Dr. Ayesha: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

How to overcome anxiety with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

How does Dr. Ayesha’s background and character enable her to empower clients?

Dr. Ayesha has a PhD in Philosophy and was a Philosophy professor in her former career.  As an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, this background informs the way she relates to clients, using the Socratic approach during sessions.  

Her training as a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) therapist draws her to identify and question hidden assumptions that often remain unchallenged.  She exhibits unwavering support and honesty in sessions, without imposing herself.  

She shows curiosity in others beliefs and values and guides them to draw their own conclusions. Dr. Ayesha empowers clients to create their own path with intention.  

As a former Philosophy professor,  Dr. Ayesha has ample experience working closely with college students.  As a therapist, she empowers them to identify their values and what they want in life as they encounter major crossroads with regard to career, education, family, and relationships. 

Dr. Ayesha ascribes to kabbalistic thinking, the belief that “as above, so below.”  Essentially, she believes that in doing the inner work, the universe will naturally follow. Once we have begun to heal, change, and grow, amazing opportunities and people will be drawn to us. 

The belief that inner healing is mirrored by our environment instills hope in Dr. Ayesha’s clients. This especially helps clients that are experiencing hopelessness and high levels of distress. 

How does Dr. Ayesha’s work as a Philosophy professor influence her work with clients?

Dr. Ayesha’s logical mind and background as a Philosophy professor has made her exceptional at questioning and exploring underlying assumptions- which is helpful in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Dr. Ayesha invites clients to evaluate their values and employs Socratic dialogue in guiding them to explore how widely held assumptions might be influencing their lives. 

She challenges clients to explore and question the beliefs and  assumptions they have about themselves and about the world. This can be especially helpful for the LGBTQIA+ population since this population may hold underlying beliefs from society that instill shame.

How does Dr. Ayesha work with postpartum depression and miscarriage?

Dr. Ayesha is a mother herself and can empathize with women who are struggling with perinatal issues such as postpartum depression/anxiety, infertility,  and miscarriage. She has clinical experience working with women who have experienced the pain of miscarriage, are processing an abortion, are undergoing fertility treatments, or are dealing with postpartum depression or anxiety. 

Often, women who are experiencing infertility or who have had miscarriages experience a private loss that they suffer alone.  Everyday events like seeing birth announcements on social media, passing a pregnant woman at the store, or being invited to a children’s birthday party can be extremely painful.   Dr. Ayesha supports these women, who often suffer in silence, by  being someone they can confide in and process with, while gaining the skills to cope and move forward. 

Postpartum support

Often, new mothers feel guilty when they take time for themselves and apply self care. Thoughts such as “I should be taking care of the baby” and “What if something happens to them?” often pop up in mothers’ heads. Dr. Ayesha shows the importance of prioritizing self-care because when the mother is flourishing the whole family benefits. 

The family is like an ecosystem that is balanced when all parts are flourishing. Additionally, taking care of yourself and finding a sense of peace can strengthen your relationship with your child and your partner.

Dr. Ayesha views the family as a whole system with parts that impact one another. Each family member’s  mental and physical health impacts the well-being of the family as a whole. The family is like a mini ecosystem that is balanced when all parts are flourishing.

Women who experience postpartum depression/anxiety are often experiencing a lack of sleep, much to the detriment of their mental health. Dr. Ayesha gives women evidence-based tools to improve sleep hygiene for themselves and for the baby. With adequate sleep comes a happy, well adjusted Mom and baby.  

How does Dr. Ayesha’s relationship journey and experience with the Gottman method mold how she works with couples?

A takeaway from the Gottman method is that a healthy relationship has a strong friendship at its foundation. Healthy relationships cultivate mutual admiration and fondness while avoiding criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling. Dr. Ayesha and her partner apply these and other Gottman principles in their marriage by living these values. 

During the pandemic, couples have been challenged in their relationships and took on added stressors. As a Gottman couples therapist, Dr. Ayesha helps couples turn toward one another and explore how to support each other. She empowered couples to move through the crisis together while cultivating love and connection by learning each other's love maps, or inner psycho-emotional world.

What techniques does Dr. Ayesha apply to release anxiety and calm the nervous system?

According to Peter Levine, calming the nervous system is necessary to feel calm and connect with others. In session, Dr. Ayesha may introduce you to breathing exercises that calm your nervous system. 

Diaphragmatic breathing, aka deep belly breathing, pushes on the vagus nerve that calms our nervous system. This breathing technique calms our organs and decreases the physical symptoms of anxiety. 

Dr. Ayesha walks clients through mindfulness exercises that make us aware of our senses. Being aware of our senses allows us to be in the present moment and not be dragged down by upsetting thoughts. One example of an exercise is paying attention to five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. 

Often, Dr. Ayesha’s clients that experience anxiety suffer from jaw pain. Anxiety tends to result in a clenching of your jaw and holding tension in that area. This leads to jaw pain.

Dr. Ayesha invites these clients to slightly open their mouth and put their tongue on the roof of their mouth. This releases tension and reduces jaw pain.

Often, people with anxiety hold tension and pain in other areas. Dr. Ayesha invites clients to do a body scan to be aware of and release tension. 

Essentially, Dr. Ayesha empowers clients to release tension and anxiety while healing the nervous system.

Growgood psychology has a team of therapists that are dedicated to support you during your healing journey and calm your nervous system. We use many evidence-based modalities, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help you decrease anxiety and depression symptoms. Our Gottman couples therapist will help you and your partner acquire the skills that will help you work together. 

Connect with us now to embrace growth with our trauma-informed therapists.