When most people think of schizophrenia or psychosis, they picture the "positive" symptoms, active experiences like hallucinations or delusions. However, for many families that include a member with schizophrenia or psychosis, it is often the "negative" symptoms that create the greatest challenge for daily living. These symptoms don't represent the presence of a behavior, but rather the absence or "thinning" of normal functions.
At Anne Burkart Counseling LLC in Kansas City, MO, I work with individuals and caretakers to bring awareness to these quiet struggles and provide a path forward through specialized therapy.
The Impact of Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms can often be mistaken for laziness or depression, but they are neurological features of the condition. They include:
- Avolition: A significant decrease in the motivation to initiate and perform self-directed, purposeful activities.
- Alogia: Difficulty using speech or a reduction in the amount of spontaneous talk.
- Anhedonia: A diminished ability to experience pleasure from positive stimuli or a loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities.
- Affective Blunting: A reduction in the intensity of emotional expression, often manifesting as a flat voice or limited facial expressions.
For a person experiencing these, the world can feel joyless and insurmountable. Without the right support, they may withdraw further into isolation.
How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp) Helps
As a therapist, I utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for psychosis to help individuals in my Kansas City, MO, office and through telehealth re-engage with their lives. This is a structured, skill-based approach designed to break patterns of avoidance.
Our work together focuses on several practical strategies:
- Behavioral Activation: We identify small, manageable steps to increase activity levels and break the cycle of avolition.
- Social Skills Training: Through structured practice, we rebuild the confidence needed for social interaction, helping to ease the impact of alogia.
- Savoring Techniques: We practice specific exercises to help the individual notice and "hold onto" small moments of pleasure, directly pushing back against anhedonia.
- Behavioral Experiments: We test out maladaptive beliefs, like the idea that an activity won't be rewarding, to see if the reality matches the expectation.
Support for Families and Caretakers
Living with or caring for someone with these symptoms requires immense patience and specialized knowledge. My practice provides a space for families to learn how to encourage their loved ones without causing overwhelmed withdrawal. By staying focused on meaningful activity and structured learning, we can improve motivation and quality of life for the entire family unit.
Whether you are seeking in-person support in Kansas City, MO, or online sessions, help is available to bridge the gap between isolation and engagement. To schedule an appointment, call my office at (816) 753-7071.
