because you always pass. So, I'm going to stop complaining about you and start handling you differently. And that's a non-negotiable fact.
JC
4 days ago
i love LOVE this