THERAPIES
Cognitive Behaviourial Therapy (CBT)
We can’t always change our circumstances or situations we find ourselves in.
But we can change how we think about them, and eventually, how we feel about and react to them.
That, is the fundamental essence of CBT.
Cognitive Behaviourial Therapy sounds complex - how does it work?
CBT theory postulates that our thoughts, feelings and behaviors are interconnected linkages. A disturbance in one link has the propensity to affect another link, and if this disturbance is not resolved, an unhealthy or unhelpful thought or behaviour pattern may eventually emerge.
CBT identifies inaccurate negative thoughts, and actively challenges these thoughts through behaviour testing and modification. CBT helps people make sense of the bad thoughts or memories through conscious thought and behaviour modification.
In a nutshell, CBT involves the identification of unhelpful thought patterns that manifests into significant problems, the modification of dysfunctional thinking, and thereby encouraging a corresponding change in behaviour.
The Unhealthy (Quad)Cycle
One of the first steps when engaging in CBT is to understand the what, how, when and where our struggles manifest.
Your psychologist begins by identifying what some of your struggles are, working together with you to understand how your current thinking may be contributing to your negative feelings, and how that eventually leads to problematic behaviours reinforcing unhelpful thinking patterns.
Subsequently, your psychologist will facilitate a deeper understanding into when and where some of these thinking patterns are triggered. For example, certain situations may trigger thoughts that affect our feelings, behaviours and physiological sensations. This may lead to an unhealthy cycle that reinforces the negative thought patterns and the ensuing struggles as illustrated below:
Cognitive Distortions
Over time, this cyclical relationship sometimes lead to errors in thinking. These are known as cognitive distortions. All of us occasionally engage in them. They affect the way we see ourselves, the world and the people around us.
Sometimes, these cognitive distortions occur automatically or involuntarily. This can occur when these behaviors and thought patterns have become automatic responses – an example of an automatic response is when you wake up in the morning and brush your teeth without actually consciously thinking about what you are doing. These responses may be unhelpful and unhealthy as they may be ineffective (or in most cases, having the opposite effect) in relieving stress, elevating your mood or resolving conflict in the long run.
There’s a long list of cognitive distortions, but we’ll share several relatable ones:
Ψ Overgeneralisation:
“Everybody says I’m unfriendly” or “Nobody cares about me”
Ψ Moral imperatives (“Should” “Must” “Ought”):
“I must be friendly” or “I should have done better”
Ψ Magnification or minimisation:
“My day was horrible because a dog barked at me”, or
“A stranger complimented me today but I’m sure he didn’t mean it”
Ψ Mind reading:
“He shifted away from me. He must think I smell bad.”, or
“He didn’t smile at me. I think he doesn’t like me.”
Therapy (Cognitive Restructuring)
In CBT, by learning to identify, assess and confront cognitive distortions, we can deploy alternative strategies to challenge and overcome these unhelpful thoughts.
Through a combination of changing dysfunctional thoughts and learning alternative, healthier behaviours, we can employ a systematic approach in improving our emotions and behaviours. To give you a better idea of what CBT would entail, we’ll briefly introduce one of its commonly used techniques – cognitive restructuring. It is a process of helping individuals challenge negative or irrational thoughts, which are known as cognitive distortions. Cognitive restructuring involves learning and practicing certain techniques.
Here are three techniques that you can use:
Through a combiniation of an accurate comprehension of your thoughts, actively developing strategies against cognitive distortions, and planning healthier behaviours, CBT acts as a clinically effective first line of psychological defence.
In summary, CBT works.
CBT is scientifically-validated and evidenced-based.
Extensively research has shown that CBT is effective in addressing many psychological conditions such as major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, phobias, eating disorders, PTSD and others.
Developed on the back of the scientically validated Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) model, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is a cognitive-behavioural therapy developed specifically for the management of complex mental disorders such as Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).
DBT has also been shown to be highly effective in addressing suicidal behaviour.
Biosocial Theory and the effectiveness of DBT on BPD
The biosocial theory of borderline personality disorder postulates that individuals with BPD have a biological predisposition to emotional vulnerability. Emotional vulnerability can be understood as a measure of an increased sensitivity to emotional stimuli and an atypically heightened experience of emotion. Individuals who experience such vulnerability also face difficulty with emotional regulation.
Others who do not understand the difficulty of such experiences thus tend to invalidate the problems that such individuals face with emotional regulation. The negative environmental feedback can push the vulnerable individual toward developing BPD. This may manifest as increased emotional dysregulation and the use of maladaptive coping mechanisms.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Credit: UC San Francisco (UCSF)
The Three Cornerstones of DBT
DBT adopts three cornerstones in the management of BPD:
Validation
Validation refers to the clinician's role and responsibility in validating the sufferer’s emotional experiences and reactions. This extends to acknowledging that the problems the client experiences are difficult and that their behaviours, maladaptive or not, are understandable - which often may not be accepted by the client’s family or friends. Through validation, the clinician first aims to recalibrate the negative environmental feedback that the client has been experiencing for most of his or her life.
Dialectics
DBT borrows the philosophical idea of “dialectics” which refers to the understanding that everything consists of opposites. Any position thus has both a thesis and an antithesis. What is essential for balance is therefore a synthesis of the two. DBT exercises this philosophy in recognising the need for synthesis between:
Ψ accepting one’s emotional experiences and reactions and
Ψ changing dysfunctional behaviours and responses.
For example, while a clinician would validate a particular self-harm behaviour that a client engages in (ie. to let them know that it is a reasonable response to emotional distress), they would also have to identify that there exists other less consequential coping methods. Ultimately, DBT repeatedly conveys the idea that there are more adaptive methods to address their problems.
Mindfulness Mindful practices encourage the individual to focus on the present, thereby simultaneously decreasing anxiety and increasing self-awareness. This is effective for clients with BPD who have to endure tumultuous emotions and negative environmental feedback. Mindfulness can also be understood as a kind of acceptance-based strategy.
DBT Skills Training
The DBT practitioner then harnesses these cornerstones and works with clients to empower them with the four essential skills that will help them adjust and cope with behavioural issues. These skills are:
Join us at our next DBT group skills training session, every Saturday from 2 to 5pm.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT is the first of a ‘third wave’ of behavioral therapies which includes some you might have read about: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and so on.
‘Third wave’ therapies place a major emphasis on developing mindfulness skills.
“So what is ACT really about?
Don’t tell me it’s just learning to accept and commit to things?”
Well, yes… And no.
More specifically, the goal of ACT is to accept what is outside of our “sphere of influence” or personal control, especially unwanted private experiences which include feelings, thoughts, urges, and so on, and commit to productive actions that improve and enrich your life.
Seems easy, but is it really? A general objective of ACT is to help individuals develop psychological flexibility – the ability to remain in contact with the present moment, and being able to adjust or persist in behavior while staying true to your personal values.
Why should we develop psychological flexibility?
Ψ Staying dedicated to developing and maintaining healthy and valuable behaviors
Ψ Practicing a willing, open and accepting approach to psychological experiences which reduces psychological barriers to changing behavior
Ψ Improved awareness of your internal processes and external reality through mindfulness processes which allow behavioural choices to better fit the situations you are in
ACT abides by 6 core principles:
1. Cognitive Defusion
Ψ learning to perceive thoughts, images, memories and other cognitions in a nonjudgmental manner
Ψ recognizing them as what they are: pieces of language, words, and pictures
2. Acceptance
Ψ embracing unwanted or unpleasant emotions, thoughts, urges and so on
Ψ letting them come and go without struggling with them or giving them too much attention
3. Contact with the Present Moment
Ψ focusing on the present moment and fully engaging with what is happening
Ψ doing so with openness, interest and receptiveness
4. The Observing Self
Ψ being able to put yourself in an observer’s point of view from your thoughts, feelings and so on
Ψ being able to experience that you are separate from your internal experiences and not defined by them
Ψconsciously knowing that you are observing the experience, not in the position of experiencing
5. Values
Ψ understanding and recognizing meaningful core values and principles
Ψ which are important in helping you lead a fulfilling life
6. Committed Action
Ψ setting goals that are in line with personal values and beliefs
Ψ engaging in behaviors that are effectively guided by personal values to achieve the goals
Ψ practicing and committing to these behaviors
Each principle has its own methodology, practices, metaphors and so on, which means a lot of effort and practice is needed (it just sounds simple!).
Fun fact: ACT is highly effective in the management of depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, chronic pain, PTSD, anorexia, and even schizophrenia.
Did you know..
ACT was developed based on Relational Frame Theory (RFT), which is an empirically-based account of human language and cognition. It is a behavioural theory proposing that communication and human cognition stem from our ability to recognise and draw relational links between stimuli and events in our environment. You can read more about RFT here.
Schema Therapy
or Schema-Focused Cognitive Therapy (SFCT)
Let’s talk about Schema Therapy.
But first, what are Schemas?
Schemas are patterns and frameworks for how we view the world.
Think of them as mental roadmaps or “shortcuts” that help us to process large amounts of information we receive on a daily basis. Schemas help us to reduce the cognitive effort needed to order to classify this information within our heads. Schemas are developed from young age but can also be formed in adulthood.
And as you would have guessed by now, Schemas are hugely important in that they greatly affect the way we think and behave even without our conscious input.
Unhelpful schema patterns can therefore lead to negative or dysfunctional patterns of thoughts, feelings and coping methods. These can persist throughout life if left unaddressed. Some examples of unhelpful schemas are “nobody loves me”, “I’m a mess” and “something bad is going to happen”.
So how are maladaptive schemas formed?
Not having your core emotional needs met in childhood is a main factor in schema development. These core emotional needs are:
Ψ Secure attachment and feeling safe
Ψ Self-identity (autonomy)
Ψ Freedom of expression and ability to ask others for things you need
Ψ Being able to be spontaneous and play freely
Ψ Having appropriate boundaries - Parental lack of involvement or being overprotective can contribute to schema formation
Schemas can also be formed through:
Ψ Lack of affection shown to you in childhood
Ψ Experiences of abuse and trauma
Ψ Your parents’ behaviours - by observing them, you may identify or internalise their attitudes and behaviours, leading to the formation of schemas and/or coping methods.
So.. what is Schema Therapy?
Schema Therapy aims to meet the core emotional needs of clients in healthy ways. Schema Therapy helps to identify unhealthy schemas and coping methods, replacing them with healthier patterns of thought, feelings and behaviour. It can be used to address personality and mood disorders and has been found to be particularly useful in managing Borderline Personality Disorder.
The three stages in Schema Therapy are:
Identification of maladaptive schemas and coping methods through therapeutic interviews and questionnaires.
Identification of these negative patterns in the client’s daily life.
Active replacement of the negative thoughts, behaviours and coping methods with healthier ways.
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT)
Credit: YouTV
“I will never be good enough.”
It’s not surprising that in the age of instantaneous access to social media and constant scrutiny by frenemies, our external (and internal) critics are harsher than ever. But here’s the thing. Unhelpful self-criticism often leaves a devastating effect on your mental health and emotional well-being.
Who is Compassion-Focused Therapy for?
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) was designed to help those suffering from mental health issues triggered by emotions such as shame or fear, to cope and feel better. Developed based on the theory of evolution, CFT considers the interactions between our social motivation systems (like companionship, forming hierarchies and groups, and need for belonging) and our 3 emotional systems, and highlights that a balance between these systems is crucial for our mental health and emotional well-being.
Our emotional systems are:
1. Threat response system
Ψ serves to help us notice threats quickly
Ψ associated with feelings of anxiety, anger or disgust
Ψ elicits fight, flight or submission responses
2. Drive system
Ψ emotion & motivational signals guide us towards important resources like food, alliances, etc
Ψ associated with feelings of excitement, energized, ‘hyped up’
Ψ elicits motivation to seek out things
3. Safety system
Ψ feeling content or safe when not threatened and not seeking resources
Ψ associated with feelings of peacefulness, positive well-being, being ‘soothed’
Ψ elicits care, warmth, acceptance, kindness
Unfortunately, it isn’t always possible to find a balance between the 3 systems. This balance is affected by countless factors and the pressures we face in our everyday lives make it even harder to maintain the balance. When this balance is upset, it throws our lives into disarray.
Take our threat response system for example; a small degree of stress brought about by an imminent threat can be a powerful motivator to take immediate action. However, once those stress levels become unmanageable, it is more likely that you will fail in whatever action you are taking (from stress hormones and all that jazz, which has been known to cause younger jazz musicians a considerable degree of stress).
Overusing your drive system in an endless pursuit of checking boxes can increase stress levels from that possibility (threat) of failing. And we all know where this goes. A bowl full of agitation, disappointment and shame for our inner critic to feed on.
And yes, although these systems were initially used by our ancestors for physical survival, human society has evolved to the point that our systems react not just to physical stimuli, but also mental ones. Negative self-criticism and issues with self-image often place our systems under more pressure than they can handle.
All in all, CFT is meant for those suffering from mental health issues reinforced with high levels of shame and self-criticism. It teaches practical skills to help people bring into balance the brain’s three emotional systems so they can self-soothe and deal with difficult emotions such as Anger, Shame, Anxiety, Fear, Depression, and Self-Criticism.
Fun fact:
What does compassion in CFT mean? Compassion in CFT refers to specific attributes and skills which therapy will help to instill into individuals. For example, some attributes of compassion are empathy, care for well-being and sensitivity to distress. Learning about the attributes can give you an idea of how compassion feels like, and learning the skills can assist you in building a compassionate relationship with yourself and others.
What is transformational chairwork?
In its most basic form, transformational chairwork involves two chairs placed apart and facing each other.
One chair is occupied by the client while the other remains empty. Chairwork is sometimes also referred to as the “empty chair technique”.
Chairwork per se is not a form of therapy by itself but is a therapeutic tool. It is often used in Gestalt Therapy. This tool allows clients to visualise “speaking” directly to an aspect of themselves, or a person from their past, present or future. This person may be unavailable for face-to-face communication. For example, they may be a deceased family member, the client’s unborn child or an ex-husband who lives far away.
Why does it work?
Chairwork allows clients to act scenes out and speak from their true inner self. Imagining and acting out these scenes helps with unfinished situations and unmet needs. Chairwork can be used for a range of mental disorders, like mood disorders, personality disorders, childhood trauma and unresolved grief.
How is chairwork conducted in therapy?
Two basic versions of chairwork are the “Empty Chair” and “Two-Chair” versions.
Ψ “Empty Chair” version:
The client occupies one chair while the other chair is “occupied” by an important individual from the client’s past, present or future. The client imagines this individual in the other chair and talks to the person, expressing how they feel and the things they wish to tell the person.
Ψ “Two-chair” version:
The client moves between two chairs during the conversation. In this version, the client also role plays the other person. Clients may also have a conversation with two aspects of themselves. For example, a client who is suffering from substance abuse may speak from the part of self who wants to change and the part that is experiencing inertia to change.
Make an appointment with Dr Annabelle Chow if you feel that you could benefit from Transformational Chairwork.
Transformational Chairwork
Credit: Dr. Todd Grande
6 years. Its a long time.
But that is the statistical duration of time that would have lapsed before most couples in need will seek therapy. And by the time things become truly intractable, the negativity between the partners would have become gravitationally overwhelming.
Which is why it is important to identify teething issues that don’t go away and seek intervention at an early stage. Together with your significant other.
Often, the issues that arise are manifestations of the conflicts between two persons with differences in perspective, outlook or experience. The first step in the reconciliation process is to accept that no one person is a singularity unto him or herself; we are all made up of different “selves” forged from the fires of experience: our experiences growing up, our family history, our frendships, achievements and setbacks and more. Being in a relationship with a significant other means a relationship not just with the “self” that your partner presents to you under perfect conditions, but also the full range of their different “selves”.
Dr Annabelle is trained in Gottman Method Couples Therapy and utilises the Gottman Method Couples Therapy in their couple therapy work. The Gottman Method Couples Therapy identifies “nine principles” that the couple must work through together in order to nourish and maintain their association, and the “four horsemen” responsible for the destruction in a relationship and which are found much less frequently in healthy relationships.
Find out more about the Gottman Method at the Gottman Institute.
Couple Therapy
featuring The Gottman Method
Credit: Gottman Institute
Group Therapy
DBT Group skills training
Caregiver Support Groups for BPD
Mindfulness-based stress reduction
Anxiety Management
Caregiver Support Groups for PWD
A note on group therapy sessions we conduct
Our groups are conducted in a safe and open environment - no participant should feel ridiculed or threatened by any other participant at any time. We will not hesitate to ask an offending participant to leave our group sessions.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) group skills training
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) utilises a cognitive-behavioral approach that emphasizes the psychosocial aspects of therapy. The theory behind the approach is that some people are prone to react in a more intense and out-of-the-ordinary manner toward certain emotional situations, primarily those found in romantic, family and friend relationships. DBT theory suggests that some people’s arousal levels in such situations can increase far more quickly than the average person’s, attain a higher level of emotional stimulation, and take a significant amount of time to return to baseline arousal levels. It is a cognitive-based, support-oriented, and higly collaborative type of psychotherapy.Join our next DBT group skills training session, every Saturday from 2 to 5pm.
Caregiver Support Groups for Borderline Personality Disorders (BPD)
The journey of a caregiver can be a stressful one.The burden of the heavy responsibility falls solely uponb the caregiver. Being a caregiver for a loved one with BPD is a role with its own unique set of challenges. If you are playing such a role and have been struggling to find your rhythm in caregiving, we hope these tips may be able to help you on your journey.
Here are 7 steps to keep in mind.
1. Educate Yourself about BPD
Knowing more about BPD can help you understand certain behaviors that the individual you are caring for exhibit, for example, some impulsive or irrational actions and/or reactions to words you said or things you did. You can read more about BPD here.
Understanding the reasons behind these behaviors may help you realise that they may not be targeted at you, but rather a way for the individual to reduce his own suffering and pain. When you understand and accept what is going on, you may then be able to think of different ways to handle these behaviors again when they arise in healthy and constructive ways.
2. How to Support Management of BPD
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based cognitive-behavioral therapy tailored to help individuals manage BPD. The overall idea of DBT is to help individuals recognise and change unhealthy and unhelpful thinking and behavioural patterns, emotion regulation strategies and interpersonal patterns.
3. How to Communicate Better
4. Coping with Self-Destructive or Suicidal Behaviors
The intense emotions most individuals with BPD feel can include guilt and shame, which could result in them engaging in impulsive and unhealthy behaviors which include self-harm and attempting suicide.
Firstly, always remember that if in the moment that the individual you are caring for is attempting suicide, call 995 for an ambulance or bring the person to the A&E department of a nearby hospital immediately, as emergency hospital personnel are better equipped and would know how to deal with such cases.
However, in the case that the individual may just be contemplating these behaviors, try and talk to him or her, or his or her psychologist, about healthier alternative ways to cope with distress. Although you should take all suicidal threats and behaviours seriously, also notice your own reaction to the situation. Stay calm, be direct, tell the individual not to do it, ask to listen to how he or she is feeling and validate his or her emotions. In an emergency, again, call for an ambulance or bring the person to the A&E immediately.
We also have an article here for you to share, for individuals who have survived a suicide attempt.
5. Set & Enforce Healthy Boundaries
This can help the individual learn to better adapt and respect boundaries with others in society and in different contexts. Boundaries can give more structure and stability in your relationship, especially when the situation can get volatile and unstable quickly. When you are setting boundaries with them, constantly remind them of the reasons behind setting boundaries and that there are consequences to crossing the lines.
This may be difficult initially as your relationship may not have been characterised by any boundaries previously, and the individual with BPD may find it difficult to accept these boundaries all of a sudden, especially seeing it as a form of you rejecting or distancing yourself from him or her. You have to stay firm, and remind the person repeatedly that you are doing this for the benefit of the relationship, restate the reasons for the boundaries and that it is important to you that the boundaries are kept. Also remind the person you do care about him or her.
Remember to make realistic boundaries that can be kept by both parties, also realistic consequences that can be kept and enforced in the case that boundaries are disrespected.
6. Remember to Take Care of Yourself!
You can only give your best care if you are in a good condition to do so. If you are on the verge of burnout, overwhelmed and extremely stressed, this does not help you in any way. It is easy to get caught up trying to appease the other, putting all your energy into it while sacrificing your own needs in the process. However, this could be disastrous in the long-run for the relationship as there could be a build-up of resentment, depression and burnout. So here are some essential tips to ensure you are taking care of yourself:
Ψ Avoid isolating yourself. Stay in touch with friends and family, set aside a date, every month or every two weeks, to go out with people who support you and care for you.
Ψ Protect your personal time. Give yourself enough time outside of caregiving. It is not selfish to care about yourself, relax and engage in some self-care. When you feel more relaxed, this will help you provide better care.
Ψ Take care of your physical health. Eat healthy, get enough exercise and sleep, and this will keep your mind and body healthy and happy. This also helps to regulate stress and your emotions.
Ψ Stress management. Practising stress management techniques such as yoga, meditation and other relaxation techniques can help you deal with stressful situations. Practice makes it easier to engage in these behaviors intuitively.
7. Remember: You are not at fault
You may feel guilt when the person you are caring for engages in self-destructive behaviour. You may be thinking that the care you are providing is not “good enough”. However, remember that you are not responsible for another person’s actions, behaviors, thoughts, recovery, or even the illness. It is not in your power to fix it, cure it, or even control it. The best that you can do, is to offer support and care. It is not your responsibility to cure the person. Remind yourself you are there to care for them, not take on their issues as well.
If you find yourself needing someone to talk to desperately, and no one you know is available, here are some hotlines you can call as a caregiver to receive some help. Remember that you are deserving of care as well.
Hotlines
AWWA Centre for Caregivers: 1800 299 2992
Monday – Friday: 8.30am – 5.30pm
Caregivers of disadvantaged people i.e. elderly or disabled individuals
Caregivers Alliance:
River Valley HQ: 6460 4400
IMH: 6388 8631 / 6388 2686
CGH: 9736 9170
24 Hrs
Caregivers of people with mental illness
Annabelle Psychology works with the Caregivers Alliance. Caregivers in need of support might wish to attend the Caregivers Training Programme.
Caregivers’ Association of the Mentally Ill: 6782 9371
24 Hrs
Caregivers of people with mental illness
Dementia Helpline (Alzheimer’s Disease Association)
Monday – Friday: 9am – 6pm
TOUCH Care Line: 6804 6555
Monday – Saturday (except Public Holidays): 9am – 9pm
Caregivers of the elderly
Anxiety Management
Persons suffering from anxiety go about their daily lives experiencing various levels of debilitation. High levels of anxiety may even affect critical decision-making processes and impair judgement.
Our anxiety group therapy focuses on equipping you with the tools to identify anxiety in its early stages and impart techniques to allow you to effectively manage anxiety through achieveable steps. We will also go through the psychology of anxiety and decision-making, and how you can maintain an open mind while copying with anxiety.
Join us for an evening of exploration and instruction on the "Twin-Tools" to manage anxiety: Mindfulness and Meditation. We will also explore common issues associated with anxiety disorders, including Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, and specific phobias.
We encourage participants to attend our sessions together with a person who has been giving you care or supporting you.
Caregiver Support Groups for Persons with Dementia (PWD)
Providing care to a spouse, elderly parent or family member who is suffering long term illness or dementia can be very rewarding but it also can be a distressing experience. The caregiver has to endure high levels of stress, lowered sense of well-being and a host of negative emotions. Caregiver stress can be particularly damaging, since it is typically a chronic, long-term challenge. Without adequate help and support, the stress of caregiving leaves you vulnerable to a wide range of physical and emotional problems, ranging from heart disease to depression. When caregiver stress and burnout puts your own health at risk, it affects your ability to provide care. The key point is that caregivers need care too. Managing the stress levels in your life is just as important as making sure your family member gets to his doctor's appointment or takes her medication on time. The practice of mindfulness has been found to be helpful in enabling caregivers to be more reflective thereby allowing them to tap into a wider range of coping skills. Mindfulness based exercises leads to the individual being less reactive and judgmental about upsetting thoughts and emotions. This can be combined with a cognitive-behavioural approach to enhance problem solving abilities, challenge their negative thoughts and assumptions and reengage in positive aspects of life.
Credit: Channel News Asia
What happens when the pressure of caregiving hits and you reach tipping point? Talking Point investigates. About the show: Talking Point investigates a current issue or event - offering different perspectives to local stories and reveals how it all affects you.