Copyright 2011. Roberta Shapiro, M.ED., LCSW. All rights reserved.

You may not know this, but cherries pack an enormous punch (no pun intended). Although it’s a small, yet delicious fruit, there are some wonderful benefits you can enjoy by eating a handful of cherries per day.

The benefits of cherries are:

• a strong detoxifying and purification action
• a good source of potassium, which helps maintain healthy skin
• rich in iron, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, and zinc
• contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and C
• contains melatonin, which destroys free radicals
• great to help with fatigue
• contains folic acid which helps with functioning of the brain and nervous system
• increases visual acuity

The benefits are enormous. I sincerely hope you found this short article informative.

Thanks for visiting my blog,

Roberta Shapiro, M.ED., LCSW

For more on my help with worry and help with sleep disorder CDs, please visit: http://thecalmingcollection.com.

Stress, Anxiety and Depression: Some Useful Tips To Help You Deal With These Issues by Roberta Shapiro, M.Ed.

In my private Miami Beach practice, I see many patients who are dealing with issues of stress , anxiety and depression. This article will cover something I often strongly recommend during a session.

I really emphasize the importance of exercise as an actual treatment for depression (and definitely for stress).

Ever heard of what joggers call “runner’s high?” When exercising you brain releases endorphins (I refer to them as the “happy cells”). One thing for sure is this: you may or may not experience the “runner’s high” post-exercise (you should work out at your own pace, some of you may prefer to walk, play tennis, or jog), but you should definitely start to feel calmer, less tired, probably even a bit more refreshed. The result is this- you will be able to deal with the stressors which cause anxiety or depression in a more productive way.  You may suddenly find solutions to problems you’ve been dealing with for quite a while, but could not see the “light at the end of the tunnel. “ You may find that if you have been depressed,  you realize  you are crying much less. You may even find that you will be more open to therapy sessions. The possibilities for exercise (of course, checking with your doctor before beginning an exercise program) are endless and best of all, they are absolutely productive and don’t cost a lot of money.

I’m absolutely convinced that being physically active will help you reach a greater level of emotional peace and physical vitality, the perfect combination for better mind and spirit.

It is my greatest hope that this bit of advice helps you better deal with whatever is causing you stress, anxiety and/or depression. Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have (do so by clicking on the comments section, at the bottom of this post) about the topics I cover on this help with worry blog.

Wishing you a great day,

Roberta Shapiro, M. Ed., LCSW

Copyright 2011. Roberta Shapiro, M.ED. All rights reserved.

Think you might have vaginismus?  First, I want you to know that this condition is more common in women than you might think.

If you experience strong, involuntary tightening of your vaginal muscles, which results in painful spasms upon penile penetration, than you might just have vaginismus. Reasons for this condition vary. It could be a reaction to a sexual situation you can’t handle or don’t want to be in. It can also be a result of bad experiences, such as sexual assault.  However, may be simpler than that- some of my clients (at my private practice in Miami) attested to the fact that they experienced vaginismus due to a condtion called endometriosis and/or PCOS.

The bottom line is this, if intercourse is at all painful, you shouldn’t put up with the pain. Don’t force yourself to go along with the sexual encounter. It is a good idea to figure out why you’re experiencing the symptoms of vaginismus. If it’s due to endometriosis, you should go see a gynecologist who specializes in endometriosis. If it’s due to emotional issues you’re having, or because you don’t find yourself sexually attracted to your partner, and/or because of a sexual assault you experienced, you should absolutely seek the help of a professional psychotherapist.

The good news is this- therapy sessions can help you deal with and overcome vaginismus.  If you live in South Florida and would like to discuss therapy sessions to help you deal with this manageable condition, please feel free to contact me.

Copyright 2011. Roberta Shapiro, M.ED., LCSW

In my private practice (located in Miami Beach),I have seen a growing number of clients coming in for therapy sessions for stress related issues. Given today’s poor economic climate I want you to understand what stress is, and how you can deal with it effectively.

As humans, we have an innate stress-alarm system originally designed to help us fight or run away when faced with danger. Some of you may know it as the fight-or-flight response. So many people today in my community, Miami-Dade, are experiencing prolonged stress factors due to the staggering unemployment situation. By failing to discharge the body’s stress response, one’s immune system can become weakened, leading to poor health.

Possible long-term consequences of living with too much stress are ulcers, high blood pressure, higher risk of coronary heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer.

Some causes of stress:

• Financial insecurity
• Job loss
• Job changes; a new job
• Ending or beginning of a relationship
• Death of somebody we love and/or need
• Having a baby (postpartum depression)

Symptoms of excessive stress:

• Headaches
• Neck, back, and shoulder pains
• Nervous twitches, “tics”
• Insomnia
• Greater susceptibility to colds, influenza or
  other illnesses
• Worsening of existing illnesses
• Depression, anxiety, irritability, nervousness,
  despair
• Jaw pains and toothaches (from rubbing teeth)
• Cankers, cold sores
• Stomach aches, diarrhea, loss of or increase in
  appetite
• For those suffering from herpes, you may have
  increased frequency of  herpes episodes

I know that too many South Florida residents cannot afford to see a therapist, the good news is that there are some inexpensive (or free) tools/methods which you can implement to reduce stress. To minimize the effects of stress in various ways such as:

• Exercise
• Better diet (avoid junk food, foods high in
  sugar or sucrose, try to avoid drinking sodas)
• Meditation, be sure to read my articles on how
  to meditate
• Take a warm bath
• Go to the beach, either walk on the beach, or take a dip in the ocean.
• Read my free eBook, An Overview of Anxiety, and the 27 Best Ways To Deal With Anxiety
  
• I also suggest that you listen to a sample of my Goodbye, Worry CD- a wonderful tool (and very inexpensive) for self-meditation, as well  as to help you take control of your mind, instead of your mind controlling your thoughts.

I sincerely hope that you’ve found this article helpful in some way. As always, if you have a question for me, I invite you to do so at the bottom of this  page, by clicking on comments. You do not have to use your real name, your email address will always be kept private and will never be shared with an outside party.

Take care,

Roberta Shapiro, M.ED.

One of the biggest challenges I see in my patients when they come in for therapy sessions at my private Miami Beach practice, is that most of them do not think meditation is attainable. In fact, some are out right resistant to it. I tried to think of a way to break through that barrier, I tried this short but easy tip with them, and I’ve seen a great deal in change of attitude in many of my patients. I sincerely this helps you too.

To begin the process of breathing mediation, try this out:

Sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and simply be aware of your breath. Follow it in and out. Don’t purposely try to breath; try to avoid consciously altering your breathing; as your breathing process happens follow it naturally, the point is, don’t force the process of breathing. If you get lost in thought, that’s ok, just return to your breath.

Some of my patients have told me that this is a very refreshing form of meditation- 20 minutes can feel like a night’s sleep. You may also try this out if you’re emotionally upset.

Copyright 2011. Roberta Shapiro, M.Ed., Psychotherapist Miami. All rights reserved.

Our bodies have a built-in mechanism often referred to as the “stress response” which helps protect us from the effects of acute, immediate stress. This process involves several hormones in the adrenal gland. Following the immediate “adrenal rush,” we experience a massive release of cortisol (or stress hormone).

This type of rush, or short-term burst of cortisol are necessary to help us recover from the effects of stress. They boost blood sugar levels, providing immediate energy. They bolster immune responses in the short-term. They pull calcium from our bones, making it available to the muscles for immediate use. Cortisol reduces our response to pain, keeping us focused on survival.

In today’s stressful situations such as job loss and financial insecurity, coupled with biological stressors such as obesity and environmental toxins, this type of chronic stress means that we experience chronic cortisol elevation. In layman’s terms, what this actually means that these elevated levels never get a chance to return to normal. This produces a major problem that threatens our health and longevity.

Prolonged cortisol elevations due to chronic overexposure can have devastating effects, these include:

• elevated blood sugar
• substantial loss of calcium from bones
• depressed immune system
• high blood pressure
• loss of muscle mass
• increased fat accumulation
• loss of cognitive function (for example: difficulty thinking or concentrating, episodic memory loss, episodic memory gap, confusion, dramatic changes in emotional status)

[ I've been in private practice in Miami Beach for many years, I specialize in cognitive therapy. Now more than ever, I see more and more patients who come in for therapy dealing with cognitive issues].

The main question at hand is this, how can we find the balance between preserving the beneficial effects of short-term cortisol elevations in response to acute, dangerous stress, while taming down the dangerous effects of chronic, long-term cortisol elevations?

1. If you’re able to afford it, I strongly recommend you see a therapist. I have personally seen the positive effects cognitive therapy has had on my patients.
2. If therapy sessions are out of reach at the moment (as it is for many people in today’s economic climate), download a FREE copy of my eBook, The Over View of Anxiety, and the 27 Best Ways to Handle Anxiety. I’m confident you’ll find useful information.
3. There’s a new plant derived herb I read about (read some great reviews about) called Rhodiola- it improves resistance to stress. It has been shown to balance out stress response, restore vital organ function,, and boost immunity.

If you have a question for me, please feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of this page.

Earlier this week I had a client seeking psychotherapy sessions for agoraphobia come in for her first appointment to my private Miami Beach practice. She inspired me to write a short article about fear of going out to public open places, aka ‘agoraphobia.’ This phobic disorder is characterized by fear of leaving one’s home, typically.

Treatment include in-house hypnosis therapy sessions, medications and even self-hypnosis methods. If you feel that you suffer from the above mentioned symptoms, you should seek help from a licensed psychotherapist or psychiatrist in your hometown.

Please note, there is help and you too can tackle agoraphobia!

I”m often asked to explain depression, so, in short here’s a brief description:

Depression is characterized by a loss of a capacity to feel pleasure, loss of appetite, difficulty with sleep, and at times, in more severe cases, suicidal thoughts. Most causes of depression are treatable with the use of medication, psychotherapy, or a combination. In my private practice in Miami Beach, Fl., I treat many patients suffering from some sort of depression and/or anxiety disorders. If depression is not treated or properly diagnosed and remains untreated it can manifest itself into a more dangerous zone or severe case of depressions which may lead some to attempt suicide. If you know someone who is experiencing a major crisis, call the National Suicide and Crisis line at: 800-273-8255.

The reason I decided to put up a blog is because I realized that many people are not able to afford therapy sessions, so I hope that the tips I provide you in this help with worry blog do indeed help you in some way.

Anxiety disorders can manifest themselves both psychologically or physiologically. In my private practice, my patients who experience anxiety disorders usually express feelings of fear or worry; some suffer from excessive worry.

Physiological symptoms of anxiety include:

• Shortness of breath
• Tension headaches
• Gastrointestinal problems, such as diarrhea
• Heart palpitations
• Sweating
• Frequent urination
• In some cases, trembling

Anxiety attacks will usually cause individuals to avoid social and occupations settings where the last anxiety attack was experienced. In very extreme cases, this type of avoidance can cause complete isolation.

For more on anxiety or help with worry and anxiety, please subscribe to this blog, I update it often and make every effort to provide my readers with tips on handling anxiety.

Thanks for stopping by my blog. I wish you a wonderful day,

Roberta Shapiro, M.Ed.

Copyright 2011. Roberta Shapiro, M.ED. All rights reserved.

Over the years I’ve come to realize that migraines or tension headaches became more and more prevalent amongst my patients who came into my private Miami practice seeking help with anxiety or stress.

One of the most common type of pain experienced by people around the world is caused by a headache. The most common types of headaches are tension-headaches, migraines and cluster headaches.

Some of my patients described their tension headaches as pain associated on both sides of the head feeling extremely tight. Usually nausea or vomiting is not associated with tension headaches.

Migraine headaches on the other hand, are a recurring type of headache which occur on either or both sides of the head. The pain has been described as “throbbing,” and is more prevalent amongst women.

Cluster headaches are more rare, and involve repeated headaches that may occur from weeks to months, followed by periods of reprieve.

I’m not a physician so I’m not able to advise you on what type of medical interventions you should take, however, I will give you some tips that my patients have shared with me over the years:

• Meditation
• Yoga
• Relaxation training
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (If you live in Miami and would like to try this type of therapeutic technique, please contact my office for an appointment @ 305-674-8158).

If you suffer from any type of headache and would like to share some useful tips you’ve found helpful to deal with the pain, please share this with my readers. Just leave a comment on this post (your personal information will be kept strictly confidential).