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June is Men’s Health Awareness Month. Try taking some time to speak to the men in your life, especially Black men. Black men are more likely to incur unhealthy eating habits, unhealthy habits like smoking, drinking, and possibly gambling. Often times, Black men need more support from the women and people around them in order to become the best version of themselves.
➰ Try to encourage the men in your life to try therapy. There are a multitude of Black therapists throughout the country. TLC recommends, Dr. Landon-Freeman of Pennsylvania is a Black male psychologist who works specifically with Black people. He is competent enough to not over or misdiagnose you! ➰ Men need to be reminded that they can experience emotions other than anger. For example, something as simple as facilitating a healthy space for your children to express themselves healthily can be all the difference. Candace Davis is TLC's Social Media intern. She has a penchant for writing about those with mental health struggles and all things social media.
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Grieving is one of the most difficult stages of life. Loss of a loved one is something we all face. What do you do when you lose someone you don’t know? In the wake of the mass shootings last month, you may have felt hopeless. If so, you are not alone. Here’s three ways to console yourself in the midst of a global tragedy.
Remember, not all coping mechanisms work for everyone. We're all different people with different emotions! What's important is relieving the heavy emotions you have in the healthiest way possible. This is a difficult time for a lot of people. Remember this as you face these issues head on. Candace Davis is TLC's Social Media intern. She has a penchant for writing about those with mental health struggles and all things social media. A relapse can be big or small. For example, maybe you took a sip of wine in celebration or binge ate whilst in recovery for an eating disorder or maybe you self harmed. All of these things are normal for someone in recovery. Here are five quick things to think about post-relapse:
Candace Davis is TLC's Social Media intern. She has a penchant for writing about those with mental health struggles and all things social media. Seeking counseling has always had a negative connotation, especially in BIPOC cultures. I know that in my culture, a lot of individuals do not want to seek counseling because they feel as though counseling is for “crazy people” or they do not want to be labeled. Sadly, they choose to deal with problems on their own or self-medicate which sometimes causes more stress and depression. Fortunately, more and more people are enlightened about how freeing counseling is, but there are still others who are uneducated about the importance and value of counseling.
4 Reasons why is counseling important:
Seek Counseling: Let’s ditch the stigma around seeking counseling when you need it. Look at it this way, if you see a doctor for your medical needs, why not see a counselor for your mental needs? I cannot stress enough how freeing and liberating counseling it is as it truly promotes a healthier way of living. If you ever thought about receiving counseling give it a try! Patricia Jallah is a Master Level Therapist Intern at TLC. She specializes in Substance Use Disorder treatment and works with teens (14-19 y/o), adults and seniors who also experience depression, anxiety and bi-polar disorder. Life requires that you make time for yourself, pamper yourself, and do things you enjoy. If you start lack motivation, feel helpless or defeated, you may be feeling the emotions of burnout.
Five Self-Care Ideas to Prevent Burn-Out:
Patricia Jallah is a Master Level Therapist Intern at TLC. She specializes in Substance Use Disorder treatment and works with adolescents (14-19 y/o), adults and seniors who also experience depression, anxiety and bi-polar disorder. For some people, in order to have fun, alcohol or other substances need to be involved. For instance, some individuals prefer to drink before a party to be more social or smoke marijuana to be more relaxed. In some situations, people may think that it is hard to find fun in sobriety due to lack of substances.
What if there are ways to enjoy sobriety? What if sobriety can be fun? 5 Ways to Enjoy Sobriety
Enjoy your sobriety Sobriety can be a fun, joyous thing! There is life beyond indulging in substances. In fact, sobriety can show you fascinating things about yourself and the world in a healthy way by finding things that you enjoy. Starting today, you can live a fulfilled life in sobriety. Patricia Jallah is a Master Level Therapist Intern at TLC. She specializes in Substance Use Disorder treatment and works with adolescents (14-19 y/o), adults and seniors who also experience depression, anxiety and bi-polar disorder. Cleaning isn't just for the spring time! People usually use the spring time to do a hard deep clearing of things in their home and other spaces. For that reason, it can be a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. This would be a great time to clear your spaces to help reduce some stress. Cleaning can also help you stay in the present moment by connecting with your spaces in a way you have never connected before. Start with one space at a time while using this mindful cleaning meditation. Below are two meditations (one with music & one without) to assist you. Please enjoy! Reynelda Jones is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist and Certified Mental Health and Integrative Medicine Provider. She is the founder of A Solution B, LLC private therapy practice in Michigan. Mindful Cleaning Meditation (with music)Mindful Cleaning Meditation (without music)What is a Body Scan Meditation? A body scan meditation is a meditation that helps you to become more in tune with your body. This meditation encourages you to become aware of tightness, flexibility and relaxed spots in your body. What do you do in a Body Scan Meditation? During the body scan meditation, you can either sit on the floor or lie down. After which, you will begin to focus on the contracting and relaxing muscles throughout the body. How can a body scan help me? Each person is different, so the results may vary. However, meditations have been shown to reduce stress, improve relationships, improve sleep, help with relaxation, improve the body’s ability to absorb nutrients and more. Is it best to use Music with a Body Scan Meditation? Your comfort level with music or without music is entirely up to you. For that reason, below are two meditation videos to assist you in finding which version of a body scan meditation works for you. Which video is which? The first video is a guided body scan meditation with only a speaking voice. There is no music in this video. The second video will have background music and a speaking voice. Both videos, follow the same script. Why is one video longer than the other? Sound can assist in the relaxation process. Because of this, the video was extended for individuals to utilize the background sound. Reynelda Jones is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist and Certified Mental Health and Integrative Medicine Provider. She is the founder of A Solution B, LLC private therapy practice in Michigan. Meditation Series Pt. 2: ---------------------------Self-Compassion ---------------------------11/28/2021 Everyone makes mistakes! After all, we're human. However, some of us are harder on ourselves than others after we make a mistake or three. Instead of hurling verbal insults at yourself, please know you are not alone . You can survive and thrive after mistakes and failures. Below is a meditation to assist you in exploring your ability to show self-love, self-compassion, and forgiveness to yourself. A guided meditation may feel different but it’s doable. This video can be used to start your healing. If you need additional support, I encourage you join a support group and/or go to individual or family therapy. Meanwhile, let’s get started with the meditation below. It was made with you in mind. Reynelda Jones is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist and Certified Mental Health and Integrative Medicine Provider. She is the founder of A Solution B, LLC private therapy practice in Michigan. Guest Blogger: Reynelda Jones, LCSW, CADS, CMHIMP The goal of this article is to share ways to find the areas in your life- where you can gain a sense of control, instead of allowing anxiety and other related disorders control you. I know that it is easier said than done! However, I encourage you to be open to applying some of the tips in this blog as to why adding mindfulness or movement meditation into your life is essential. Here are 4 top reasons why meditation should be a weekly component in your life. Stay tuned for parts 2-4. 1. Meditation improves mental and physical health: When a person experiences trauma it can physically change the brain’s wiring and structure. The area of the brain - the amygdala-which operates the “fight and flight” responses enlarges to compensate for the “on guard” mode it must default to in order to help an individual stay “prepared for danger” which may arise. However, research indicates that individuals who utilize meditation for at least 8 weeks not only reduce mental health conditions like anxiety and PTSD symptoms and physical health, but can also decrease the size of the amygdala leading to feeling more relaxed. Thus resulting in an increased ability to multitask and focused on the tasks at hand. 2. Meditation and Hygge: Hygge consists of creating memorable moments that often deliver “warm fuzzies.” Most of us desire to have positive experiences and moments to recall throughout our lives. This is even more so when a person has experienced unsafe and high stressed situations. Creating moments where you feel safe and at a state of rest is the ultimate relief for someone who experiences symptoms of high anxiety or hypervigilance from PTSD. Read more about Hygee-Mindfulness Intensified here 3. Meditations help improve relationships: Relationships are difficult because it consists of two people with different backgrounds, views, and values. Together they are working to find a way to make the two worlds cooperate. Although difficult, having more stress and different love languages can greatly increase the likely hood of an unsuccessful relationship. As meditation helps to relieve a couple from stress, each person is able to listen and be more present with his/her partner, thus leading the opposite partner to feel heard and understood. 4. Meditation is easy on the adrenal glands: The adrenal glands help to support the "fight or flight" response. When the glands have overworked the likelihood of illness, pain within the body and mind increases. Read here about Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome. Summary: Meditation provides a number of benefits such as the ability to improve focus, physically change the brain, reduce the overuse of adrenal glands, and reduce stress. Thus, this can improve your relationships with the people whom you love, as well as, improve your body’s overall functioning. Because of the benefits of meditation- various forms of meditation are available and are highly recommended as a tool to improve mental wellness and physical wellness. Stay tuned for parts 2-4 within this meditation series! Check out the free Body Scan Meditation below. Reynelda Jones is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist and Certified Mental Health and Integrative Medicine Provider. She is the founder of A Solution B, LLC private therapy practice in Michigan. Guest Blogger: Reynelda Jones, LCSW, CADS, CMHIMP
It is beneficial to start your day off in a positive way and just as important to end your day in a positive way as well. Each night, we go to sleep and wake up the next day to new opportunities and challenges. Yet, our interpretation of events (which is based on our own experiences, values and moods) can lead to us feeling as if our whole day was a waste. Over the years, I have been told by multiple people, "Make it a habit to not go to bed mad." Although, I agree with this statement, it was never clearly explained how to achieve this. I've had many opportunities working with my clients, as well as myself, to process the filter that so many of us live by to find the "glass half full." Throughout the day, often times our emotions get in the way of what is important and we ruminate on events and words that weren't meant to offend us, but somehow they did. Let's face it...even if the statements were meant to offend us, allowing those situations to "rent space" in our minds will definitely destroy our day. So, what do do you? Would you consider the day lost? Should you just aim for a better day tomorrow? Well, if the day isn’t over, I truly believe that you can make something good out of it. Let's look at 5 ways we can end our day on a positive note: 1. Say "yes" to yourself: Saying yes to yourself is difficult for many individuals because it feels selfish. Guess what?! It's OK to be selfish sometimes, when it is your mental and physical health on the line. When you say yes to yourself, you're saying the following: - Yes, I had a difficult day today - Yes, it has led me to stress and anxiety - Yes, I have to care for me and my health is just as important as anyone else. - Yes, self care starts right now...today...at this moment. Remember when you say yes to others’ needs, you are saying no to yourself. Don't make ignoring your needs or feelings a habit. Your feelings are not important. 2. Review your day: This is the best time to get out a piece of paper and pencil to create a gratitude list. Initially it may be difficult to create a gratitude list because your mind may continue to try to focus on all the things that went wrong, but I can assure you doing this is helpful. Here are some steps that may be helpful: - Replay your day from start to finish. - As you go through your day, write out the positive things or the events that did happen today that you are grateful for. Some examples to help: -Waking up today. -Waking up and seeing the sun was out. -Grateful you were able to speak to someone you cared about. -Grateful you made it to and from work. -Thankful you have a bed to sleep in. Writing is not only therapeutic, but it provides you with physical evidence that may be needed to review in the future...you know, when that mood comes back again. Remember don't disqualify the positives. Focusing on the positives can change your mood. It can, in a sense, help you view your day differently. 3. Take Inventory of what's around you: Now that we've reviewed the past events of the day, it is time to move your focus to the present moment. The best thing about this technique is that this can be done anywhere, anytime. You are simply utilizing your senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, feel and smell. Here’s some examples to get you started: --> Look around your room. --> Pay attention to what you see, what you hear, feel and smell. --> Count the different colors in the room. --> Count the amount of chairs. --> If you are chewing gum, take a brief moment and pay attention to the taste. --> Slowly breathe in and determine what you smell. --> Pay attention to what parts of your feet is touching the floor or bed. 4. Ensure your environment is conducive to relaxation: Focus on these questions: --> Is your room arranged in a way where relaxation is the ultimate goal? --> Is the room clear of clutter or organized? --> Are there any electronics on? If there are electronics on, how are they assisting with relaxation? --> Are the shades lower to promote a calming ambiance? If you need help with creating a calming space this may help you. 5. Tomorrow provides more opportunities: Lastly, simply remind yourself how you ended your day in a more positive way. When you arise tomorrow, you have evidence of your positive thoughts on the paper you wrote last night. You can start your day by reviewing it or return tomorrow and add more later. Recognize that tomorrow brings new opportunities and new challenges. Throughout your day practice using some of the coping skills mentioned above, which helped to create a more positive evening. Reynelda Jones is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist and Certified Mental Health and Integrative Medicine Provider. She is the founder of A Solution B, LLC private therapy practice in Michigan. Right now, you may be working more than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic and experiencing some level of burnout. Burnout can truly take a toll on you physically and emotionally, leaving you struggling with how to practice self-care. Whether you are on the front lines or an entrepreneur, burnout can wear and tear on you after a while. Burn-out is an occupational phenomenon and a condition resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.
When trying to prevent burn out, remember no two people are alike, so you can try a combination of regular exercise, practicing relaxation techniques, hobbies, or learning new coping strategies to deal with stress. The most important thing is to put aside some uninterrupted time to check in with yourself and identify how you're feeling. You can check in with yourself by doing a body scan, which includes identifying where, in your body, you feel, or are experiencing aches, pains, and other symptoms that may indicate the need for stress management. Ignoring the crucial clues that your body is trying to communicate to you will bring on more issues to an already stressful situation. There are a variety of burnouts, so different symptoms require different solutions. One intervention can be practicing targeted self-care! Self-care varies and looks different from person to person. Generally, self-care involves engaging in behaviors or activities that promote health and well-being to feel better physically and emotionally. However, humans are more than their physical body and emotions. I like to approach self-care from a model I coined as the "PEMSS" model - a holistic approach that is targeted for your specific needs when feeling burnout in these five areas: Physical, Emotional, Mental, Social and Spiritual. When you assess yourself for burnout accurately, you can implement applicable, direct self-care that will leave you recharged and rejuvenated. Looking at self-care from this approach will eradicate the challenge of identifying self-care behaviors that are ineffective for maintaining personal and professional well-being in the face of the unique demands of work and the current pandemic. If you are fine physically, but emotionally burnt-out, identify which of your emotions are running high or low impacting your mood. You could practice self-compassion with gentle, affirming words you say to yourself. You could practice self-compassion by taking the time to complete tasks. You could watch a funny movie to make you laugh. For pet lovers, cuddle with your pet to increase positive emotions. If you are fine emotionally but are physically burnt-out, try unplugging from social media to rest your mind. Based on the climate right now, you may not be able to take time off from work, but instead, you can read a good book to help shift your mind away from the pandemic. Not everyone likes to journal and practice self-reflection, however, thought dumping or journaling can be very therapeutic. I would also suggest drawing, coloring, doodling, doing a Zentangle, painting, listening to your favorite music, monitor your screen time (computers, phone, television) as needed, and most of all, ask for help and be open to receiving it. If you need spiritual self-care, pray and meditate in a space, even if it is your bathroom, to align and anchor yourself spiritually. If you have a patio or porch, do it outside in nature and practice deep breathing and relaxation before going to work and before bed. Lastly, set boundaries with your supervisor, co-workers, and/or staff. Sometimes, we do not know how to treat ourselves, overdo things, and push ourselves past a healthy limit. The choices we make are sometimes not made in our own best interest even when we want to say or do otherwise. When you set boundaries with yourself, you learn how to monitor your behavior and create a healthy structure for your life overall so it can run smoother. You are literally identifying what is "good" for you and what is not. Self-boundaries also help with preventing burnout. Here are 16 questions to consider for targeted self-care:
Methadone is a medication that can be used to help treat persons with an opiate use disorder maintain sobriety and not experience withdrawal symptoms by occupying areas of the brain that opiates target and make them less severe for those that have stopped using opiates. Methadone also helps with eliminating cravings for opiates.
Many people stay on methadone long-term and many gradually reduce their dose to completely stop taking methadone altogether. Methadone should not be taken with any other illicit substances and alcohol. The impact of mixing benzodiazepines (Xanax, Klonopin, Valium, etc.) and methadone can be deadly. There is an increased risk of overdose when benzodiazepines are taken with Methadone. Since Methadone is a depressant that slows the central nervous system, which includes heart rate and breathing, so does benzodiazepines. As a result, the combination of taking the two can slow the heart rate, risking the heart for cardiac arrest and stopping one from breathing. Methadone can be prescribed and lasts longer in the body to help those with an opiate use disorder once someone stops using. Most persons are referred to a community treatment center for assessment. Most treatment facilities have a general practitioner on site that can complete the assessment. After the assessment, an initial low dose is prescribed. The low dose is prescribed out of safety and can be adjusted frequently. This stage is very important because this is the phase where a regular maintenance dose is identified over a few weeks time period. The maximum effect can vary person to person as it takes 2-4 hours for Methadone to reach its peak effect level. Once the correct dose is identified, the person is now in what is called Methadone maintenance. Methadone is a once-daily liquid dose taken under supervision of a nurse or pharmacist who dispenses it. Methadone must be taken regularly and if three or more doses are missed, the body may lose its ability to break down the drug. If three or more doses are missed, persons can return to taking Methadone, but at a lower dose. Detoxing often takes years as it is safer to stay on Methadone than to detox before the person is ready. People that use Methadone are more likely to stay off opioids if they are supported by friends and family. Too often, family and friends do not support persons with opiate use disorders because of their lack of knowledge regarding Methadone. Methadone is a medication used to help those persons with an opiate use disorder so they no longer use opiates. It can be viewed as taking medication for high blood pressure or insulin for type 2 diabetes. The way people can change their diet to reverse type 2 diabetes while taking medication is the same as those using Methadone to reverse their opiate use disorder. Support from loved ones goes a long way for a person using Methadone. Persons with opiate use disorders also do well when attending outpatient treatment coupled with group and individualized therapy. It is much harder to do it alone. Please educate a friend, coworker and loved one on the benefits of supporting a person with opiate use disorder when they have made the choice to use Methadone in their recovery efforts. There are plenty of successful people around us, you may never know, that have or currently use Methadone. As America is going through the opioid epidemic, being educated on the various ways Methadone can help just might save your loved one’s life. Abstaining from daily substance use can be very hard for persons in recovery. Every day without using can be uncomfortable especially when trying to practice and implement new recovery skills. This alone makes the first 90 days of recovery very critical. The first 90 days has been known as the time period where most relapses occur.
Those in active recovery give up substance(s) and behaviors. Recovery can be difficult to manage if there is no structure, a routine and consistency in place. Below are 12 critical tools for managing the first 90 days of recovery.
Graduating from high school is such an exciting time for many seniors! The pandemic made a lot of schools creative in how they could observe graduation in honor of its seniors. Unfortunately, millions were not able to attend prom while others were with mask and social distancing.
August means going back to school. Millions will be preparing to attend college out of state and going away to a new city or town can seem like an adventure for some, while for others it can be anxiety inducing due to leaving home and family. This is the perfect time for both parents and their college freshman to develop a schedule around how often they will be face-timing. Face-timing is key because it provides a visual parents' can use as a tool to notice if something is not right. With no longer living at home and going away to college, new responsibilities are on the horizon between waking up on time and attending classes to managing your own schedule. Colleges and Universities market and promote the beauty of their campus, how well particular programs rank throughout the nation and state, their extra-curricular activities, etc! Although institutions do not promote the use of alcohol and/or drugs, it is expected by many to engage and is the misperceived campus norm when attending college. There have been cases were college students develop an opioid dependence from obtaining them from friends on campus. What happens when your young adult suffers from substance misuse or worse, dies from an overdose? It can be very difficult to admit having a substance misuse problem when living in an environment that encourages using and partying. Educators are usually in a position where they have minimal leverage to help students with substance misuse problems. By the time the issue does come to surface, the student suffers because of the lack of support provided by their institution. Young adults should be able to have a recovery system in place for when they are experiencing their life spiraling out of control due to misusing a substance. Some institutions have mental health counselors readily available, but not substance abuse counselors. Institutions can provide support with the expertise of substance abuse counselors as to how it can build a campus-based infrastructure that works with students to prevent substance misuse and relapse, while promoting academic performance. This effort should be community based for the entire student population and institution as a collegiate recovery community or community of recovery professionals on campus. This type of community will enable students to learn how to create a new circle of friends and not return to the same friends who sold and/or used drugs with them. The institution can set up additional support for students, helping them navigate campus resources and maintain their recovery in the face of misperceived campus norms. Students can be treated on an outpatient basis to avoid having to withdraw from school and retake the classes upon their return. If a student does need inpatient care, institutions may consider implementing a drug return program. Not all college counseling centers provide opioid addiction treatment and are referred out to local doctors, but colleges can have Narcan (Naloxone) nasal spray on hand to reverse overdoses of opioids including prescription painkillers and heroin. Students that are opioid-dependent can be safely and effectively treated with buprenorphine (Suboxone) in their institution's counseling center, but some students may perceive that their taking Suboxone has cured their addiction so they stop treatment (counseling, 12-step meetings, sponsorship, etc). Another option for students can be sustained-release Naltrexone (Vivitrol). Vivitrol is a pill or administered as a shot, once a month, which can help with the student not having to taper or stop treatment when they are ready. Vivitrol blocks opioid receptors in the brain and does not activate them, blocking the effects of opioids. Students cannot get high on Vivitrol, but they have to detox from opioids about a week before they can start it, which can be a disadvantage. Substance misuse happens at college and although this is not new news, ignoring substance misuse at college does not make it go away. Collegiate recovery, having support for students in recovery attending college, should be the new norm across the nation and not an afterthought when institution's public relations department fail to revive the school's reputation from several tragic substance misuse incidents. Institutions have to consider their specific circumstances and student's needs when setting up its recovery efforts. Admitting substance misuse is becoming more prevalent and can be the first step. Early intervention matters as the use of drugs and alcohol has risen since the onset of the pandemic! Depression can be defined as feeling sad for weeks or months and not just a day or two. It can be accompanied by a huge hole of emptiness inside, lack of energy and no pleasure in things once enjoyed.
Clinical depression is different from normal sadness. Clinical depression interferes with one’s work or school, relationships with others and ability to enjoy life. However, clinical depression is treatable with modern antidepressant medications and goal-orientated psychotherapy. No two people experience depression the same. Some people may not seem sad while others can be unmotivated to do anything like eat or get dressed. These tasks can become large obstacles in their daily life. When friends and family notice these changes, it is alright to say something.
Since many people with depression have lost their ability to recognize their positive attributes, giving plenty of reassurance can also be very helpful. People with depression can spend a lot of time reflecting on their situation or ruminating. Give understanding and empathy by:
Other things you can ask of your depressed loved one are:
The term drug is used to describe all mood-altering substances including alcohol and other sedative-hypnotics, opioids, stimulants and psychedelic drugs.
Thinking and talking about cravings for alcohol and other drugs can make some people crave them more. However, thinking and dreaming about alcohol and other drugs is a natural part of recovery. Learning how to stop these thoughts and turning them into cravings can help prevent a person from resuming use. Education about substance use is important. Learning how resume of use occurs, how to prevent it and identify signs that lead up to it, can prevent returning back to using. People, places and things are connected to the use of alcohol or other drugs. These are known as triggers! Triggers are feelings and experiences tied to people, places and things that are associated with drinking or drug use. To help identify your triggers, write a list of:
Internal, external and sensory triggers combined usually work together to create a drug craving. Internal triggers are feelings people have before or during drinking or using drugs (angry, lonely, depressed, sad, bored, etc.). External triggers are people, places and things associated with drinking or using drugs (old neighborhood, holidays or people one used to use with). Sensory triggers are related to sight, sound, taste and touch (certain songs, certain foods or drinks). Now, to help identify your internal, external and sensory triggers, name and describe them on paper or in a journal. The steps in dealing with triggers start with identifying, avoiding, interrupting and talking about them. Once you identify what your triggers are, start avoiding them. For triggers that cannot be avoided, interrupt them by keeping yourself occupied, attending a self-help meeting, spending time with clean and sober friends or family, etc. Planning ahead is the key to avoiding falling back into old habits and routines. Lastly, talk about it! Don't keep silent as this could allow your cravings time to build up and potentially lead to resume of use. Talking about triggers in a self-help meeting or therapy session can weaken the power of triggers. To help manage your triggers, write and list:
This process can be occurring in your brain without realizing how powerful it is. Developing skills and tools in recovery is vital as sobriety. It's an ongoing process. Therapy and self-help meetings can help you develop a new set of important skills that will help with stopping triggers from leading to relapse. Things are finally starting to open up again. Most people are getting vaccinated and the onset of the pandemic is growing faster behind us. So many of the face-to-face services that went virtual will remain. Therapy will be one of those of services. The pandemic showed us how much of our tasks can be done online without having to physically be in a building or office.
I always offered teletherapy, but as you can imagine with the pandemic, the amount of clients that chose teletherapy soared. I was very happy to see that my clients didn't allow the pandemic to stop them from taking care of their mental health needs. As you prepare for a post-covid world around you by getting back out there again, face-to-face, think about the things you can continue to do from the comfort of your own home. Therapy is definitely one of them! If you've never experienced online therapy, here are 5 reasons why it's amazing!
There are a host of online therapy sites to help you choose the right therapist for you (Open Path Collective, Therapy for Black Girls, and My Tru Circle to name a few) taking away the stress of where to look for therapist that provide online sessions. The one con to online therapy is that, if you're in a crisis situation, online therapy isn't the best option for you. Online therapists are at a distance making it difficult for them to respond fast enough. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255 or text "NAMI" to 741741. If it's an emergency, call 911 or going to your nearest crisis center is best. Online therapy isn't for everyone. Some people prefer the face-to-face session and that's totally fine! As long as you are getting the help you need, the delivery method doesn't matter. Only you can decide if online therapy works best for you and your situation. Seeing a therapist does not mean you are weak. Being vulnerable in front of a complete stranger can be uncomfortable although therapy is more than sitting in an office or from home and talking. Therapy includes building a professional, therapeutic relationship with boundaries and setting goals you want to achieve. The client-therapist relationship is a collaborative relationship. The therapist listens, ask questions and evaluates your needs, barriers and challenges. As well, you listen, ask questions and identify your needs, barriers and challenges. If you cannot identify your needs, barriers or challenges, that's okay! Your therapist has many years of experience and should be able to help you.
Unfortunately, therapeutic relationships can be unbalanced. Although finding a therapist that's a right fit for you can be hard, it can be done. Be encouraged! You don't want to stay in any client-therapist relationship that isn't serving you or its purpose. If you decide to leave your current therapist for a new one, be empowered by the fact that you can now use that past experience to your advantage by knowing what to look for in your new therapist. In addition, keep these 5 things in mind:
Do you find yourself physically living in the present, but your mind is in the past?
Are you sitting in resentment, guilt, or shame from the past? Are your current circumstances causing you such displeasure that you think they'll continue in your future? The voice of the ego-mind makes us believe we can only achieve internal peace based on external things. The philosopher, Ludwig Wittgenstein stated, “The eternal life belongs to those who live in the present.” When you don't allow yourself to experience any moment for itself, you stop time. The past is said and done. What remains to be seen is what you can bring to your present and future. You always have the power to not repeat any poor decision you made in the past so it doesn't repeat in your present or future. You owe it to yourself to treat yourself fairly! This includes not beating yourself up over your past, what someone did to you that wasn't in your control and anything you did without knowing how to respond better. Today, tell yourself that you are important because you matter! Please know that no matter how others may have treated you or what they may have told you in the past is a reflection of them and not you. Your past represents the things you've experienced. Your past does not make you a better or worse person nor is it your enemy. The enemy is your way of thinking about your past and if you allow it to ruin your present and future. Use your past to make you emotionally strong now for your future. Let’s face it; the present can only get better for the future! Happiness takes work. It's an inside job that can be easier said than done. Some of the basic ingredients to being happy includes safety, satiation, perception and quietude. These are things you can control. Depending on external things to be happy can make it hard to sustain happiness.
Safety Feeling unsafe can bring about fear. This fear creates a fight or flight response on top of tension within your body. These things can make it hard for you to experience happiness. Ask yourself, “How safe and secure do I feel in my everyday life?” As you think about your answer, consider what you can adjust to feel safer. Satiation No one has everything they want, but ask yourself, “At this moment, in what ways are my life full?” Only you can answer this question. Acknowledge in this present moment, without pointing out what you don't have, everything you do have that really makes your life full. Perception Right now, take the time to reflect on the bigger picture, your life! Getting caught up in the minuscule details of things you can't control can derail you from enjoying your life's journey, the positive impact you are having on others and within your own life. One’s quality of life can be enhanced by having a positive attitude and sense of general well-being. Improving your mind and memory through mentally stimulating exercises can also help. Quietude How often do you go into a quiet place and reflect? If you can't do this every day, try to do this at least once a week. Find a quiet place where you can get in touch with feeling safe, seeing how satiated you are and self-reflect for 20 mins. Take a break from your day of being busy and implement rest. Identify a space where you can hear yourself think and have no responsibilities so you can focus on you, your peace. As you reflect on some of these questions, focus on the ones you struggled with or couldn't answer. These are the ones that need your attention the most. As you begin to work on these, you are one more step closer to being a happier person. You just landed your dream job earning more money making it easier to save more money; home-run!
Your daughter was accepted to her #1 college choice on a full scholarship; home-run! Your brother just had his first baby and you're super excited to be an aunt; home-run! After flying through green pastures, celebrating these homeruns, you grab a seat and close your eyes to relish on the beauty of it all. As soon as you open your eyes, the fastest curve ball you've ever witnessed is coming towards you. When life gives you lemons, they say to make lemonade. What do you make when life throws you fast curve balls? The money in your savings account has dramatically decreased to repair your flooded basement because home insurance doesn't cover it; curve ball! Your daughter received another letter from her college stating they made a typo on the letter and she will not be attending that college; curve ball! Your brother calls to say his wife miscarried...you hang up the phone with the curve ball stuck in your throat; curve ball! The phone rings again...your grandmother died' curve ball! Now, you sit! The curve balls are sitting heavy on your chest. You can't seem to calm yourself and the curve balls are in various parts of your body. You feel the pressure. Your head is pounding. The sound of mail being placed into your mailbox snaps you out of your head and for that split second, you are now focused on the task of reading the mail in hopes of a distraction. The first piece of mail is $300 fine notification by the city for having too many times for false alarms. The second piece of mail is a notice stating your mortgage has increased by $400 because your mortgage company failed to take out enough money to cover last year’s escrow. Now, your once cushy savings is gone. The room begins to spin because all those curve balls have knocked you on your ass. And it’s only Tuesday! How are you going to make it through today? The rest of the week? Cry. Drink wine. Eat comfort food…or not eat at all. Self-medicating discomfort isn't the way to handle discomfort. Allow yourself to sit with your uncomfortable feelings because you are human. Staying present is the only way to find a solution to current problems and fully go with the ebb of life’s curve balls as a means to adapt! Life has a way of always testing you, for the good or bad! The reframe or new outlook is what will help you bounce back. A few reframing thoughts or new outlook could be:
More curve balls are sure to come. Remember, for every curve ball there's a homerun waiting to be hit out the park! I might be aging myself here, but did you have a pen pal as a kid? I did! I remember how excited I was when my letter arrived in the mail. It was a wonderful experience to hold a letter that came from another state or country that someone else took the time and thought to write a letter back to me. I loved sitting down, writing and sharing something from my heart, funny or serious. The exchange was so fun as I was able to share my authentic self to someone else in a meaningful way without judgment.
My first pen pal was assigned to me in the 5th grade. She was another 5th grader from Alabama. In the 6th grade, I was assigned my second pen pal from Germany. Both pen pals added so much to my learning because of their cultures as they were different from mines growing up in Illinois. The simplicity of writing a letter to a pen pal afforded me the experience to be myself, dream and listen while understanding others just the same. That experience alone taught me that I can embrace myself although it can be hard due wanting to fit in or change based on so-called norms in our society and/or culture. Meaningful connections with others have been lost due to our overuse of social media and texting. I love technology and its benefits, but nothing will ever replace the human connection needed within ourselves or from others. Here are some ways to embrace yourself and connect with others now:
Start now! Growing up, you may have discovered ways to make yourself feel better when you had been hurt or felt bad. Some examples of self-soothing include playing with your dog, favorite doll or toy truck.
As an adult, it's easy to forget how to self-soothe in a healthy way when feeling uncomfortable, upset, anxious or irritated. A lot of times, unhealthy self-soothing techniques are the quickest and easiest way to feel better, however it doesn't last long. Some examples of unhealthy self-soothing include:
There are healthy ways you can self-soothe as an adult. Try any of these 10 self-soothing techniques to feel better about yourself or any situation.
Each day you can help yourself feel better by doing many good things that don't involve self-harm, overeating or excessive use of alcohol or illicit substances. Do something fun, creative, uplifting, interesting and exciting to self-soothe. People who are critical of others point out others perceived flaws. Many of us have grown up with painful criticism. Painful criticism can be toxic to anyone’s well-being. Being criticized as an adult can trigger suppressed pain and as a result, one either withdraw themselves or lashes out on others. Either action is counterproductive to one’s well-being.
Sometimes, painful criticism can trigger shame causing one to revert back to the hurt child who could never do anything right. Shame can also be an extremely painful emotion. When shame is triggered, some people find ways to not feel such as cutting, overeating, or using illicit substances. Shame can feel very threatening as it dysregulates the nervous system. Practice mindfulness by noticing it, allowing it some space and realizing when it has arisen. Understand that you are not the shame. You have no control over how others perceive you. You do have control over how you react and view yourself. Find your inner strength and accept your lovely, unique human flaws. Here are 9 key ways to building mental strength in the face of criticism:
People are going to have their own opinions no matter what. In the end, yours is the only one that matters! |
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