Challenges

 

We all face challenges. Most of us face more than one. At Middleway Health, we help you deal with challenges that affect you life and your work. Below are some of the challenges we can help you to succeed with.

Challenges

 

We all face challenges. Most of us face more than one. At Middleway Health, we help you deal with challenges that affect you life and your work. Below are some of the challenges we can help you to succeed with.

Addictions

Middleway Health, Sacramento, California, helps to get off the carousel of addictionsAt Middle Way Health we use an interdisciplinary approach in dealing with addictions. Addictions affect our body, our mind, and our spirit. Addictions also affect our relationships and society as a whole.

We work with the whole person, which we believe is the quickest, safest and most effective way to liberate ourselves from addictions. Addictions are thoughts, behaviors and feelings that become split off from the rest of ourselves to the extent that they become the sole object of our focus. We end up focused on them to the extent that we are able and willing to tolerate the negative consequences of this approach.For example, with alcohol and drugs, the focus of our lives becomes not only the mood created by the substance but also our desperation to procure the substance and avoid any situation that would stand in our way.

 

At Middle Way Health we will:

  • Identify the source of the addiction
  • Evaluate physical conditions
  • Address mental health issues
  • Utilize a holistic approach
  • Create a program designed around your personal requirements
  • Coordinate all aspects of your treatment
  • Provide confidential and skillful interaction with your employer if necessary

Anxiety & Stress

Middleway Health, Sacramento, CaliforniaAlbert Einstein said, “We live in the age of anxiety.” Eminent psychologist Dr. Gary Hannon says, “If you’re not anxious, you’re not paying attention.” When we combine our fast paced lifestyle with pressing and repetitive concerns, we’re anxious.

It’s normal, particularly in the post 9/11 world, to experience thoughts and feelings that make us ill at ease, worried and apprehensive about the future.

Most people, when asked, say they want to decrease their stress and relax, yet they want to maintain their energy and aliveness. We will help you to do that.

 

At Middle Way Health you will:

  • Feel the open and peaceful spaces “between” the anxious thoughts and feelings
  • Identify the specific triggers that create worry and stress
  • Create internal ‘power’ responses to stressful events
  • Find deep resources of serenity, power and initiative
  • Connect with a caring and responsive support team

Depression

The most misunderstood mental health problem is depression. What is it? How do we know when we are depressed, and is it our fault? Is it a mental illness, an emotional problem, or a medical condition? Does medication help, and does medication itself make changes? Or do we just have to change our way of thinking?

At Middle Way Health you will:

  • Get straightforward answers
  • Receive a comprehensive evaluation
  • Be listened to non-judgmentally and compassionately
  • Learn practical and concrete tools for a healthy, empowered life
  • Connect with the right doctors, groups and resources
  • Feel better because you are in control!

 

Health Issues

How we feel physically has a direct impact on our mood, and thus the quality of our lives.

At Middle Way Health our clinicians have familiarity working with health issues and health-related stress issues. Although we do not diagnose or treat medical health issues we will collaborate with physicians, physical therapists and related health practitioners to improve your overall well being. We stand behind a philosophy of mind-body health.

Mid-Life Crisis

We now know that we may have more than one mid-life crisis throughout our lives. Why?

Because a crisis occurs whenever we fundamentally have to re-evaluate our sense of direction or purpose, as well as the meaning of life. At Middle Way Health we like to see a mid-life crisis as an opportunity to take the next step in our journey. It is a normal part of a life’s journey to have crisis; what’s not normal or healthy is doing nothing about it.

Out of Control Lifestyles

Whether it’s yourself or someone else who is out of control, it doesn’t matter because it’s generally the worst feeling you can have.

Things seem to be falling apart, we don’t know who we can trust, our health and energy begin to fail us, and we don’t have any idea how to get back on track. Usually we don’t recognize that we or someone else is out of control until something really bad happens. This is the most common reason people seek therapy and it is possible to regain control, with a new perspective that is more than just managing problems, but solving problems.

Relationships

Life is really all about relationships; we can hardly exist without them. And that is why relationships are sometimes the solution, and other times the problem.

Living in this modern world we are forging a new way more than we realize. And when it comes to relationships, there are new challenges facing us and few places to turn for guidance. The traditional roles of the past are no longer as prevalent – and we luckily have more freedoms these days. But there’s also a price to pay, for society’s structures and norms make it clear how we are supposed to act. Therefore, while we are free to just be ourselves in this free society, knowing how to build and maintain relationships isn’t always easy.

To a large extent we have to depend on other people to meet our needs and it’s hard to negotiate relationships all on one’s own. Doing this can cause people to burn out; they become frustrated because they think they are self-aware, communicative and fair, but modern relationships are really challenging. We all have our own secret, inner worlds and have to communicate them, which is hard because you can’t literally show someone your emotion. There’s the working on our own internal state, and then communicating our needs and desires to someone else. Yet there’s still another component: How they respond.

“Typical” Couples Therapy?

It’s typical for women to want to go to therapy together as a couple, for men to say it doesn’t work, and then for it to be dropped. But days, weeks and months later, the same arguments and issues rear their head, resentments build, distance lengthens, and romance and passion wither. Every couple has problems and every person in a relationship experiences fear, doubt, anger, confusion and sadness about their relationship at times. We bring issues from our past into every new relationship, never realizing how often we are reacting in old, learned ways.

“Problem”-oriented vs. Strengthening

Deciding on therapy does not necessarily mean your relationship is in trouble. Certainly, if you’re not communicating well or have a special issue that needs working out, Psychotherapy can help. And when a relationship does seem to be hanging by a thread, Psychotherapy can be a lifesaver. But problems aside, it can also improve and strengthen your bond, deepen your love and affection for one another.

“He Said, She Said.”

While men often worry that they will be ganged up on in therapy and fear being blamed for everything, women sometimes have a tendency to “dump” it all out in therapy, overwhelming the spouse. Aside from stereotypical patterns, however, both men and women can be hesitant to let themselves be vulnerable in front of a stranger. But the therapist is versed in all of this and skilled in maneuvering around all the roadblocks that may be preventing a couple from truly thriving. Finding a therapist that you like and trust is the first step in getting to a much better place.

Romance “Playshops”

Couples workshops and retreats can be a fun, non-threatening way to learn more about your mate and strengthen your connection. Middle Way Health does couples retreats for those who want to improve their relationship skills and re-ignite their attraction/devotion to one another. These retreats are specifically designed for couples currently undergoing therapy.

Common Fears About Therapy:

Worsening: ‘If it ain’t broke, why fix it?’ Wanda admits she fears that therapy could exaggerate an issue and possibly worsen things between her and her husband. But therapy does not create problems; it sheds light on them and helps prevent them from worsening and causing greater distress in the future. While some news can be startling and upsetting to hear, both clients must be open to seeing trouble zones and be willing to accept their role in where they go from there. No relationship or person is perfect, and the sooner we stop expecting this in ourselves, the sooner we will stop demanding it from others.

Doomsday: Ed was very uncomfortable when he heard his wife wanted to go to therapy for a problem he didn’t feel was a big deal. In his eyes, if his wife was already this unhappy and he couldn’t see it, it could be too late, the disconnect may be too large to fix.
Yet if Ed doesn’t take his wife’s concern seriously, the relationship will most likely fall apart. What he needs to do is back up and look at the situation differently. Therapy is a tool for uncovering emotional drains and reinforcing leaks. For it to be used properly, the participants have to accept their flaws and let down defenses. Ed may fear it could be revealed that his wife’s unhappiness is all his fault, but relationships are always a two-way street. Blame is one-dimensional and unproductive while responsibility leads to solutions.

Vulnerability: “In therapy you could become utterly exposed, perhaps revealing a “fatal flaw”. Considering couple’s therapy with his partner Gary worries about this, having never been to therapy before.

There is no flaw so unmanageable, however, other than the unwillingness to listen to another fully, look at oneself honestly, and see the relationship for what and how it really is. We have to love and accept ourselves, flaws and all – or we’ll never have the strength to break through barriers.

Shock: Madeleine sometimes hears of “great couples who suddenly divorce” and worries about this happening to her. “Aren’t all relationships on the cusp of disaster at any given time?!” she asks.

It feels that way to her because she herself has a history of walking away from relationships. She’s never been so committed that she accepted how much work relationships can really be at times. But once you get over the shock of hearing unpleasant things and accept that people are imperfect, you realize it is always your choice whether to hang in there and do the work (improve and grow together), or not. Life, relationships and people in general are going to be messy at times. The question is how you handle the mess.

Perspective: “Do people look at love/relationships/communication/sex/etc differently? And when these differences are revealed, is there no going back sometimes?” Kara, a single mother contemplating dating again, voices her reservations.

It is good to talk about these issues before a relationship gets too serious. In fact, the relationship should be based on them. If you’re emotionally into someone and are considering a future but haven’t discussed views on relationships, love, marriage, family, etc., you may be surprised to find that you aren’t compatible enough. It’s better to really know how someone feels about these life events and to express your own desires fully.

Routines: “Therapy can help couples learn more about each other and ways to better relate, but as we are creatures of habit, do we tend to fall back into old patterns unless we periodically return to therapy?”Jay, a recent divorce, asks. The more we practice something, the more it becomes like second nature. In addition, the more important something is to us, the more we’ll practice it. But checking ourselves and our patterns once in a while is a good idea. In fact, these things are usually revealed in how our mate interacts with us. If discord in the relationships arises, something needs to be checked. We all have to be periodically reminded of our life’s lessons.

Middle Way Health Can Help Couples With:

  • Romance – Falling in love with your mate again
  • Connection – Developing deep soul mate love
  • Communication – Improving expression and understanding
  • Intimacy – Strengthening physical and emotional bonds
  • Parenting – Resolving parenting issues and pressures
  • Boundaries – Helping set reasonable boundaries and agreements
  • Money – Resolving differing expectations, fears, habits and desires
  • Healing – Moving past grudges and resentments
  • Purpose/Spirit – Helping find greater meaning, goals and growth

We Provide:

  • A safe, non-judgmental environment
  • Specialized experience and education in marriage and family counseling

Spiritual Crisis

Loss of faith and loss of meaning in our lives and in the world – even for those who aren’t conventionally religious – is a spiritual crisis.

Most people can endure almost any problem, loss or conflict if they feel there is meaning and purpose to what they are doing and that the world and people in it are basically good. Profound spiritual crisis is when we lose touch with our basic goodness and no longer feel that we are able to contribute anything. Or if we do contribute something, we may feel if doesn’t make any difference. Spiritual crisis is different from regular depression and it doesn’t respond to medications. It can feel like a soul-level loss, where a higher or more intimate part of yourself is lost, disconnected and/or neglected. We at Middle Way Health are particularly trained in spiritual guidance whether from a traditionally religious, atheist or other standpoint.