Freud & Fashion
  • Home
  • About Me
    • Education
  • Contact
  • Media/Press
  • Disclaimer
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Home
  • About Me
    • Education
  • Contact
  • Media/Press
  • Disclaimer
  • Speaking Engagements

Freud & Fashion

...BECAUSE IT'S STYLISH TO TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, ESPECIALLY HOW WE MAINTAIN OUR OWN.

Tag:

sunset

Personal

Find The Light

written by freudandfashion
Find The Light

{San Luis Obispo, California}

Sometimes in the darkest moments, it’s hard to imagine that there’s light at the end of the tunnel.  Friends, family, or therapists may try and provide reassurance that life gets better, things get better, fate will lead you to something better, and that you deserve better.  Such thoughts sound so passive in nature, as if we have to wait and rely on fate or other external factors, rather than rely on ourselves, in order to see any change and progress.  I’ve become more proactive lately and in some ways feel as if I’m cleansing myself of any major factors in my life that have suppressed me in any way because, frankly, I’m tired of living a life filled with constraints.  However, more often the restraints we have are those placed upon ourselves.  I know my writing in this post may sound vague, but the ultimate point I’m trying to make is that only you can set yourself free of anything in life that makes you feel trapped.  The imperative tool needed is the courage to advocate for yourself and take action instead of being a passive bystander in your own life.  Have a wonderful weekend.

“I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”
― Henry David Thoreau, Walden

August 8, 2015 11 comments
0 Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest
Psychiatrytherapy

Stay or Leave?

written by freudandfashion
Stay or Leave?

IMGP0188

Office Balcony Sunset

I recently made a difficult decision regarding my job, which triggered feelings of uncertainty, fear, and self-doubt.  In the process of contemplating my decision, I recalled one of my patients, a college student who struggled with depression.  Despite going to a prestigious university, his overwhelming fear of not getting accepted into law school further exacerbated his depressive symptoms.  I responded with seemingly consoling statements such as “you’re still young…you’ll get there…you have a lot going for you…I went through the same situation and it worked out okay.” However, my attempts to reassure really weren’t reassuring at all (it’s well known in psychiatry that reassurance generally doesn’t reassure mostly because the statements fail to validate the patient’s current experience).  Reflecting back, I realized that in the moment I didn’t want to relive my own pain, uncertainty, and fears that I experienced in my process of applying to medical school.  I recalled the discouragement I felt with each rejection letter I received.  And I was still feeling discouraged at my current job.  Since I gained insight from connecting his experience with my own, I looked forward to validating his feelings at his next appointment.  Unfortunately, he cancelled his appointment and never returned.

I realize that contemplating decisions regarding a career path, relationships, love, and pretty much anything pertaining to life in general, makes us vulnerable and uncomfortable.  The idea of change can trigger fear and act as a barrier towards future ventures.  After a year long process, I finally decided to resign.  My anxiety peaked even more because I felt uncertain of the next step to take.  Where do I go from here?  Will I feel happier?  Will I regret my decision?
Seeking motivation to push forward and take risks, I read quotes by famous writers, all with similar themes to never give up, choose the “road less traveled,” try new things, and learn from your mistakes.
The dangers of life are infinite, and among them are safety.  ~ Goethe
Yet, it took being on a plane last night watching The Amazing Spiderman 2 hearing Gwen Stacy (played by Emma Stone) give her valedictorian speech to make me realize how mainstream and pervasive this dilemma is:
“…I say it today of all days to remind us that time is luck. So don’t waste it living someone else’s life, make yours count for something. Fight for what matters to you, no matter what. Because even if you fall short, what better way is there to live?”
As mentioned above, my decision involved resigning from my highly-desired, well-paid job in order to take control of my life, practice, and career.   Since my last day, I have mixed emotions of feeling liberated, hopeful, excited, yet completely scared at the same time.
I made the right decision.
“…you can fail at what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.”  
                ~Jim Carrey
IMG_3207
Putting in work at my new office in West Hollywood
IMG_3213
Photos courtesy of Marlon Santos (Diamond Reel Media)
September 10, 2014 24 comments
1 Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest
Travel

Sunset, Sunrise

written by freudandfashion
Sunset, Sunrise

{another sunset in Waikiki}

Written on May 10, 2011…

I just returned from an extremely quick and busy trip to Oahu, then LA, then the Philippines, then nor-cal, and now back to Oregon.  Overall, my trip was amazing, inspirational, sad, surreal, spiritual, traditional, and much more words I can’t even recall due overwhelming jet-lag.  Unforgettable.  I’ve watched the sun rise and set in many places, but never has the daily event inspired so much meaning…until the sun rose on the day of my grandmother’s funeral on May 7, 2011.  Each day is marked by a beginning and an end, but the memory of my grandmother’s laughter and love I will never forget.

Happy Birthday Lola…I miss you…

July 27, 2011 1 comment
0 Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest

Author

Author

THE WRITINGS OF A MODERN PSYCHIATRIST

Let’s Stay In Touch!

Burnout webinars & more info coming soon!

@drvaniamanipod Instagram

No images found!
Try some other hashtag or username

Twitter

Tweets by FreudandFashion

Archives

Search freudandfashion.com

Stay up to date on Instagram!

No images found!
Try some other hashtag or username

Let’s Stay In Touch

Burnout webinars & more info coming soon!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Linkedin

freudandfashion.com All Rights Reserved. 2021


Back To Top