Blog

Anxiety Harry Potter Psychotherapy Self-Improvement By Jennifer Morris, MA LPC NCC 0 Comments

Harry Potter Psychotherapy: Death Anxiety

*I do not own Harry Potter, therefore, mention of characters/concepts are solely intended for educational and therapeutic gain.*

A fear of death is a healthy protector for many, however, some take it too far by limiting their experiences or making unhealthy choices. There are many complex layers to death anxiety. Some fear potential pain associated with dying. Others fear the unknown of what will happen to them after they die. Themes include, forgotten legacy, lack of power, irrelevance, loss of control, nothingness, divine justice, and being alone.

Death anxiety was often explored in the Harry Potter series, mostly through Lord Voldemort’s character. Voldemort meets criteria for a diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder due to various behaviors reported throughout the books (such as animal abuse, hurting others, stealing, lying, lack of remorse and empathy, etc.) Due to his personality disorder, Voldemort handled his death anxiety in an unhealthy way. As a Hogwarts student, Tom Riddle (Voldemort’s given name) was obsessed with finding a way to split his soul into seven pieces in order to live forever. Splitting one’s soul involves killing a person and attaching the soul to an object. Above all, Tom valued power and immortality. In French, “vol” means flight, “de” signifies from, and “mort” is death. Put together, Voldemort means “flight from death”, an accurate depiction of his internal struggle.

How do we help Tom through his existential crisis?

According to Yalom, existential therapy challenges the anxiety experienced through confrontation of the givens of existence. Anxiety arises from living or dying, freedom, responsibility or choice, isolation or loving, and meaning or meaninglessness. In attempting to be immortal, Tom was avoiding the inevitability that he would eventually die. In being immortal, Tom would have escaped his perceived consequences from his misdeeds. Tom’s behavior would not have improved until he could understand that dying was inevitable, regardless of power. Additionally, Tom’s desire to murder may have reflected his curiosity and obsession with death. Tom’s lack of empathy and aversion to interpersonal connection would make this next part difficult, however, he desperately lacked a healthy meaning or purpose in his life. His main drive was to wield power over others, repress non-magical or muggle-born individuals, and live forever. Viktor Frankl practiced logotherapy, a therapy intervention focusing on helping individuals find their own personal life meaning and purpose. Without it, individuals often feel lost or depressed.

Enough about Moldy Voldy, what does this mean for me?

The matter of what happens after death can’t be answered here. However, it is certain that a fulfilled life experiences some form of meaning or purpose (unique to each person). It is helpful to consider Yalom’s givens of existence: living/dying, freedom, responsibility/choice, isolation/loving, and meaning/meaninglessness. Don’t be afraid to discuss these complex topics with open-minded friends and family. Practice exploring these topics by journaling or discussing the following questions:

  • Imagine yourself at age 85.
    • What would you like to claim as an accomplishment(s) when looking back on your life?
    • What makes those accomplishments meaningful?
    • What would you like your relationships to look like with friends and family?
    • How do those answers compare with your present situation or lifestyle?
    • What are some realistic steps you can take toward achieving that version of you at age 85?
  • What are some of your best qualities?
  • What is freedom?
    • Is there a cost?
    • What cost are you willing to pay?
  • What does the word ‘responsibility’ bring up for you?
    • Describe your relationship with responsibility.
  • How do you feel about change?
    • Is that view helping or hurting you?
  • What is love?
    • Do you feel more experienced with love or isolation?
    • Answer this question within different categories of relationships (such as family, friends, romance, etc.)
    • What role do your relationships have in your life?
    • Do your interpersonal connections bring you overall enjoyment? How do they compare?
  • What is the significance of meaning vs. meaninglessness?
    • How do these concepts relate to potential current life struggles?
    • Do you think you hold accurate views of your own meaning?
    • What do others say about your opinions of yourself?
  • If you had a magic wand, what would you change to make your life better now?
  • Change is not necessarily the key to happiness. We could always come up with things that need to change in order for life to be better. There’s no guarantee of tomorrow.
    • Given the tools and current realities in your life, what can you utilize to make enjoyment and meaning for your life today?

Yalom, V., & Bugental, J.T. (1997). Support in existential-humanistic psychotherapy. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, 7(2), 119-128.

Please note that these therapy exercises do not qualify as stand-alone treatments and it is recommended that you seek help from a licensed professional mental health provider.

Contact me with questions or to schedule an appointment:

E-Mail: jmorris@jmmhc.com

Voicemail: (248) 327-4643

Anxiety Harry Potter Psychotherapy By Jennifer Morris, MA LPC NCC 0 Comments

Harry Potter Psychotherapy: Fear and Boggarts

*I do not own Harry Potter, therefore, mention of characters/concepts are solely intended for educational and therapeutic gain.*

What is a boggart and how does it relate to fear?

Boggarts first appear in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. They are described as magical creatures that take the shape of a person’s worst fear. Harry and his classmates were asked to face a boggart and practice turning their worst fear into something non-threatening and silly, thus confusing the boggart. Once the boggart becomes confused, it can be eliminated by using the incantation, “riddikulus”.

This post focuses on boggarts because everyone has some type of fear. Intensity of fear can vary from person to person, however, common fears include, death, pain, loss, animals, insects, natural disasters, blood, needles, being a victim of a crime, war, abandonment, failure, illness/injuries, judgment or ridicule, social interaction, small spaces, and heights. Some individuals have phobias, intense irrational fears that are maintained through avoidance, consequently, limiting a person’s ability to function.

How does therapy work when treating fears or phobias?

Fear is destructive when it has the power to limit your actions. While it is a necessary human response to serve as a warning detector for protecting the species, individuals often allow their fear response to take control in debilitating and unhelpful ways. Therefore, J.K. Rowling’s idea to defeat fear through mental exercises rendering the fear non-threatening and silly serves as a useful tool.

For “low to moderate intensity” fears:

  1. Visualize in your mind that you are in Professor Lupin’s Defense Against the Dark Arts Class. It is now your turn to face the boggart in the wardrobe. You are the last in line to do the exercise.
  2. What does the boggart turn into as you face it?
  3. What details do you notice about the boggart?
  4. Does it seem like a fear that is likely to occur?
  5. Professor Lupin reminds you to imagine turning your fear into something silly or non-threatening.
  6. You remember to take some deep breaths to clear your head and regain control of your body.
  7. You imagine your deepest fear transforming into something so outlandish and funny that it becomes non-threatening, possibly even cute.
  8. You continue to imagine possibilities until your mind is satisfied with one.
  9. Visualize the boggart becoming confused in it’s new form.
  10. Then verbally murmur the incantation, “riddikulus!”
  11. The boggart makes a cracking noise and disappears.
  12. Reflect on how it felt to defeat your fear.

For “moderate to severe intensity” fears:

  1. Seek out help from a licensed professional mental health provider.
  2. Systematic Desensitization is a treatment method used to break up your fear into little steps from least anxiety provoking to most anxiety provoking. Make a list from one to ten starting with a step related to the specific fear that doesn’t bother you much and moving to the worst possible step of facing your fear you can imagine.
  3. Slowly work your way through the steps by utilizing deep breathing AND going to your mental “happy place” as you confront or imagine doing each step. You can use the patronus charm memory from the previous HP therapy post, or you can find a memory of a peaceful place. Others prefer to utilize guided imagery from the therapeutic resources page to slowly desensitize yourself to each fear step.

Example of fear hierarchy steps as follows: Fear of Dragons

  1. On a piece of paper, draw a small non-detailed dragon that looks cartoon-like.
  2. Add details to the dragon. Make it colorful and give it a facial expression. Perhaps draw fire breath.
  3. Go to a store that has stuffed animal dragons or toys for children. Look at them and if it isn’t too anxiety provoking, hold or play with the toy.
  4. Write a description of a dragon with details about how it looks, smells, sounds, moves, etc. What are the mannerisms? Describe a scenario with a dragon encounter. (You can decide if you want to include yourself in the encounter).
  5. Look at pictures of realistic looking dragons online. (If your fear is something real, then look at the actual picture).
  6. Visit the zoo or pet store and look at animals that look similar to dragons (lizards). You would not actually be looking at a real dragon at this step if it was something that really exists.
  7. Watch a video of a dragon that is animated or designed to be child-friendly. (Perhaps watch Pete’s Dragon)
  8. Watch a video of a dragon that is intended to look scary and threatening. (Perhaps a dragon like Smaug in The Hobbit movies).
  9. (If dragon’s were real) Visit a dragon in person. Practice increasing time intervals around the dragon until you are comfortable.
  10. Touch the dragon safely. Work your way up to petting it and observing the feeling of the scales. Perhaps even go for a ride on the dragon.

Remember that you would be pairing each step with your desensitization tool (deep breathing AND visualizing “happy/peaceful place”, happy memory, or utilizing guided imagery videos). If you prefer to keep the Harry Potter theme, you can even imagine turning your fear in each step into something silly or non-threatening. (Such as turning your dragon drawing from step two into a fuzzy pink bird with googly eyes). You would then say “riddikulus” to yourself and imagine the dragon make a cracking sound and disappear.

Please note that these therapy exercises do not qualify as stand-alone treatments and it is recommended that you seek help from a licensed professional mental health provider.

Contact me with questions or to schedule an appointment:

E-Mail: jmorris@jmmhc.com

Voicemail: (248) 327-4643

Depression Harry Potter Psychotherapy By Jennifer Morris, MA LPC NCC 0 Comments

Harry Potter: Depression- Using a Patronus Charm

*I do not own Harry Potter, therefore, mention of characters/concepts are solely intended for educational and therapeutic gain.*

J.K. Rowling has been open about her struggle with Major Depression, describing emptiness and a lack of hope. Many have likened her description of dementors to depression, creatures who suck the life and happiness out of anyone nearby. They are employed by the ministry of magic to deliver a “dementor’s kiss” to criminals sentenced to a fate worse than death. A dementor’s kiss involves having one’s soul sucked out, leaving behind a shell of a body to wander the earth for eternity. Dementors have been described with black cloaks, scabbed skin, skeletal bodies, and rancid, rattling breath. They feed off of emotion, however, are unable to withstand happiness. Dementors cause individuals to feel as if they will never be happy again and all warmth is extinguished from the body. Chocolate is used in the Harry Potter series to help with the after-effects of a dementor encounter, described to return warmth and feeling back to the body. In the muggle world, science often debates the potential relationship between chocolate and depression (whether it helps, hurts, or is simply a marker as a comfort food).

In the DSM-V, Depression occurs in episodes containing 5 or more of the following symptoms within at least a 2 week period of time: Anhedonia/lack of interest in activities previously enjoyed, hypersomnia/insomnia, chronic fatigue, frequent thoughts about death or dying, increased or decreased appetite, social isolation, frequent tearfulness, feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, or helplessness, difficulty concentrating, body feels slowed down or agitated, and feeling sad/empty.

In the books, dementors have been demonstrated to affect some more than others. In particular, Harry experienced true horrors in his past, therefore, he was affected strongly by dementors, often fainting while hearing the voice of his screaming mother upon her death. Due to his heightened susceptibility, Harry works with Remus Lupin to learn how to repel dementors (actually a boggart) using the patronus charm. A patronus charm is a wisp of light created by thinking of a very strong, extraordinarily happy memory, while saying the incantation: “Expecto Patronum”. This charm has been described as very advanced and difficult to produce, however, when done properly, takes the form of an animal or creature. If you are unsure what your patronus form would be, go on pottermore.com to take the patronus quiz.

The idea of using a patronus charm for combating depression serves to remind and provide perspective in contrast to depression’s strangling grasp. While it cannot entirely alleviate a depressive episode, it encourages positive memories to balance out the negative thoughts invoked by depression. Comparing symptoms of depression to characteristics of dementors paints a relatable picture for readers of Harry Potter. If you or someone you know identifies with some of the aforementioned symptoms, the following exercise could be helpful for managing thoughts and mood:

  1. Identify your current negative thoughts.
    1. Write them down on some paper or in a journal.
    2. Imagine your negative thoughts transforming into dementors with black cloaks, scabbed hands, and rancid, rattling breath.
    3. Take a moment to reflect on the emotions that the dementors impose.
  2. Transitioning to the next stage will be difficult, just like it was for Harry when he resisted collapsing each time: Now think of a few strong, positive, happy, loving, or peaceful memories. (Don’t let yourself minimize them!)
    1. Are some memories stronger than others?
    2. Write down as many as you can.
  3. What emotions come up when you conjure those memories?
    1. Write them down
  4. Are there any details of your memory that you noticed this time around?
    1. What did you see and experience?
    2. Imagine yourself reliving your special memory.
  5. Think of animals/creatures you identify with as a representation of you.
    1. Why did you think of them?
    2. What characteristics do you share?
    3. Picture the shape and appearance of your patronus.
    4. How does it move?
    5. How do you feel next to your patronus?
  6. Now re-experience your positive memory again and say (or think), “Expecto Patronum”.
    1. Allow yourself to feel the bliss and joy that lives in your memory.
    2. Imagine your patronus trampling the dementors, banishing them far away.
    3. Visualize your negative thoughts breaking apart from the dementors as they flee. Your newly detached thoughts disintegrate along with your depression.
    4. Write down how you feel after completing this exercise.
    5. How would your life be without those negative thoughts?

Please note that these therapy exercises do not qualify as stand-alone treatments and it is recommended that you seek help from a licensed professional mental health provider.

Thank you for reading this Harry Potter psychotherapy exercise. For personalized professional support, please contact me to schedule an appointment at:

E-mail: jmorris@jmmhc.com

Voicemail: (248) 327-4643

Anxiety By Jennifer Morris, MA LPC NCC 0 Comments

Anxiety or Stress?

What is the difference between stress and anxiety?

Those terms are often used interchangeably, however, they do refer to different concepts. Stress is an adrenaline response to specific situations (which can lead to various health problems, such as increased blood pressure). Anxiety is often a result of stress when fear and apprehension become long-standing, however, anxiety does not always require a root cause to be triggered. Anxiety is chronic, and persists for at least 6 months. Stress tends to dissipate on its own when the negative stimuli is resolved or removed, whereas, anxiety persists and can be difficult to treat. Anxiety is often co-occurring with depression, and I often treat them together. If you identify with the description of anxiety, it is time to reach out for help so you can experience more enjoyment from life.

Various Anxiety Disorders Include:

  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Panic Disorder
  • Specific Phobias
  • Social Phobia
  • Others- please contact with questions

Contact Me

Jennifer Morris, M.A. LPC NCC

E-Mail: jmorris@jmmhc.com

Voicemail: (248) 327-4643

Depression By Jennifer Morris, MA LPC NCC 0 Comments

Depression

What is depression?

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-V), Depression occurs in episodes containing 5 or more of the following symptoms within at least a 2 week period of time:

  • Anhedonia/lack of interest in activities previously enjoyed
  • Hypersomnia/Insomnia
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Social Isolation
  • Frequent thoughts about death or dying
  • Increased or decreased appetite
  • Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, or helplessness
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Frequent Tearfulness
  • Body feels slowed down or agitated
  • Feeling sad/empty

Although symptoms are variable, if you identify with multiple items on the list, you may want to consider reaching out for professional counseling. You don’t have to force yourself to suffer through every day because depression can be treated. My psychotherapy approach focuses on negative thought patterns, interpersonal functioning, perceived insecurities, and experiences that have shaped current belief systems. I recognize that it is not always comfortable opening up to a stranger, however, I work with my clients to ensure their preferred pace and comfort level.

For some introductory tips, check out my Therapeutic Resources page: http://jennifermorrismentalhealthcounseling.com/therapeutic-resources/

Also, be sure to journal about your journey in emotional processing. There is power in putting pen to paper and letting your ideas flow. If writing is not your favorite, then you can try an alternative creative art form, whether it include coloring pages, painting, drawing, design, or crafting (anything that feels personally expressive).

For information on the effectiveness of psychotherapy, please visit: http://www.apa.org/about/policy/resolution-psychotherapy.aspx

Therapy By Jennifer Morris, MA LPC NCC 0 Comments

What to Expect from Counseling?

If you are reading this, you must already have some preconceived notions about the potential benefits of mental health counseling. You might be thinking that you’re interested but aren’t sure what comes next?

Read the following article on What to Know Before Starting Talk Therapy: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/two-takes-depression/201301/what-expect-in-psychotherapy

To summarize:

  • Counseling can’t be successful unless if you are personally invested in attending.
  • Counseling doesn’t fix people, it teaches/guides people to help themselves.
  • Sometimes it gets worse before it gets better. “Aha moments” and mind-blowing realizations are great, however, not every session will feel that way. Counseling is hard work and it will come with peaks and valleys just like many other challenges.
  • Manage your expectations for counseling. We will work together to set realistic and attainable goals.
  • The therapist-client relationship is a unique bond but it is not like friendship. The therapeutic alliance is successful as a result of the clinical objectivity and unbiased feedback.
  • Successful counseling requires that you are comfortable with your therapist. It can sometimes feel uncomfortable at the start when first meeting and sharing your story, however, we work through that process together and maintain open dialogue in order to foster a comfortable therapeutic environment.

What comes next?

Contact me to schedule an intake appointment. We will discuss payment options and potential health insurance benefits. Once we have scheduled an appointment, you will meet with me for a 50 minute session to fill out required paperwork and answer necessary questions for coordination of care and treatment planning.

jmorris@jmmhc.com

(248) 327-4643

COVID-19: Coping Strategies at Home and Online Therapy

A Guide to Staying Home Common risk factors and symptoms of depression include self-isolating, not getting out of bed, not …

Harry Potter Psychotherapy: The Mirror of Erised, Reflections and Self-Perceptions

*I do not own Harry Potter, therefore, mention of characters/concepts are solely intended for educational and therapeutic …

Harry Potter Psychotherapy: Panic Attacks and Devil’s Snare

*I do not own Harry Potter, therefore, mention of characters/concepts are solely intended for educational and therapeutic …