anxious attachment, anxiety, generalised anxiety disorder, anxiety attack, abandonment issues, emotional trauma, trauma therapy, couples therapy, relationship therapy, relationship issues, attachment style, avoidant attachment Sara Allahverdi anxious attachment, anxiety, generalised anxiety disorder, anxiety attack, abandonment issues, emotional trauma, trauma therapy, couples therapy, relationship therapy, relationship issues, attachment style, avoidant attachment Sara Allahverdi

Anxiety in relationships

Anxiety is a common emotion amongst humans, because at its core, its function is to detect threats and danger and therefore protect us. Anxiety keeps us alert. There is a very natural level of anxiety that we need - to be cautious. But then there is another level of anxiety that can debilitate us, as it becomes a disproportionate response to our environment and reality.

In a relationship, anxiety can manifest in a way that challenges the dynamics between two people, leading to many things such as communication breakdown, distance/withdrawal, sexual difficulties and more.

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Polyvagal theory, trauma, post traumatic stress disorder, trauma therapy, EMDR, anxiety attack, anxiety, generalised anxiety disorder, depression, panic attack, somatic therapy Sara Allahverdi Polyvagal theory, trauma, post traumatic stress disorder, trauma therapy, EMDR, anxiety attack, anxiety, generalised anxiety disorder, depression, panic attack, somatic therapy Sara Allahverdi

Nervous System healing: Polyvagal Therapy

Polyvagal theory helps people understand and work with their nervous system’s responses to stress, trauma, and connection — especially the way we shift between states of safety, shutdown, or hyperarousal. Polyvagal-informed therapy can also help you track and regulate your nervous system.

This insight can reduce shame and increase self-compassion. You learn to recognize when you're shifting into fight/flight or shutdown, and practice tools to move back into a regulated state. These can include breathwork to calm sympathetic arousal, movement or touch to emerge from dorsal shutdown, voice tone, music, or eye contact to activate safety cues

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anxious attachment, enmeshment, enmeshment trauma, childhood trauma, trauma therapy, trauma, emotional trauma, relationship issues, relationship therapy, family issues, family therapy, couples therapy, narcissism, parentification Sara Allahverdi anxious attachment, enmeshment, enmeshment trauma, childhood trauma, trauma therapy, trauma, emotional trauma, relationship issues, relationship therapy, family issues, family therapy, couples therapy, narcissism, parentification Sara Allahverdi

Family issues - enmeshment trauma: family won't respect my boundaries

Enmeshment trauma (also seen as over-intimacy or excessive closeness) is a type of emotional trauma that is caused by a lack of clear and healthy boundaries in the family environment and dynamics. Over-intimacy/enmeshment can happen when boundaries (typically between a parent and child) are blurred, overly diffused or even nonexistent. This leads to the child being emotionally fused with the parent's needs, wants, feelings or identity.

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narcissism, psychotherapy, psychological manipulation, gaslighting, relationship therapy, depression, relationship issues, enmeshment trauma, trauma, trauma therapy, childhood trauma, emotional abuse, abusive relationships, self esteem, self confidence Sara Allahverdi narcissism, psychotherapy, psychological manipulation, gaslighting, relationship therapy, depression, relationship issues, enmeshment trauma, trauma, trauma therapy, childhood trauma, emotional abuse, abusive relationships, self esteem, self confidence Sara Allahverdi

What is Gaslighting & the signs to look for?

Gaslighting is form of psychological manipulation where someone makes you doubt you your own experience, perception or memory of an event. Gaslighting can be incredibly subtle and sly, and over time it has the power to erode your confidence in your own reality. This can lead to feelings of confusion, anxiety or co-dependency on the person who is gaslighting you. We can also say it is a form of emotional abuse if it becomes chronic and repeated.

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relationship issues, family issues, family therapy, enmeshment trauma, trauma, enmeshment, parentification, childhood trauma, trauma therapy, differentiation, psychotherapy Sara Allahverdi relationship issues, family issues, family therapy, enmeshment trauma, trauma, enmeshment, parentification, childhood trauma, trauma therapy, differentiation, psychotherapy Sara Allahverdi

Family issues: Enmeshment + Loss of boundaries

When we are experiencing challenges with boundaries in our family units, we can start to think about the phenomenon 'Enmeshment trauma'.

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ADHD, PTSD, post traumatic stress disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, stress, childhood trauma, trauma therapy Sara Allahverdi ADHD, PTSD, post traumatic stress disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, stress, childhood trauma, trauma therapy Sara Allahverdi

ADHD or Trauma?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neuro-developmental disorder often traced back to childhood. There is a soaring number of ADHD diagnoses at the moment. Whilst ADHD medications are working for some people, it does not work for others.

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