Leaving Christian Science - The Mental Health Episode, Part 2 Leaving Christian Science

Licensed clinical social worker and ex-Christian Scientist Cara returns
for part two of The Mental Health episode. In this episode, Cara does a
live grounding demonstration you can do at home, and answers more of
your mental health questions. See below for resources.

Here are some topics covered:
2:00 - what is the anxiety/CS connection?
6:00 - a 20 minute-ish grounding demonstration (feel free to join in)
31:00 - how is distracting yourself from negative thoughts or feelings
different from suppressing them in CS?
42:00 - what is the difference between toxic positivity and good
positivity?
52:00 - forgiveness - is it necessary? And how to just let things go
1:02:00 - what is narcissism? Can CS make you a narcissist?
1:13:00 - what is the connection between anhedonia (inability to
experience joy) and CS, and how can you get back your "lust for life"?
1:21:00 - if you were raised by people with mental health issues, how do
you know that what you're experiencing is your mental health issues or
theirs?
1:34:00 - trigger words from CS, and how to take away their power
1:38:00 - how do you process the sickness and/or deaths of loved ones
who might have been helped had they not been CS?
1:49:00 - how to explain CS to your therapist
1:58:00 - what is it about CS that makes it difficult or impossible to
process something that's wrong?
2:01:00 - 12 Step programs, can they help?
2:08:00 - having you own back - a final self soothing tool

Here is Cara's list of resources:

An article on the genetic vs. environmental effects on mental health:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wps.21034

Here's a link to a "feelings wheel" to help you identify those pesky
emotions: https://feelingswheel.com/Mental health book list for ex CS by topic:
Pete Walker The Tao Of Fully Feeling: Harvesting Forgiveness Out of BlameUnderstanding shame and moving toward self-compassionBrené Brown, PhD, MSW I Thought it Was Just Me (But it Isn’t): Making the Journey from“What Will People Think?” to “I Am Enough”Brené Brown PhD, MSW The Gifts of Imperfection: Your Guide to a Wholehearted LifeKristin Neff, PhD Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to YourselfKristin Neff, PhD & Christopher Germer, PhD The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook: AProven Way to Accept Yourself, Build Inner Strength, and ThriveAddressing CPTSDArielle Schwartz, PhD The Complex PTSD Workbook: A Mind-Body Approach to RegainingEmotional Control & Becoming WholePete Walker, MA, LMFT Complex PTSD: From Surviving to ThrivingEmotional Intelligence/MaturityBrené Brown, PhD, MSW Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and theLanguage of Human ExperienceLindsay Gibson, PsyD Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal fromDistant, Rejecting, or Self-involved ParentsWorkbooks/Self-HelpArielle Schwartz (see above)Patricia Resick, PhD et al Getting Unstuck from PTSD: Using Cognitive Processing Therapy toGuide Your RecoveryNedra Tawwab Set Boundaries, Find Peace and The Set Boundaries WorkbookSonya Renée Taylor The Body is Not an Apology and Your Body is Not an Apology WorkbookFrancine Shapiro, PhD Getting Past Your Past: Take Control of Your Life with Self-HelpTechniques from EMDR TherapyKaryl McBride, PhD Will I Ever Be Good Enough? Healing the Daughters of NarcissisticMothersKC Davis, LPC How to Keep House While DrowningAmir Levine, MD and Rachel Heller, MA Attached. The New Science of Adult Attachment andHow it Can Help You Find—And Keep—LoveGary Bishop Unf*ck YourselfMegan Boardman, LCSW The EMDR Workbook for Trauma and PTSDMatthew McKay, PhD et al The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills WorkbookLeaving ReligionMarlene Winnell, PhD Leaving the FoldDaniel Dennett, PhD Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural PhenomenonMemoirsStephanie Foo What my Bones KnowJennette McCurdy I’m Glad my Mom DiedAbout Therapy and TherapistsJeffrey Kottler, PhD On Being a TherapistLori Gottlieb, LMFT Maybe You Should Talk to SomeoneCommunication S