Leah Caracappa, LCSW

Leah Caracappa, LCSW LCSW. Educator. Guiding others through change, evolution, and growth.

It's easy to feel as if life is veering off-track. This can be destabilizing at times and lead to anxiety, frustration, ...
04/11/2023

It's easy to feel as if life is veering off-track. This can be destabilizing at times and lead to anxiety, frustration, worry, and confusion. Getting back in touch with the things that uplift us can help soothe the discomfort while regaining clarity and perspective. Are the things you pour your energy into helping you move closer toward your short- and long-term goals?

Reflecting on the relationship we have with ourself (and others) is a great way to maintain self-awareness and explore t...
04/11/2023

Reflecting on the relationship we have with ourself (and others) is a great way to maintain self-awareness and explore the possibility of needed improvements while committing to deepening and growing our most valued connections.

Journaling is one of my favorite ways to do this kind of introspective work. I do realize that not everyone enjoys journaling so please feel free to explore these questions while meditating, sitting in nature, exercising, walking, or relaxing.

Feel free to share some of your thoughts in the comments below!

Introducing my new, 1:1 coaching program! This has been a long time coming and I'm so excited to share this news with yo...
04/11/2023

Introducing my new, 1:1 coaching program! This has been a long time coming and I'm so excited to share this news with you all 💜

I'm offering free consultations for anyone who is interested in learning more about the program and how it can fit your needs. Send me a DM or an email to [email protected]

Ruminations occur because we perceive a "threat" -- a situation, event, or person that taps into a past childhood vulner...
04/11/2023

Ruminations occur because we perceive a "threat" -- a situation, event, or person that taps into a past childhood vulnerability. When this happens, our emotional-self is activated and enters a state of fear similar to what we experienced in childhood. This is a natural reaction to the body thinking it is once again in a compromised state. The result is a continuous loop of worry, fear, and doubt in our minds. Here's how I've worked through ruminations: identify the perceived "threat" a.k.a how a situation is tapping into an old, unresolved childhood wound ("my partner is late coming home and not answering my phone calls"); find the connection and how it reminds you of a childhood feeling ("I'm feeling abandoned/worried and it is reminding me of being dismissed by my caregivers"); reparent: provide comfort to yourself in any way that works for you (engage in a self-care practice, show compassion for yourself, find an inner child activity or meditation); reframe your thoughts ("I am an adult now and capable of using my problem-solving skills to remedy this issue," "I will address this situation when they return and worry only if there is something to worry about")

Not everything has to be done automatically; we can choose to respond with purpose. We can take the time to think about ...
04/11/2023

Not everything has to be done automatically; we can choose to respond with purpose. We can take the time to think about our response and assess whether or not it may be inappropriate, unproductive, or rooted in ego. This "space" Dr. Frankl speaks of affords us the opportunity to respond in a healthier and more purposeful manner. It challenges us to be more aware so that we can free ourselves from automatic and learned responses, decrease conflict within ourselves and with others, improve relationships, deepen the connection we have with the Self, and most importantly, grow and expand as a person.

Self-abandonment is very common. It can be difficult to work through and truly requires a deep-dive into our core belief...
04/11/2023

Self-abandonment is very common. It can be difficult to work through and truly requires a deep-dive into our core beliefs - understandings we created based on childhood experiences (e.g. having a critical parent = "I'm not good enough"). These beliefs are ingrained into our subconscious mind (the part of our brain that influences our behaviors and thoughts often without our awareness). We've discussed techniques that can be helpful here such as self-compassion, cognitive challenging, and mind-body exercises. Other methods can include setting more boundaries or becoming more acquainted with your emotional-self by taking a class or downloading an app (Daylio, MoodTrack Diary) to track and identify emotional triggers and patterns. All of these tools can help you reconnect with your innermost desires and begin to support yourself and your needs.

This is just one of the many challenges and barriers I can help you work through in my 1:1 coaching program. If you're interested in working with me, send a DM or email me at [email protected]

Translation: trust the process. This is often said and can sound simplistic though it is very tough work. Practicing pat...
04/11/2023

Translation: trust the process. This is often said and can sound simplistic though it is very tough work. Practicing patience can be very difficult and it may bring up a lot of anxiety, discomfort, and frustration. Try your best to welcome these reactions. To do otherwise would only invite in resistance which wil push you even further away from your goals. For a mindset shift, try practicing gratitude for all of your hard-work, efforts, and the steps you've taken to get to where you are today. Each of these accomplishments played a very important role in your journey and should be recognized.

My clients would tell you I say this often. This statement elicits many reactions - laughter, confusion, silence, unders...
04/11/2023

My clients would tell you I say this often. This statement elicits many reactions - laughter, confusion, silence, understanding. My main goal was to explore my client's experience with stillness as well as their willingness to invite it into their healing process (with the hope that it would become part of their everyday lives). Stillness connects us to our truest self, the part of us that leads with awareness and intention. When we welcome stillness into our lives, we gain clarity on our needs, desires, values, and core beliefs so that we can live in and speak from our own truth. It places us into alignment and this creates contentment, joy, and satisfaction. If trees are not your thing (I love them so much 😍), you can look at anything that calls to you. Take note on what arises when you sit in stillness. What are the thoughts and feelings that come up when you're still?

While change is often inevitable, it is also a necessary process to grow and expand as a person. This is not an easy pro...
04/11/2023

While change is often inevitable, it is also a necessary process to grow and expand as a person. This is not an easy process - it takes hard-work, time, involves multiple steps, and requires a lot of patience and self-compassion. My advice is to be careful and not rush this process. Initiating positive change is possible.

Whenever I find myself having an emotional reaction that is disproportionate to a situation, I remind myself that someth...
04/11/2023

Whenever I find myself having an emotional reaction that is disproportionate to a situation, I remind myself that something from my past has been activated and I am no longer in the present moment. I find it helpful to pause, take a deep breath, and state what I know: "this reminds me of [XX situation] but that is not what is happening right now." This acknowledges the emotion as opposed to feeding into it, avoiding it, or dismissing it (all of which can cause further suffering). When I first decided to work on these intense reactions, I would often journal - this is my preferred way of processing; however, you can also just reflect in your mind, meditate, go for a walk to think, create a Word doc, or use your notes app if that is more appealing. The intention here remains the same: explore the emotions and your related thoughts and raise awareness around the pattern so that the present-day symptoms can be alleviated while you begin to heal the past wound.

My 1:1 coaching program can help you identify present-day barriers such as this and identify ways to heal the wound and shift your mindset. DM or email me ([email protected]) if you would like to get started today!

Unconditional love can have wonderful benefits to one's psychological and emotional wellbeing. Remember to maintain boun...
04/11/2023

Unconditional love can have wonderful benefits to one's psychological and emotional wellbeing. Remember to maintain boundaries and set limits to avoid engaging in unhealthy relationships with others as well as yourself.

Freeze positioning is a type of trauma response that can be activated when an individual encounters a threat. This respo...
04/11/2023

Freeze positioning is a type of trauma response that can be activated when an individual encounters a threat. This response was helpful in early times when we shared our close living quarters with very hungry predators. In today's age, and with the multiple demands that come with modern living, many people become "stuck" in this freeze response if they perceive a threat and are unable to engage in "fight-or-flight." My client's often reported feeling "paralyzed" and emphasized how greatly it impacted their daily functioning. It's important to understand that this is a common response and certainly one that can be improved upon with some work. Finding healthy and productive ways to move through this response can help alleviate the related symptoms while self-soothing and teaching yourself that you are indeed safe 💜

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