askthetherapist
Managing fear in times of Chaos
Q:
Dear Karen Kaye, I have react; and some avoid fear altogether.
noticed lately that I am usually I know personally as a conscious-
in a state of fear over something: the being living in a still-unconscious
economy, the government, the weather, world, awareness can be both a bless-
stray animals and issues in my own life. ing and a curse. It is important though,
Please advise me on how to stop my that all the “hype” does not fall in on us
fears. and make us feel impotent.
- Sincerely, Michele Therefore, take the time (some-
times with a therapist) to identify
A:
Dear Michele, My first thought exactly what your fear is now, and what
is never try to stop fear. Stop- it is stemming from, since all humans
ping, resisting, or avoiding fear will have certain emotional patterns. Keep
only make fear grow. It is like a science rearranging, prioritizing and facing
experiment: whatever you push down, each fear individually, so that the quan-
gains mass and volume. There are good tity of potential fears doesn’t overwhelm
reasons for fear. Fear can act as an you. Then, create a plan of how to take
indicator that it is time to wake up and a step forward through the fear. You your own; one-by-one. The goal is not
notice something painful. Fear can also will be amazed what even the smallest to be fearless. Fearless is “cocky” and
tell us when we are going the wrong movement will accomplish by facing unconscious and won’t get the job
way. In fact, when we don’t listen to your fear. done.
our gut about our fears, we can get into As you address your fears, your Many thanks for your question.
accidents, marry the wrong person, and energy will shift and you will be - one -Karen L. Kaye L.M.H.C.
make poor decisions. less person on the planet in fear. This
So, it is what we do with the fear, has a huge effect in changing the reso- If you would like to speak with
Michele, that matters the most. Some nance of the planet! Do not take on the Karen Kaye, she can be reached at
people over-react; some people under- world’s fears until you have handled 954.384.1217. See ad page 67.
October 2008 51
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