Relaxing does not always come easy to everyone. Dr. Kim DiRé shares a technique called progressive relaxation that she uses to help create a state of relaxation and equilibrium for your nervous system.
Did you know your brain never stops thinking? It is true, however most people do not pay attention to their thoughts on a regular basis. With mindfulness, though, we learn to pay attention to our thoughts and our emotions as well as the way we interpret things.
Curiosity is truly a great thing. It is the perfect antidote to boredom. Look around you and there are things you can be curious about. If you see something that you want to know more about – great! Grab your computer or phone and research it.
Life has its fair share of ups and downs. If you are struggling with depression, please hear this – it’s going to be OK! You matter and are worthy. It is OK to reach out and ask for help because no one – not one single person – has it all figured out. Everyone struggles from time to time.
We are taught as a child that life is not always fair, that things will not always go our way. However, as we grow into adulthood, it is easy to turn unfair situations into a time of self-pity, or even depression. Thankfully, there is an easy concept to avoid going down this path. Self-Compassion.
What is your first memory have shame? Perhaps it is from childhood after being placed in your first time-out. Or maybe you remember it more clearly in your teenage years. Whatever it may be, shame is a feeling we all struggle with and it is essential that we learn about overcoming shame and the steps to take to recover from it.
Are you part of the transgender community or do you identify yourself as being transgender? Do you have a healthy relationship with food? With your body?
The best practice for healthy eating is being consistent with your eating every day. But, before you can practice healthy eating, you need to know what that looks like for you. It may be different from one person to the next. So, ask yourself some questions.
Healthy Futures started offering individualized movement and exercise therapy and eating disorder programs in January of 2015. Their exercise wellness plans are designed specifically for people that are struggling with an eating disorder.
If you struggle with unhealthy behaviors, try a different technique. Imagine you have an itch. Feeling that itch now? Now, don’t scratch it! Instead, pause and think about it. Observe and describe the itch.
We know that loneliness depletes the immune system and is not beneficial to our long-term mental health. The simple way to combat loneliness is with kindness that connects us to our self and to others in a beneficial way.
Take a moment each day to listen to your body. Pause, take a deep breath and really listen. What is your body telling you? Do you feel tight? Do you feel the weight of stress on your shoulders? Do you feel rigid or stuck? Does it feel like you are almost holding your breath?
Emotions and behaviors go together. Feel fear, take flight. Feel angry, put up a fight. This works great to regulate our emotions when our emotions are justified. The cycle is complete and we come back to a balance. But, what do we do when we feel an emotion like fear, and there is no threat?
There is a skill you can use when you are feeling distressed, extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain. The next time you feel in a highly emotional state, use TIPPs as a way of managing stress, to change your physiology to feel more at ease.
A good way to bring balance and peace to your life is to do daily mindfulness exercises. If you are not familiar with this, take a look at a three-step summary of the mindfulness exercises that can change your life.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a great way to help clients cope with different issues. And, at its core is mindfulness, staying present. This is where we can stay focused and control our thoughts and feelings.
Often, the children who suffer from ARFID experience a choking sensation from the smells or the feeling of certain foods in their mouths. Vomiting is also not unusual. The experience of these sensations leads to the child avoiding or restricting certain foods. Malnutrition then becomes an issue with this disorder.
Are there some annoying people in your life that just get under your skin? You get stuck talking to them and leave feeling frustrated or even angry? They are people you’d just rather not talk to, but can’t avoid.
We all experience trauma to some degree or another in our lives. But, why do some people experience profound effects on their emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing? This can lead to symptoms of anxiety, depression, anger, addiction and chronic pain. To recover from trauma, we need to understand the triune brain.
Do you remember learning about the brain in science class years ago? Maybe you observed your teacher dissect the parts of the brain. The point of that lesson wasn’t to make you squeamish. It was to help you understand how the brain works so you could understand yourself and how you experience the world.
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