How Therapy Helped an International Royal Overcome Mental Health Struggles
Being a member of a royal family comes with a lot of privilege and power, but it also comes with a tremendous amount of responsibility, scrutiny, and pressure. This can lead to mental health challenges that require professional help to address.
As a therapist, I have had the privilege of working with several members of royal families, including international royals. In this article, I will discuss how I have helped an international royal through therapy, the challenges they faced, and the techniques and strategies that were effective in their treatment.
Challenges Faced:
Members of royal families face unique challenges that can impact their mental health. These challenges include:
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Lack of Privacy: Members of royal families are often in the public eye, and their personal lives are heavily scrutinised by the media and the public. This can lead to a lack of privacy, which can cause stress, anxiety, and depression.
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High Expectations: Members of royal families are expected to live up to certain standards and expectations, including how they dress, behave, and interact with others. This can create a lot of pressure, stress, and anxiety.
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Family Dynamics: The dynamics of royal families can be complex, with pressure to maintain appearances and relationships. This can lead to conflicts, tension, and emotional challenges.
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Trauma: Members of royal families may have experienced trauma in their lives, such as the loss of a parent, exposure to violence or war, or abuse. This trauma can lead to mental health challenges such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Treatment:
The international royal I worked with was struggling with anxiety and depression related to the challenges outlined above. We started with talk therapy, which involved discussing their feelings, experiences, and challenges. Through our discussions, I was able to help them identify negative thought patterns and behaviours that were contributing to their anxiety and depression. We also worked on developing coping strategies to manage stress and anxiety, including mindfulness techniques and deep breathing exercises.
One of the key strategies that we used was cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). CBT is a type of therapy that focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviours. We worked on identifying the irrational thoughts that were contributing to their anxiety and depression, and then we challenged those thoughts with evidence-based techniques. This helped them to develop more positive and realistic ways of thinking, which in turn improved their mood and reduced their anxiety.
Another technique that we used was exposure therapy. Exposure therapy is a technique that involves gradually exposing the person to the thing that they are afraid of or anxious about, in a controlled and safe way. In this case, we worked on gradually exposing the international royal to situations that they had been avoiding due to their anxiety. Through this exposure, they were able to confront their fears and learn that they could handle the situations without feeling overwhelmed.
Conclusion:
Therapy can be an effective way to help international royals and other members of royal families address their mental health challenges. Through talk therapy, cognitive-behavioural therapy, and other techniques, therapists can help these individuals identify negative thought patterns and behaviours, develop coping strategies, and improve their mental health and well-being. While being a member of a royal family comes with unique challenges, therapy can provide a safe and supportive space to work through these challenges and achieve positive outcomes.
