From Panic and Anxiety Producing Procrastination to Movement with Expressive Arts
- melissa@spiralroots.org
- Oct 6
- 5 min read
Have you ever had something that got put off and was then hanging over your head for so long that it just seemed impossible? A project, a conversation, scheduling an appointment, cleaning a room…? It happens to all of us. We procrastinate because it feels too big, too scary, or there are too many "what ifs"
. What I have learned is that the longer I put something off the more fear and anxiety around doing it increases!
We procrastinate because it feels too big, too scary, and fear too many "what if’s". The longer we put off doing the task that is hard and scary the more our fear and anxiety grow. The more paralyzed we feel.
Melissa Deaton Cook LPC can help your child or teen with fear and anxiety. Call Melissa at 540-416-1628 or email at melissa@spiralroots.org for information on
child therapy and teen therapy in Harrisonburg, Va today.
I recently had an experience where I had delayed completing a project and asking for help for almost 4 years! I just kept shuffling it down the line to the next week, the next day, and then it became the next year! I had allowed someone’s words to get in my head and stop me from making progress.
So, during a coaching session (Yes! We all need help) I was encouraged to just send an email asking for simple clarification on what my next steps should be to get this project for certification completed. All was well until I went to push the send button!
Suddenly, I was flooded with overwhelming fear and panic! My chest tightened, my breath became shallow, and my back and shoulder muscles started spasming to the point of pain! My fear of rejection and not feeling good enough was rising to the surface! It was so intense. It came out of nowhere! It felt debilitating! I had stumbled into something unawares! This type of response was not a normal thing for me. Does this sound familiar?
Suddenly, I was flooded with overwhelming fear and panic! My chest tightened, my breath became shallow, and my back and shoulder muscles started spasming to the point of pain! My fear of rejection and not feeling good enough was rising to the surface! It was so intense. It came out of nowhere! It felt debilitating! I had stumbled into something unawares! This type of response was not a normal thing for me. Does this sound familiar?
I had a choice. I could wait another day or week so send the email, I could re-write it, I could wait to talk about it again, I could ignore it for another year, or I could use the coping skills I teach my clients and complete my initial task.
I chose to use my coping skills as I recognized that I needed immediate relief and movement. I took some deep breaths and started Emotional Relief Tapping on my head. I started tapping with the intention of replacing the overwhelming fear with acceptance, and respect, etc.
I then did some quick bilateral drawing on paper towel with water paints because it was what was in front of me! I needed to calm my brain down and help it communicate.
When I finished drawing, I recognized the muzzle of a horse!
I then wrote a response: “The softness of a horses muzzle, the warm gentil acceptance in the big almond eyes, wisdom of the ages, you (I) am not an imposter, I' v got this, I am good enough. I got this."
I felt a lot better, but my body still needed some movement to help it out of the freeze state the panic had sent it into. I randomly picked a short 15 min Qi-Gong video on YouTube for stress, anxiety, and fear. To my surprise the second set of movements was the "horse stance meditation”!
I felt so much better! I was able to push the send button and move on with my day without the panic and weight.
I pushed through my panic with therapeutic coping skills I teach the children and teens I work with at Spiral Roots LLC. I used my knowledge of expressive arts, EFT tapping, bilateral drawing, meaning making, movement, and being witnessed to help lower my anxiety and fear so I could complete my task.
If you have something hanging over your head, I encourage you to simply start. If you start to have negative feelings around completing your task, take a moment and listen to your body. Ask for help, get organized, maybe set up a reward for yourself. Anything that makes starting easier. Remember the anxiety and hesitation increase the longer we put things off. If you become flooded like I did, pick out some of your favorite de-stressing skills and do them. If you are a parent, you can follow these same steps with your child or teen as they navigate doing the hard, scary thing.
If you have questions about expressive arts which include tapping, bilateral drawing, and the use of movement in counseling with Children and Teens feel free to reach out to me at 540-416-1628 or email at melissa@spiralroots.org
Spiral Roots LLC has current openings for child therapy and teen therapy in Harrisonburg, VA.
In the end, my fears and 4-year procrastination were unwarranted. After communicating I found out that I had already done most of the work! The project I was so afraid of was almost complete! The fear of rejection was calmed with support and acceptance. I had let fear, anxiety, perceived words of others, and self-doubt get in the way of completing my task that will only take a day or two to complete now that I have pushed through the feelings and intimidation of starting.
If your child or teen is letting fear, anxiety, and self-doubt get in the way of their happiness and growth talk to Melissa Deaton Cook LPC at Spiral Roots LLC today about scheduling child therapy and teen therapy in Harrisonburg, Va.
Call 540-416-1628 or email at melissa@spiralroots.org Spiral
Melissa Deaton Cook LPC is a child and teen therapist in the
Shenandoah Valley who uses an integrative approach of expressive arts, play therapy, nature-based therapy, sand tray therapy, and cognitive therapy.
She is the sole proprietor of Spiral Roots LLC spiralroots.org
Call 540-416-1628 or email melissa@spiralroots.org
Follow her on Face book at https://www.facebook.com/SpiralRootsCounseling
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