Marriage Counsellor and Psychologist Shivani Misri Sadhoo

When you have been cheated on by your partner, you surely feel broken, lost and so many other emotions including humiliation. Cheating also transforms us as a person and it generally, is a permanent change. Have you been cheated on? Read this to confirm if these changes were experienced by you too as shared by Delhi’s leading marriage counselor Shivani Misri Sadhoo.

Relationship expert Shivani Sadhoo says getting cheated in a relationship could have a profound impact on a person’s emotional, psychological, and behavioral well-being. Here are certain common ways that being cheated on can change a person:

Loss of Trust:

Infidelity shatters the base of trust in a relationship. It can make a person skeptical and suspicious, not just in future relationships but also in their overall interactions with people. They may find it difficult to trust others, including close friends and family members.

Emotional Distress:

Discovering that your spouse has cheated on you can cause intense emotional pain, leading to feelings of betrayal, anger, sadness, and humiliation. This emotional distress may persist for a long time, even after the relationship has ended. It can also trigger anxiety and depression, impacting a person’s mental health.

Self-Esteem and Self-Worth:

Being cheated on can profoundly hit an individual’s self-esteem and self-worth. They may question their attractiveness, worthiness, and their ability to maintain a healthy relationship. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt, which may affect their future relationships and overall self-confidence.

Relationship Problems:

People who have been cheated on mostly find it challenging to form new romantic relationships. They may struggle with intimacy and fear being hurt again. It can be challenging to fully open up and trust a new partner, leading to difficulties in building a deep emotional connection.

Insecurity and Jealousy:

The experience of being cheated on could make a person overly vigilant and possessive in future relationships. They may become excessively jealous, constantly seeking reassurance and validation from their partner. This insecurity can strain relationships and create a cycle of suspicion and doubt.

Fear of Abandonment:

Infidelity may instill a fear of being abandoned in a person. They might worry that they are not enough for their partner, leading to clingy behavior or a constant need for reassurance. This fear can hinder the development of a healthy and balanced relationship.

Problems in Forgiving:

Healing from infidelity mostly involves forgiveness, but it could be a challenging and lengthy process. Some persons might find it difficult to forgive their partner or even themselves. Lingering resentment and bitterness can hinder personal growth and prevent the person from moving forward.

Alterations in Behavior:

Being cheated on can lead to changes in behavior and coping mechanisms. Some individuals may become more guarded, emotionally distant, or reluctant to commit to future relationships. On the other hand, some may become overly vigilant, snooping through their partner’s belongings or invading their privacy due to a fear of being deceived again.

It is essential to note that while being cheated might have significant impacts, not everyone will experience these changes in the same manner. Each person’s response to infidelity is unique, and healing and recovery processes differ from person to person. Seeking support from friends, family, or professional counselors can be beneficial in navigating the aftermath of infidelity and redeveloping trust.

It is not always a good gene at play when it comes to being an attractive woman. Her personality, qualities, and confidence all play a major role in unleashing her bright and shiny self, says Shivani.

Changes in actions, behavior, and speaking skills contribute to the attractiveness of a woman. The truth is, it is no longer about looks anymore.  Let’s know in this blog by psychologist Shivani Misri Sadhoo who talks about what traits attractive women possess.

Confidence

Having a killer confidence is worth dying for. Women who are confident of themselves, their abilities, and know what they are worth, are quite attractive and admirable. Such a woman does not feel the need to compare herself with any other in an attempt to feel beautiful and pretty. She is aware that true beauty comes from within and that no one can snatch that thunder from her.

Financial Independence

A woman who is able to manage and handle all of her finances alone is considered pretty attractive. Providing for herself and planning her own finances proves that she is quite strong and does not need to depend on others for her survival. Independency is quite an attractive trait that relates to self-made personalities.

Humble

Being egoistic regarding money and power is going to get no one anywhere. A woman is attractive when she is humble about her origins, does not sound phony, and enjoys and values life as it is. Having compassion for others and all things will make a person more approachable. Being confident and humble in the proper amount can term you as an attractive woman.

Positive Mindset

Having a positive approach to everything irrespective of the circumstances is indeed applause-worthy. A woman who opts to see the light instead of looming in the dark is an actual motivator because her positive personality will motivate others to also follow positivity and not drown in negative thoughts.

Smile

Having a pretty smile always attracts the heart. A beautiful and attractive woman loves to flash a pearly smile that is good enough to melt anybody’s heart. An authentic, honest smile is the embodiment of a healthy and positive mind and body. Moreover, seeing a woman smile will bring around a number of contagious smiles among people present there, making it a happy vibe.

When it is about the COVID-19 or the coronavirus pandemic, there is what you hear and see and post taking it all there is how it all makes you feel.

You have been asked to stay home as long as possible. Restaurants and eating joints are taking delivery to home orders only. Bars, malls, theaters, offices, schools, and colleges are all closed. You switch on the television to watch the news and again it is all about the coronavirus.

You go through your social media feeds and COVID-19 is there, too. It is far too much to take in, and if you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed and panicked you are not alone.

But everyone is prepared, and want you to feel prepared, too.

The world has seen epidemics before and overcame those times. You are all in this together, and it is vital that you all stay calm and work together.

If you see yourself feeling stressed about the situation, this article written by Psychologist Shivani Misri Sadhoo based in Delhi is for you.

Psychologist Shivani Misri Sadhoo shares essential tips to control your fear and anxiety during the times of COVID-19.

Ensure You Are Getting The Verified Facts

News and information about the COVID-19 pandemic is everywhere. Local news, online news sources, social media feeds everyone seems to have information, and they definitely all have opinions. Staying updated is vital, but you will want to ensure that who you are listening to and getting it right.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a grave situation, and you must take your cues and your facts from a verified source only. For information regarding the coronavirus, including symptoms, how to protect yourself, who is at higher risk, resources for the community and others. It is recommended that using recommend using govt sources as your primary source of truth.

Healthwise Look To Stay Fit

You must always keep your health as a priority, especially, during a pandemic, staying healthy becomes more crucial than ever.

Never forget about your health. You need to stay healthy to lower your risk of contracting any illness, including COVID-19. Staying healthy means eating healthy, drinking plenty of water and getting good sleep and exercising daily. These healthy habits will also assist you lower and manage the stress of handling the changes and challenges you face during these times.

Try To Manage Your Anxiety And Fear

There is a lot of uncertainty regarding the COVID-19. How long will it last? How grave will it get? But bear in mind, there are plenty of things about the coronavirus you do know and you are learning more about it daily.

It may sound counterintuitive, but 1 of the finest ways to manage your fear of the unknown is to prepare yourselves for the fact that uncertainty does exist.

Currently, no one can say how long this will last. But it would be realistic that everyone should all prepare for a quite unusual next few months, simultaneously one should also prepare for this to go on for even longer than that.

In the meantime, it is critical to counter anxiety and fear with the things that make you relax.

If you need to unwind, listen to music and talk to your loved ones especially when you are confined to your homes.  Do remember to practice social distancing as you meet others.

You can also overcome the fear of the unknown by paying attention on what you can control, like understanding your role in preventing the spread of coronavirus and maintaining the normalcy as much as you can.

Take Complete Advantage Of Your Home Stay

In the beginning, social distancing may sound uncomfortable but you might want to look at it as an opportunity. Consider utilizing this time at home to catch up on the kinds of stuff that get put on the backbench of a busy and hectic life.

·         Try to do the following while at home:

·         Do house-related chores like cleaning and washing.

·         Read books

·         Call and Chat with friends and relatives

·         Indulge in your hobbies.

·         Spend time with family members

Practice Meditation And Mindfulness

It is essential to stay updated on the COVID-19 pandemic, but fixating on it could lead to unwanted stress. After catching up on the news, you may look to set aside time for mindfulness, meditation or prayer.

Long, deep breaths, concentrating on the present, and taking some time to be grateful for what you have are all wonderful ways to re-align yourself and bring a sense of calmness to your life.

Your Counselor Is Now Just Skype/Video Call Away

During the current challenging time, it’s common to experience anxiety, depression, sleeplessness, and relationship challenges at home. While you are under lockdown and maintaining social distancing norms to help the country to control COVID-10 spread, your very own counsellor Shivani is now just a call and Skype video call away from you.

However, in this age of coronavirus, we hope to offer our therapeutic help.  Change is difficult for all of us and changing the way you meet with your therapist is no exception.  But try it before you disregard this option.  This is a challenging moment in time, and fears and anxieties are running high. 

You may find, telepsychology isn’t a second-rate option.  Instead, it’s an effective and efficient upgrade to a valuable service! 

Feel free to call Counselor Shivani Misri Sadhoo at +91-8860875040 for telephonic or video support and to book an online counselling session to address any relationship issues, emotional and psychological challenges.

For several couples, being stuck inside together in their little spaces for a certain week seems like a dream come true. But for other couples, this might be their worst nightmare. From what has been heard, that some couples quarantined together are already losing their minds and you have got a long way to go.

As you are all being told to follow and practice social distancing, and even in certain cases, being instructed not to leave the house completely unless for critical purposes, couples are being quarantined together for an indefinite period of time. If you are feeling stressed out about the effects of coronavirus on your relationship, understand that you are not alone, and your anxious reaction to being quarantined with your partner is just normal.

Today, Delhi based Psychologist, Marriage Counselor and Relationship Expert Shivani Misri Sadhoo shares a few tips to keep your relationship away from destroying during quarantine and lockdown.

How To Maintain Your Relationship?

Any kind of sudden change takes plenty of time to adjust to, and when you are all navigating something unprecedented such as the Covid-19, further beings asked to work from home and being around your significant other round the clock, this is plenty of changes at once. There’s also, plenty of uncertainty right now, and your stress levels are high. So, being suddenly enclosed in an apartment or home with your partner round the clock, when you are not used to it, with everything else, is a lot for your mind has to cope with.”

In order to assist, you cope with all of these modifications, here are some of the tips that could be helpful.

Make Some Time For Alone Time

Alone time every day is essential. Everybody needs time for themselves and it cannot only be when you use the bathroom. Take time to be alone whether this is to simply breathe, text with a friend, sleeping, read and whatever that you are interested in. The crucial thing is to take time to be with you, yourself, and only you.”

Try to arrange timing with your partner, that way, when you are having your alone time, your partner can have theirs, as well. You both require time apart from each other to reboot and make sure that you do not rip each other’s eyes out.

Make A Schedule

Several amongst you are struggling to keep a normal schedule presently, which is a sad thing because most of you rely on schedules for a sense of stability and even to counter things such as anxiety and depression.

Couples need to sit down together and come up with a tentative schedule to add some structure and make things seem a little normal. This is specifically helpful for couples navigating working from home together that too for the first time, or being around each other more than normal. You can also use this period to set some normal ground rules about noise or interruptions while working.

Keep In Touch With Outside World

Sadly, during this period, this is not possible (actually, possible but quite ill-advised PLEASE do not do it unless it is a sort of an emergency. The total objective of social distancing is to avoid the spreading of germs, and that only is possible when you all stay home. But, thanks to modern technology, there are several ways to communicate with others. Do not neglect relationships with friends and loved ones who are not your partner.

Ensure that you have 1 to 2 phone calls every day with other people that are helpful to your mental health and overall sanity and connection. Plan video chats or phone calls with at least a friend or family member daily. It is paramount to maintain your other relationships, even while you are mainly with your partner.

Learn How To Communicate Better

Communication is a base in every relationship, but when you are quarantined together all round the clock, communication is even more essential. Part of this is learning to fight well-meaning being compassionate, and not engaging in ridiculing, name-calling, or shaming. You are all going to lose it for what sounds like no reason, you are going to be rude or not the best version of yourself and that is fine, you need to give yourself and your partner a grace.

Use This Time To Your Advantage

If you are amongst those couples who live together but rarely ever sees each other due to conflicting work schedules or social lives, this is the time to reconnect. Although it does not feel good to be trapped at home, you can still utilize the most of it and do fun activities with your partner.

Here are some of the things that you can do.

·         Spend extra time, learn and explore new things about each other.

·         Play games together.

·         Clean, redecorate and make your home look good.

Coronavirus has pushed the world into uncertainty and the continuous news about the pandemic can seem relentless. All of this is taking its toll on the majority of people’s mental health, especially those already living with conditions such as anxiety and OCD. The question arises how can you protect your mental health?

Being concerned or worried about the news is acceptable, but for several people, it can make existing mental health problems even worse.

Today, Delhi based Psychologist and Marriage Counselor Shivani Misri Sadhoo tells how you can protect your mental health and be prepared during this pandemic.

The fear of getting out of control and unable to bear the uncertainty are common characteristics of several anxiety disorders. So, it is understandable that various people with pre-existing anxiety are having challenges at the moment.

Plenty of anxiety is rooted in worrying regarding the unknown and waiting for something to happen, coronavirus is that phenomena

So the question remains how can one protects his/her mental health? Take a look at some of the most important things that one needs to follow not just if one has anxiety or OCD related problems but for general people as well.

Restrict The News And Be Cautious What You Read

Reading and listening to plenty of news about coronavirus has the potential to led to panic attacks for some.

When one is feeling anxious his/her thoughts could spiral out of control and one starts thinking about disastrous outcomes. One usually, is worried about his parents, family, and people he knows.

Normally when one suffers one can get away from a situation. But this situation seems beyond control.

Having considerable time spending away from the news, websites and social media can help one to manage their anxiety.

• Restrict the duration of time you spend reading or watching things that are not making you feel better. If possible, decide on a particular time to check in with the news
• There are plenty of wrong information moving around stay well informed by sticking to trusted and authenticate sources of information like government websites.

Take Break From Social Media And Mute Notifications

Some people have health anxiety and feel necessary to stay informed and find out the subject. But at the same time, they know that social media can be a trigger.

One randomly clicks on a link or hashtag and sees all kind of unverified content and it could make some really anxious and indecisive.

Now one needs to be extremely careful about which profiles or links he/she checks and avoid clicking on coronavirus related materials. Trying listening to songs or reading books instead of using social media.

• Mute or unfollow news, contents that could be triggering on any social media platform you are using.
• Mute or exit WhatsApp groups if you find them too bothersome.

Stay Connected With People

The number of people in self-isolation may increase so it could be a good time to ensure you have the right contact numbers and email addresses of the people, you care about the most.

If you are in lockdown the feel connected to the people around you.

• If you are self-isolating, have a balance between maintaining a routine and making sure every day has some variety.
• It may end up actually seeming like quite a productive number of days or weeks. You can work regarding your important tasks or read a book that you were not able to do it until now.

Clean And Wash Your Hand But Not Exorbitantly

OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) people might be seen in the increase in assistance requests from people whose fears have become centered on the coronavirus pandemic.

For individuals having OCD and some form of anxiety, being consistently told to wash your hands can be particularly difficult to hear.

People living with the fear of contamination is one aspect of having OCD. The constant advice or reminders about handwashing can be a big trigger for people who have recovered.

It is quite difficult because one has to do some of the behaviors that he/she has been avoiding.

The matter is to look out for is the function, for instance, is the washing being carried out for the suggested amount of time to decrease the risk of spreading the virus or it is simply being done ritualistically in a particular order to feel simply well?

• People with OCD, getting normal means being able to leave the premises, so self-isolating can pose another challenge.
• If one is forced to stay at home, one has lots of time on their hands, monotony and boredom can make OCD worse.

Prevent Burnout

It might be possible that there will be several weeks and months of the coronavirus pandemic ahead, it is vital to have downtime. Be mindful, continue to access nature and sunlight whenever possible. Do physical activities, eat healthily and stay hydrated. Practice the following things.

Accept: Observe and acknowledge the uncertainty when it comes to mind.

Halt: Do not react as you usually do. Do not react at all. Halt and breathe.

Withdraw: Tell yourself this is simply the worry talking, and this obvious need for certainty is not supporting and not necessary. It is just a thought or feeling. Do not believe everything you think. Thoughts are never a statement or realities.

Let Free: Let free your thought or feeling. It will pass. You do not have to respond to them. You could imagine them floating away in the form of a cloud or bubble.

Search: Observe or search the present moment, because presently, at this moment, all is fine. Check your breathing and the sensations of it. Look the ground beneath you. Look around and observe what you see, hear, touch, and smell currently. Then shift your center of attention to something else on what you require to do, on what you were doing previously prior you noticed the worry, or do something different mindfully with your total concentration.

Some people have one or more phobias, with women slightly more prone to develop one than men. One of the most common phobias across the globe is arachnophobia, an attenuate fear of spiders as per psychology. In this article, Delhi based Psychologist and Marriage Counselor Shivani Misri Sadhoo talks about the fear of Arachnophobia and how to come out of it?

Definition Of Arachnophobia

Arachnophobia derives from the Greek word for spider, that is Arachne and Phobos the Greek word used for fear. This extreme fear of spiders and other 8-legged arachnids such as the (scorpions) could actually be an evolutionary response: spiders, especially the poisonous ones have long been associated with illness and infections.

You might know several species of spiders are poisonous and bite, and you know this from pure experience, science, biology, television, movies and seeing other people get bitten. Thus, when one sees a spider nearby a natural response is to feel feared and avoid the spider.

In several people, the fear of spiders evoke a disgust response, People with high-grade arachnophobia have such a high aversion to spiders that they might be afraid to go into their basement or garage since a spider may be present. If they face a spider, they might actually leave the house rather than to deal with it.

When it creates such anxiety that it prevents one from taking part in activities that one wants or need to do, or manifests itself in a manner that it can be physically and mentally disturbing you know your fear of spiders has become irrational.

Causes

Just like other phobias, arachnophobia can develop in a person because he sees the reaction to spiders of others with the phobia. For them, it is a learned response it makes an impact when they see a family member scream in terror and run out of the room at the very sight of a cobweb. It is theorized that a fear of spiders is impacted by one’s cultural background. In specific parts of Africa, large spiders are feared, but in South Africa, spiders are eaten, people could be unafraid of them. If you have had a frightening experience involving a spider, such as a spider bite, chances are that one will be more likely to develop arachnophobia.

Symptoms

Symptoms related to arachnophobia may occur initially in childhood or adolescence. It can also happen to an adult. These are the following symptoms:

·         Dizziness

·         Trembling and sweatiness

·         Feelings of losing control

·         Rapid heartbeats

·         Hot and cold flashes

·         Chest pain

·         Feeling of choking

·         Nausea and other gastrointestinal distress

Treatments

Mostly, a combination of counseling and medication can be used to treat arachnophobia. Relaxation methods such as meditation also can be quite helpful in the treatment of arachnophobia.

As in other phobias, arachnophobia can also be treated with exposure therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). In cognitive-behavioral therapy, the therapist attempts to replace the negative automatic thoughts linked with spiders with more rational thoughts. A therapist might use systemic desensitization to treat arachnophobia. This is the method of learning relaxation techniques and then countering your fears from what one fears the least to what one fears the most.

With the assistance of cognitive reframing, an individual can learn to modify the way he looks at spiders so that he no longer perceives them as a threat. Eventually, an individual can change his physical reaction to seeing a spider.

Sometimes, medications such as an antidepressant or an anti-anxiety may be prescribed along with psychotherapy.

How To Come Out Of Fear

Read about spiders. You will learn that they scarcely bite people unless they feel threatened. Sometimes, a spider bite can create an allergic reaction. However, bites from certain spiders like the poisonous black widow and the brown recluse spider can be dangerous, still, most spider bites are harmless.

Bearing in mind the spiders normally and that includes the much-dreaded black widow and brown recluse-bite only in self-defense when they get trapped between your skin and another object. Also, you must be aware that while there are more than 63,000 species of spiders in the world, only 2% of them are dangerous.

Steer away from spiders, store firewood outside to avert bringing spiders inside the house. Install tight-fitting screens on your doors and windows, and cover off any cracks where spiders might enter. Ensure there are no rocks or lumber right outside your house since spiders like hanging out in those areas.  Make certain your attic and garage are free of cobwebs.

Discuss your fear of spiders with your loved ones and tell them you are getting treated for your condition.  You can ask your physician to recommend a professional therapist who can help you overcome your arachnophobia.

Stubbornness comes mostly with a bad reputation. The definition of a stubborn personality has gathered a false perception of negative traits that includes the following excessive ego, unwillingness to be wrong, ill-tempered, self-centric, fearful of the unknown, controlling, hyper-competitive and defensive.

Where is the other side of the coin? Stubbornness carries excessive of a negative persona, but it can be quite an asset.

Here Psychologist and Marriage Counselor Shivani Misri Sadhoo tells about a few great things about being stubborn.

Stubborn Person Know What He Does Or Does Not Want

Simply because of a stubborn person is not easily moved by opinions, or follows the path of pleasing others, it does not mean the person is self-centric

It is fine to be able to have a stubborn aspect so you can stick to your true values without allowing the opinions of others to affect you.

They Tend To Be More Decisive

A stubborn person is aware of what he wants and what he does not and looks to be more decisive and prompter to the point. For someone having a passive personality, this can come across in the wrong light.

A stubborn person can simply burn a passive personality, and make the person feel like a victim or decisions are being forced on them, but that is only with the faulty choice of the passive. A stubborn person is not every time high-headed in their attempt to control others but in their knowingness of what is good for them or the circumstances. Unless it is a pure ploy to rebel or hurt the other individual, doing what you know is good for yourself is not a bad thing. In fact, it can be a quite healthy act.

They Have Their Own Way

Following your heart takes true determination since, the path of the heart tends to be filled by intuition. It has the habit to move towards the unconventional and can seem illogical to others

However, a stubborn person moves past all the obstacles. They stick to their belief because being stubborn allows detachment from external influences.

They Persevere

A stubborn person has lesser tendencies to give in or give up on their aspirations. If you are stubborn, you can use it to your benefits in all aspects of your life. If you go through a tough breakup, failed academic plans, dream job or whatever else, you can be stubborn for your own self.

It will be beneficial for your well-being to persevere through the torrid patches of life and keep moving ahead. Do not give in to the overly critical people saying that you are too harsh on yourself. As long as you are in tune with your values and pursuits, you can go the distance.

Simply know that being stubborn does not necessarily mean you are totally rigid in your ways; it only means you know what you want and where you are. A stubborn person never settles for less than what he/she wants.

They Have A Mind Of Their Own, They Are Not Close Minded

Being stubborn persons does not always mean one is close-minded. There are a lot of stubborn individuals who open their ears to other’s views they just may decide to not be affected due to their own values, opinions or upbringings.

Whatever the case could be, stubborn persons have a mind of their own, which can be a valuable asset in life. This life is your own, and being stubborn can be a very appealing quality because having the willingness to listen only to your soul creates a particular magnetism.

Deep down, everyone wants to have the willpower to do exactly what their hearts ask for and stubborn person tend to chase their dreams being more focussed.