Procrastination is a common issue. A myth about procrastination is that the procrastinator is just being lazy. Procrastination typically results from avoiding discomfort in our lives or avoiding difficult emotions or stress. One important step towards addressing procrastination is asking yourself what you think and feel about a task or chore you are avoiding. Here [...]
Think about the term 'self-care' for a moment. What kinds of thoughts come to mind? Perhaps self-pampering like taking a warm bath, getting a manicure, or snuggling under a blanket. Maybe you're also thinking of self-care activities like taking a hike, going for a walk, or calling a friend. Self-care can include all of these [...]
Laughter is truly the greatest and most universal form of communication we as a species use on a daily basis. We all laugh. There are numerous physical and emotional benefits of laughing. It decreases levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Laughter increases endorphins and strengthens the immune system. A good laugh can also reduce blood [...]
Integrative mind-body health uses a whole-person-centered approach to restore mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. It considers environmental and lifestyle factors such as stress, nutrition, social connection, sleep, activity level and more to promote optimal functioning, mind, body, spirit, and emotions. Is one of your goals to live your best life? Do you wonder how to [...]
Very often I have people come in to see me and they want their anxiety gone. That's when I take out my wand, swish, and flick. Of course, nothing happens, so I'm either a muggle, my wand is broken, or it doesn't just go away. Obviously, it's the latter of the three, but that's OK. [...]
According to the recent article, A Mindful Brain, by writer Laura Vismara, an extensive body of research, carried out over the course of the past twenty years and supported by the relatively recent introduction of refined brain scanning technologies, suggests that practicing mindfulness meditation or just having a more mindful approach toward life can produce discernible changes in [...]
Mindfulness has been shown by researchers to strengthen body awareness, boost attention and increase the ability to regular emotions. Mindfulness teachers recommend it to us as a healthy way to experience the world and ourselves. At the same time, prevalence rates for trauma are high. As pointed out by David Treleaven, Ph.D. in his excellent [...]
As a licensed professional counselor, I have observed increases in clients reporting anxiety, with some reporting higher levels of anxiety than they've ever experienced before. You may even notice that those around you are talking more about anxious feelings. Perhaps you've experienced anxiety, or an increase in anxiety, yourself. There are probably a lot of [...]
My blog last month mentioned a book entitled Overcoming Depersonalization Disorder by Fugen Neziroglu, Ph.D. and Katharine Donnelly, MA as a good place to start for getting information about coming to grips with depersonalization. Well, it’s time for this month’s blog and this is the book I want to discuss. The Foreword for this book [...]
The book Depersonalization A New Look at a Neglected Syndrome by Mauricio Sierra is a scholarly review of this syndrome with an extensive listing of relevant research studies. Depersonalization can occur as a fleeting experience in adolescents as well as people facing life-threatening situations where its occurrence can be considered to be normal. People can [...]