Tame Your Mood Newsletter
In This Issue:
Feature Article: Q&A
Online Articles
About Marty
Services: Psychotherapy


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 Marty L. Cooper, MFT

4831 Geary Blvd.
San Francisco, CA 94118

martycooper@
mlcooper.com

www.mlcooper.com










































































 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
January 2010                  Vol. 3, Issue 3
Greetings!

Greetings! 

Here is the Q&A number 6:  "Why am I embarrassed about seeking therapy (I don't have a problem with going to the doctor for a broken arm...)?"  I honestly cannot think of a person I've worked with who has not felt some shade of this, including folks who have been around the healing-and-transformation block.  Perhaps saints are totally a peace with who we are, but I'll bet they got there by way of letting others in on their secrets.

Happy New Year to you all, and may the coming year be full of gratitude, surrender, and acceptance.

Be well,
Marty
Q:  Why am I embarrassed about seeking therapy (I don't have a problem with going to a doctor for a broken arm...)?
  
A:  Embarrassment involves a (perceived) exposure of weakness of the self, or more to the point, of you.  When you go to a therapist, it's not some "connected part" you're examining;  you are not focusing on some part of your self--you're focusing on your self

An arm, for most people, is not strongly identified with -- it's just my arm, functional, but not me -- and therefore having a doctor work on it is about as shaming or embarrassing as taking your car to a mechanic. 

But with your self, the topic of therapy, there's all sorts of attachments and beliefs that get exposed to view, all manner of self-deceptions and untruthfulness that gets brought into the light, and what's mortifying, is seen by an other.  That's embarrassing.

And yet necessary.  Because, especially with anxiety and depression, our view and belief about our self is often much of the problem, and that can't get solved if that self is kept hidden.  So, oddly enough, embarrassment is required in order to heal anxiety and depression:  we have to air our "secrets of self" in order to get a new view, to really see that neither us or the world is broken. 
Online Articles
 
Past articles can be found at my articles page by clicking here.
About Marty
Marty L. Cooper, MFT

Marty Cooper is a San Francisco psychotherapist who helps individuals
struggling with anxiety and depression to not only manage these "wild
moods," but eventually learn how to overcome them.  His background in
both Western approaches to healing, as well as Eastern mindfulness
practices (meditation) give a wide range of perspectives and techniques to bring to the work of taming mood. 

Marty's passion arises out of his deep understanding of how painful anxiety and depression can be, and his wish to help others learn how to avoid overwhelm, as well as to find meaning in experience that can otherwise at times just seem pointless.

Joy, connection, and a life not ruled by fear are all truly possible.
Services
 
I offer psychotherapy to those who are wanting to learn deeper and more effective management strategies for their anxiety and depression, as well those who wish to find out how to overcome these wild moods.  I work comprehensively with mental, emotional, bodily, and spiritual dimensions, all of which are necessary to overcome the chronic quality of anxiety and depression.

If you are looking to make changes that last, then please call me and set up an initial phone consultation, so we can see if or how I can best be of service. 

Marty L. Cooper, MFT
415.835.2162
martycooper@mlcooper.com