How Does Your Environment Influence You?

As a social worker, I am taught to look not at just the symptoms, but also at the environment (home, community, work place).

People may not be acting true to who they really are or may be in situations that do not align with their values and/or temperaments. This can cause an increase in anxiety, depression, and AD/HD symptoms.

Working mostly within your values and strengths is something I strongly advise. Setting limits is necessary for this, which may go against the idea to “be nice” or “being too much.” You might not be broken; instead, you might be affected by something in your surroundings, such as a pebble in your shoe. Think about removing the rock from your shoe first and examine the evidence.

Given my experience in family therapy and the impending holidays, I heartily endorse Linsday Gibson’s writings. Though the subject matter transcends parents, she is best known for her book Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents. It also applies to other individuals in our lives. Some people are not very emotionally intelligent.

Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents Guided Journal: Your Space to Heal, Reflect, and Reconnect with Your True Self is a book I would suggest aiding with setting boundaries and thinking about how your surroundings might be influencing you.

This blog was written by Holistic Consultation clinician, Natalie Waters. Want to schedule a 10-minute call with our Intake Coordinator?  Check out our scheduling link here.