http://www.karencaffrey.com Psychotherapy and Counseling in West Hartford, CT - Karen Caffrey, LPC Sat, 22 Aug 2009 18:00:12 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Although common lore likens the process of psychotherapy to peeling an onion, the image that more often comes to my mind is that of untangling a long chain of jewelry.  Many of us have had the experience of picking up a favorite chain necklace or bracelet, only to find that ... http://www.karencaffrey.com/2009/08/the-knot-and-the-onion/ Sometimes when I sit with clients a spontaneous image will float up into my consciousness that seems to be a metaphor of what a client is talking about. This is how I discovered the “muffin of compassion”. Recently, I was sitting with a client and happened to offer her a simple ... http://www.karencaffrey.com/2009/07/the-muffin-of-compassion/ Recently I was listening to Pema Chodrun's lecture on Getting Unstuck. She talked about the very human tendency to seek safety by holding on, by withdrawing and cocooning into what we perceive as a safe place in the world. In fact, she says, the safest and most natural condition for ... http://www.karencaffrey.com/2009/03/letting-go/ Although you may not often think about it this way, your mental and emotional well-being is a source of personal “wealth” in much the same way as your financial resources. And just like your money, your emotional well-being can be accrued, invested, spent, or depleted. How do you feel when your ... http://www.karencaffrey.com/2009/02/would-you-like-to-be-wealthier/ Anyone who has ever felt panic knows that the advice, “Don’t Panic”, is usually of limited usefulness when the need arises. When rising sensations of anxiety, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest begin, the ability of your mind to hear and absorb information or advice diminishes rapidly. You might ... http://www.karencaffrey.com/2009/02/dont-panic-in-large-friendly-letters/