Introduction:

Being a reality star offers fame and opportunities, but it can also take a toll on one’s emotional and mental well-being. Therapy plays a crucial role in supporting reality stars throughout their journey, from pre-filming preparation to ongoing mental well-being after filming concludes. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of therapy for reality stars before, during, and after filming, highlighting the benefits it offers at each stage.

Before Filming: Preparing for the Spotlight

Therapy provides a safe space for reality stars to address their fears, expectations, and anxieties surrounding their upcoming television experience. It helps them set realistic goals, develop coping strategies, and establish healthy boundaries. Therapists can also assist them in managing public scrutiny and media attention while staying true to themselves.

During Filming: Nurturing Mental Health on Set

The fast-paced and high-pressure environment of reality television can be mentally taxing. Therapy offers reality stars an outlet to process their emotions, manage stress, and resolve conflicts constructively. Therapists equip them with practical stress management techniques and effective communication skills to navigate the challenges of filming.

After Filming: Nurturing Post-Filming Well-being

Therapy continues to play a crucial role after filming concludes. It helps reality stars process their experiences, integrate their newfound fame into their identity, and navigate post-filming challenges. Therapy focuses on self-care, self-reflection, and long-term mental health support, addressing the unique challenges that reality stars may face even after their television journey ends.

Real-world Examples:

Famous reality stars like Chrissy Teigen, Colton Underwood, Khloe Kardashian, Simone Biles, and Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino have openly discussed their experiences with therapy and the positive impact it had on their mental health. Their stories highlight how therapy can help reality stars cope with personal challenges, manage relationships, and prioritize their well-being.

Conclusion:

Therapy is crucial for reality stars, providing support and guidance throughout their journey in the spotlight. It empowers them to thrive, maintain authenticity, and prioritize their mental health. Seeking professional support through therapy is essential for self-care and overall well-being, regardless of one’s level of fame.

If I asked whether you were the victim of childhood emotional neglect (CEN), would you know how to answer? Probably not. CEN is often misunderstood and therefor, misdiagnosed.

Childhood emotional neglect means an individual was not provided the emotional support from parents and other adults that is required to grow up to be a confident person with a healthy self-esteem. Though a parent may never physically harm the child and provide them with food, healthcare, clothing and shelter, they may still emotionally neglect their child causing psychological harm.

Symptoms of CEN

In her book “Running on Empty: Overcome Your Childhood Emotional Neglect”, Dr. Jonice Webb outlined some of the most commonsymptoms of CEN:

• Feeling numb or cut off from your own feelings
• Feeling like something has always been missing
• Feeling hollow
• Having a low self-esteem
• Feeling the need to be perfect
• Being overly-sensitive
• Lack of self-care while taking care of everyone else

That last symptom is a biggie. Have you found that for most of your life, your needs always came second (if not third or fourth?). If yes, it’s time to recognize that your feelings and needs matter.

With this in mind, here are some ways you can begin to treat yourself better:

Take Baby Steps

You’ve spent years believing your needs didn’t matter, don’t expect that putting yourself first will come easy to you. It won’t. It will feel awkward and downright wrong to put yourself first. The important thing is that you take baby steps each day to show yourself you matter.

Ask Yourself What You Need

If you’ve experienced CEN, you’re most likely unaware you even haveneeds, so you probably won’t be able to identify them right away. Take some time to get to know yourself. Ask yourself what you need and be sure to listen!

Stay Healthy

You have a big and exciting journey ahead of you, one in which you will be exploring your inner world and getting to finally know yourself. This is going to require strength and energy. Be sure to avoid processed foods and opt instead for whole foods focusing on fruits and veggies.

Also, be sure to get plenty of exercise and enough rest. Adults generally require seven to nine hours of sleep each night, so don’t cheat your body. And avoid using the TV, computer, or your smartphone before bed.

Learn to Say No

Guess what? If you want to put yourself first more often, you’re going to sometimes have to say “no” to other people. Don’t feel guilty about doing this. Having boundaries is healthy. It’s not only your right to say no to others sometimes, it’s your personal responsibility.

Get Support

As wonderful as your self-discovery journey will be, it will be fraught with bumps in the road. It’s important that you have someone who will support your efforts without judgements or criticism.

Consider seeking guidance from a professional therapist who can help you navigate your complex emotions and offer tools to manage stress in the future. A therapist will help you prioritize your needs moving forward and recognize your emotions and needs matter.

If you’d like to explore treatment options, please be in touch with me. I’d love to discuss how I may be able to help you on your journey.

Brainspotting (BSP) is a new form of therapy that can help people process and overcome trauma. Developed by a psychotherapist who has spent years working with survivors of trauma, brainspotting has been used by many mental health professionals to effectively treat a variety of mental health issues.

How Does it Work?

Brainspotting is akin to EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. Essentially, the direction in which people look or hold their gaze affects the way they feel. 

During a brainspotting session, the therapist helps the client position their eyes in ways that allow them to target specific sources of negative emotions. The therapist will slowly guide the person’s eyes across their field of vision to find all the right “brainspots,” which will then activate a traumatic memory or painful emotion.

Recent evidence suggests that trauma is stored in the body and can even alter how the brain works. Many of my own clients have experienced how trauma affects their memory and even physical health. Brainspotting seems to be able to activate the body’s innate ability to heal itself and the trauma. 

Who Can Benefit from Brainspotting?

Brainspotting is recommended for anyone who has experienced either physical or emotional trauma. BSP has been shown to be effective for those with anxiety, ADHD, anger issues, phobias, substance abuse issues, impulse control issues, and more.

If you are suffering as a result of trauma, or are dealing with any of the mental health issues I’ve just listed, you may want to consider giving brainspotting a try. I am a licensed therapist who has been trained in brainspotting and would be happy to discuss treatment options. Please feel free to call my office or email me.

SOURCES:

• https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/brainspotting-therapy
• https://brainspotting.com/
• https://www.regain.us/advice/therapist/what-is-brainspotting-and-is-it-right-for-me/