Anilga Tabibian, PhD-Licensed Psychologist

Great self-care opportunity! Join @bibsandbellies this Sunday at The Fig House for a full day to focus on your mind, body, and spirit! #bibsandbellies #selfcare

What is mental inflexibility vs. mental flexibility? * Mental INFLEXIBILITY is the tendency to get stuck on certain thoughts and behaviors patterns. This leads to acting stubborn, argumentative or oppositional, harboring more worry thoughts, getting upset when things don't go our way, being uncooperative (or automatically say no to things), among other inflexible behaviors. A common feature of mental inflexibility is difficulty letting go of thoughts or behaviors. Peop...le have described mental inflexibility as being on a rat’s exercise wheel, where the thoughts just go over and over and over. * Mental flexibility on the other hand is the willingness and ability to shift our thought patterns to be less regimented in various situations. In a sense, practicing "going with the flow" and not gettin stuck in a certain mindset. * Though research suggests that some of these tendencies are hard-wired in the brain (as in, it is your genetic makeup), there are some strategies you can implement to attain more mental flexibility: 1) Exercise! Receptors such as Serotonin, which are released when you exercise, are known for many positive benefits, one of which is mental flexibility. 2) Take a walk in someone else's shoes--trying to take on a new or different perspective on things increases mental flexibility. 3) Practice thoughts stopping- one way you can start to gain control over (maladaptive) thoughts is to become aware of them when they occur and practice the simple technique of thought stopping (or changing your focus of attention) * *Information adapted from , "5 Ways to Increase Your Emotional Flexibility," by Dr. Daniel Amen. * clinicalpsychologist #therapist #goals #mentalflexibility #dontgetsuck #therapygoals #health #wellness #aspire #meaningfullife #meaninfulgoals #instadaily #mindfullliving #livingwithintent #psychologistsofinstagram #blog #atwater #burbank #glendale #hollywood #dtla #tabibianpsychology

Coping with stress at work * Some workdays can be tougher than others. If you know you have a deadline coming up, or if something in your personal life is powerful enough to interrupt your work day, or if you just have a tough work day coming up for whatever reason, try these tips below: * -Visualize Your Ideal Day: When you wake up in the morning, before you get out of bed, visualize your entire workday as you'd like it to be. See yourself handling difficult situations ...with strength. See yourself communicating with clarity. * -Practice mindfulness--stay in the present. If you find yourself getting distracted with other worries, bring your mind back to the task at hand. * -Put Strong Emotions Aside-Try to set strong feelings aside temporarily, until you're in a more private, not-likely-to-be uninterrupted place. You're not suppressing or "repressing" your emotionsyou're simply putting them aside until you can address them and release them properly. * Schedule a rewarding activity or utilize support after work--surround yourself with family or friends OR get some alone time where you can practice self-care to destress from the day. * -Based on article written by Suzanne Gelb, Ph.D., J.D. titled Stressed at work? How to Cope-Without Food or Booze. @psych_today * #psychologist #tipsforbetterworkdays #stressmanagement #howtoworkthroughstress #copignwithworkstress #copingstrategies #wellness #onedayatatime #gettingthroughit #takingontheweek #tipsthatwork #qualityoflife #growthmindset #dowhatworks #Mentalhealthblogger #glendale #burbank #hollywood #atwater #tabibianpsychology See more

Sleep Facts: -If you fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow is not an indication that you are a good sleeper, rather that you are sleep deprived -In general, it should take about 10-20 minutes for someone to start falling asleep -People who have pain and don't get enough sleep have a lower pain threshold -According to a recent study, "over a four-year period, 100% of adult will have experienced acute insomnia"... -If you experience acute insomnia, the best action is to do nothing (don't nap, don't sleep in, don't go to bed earlier) -According to a study published in 2018, regardless of age or gender, those who slept for fewer than 7 hours or more than 9 hours had equally impaired memory and cognition - A 2-year-old requires up to 14 hours of sleep, a 9-year-old required 12 hrs, and most adults should function well with 8 -When teens get insufficient sleep, the affects are felting the amygdala and prefrontal cortex translating to a greater chance of engaging in more risky behavior * Standard sleep hygiene: -Bedroom is cool and dark -Use your bed only for sleep and sex -Avoid caffeine from mid-afternoon on -Avoid all screen time at least an hour before bed (the blue light from the screen delays sleep latency by an ---- average of 10 minutes according to a new study) * Source: Writer: Holly Pevzner @psych_today * #psychologist #therapist #sleeppsychology #sleep #sleepisgood #insomnia #psychologyofsleep #sleephygeine #sleepwell #tipsforbettersleep #smallchangesmakeadifference #focusingonwellness #mindhealth #dailyinspo #balance #lifeadvice #Losangelestherapist #businesswoman #mamasinbusiness #mompreneurlife #hollywood #losangeles #atwater #glendale #burbank #pasadena #silverlake #dtla #tabibianpsychology See more

According to a 18-year study, those who do not give up on their goals and who have a positive outlook, experience less anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. * The lead authors were Nur Hani Zaina, MS, and Michelle G. Newman, PhD, from The Pennsylvania State University. * Zainal states, Perseverance cultivates a sense of purposefulness that can create resilience against or decrease current levels of major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder.... Looking on the bright side of unfortunate events has the same effect because people feel that life is meaningful, understandable and manageable. * Zainal further added, Our findings suggest that people can improve their mental health by raising or maintaining high levels of tenacity, resilience and optimism, she said. Aspiring toward personal and career goals can make people feel like their lives have meaning. On the other hand, disengaging from striving toward those aims or having a cynical attitude can have high mental health costs." * Takeaway point: Keep on working on those goals! Even if success is not immediate, the benefits of continuing to work on your goals include positive mood, a sense of purpose, and eventually succeeding. * Source: Relation Between Cognitive and Behavioral Strategies and Future Change in Common Mental Health Problems Across 18 Years, by Nur Hani Zainal, MS, and Michelle G. Newman, PhD, of The Pennsylvania State University. Journal of Abnormal Psychology. * #clinicalpsychologist #therapist #goals #dontgiveup #keepgoingteam #keepgoingkeepgrowing #keepgoingfoward #senseofpurpose #senseofpurposeinlife #tryagain #mentalhealthawareness #therapygoals #resilienceproject #health #wellness #aspire #meaningfullife #meaninfulgoals #psychologistsofinstagram #blog #atwater #burbank #glendale #hollywood #tabibianpsychology See more

Mindfulness IS..... * " Paying full conscious attention to whatever thoughts, feelings and emotions are flowing through your mind, body and breath without judging or criticizing them in any way." @psych_today *Staying in the moment. *Paying purposeful attention (with curiosity and acceptance).... * Mindfulness is NOT... * *Detaching yourself from the thought, the feelings, the situation, the reality *Mindfulness doesn't necessarily equate to peace and tranquillity. While it certainly can, it is more about purposeful awareness. *Mindfulness is not meditation or relaxation. * Mindfulness can help provide insight to how the brain works, insight to behaviors, and understanding of emotions and reactions. Mindfulness-based therapies (such as mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy) is very effective in treating anxiety and depression. * Dr. Ellen Langer at Harvard University states about mindfulness, "Paying attention is the key to becoming present, to becoming grounded in the present moment, neither living in the past nor worrying about the future, but simply living life as it was meant to be lived. And when you once again begin paying attention, you kick-start profound changes that ripple across your whole life." * @psych_today * Facts based on article written by Ryan M. Niemiec * #therapist #psychologist #mindfulness #mindfulfriday #mindfullliving #livingwithintent #mentalhealthawareness #may #mentalwellnessmonth #mindfulacceptance #nonjudgementally #nonjudgementalzone #motherhoodunited #workingmomlife #momlife #lifecoach #therapistcommunity #losangeles #hollywood #atwater #tabibianpsychology See more

More about Anxiety... * * *Those suffering from anxiety disorders are 3 to 5 times more likely to go to the doctor and about 6 times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than those who do not have anxiety. *... *Only 10% of those with anxiety disorders receive proper treatment. * *Those who suffer from anxiety also commonly experience depression. * *Anxiety is a result of multiple factors including genes, brain chemistry, personality, and environment/life occurrences. * *Different types of anxiety disorders: * *Generalized Anxiety Disorder *Health Anxiety *Panic Disorder *Phobias (heights, blood, dentist, doctors, etc) *OCD *Social Anxiety *Postpartum anxiety * *Everybody experiences some level of anxiety and sometimes anxiety can be beneficial to us as it can serve as a motivator or alert us about danger. * *However, clinically diagnosed anxiety disorders are a result of an overactive "alarm system" in our brain. Essentially our brain is constantly sending us false signals and triggering our fight or flight response more often than healthy. * The good news is that anxiety disorders are very treatable and respond quite well to cognitive behavioral therapies * @namicommunicate * #mentalhealthawarenessmonth #therapist #psychologist #anxietyfacts #OCD #socialanxiety #livingwithhealthanxiety #phobias #postpartumanxiety #cbttherapy #exposuretherapyworks #evidencebasedtherapy #therapistblogger #tabibianpsychology See more

*Mental health difficulties don’t discriminate. *Mental health affects ALL of us.. *You never know what someone else is going through. *Let’s keep talking about it and continue raising awareness. #mentalhealthawrenessmonth #May #mentalhealthmatters #nostigma #keeptalkingaboutit #stopthestigma #walkinsomeoneelsesshoes #bekind #mentalhealthaffectsallofus #support #judgementfreezone #psychologist #therapyworks #therapyiscool #itsok -#itsoktonotbeok #takesstrenghthtotalkaboutit #tabibianpsychology

I'm sure many of you have seen this brilliant quote before. In light of current trends and the powerful influence of social media, it is worth reading and re-reading this quote. Social media and the internet essentially serve as a comparison forum. With a click of button, we can access countless profiles and begin mindlessly comparing! Comparison is more often than not, a trap. There will always be someone who has more money, a better career, a better body, looks, or whatev...er it is that you wish you had more or better of. Though this feeling of envy is normal, don't get stuck in the comparison war with yourself. Negative comparisons can predispose someone to significant feelings of inadequacy, low self-worth, and negative thoughts. * It is worth mentioning that comparison can sometimes have positive or helpful aspects to it (such as feeling inspired or motivated), so don't get too caught up in trying to change the focus of attention if you are not caught up in the negative aspects. ALWAYS approach this topic with mindfulness, as you will be more aware of where your mind takes you. * In general when it comes to this topic, if the focus is on our own self-acceptance and trying to find meaning in the multiple tasks that we engage in per day, then the urge to compare yourself naturally subsides. * #Mentalhealthawareness #psychologist #therapist #selfacceptance #makelifemeaningful #meaninfullifestyle #mindfullnessmatters #everydaymindfullness #comparisonfree #comparisonwatch #bobgoff #awareness #socialmedia #selfacceptance #quotestoremember #brilliantquotes #dobetterforyourself #alifewithpurpose #lifestylewithpurpose #golifewithpurpose #therapytools #psychologistmom #psychologyblogger #wellnessblogger #mentalhealthmonth #tabibianpsychology See more

This quote resonates with me on a personal level. Grief and loss is one of the greatest difficulties one can face in this life. There are many different kinds of loss. There is nothing you can do to prepare for loss and everyone has a different way of processing it. There is no specific time and a wide range of emotions/reactions that are normal (sadness, shock, anger, confusion, loneliness, depression, denial, etc). * What I have learned through my personal and professional ...experience is that you have to allow yourself to feel the emotions when it is safe for you. And sometimes it is ok to be alone, just try to not shut out your support system, and get help when appropriate. When you feel that the waves of emotion becomes too overwhelming, stay with the current, learn to ride the wave, and the feelings (though intense) will pass. They will come back again, in different intensity and form, but the more you swim, the better you will get at navigating through the waves. * -Tabibian Psychology * #psychologist #therapist #takestime #grieftherapy #griefquote #griefhealing #griefisapractice #griefcomesinwaves #griefhurts #loss #griefislove #griefislovetransformed #griefsucks See more

Get "unstuck" from your negative thoughts. They don't define your character and, believe or not, tend to be normal. Even those "nasty" ones. If you find yourself having thoughts like, "Normal people don't have these type of thoughts," just stop for a second and think about a few favorite TV shows. Let's take Game of Thrones for example. Someone came up with the storyline, the characters, and the plot. Now, there is some unusual content in that show, right??? Yet viewers are a...ttracted to it and intrigued by it! What does that say? "Unusual," "nasty," "bad," "mean," thoughts are natural to human nature. * Don't judge yourself for having negative thoughts and stop the shaming and the guilt. However, if you find that negative thoughts are a pattern and affect your well being, then seek out a therapist. Otherwise, just remember that thoughts (and even emotions) are not facts. * #livewellness #livewellshineon #unstuckyourself #normalthoughts #nojudgingzone #nojudginghere #nojudgingme #therapistmemes #psychologistmom #psyhologistmommy #therapistmomblogger #thoughtsarenotfacts #thoughtsarethoughts #noguilthere #freefromshame #got #losangeles #tabibianpsychology See more

Did you know that compassionate behaviors are associated with better health and well-being as we age? * Dr. Lisa Eyler, one of the co-authors of this research at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine states, "We know that social connections are important to health and well-being, and we know that people who want to be kind to others garner greater social support. If we can foster compassion in people, we can improve their health and well-being, and maybe... even longevity." * The study states, "Higher levels of compassion were also observed among both men and women who had "walked a mile in another person's shoes" and experienced a personal loss, such as a death in the family or illness, in the last year." * Those who reported higher confidence in their ability to bounce back from hard times also reported more empathy toward strangers and joy from helping those in need."What is exciting is that we are identifying aspects of successful aging that we can foster in both men and women," said co-author Dilip Jeste, MD, Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, and director of the Sam and Rose Stein Institute for Research on Aging." * Mental resiliency can be developed through meditation, mindfulness and stress reduction practices. We can also teach people that the silver lining to adversity is an opportunity for personal growth." See more

According to research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, "positive emotions increase life satisfaction by building resilience." In this research study by Dr. Barbara Fredrickson and colleagues, people who focus on small moments of positive emotion in their life increase their resilience against challenges and build happiness. * Dr. Fredrickson states, "Those small moments let positive emotions blossom, and that helps us become more open. That openness then ...helps us build resources that can help us rebound better from adversity and stress, ward off depression and continue to grow." * This does not mean we should dismiss negative emotions or not become upset when appropriate. Every emotion has its place. Rather, it’s to notice the positive aspects that do exist in our lives. * Furthermore, the study states, "the levels of positive emotions that produced good benefits weren't extreme. Participants with average and stable levels of positive emotions still showed growth in resilience even when their days included negative emotions." The authors propose concentrating on the "micro-moments" that can lead to positive emotions every now and then. * "A lot of times we get so wrapped up in thinking about the future and the past that we are blind to the goodness we are steeped in already, whether it's the beauty outside the window or the kind things that people are doing for you," she said. "The better approach is to be open and flexible, to be appreciative of whatever good you do find in your daily circumstances, rather than focusing on bigger questions, such as 'Will I be happy if I move to California?' or 'Will I be happy if I get married?'" * #psychologist #therapist #healthpsychologist #positivepsychology #postivemoments #positiveemotions #evidencebased #happiness #smallchanges #coping #resilience #openness #flexibility #buildresources #strength #hope #gratitude #wisdom #meaningfullife #mindfulness #mentalhealth #livewell #LosAngeles #hollywood #burbank #atwatervillage #tabibianpsychology See more