If we want the problem of addiction, anxiety, and depression to go away-
we must learn to face our problems.
Hi Everyone. I am really excited about our guest today, the children’s book, What Do You Do With a Problem?
With over 20 years of research, and in working in the field of education, mental and behavioral health, I am utterly convinced that addiction, anxiety, and depression don’t exist (don’t have to), and what does exisit…what is true…is that people don’t know what to do with a problem.
book excerpt: And the more I worried, the bigger my problem became.
Anxiety Exposed. Unless my client had intense trauma-related anxiety, they show up to my office proclaiming to have anxiety, and when I start to inquire, it (the anxiety) always reveals itself as a past or current unresolved problem, usually a pile of unattended problems, and/or a problem they’ve created in their mind that hasn’t happened yet and will probably not happen.
book excerpt: I wished it would just disappear. I tried everything I could to hide from it.
Enter Pills & Addiction. Client after client…when I start to inquire, it all comes down to trying to hide from a problem and trying to make the problem disappear.
Some of my clients have been trying to make problems disappear with drugs and alcohol for so long, that they aren’t addicted to anything other than avoiding problems.
My depression clients are the same: they are depressed because they don’t know how to be with a problem. They take pills to avoid problems.
book excerpt: Maybe I was making the problem bigger and scarier than it actually was. After all, my problem hadn’t swallowed me up or attacked me.
Low self-esteem and lack of confidence are not going to attack you. Relationship and financial problems aren’t going to eat you alive. Your problems aren’t going to attack you.
book excerpt: I realized I had to face it. It was an opportunity for me to learn and to grow. To be brave. To do something.
This is the entire process of my job. I have never (and I mean never) sat with a client whose real problem was about addiction, anxiety, or depression. It was/is about showing them the opportunity to be brave and do something.
Most all my male clients who are “depressed” are depressed because they aren’t being brave.
I keep emphasizing the numbers because it’s insanely true.
I will end with this: If we want the problem of addiction, anxiety, and depression to go away- we must learn to face our problems.
Head on over to Barnes & Noble . Read it to your children! Other books in the series include: What You Do With An Idea? and What Do You Do With A Chance?
These books are a solution for our future.
laura
* Laura C Meyer is a mindfulness instructor, mental health & addiction therapist, and founder of Live More Studio.
This website is designed as an educational experience. It is not therapy. The information acknowledges that while medication is a viable treatment option, it is not the only solution. Disclaimer
Terri is a New York-based licensed psychotherapist, and I use some of her older work (Decoding Fear) with clients in regard to anxiety, fear, and worry. 
