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  Jessika Fruchter LMFT - Psychotherapy and Expressive Arts Therapy for Women and Girls - San Francisco Bay Area | San Diego | Los Angeles
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​(Thoughts, ideas and inspiration for
living an inspired + authentic life )


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COVID Chronicles: Yes, You May Be Having an 'Existential Crisis' and Here's Why that's a Good Thing

4/29/2020

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Sheltering-in-Place (aka the Great Pause of 2020) has shaken life, and many of us to our cores. Stripping away excess and turning inward is part of the package right now and with that big questions are bound to arise. 

I'm not talking about the kind of questions that we may have previously grappled with like 'where should I travel this year?' or 'what if I don't meet that deadline? '  - although those questions may still be looming. I'm referring to the big questions that philosophers, writers, artists and, well, many psychotherapists have long since mused about. 
  • What do I value?
  • What do I truly need?
  • What is my purpose?
  • What or who do I believe in?
  • How do I reconcile the paradox of suffering with gratitude?
  • How has my perception of privilege and inequity changed? Or has it?
  • What lessons will I take with me when this is all over?
If you've been mulling over these questions nonstop with accompanying angst,  you're probably experiencing what was once commonly referred to as an "existential crisis," though I prefer to reframe the experience as a Great Reckoning or a Breakdown/Breakthrough Moment. 

While these periods often give way to important  personal growth spurts and sometimes greater paradigm shifts, they are often downright uncomfortable and at times overwhelming. Questioning who you are and the world around you can be anxiety producing (read: racing thoughts, difficulty sleeping, excessive worry), which is why many people avoid asking those big questions to begin with. 

For those of you wondering how to support your Great Reckoning or at least make it feel more manageable, here are three simple steps to get you started:

#1. Lean In - First and foremost, be gentle with yourself as you acknowledge the process and create space for it. Honoring our experience helps ease resistance to the uncomfortable feelings that may arise. Upping self-care, whatever that means for you, is also essential.

#2. Journal, Journal, Journal - Writing is a great way to externalize what you're thinking and decrease racing thoughts. It also helps in gaining new insights by helping us make sense of our experiences, thoughts and feelings. A visual journal is another option, which focuses more on imagery than words.

#3. Talk it Out - Find a trusted friend, family member or community leader to talk through your questions, but also know there may not be an immediate answer. Just as important to note is that if you are finding this process to be overwhelming or increasingly distressing, as it can be, please reach out to a psychotherapist to help guide you through your process. That's what we're here for!

As I finish up this post, I am reminded of a quote by poet Rainer Maria Rilke. I was first introduced to these words in graduate school as I was beginning my journey as a therapist, and they feel particularly relevant to our collective experience now. The quote goes like this:

"Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given to you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything."

On that note, please know I am here to support as we are all living the questions day by day in this historic time.

Till next time, wishing you peace & ease,

Jessika

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COVID Chronicles: The lowdown on video therapy & how to therapy-in-place

4/17/2020

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Jessika Fruchter, LMFT, provides online therapy for women and teen girls in California
I'll be honest, I've always been slow to try new things. Whether it's new technology or a new fashion trend, I typically take note, wait in the wings and observe for a good amount of time before deciding to give something a try. And that was where I stood with incorporating video therapy (aka teletherapy or online therapy) into my practice. 

Flash forward to March 2020 and pandemic life forced my hand. Overnight, just like so many healthcare providers, I was no longer able to see clients face-to-face and had to move quickly to secure an online platform so we could, well, therapy-in-place. I'm happy to share that overall it's been a smooth transition.

If you've never tried it, you're probably wondering what video therapy looks like in practice. And just like in-person therapy, it varies from therapist to therapist and client to client. On my end, I bring the same warmth, authenticity and creativity that I always did and my clients continue to bring their concerns, vulnerabilities and wins ... but from the comfort of their homes.

When clients reach out to schedule their first session, I provide them with tips on how to make the most of their therapy time including:
  • Securing a comfortable and confidential space to talk
  • Communicating with me about concerns about privacy 
  • Shutting down other electronics and notifications
  • Checking internet connection
  • Using the audio function, instead of video, if you are tired of looking at screens 
  • Bringing a journal or notepad to jot down important insights 
  • Bringing art materials if we're engaging in art therapy 

Then, each week, my clients receive a session reminder with a private link for their session via email or text. They click the link and it brings them to a secure and HIPAA compliant "room" ... I'm there waiting for them just as I would be in my office.

Now a month in to this new adventure, I'm realizing  just how many advantages video therapy has including accessibility and comfort for clients who are able to receive support while cozied up from their homes. And because of this, I've even decided to continue offering video therapy as an option after the shelter-in-place order is eased. 

If you've wanted to reach out for support during COVID and have been hesitant because of the video platform, I want to encourage you to contact me to ask questions or schedule an appointment.  I'll share that just as I began providing video therapy for clients, I also began working with my own new therapist online. While I was hesitant because it was new and different, I am so glad I did. The support has been invaluable during this very surreal time.

Till next time, wishing you all health & ease,
Jessika 





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COVID Chronicles: Creating & Using Ritual in Difficult Times

4/11/2020

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Jessika Fruchter, LMFT, provides online psychotherapy and expressive arts therapy for anxiety, trauma and stress.

As we continue to shelter-in-place here in the Bay Area, it's common to feel like the veil between work and home; day and night; day to day is wearing thin. Are we in week four of being housebound? I think I've lost track myself. 

The lack of delineation can feel disorienting and add to already high levels of stress and anxiety, so adding ritual to your day can be a big help. As an expressive arts therapist, creating ritual is one of the tools I most enjoy sharing with clients because it can be powerful, creative and ... fun. (Yes, it's true - therapy can be enjoyable!)

While the term often gets conflated with solemn religious traditions or Woo-Woo gatherings -- both of which can be hugely supportive, and of which I have often participated, btw -- ritual can really be any activity that is infused with intention and is meaningful to the person performing it. It's another approach to working with the symbolic, not unlike making art or using guided imagery in therapeutic work. 

So, what might a ritual look like in this time of COVID-19? Well, you may feel inspired to create an elaborate ritual to demarcate the end of your work week with a meditation, prayer and saltwater bath or you may need something more simple -- maybe a morning ritual to practice gratitude and  connect spiritually, whatever that means to you. Other folks use cleaning and organizing their space as part of a ritual, holding that our outer space reflects the state of our inner lives and vice versa. While other people set aside each day to use tarot cards and oracle decks to tap into their higher selves a/o higher power.

Here are a couple of prompts to consider when designing and implementing your own ritual:

1. Ask yourself how are you feeling and what do you need help with? 

2. What is your intention for the ritual?

3. What symbols resonate? What materials do you need?

4. When will I set aside time to practice my ritual?

5. How did the ritual feel? Do I need to change anything?

Lastly, if you feel drawn to this practice but still aren't sure where to start, I would suggest doing some research on common ritual practices that may provide some inspiration. Information on the use of ritual for psycho-spiritual purposes abounds these days, but one book that has stood out is Light Magic for Dark Times: More than 100 Spells, Rituals and Practices for Coping in a Crisis by Lisa Marie Bastile. 

I often work with clients on creating personalized ritual to support their psycho-spiritual health, so please know I am available to support you as well. I would love to hear from you!


​Till next time, wishing you all health & ease,
​

Jessika

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Jessika Fruchter, LMFT
Psychotherapy & 
Expressive Arts Therapy
​for Women and Girls in California

SF Bay Area * Los Angeles * San Diego
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510.295.5767 

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  • Home
    • What is Feminist Therapy?
    • What is Expressive Arts Therapy?
  • Offerings
    • Support During COVID-19
    • Therapy for Women in California
    • Therapy for Teen Girls in California
    • Therapeutic Tarot, Dreamwork + Ritual
    • Groups + Workshops for Women in California
    • Clinical Consultation + Trainings
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Fees + Policies
  • Bio