When we enter recovery (from substances, eating, trauma, gambling etc), One of the tough lessons we learn is that it is not about feeling bad and feeling good, It is about feeling or not feeling. The "Tao of Fully Feeling" as Pete Walker calls it, is a concept that eludes most. Early in recovery, We [...]
Over the past few decades, more clinical attention has been given to mindfulness in helping people improve their emotional health. Mindfulness is the ability to be aware of your thoughts, emotions, physical sensations and actions in the present moment without judgment or criticism of yourself or your experience. Mindfulness skills help people focus more fully [...]
When you experience anger, you get a surge of adrenaline which is reflected in your body: your heart races, your body tenses, your breathing becomes shallow, your face flushes, you sweat and you may even feel nausea. Reducing these sensations by slowing and deepening your breathing, reducing muscle tension, lowering your heart rate and cooling [...]
Relationships can be challenging in many ways. A common type of difficulty found in relationships is nurturing a balance between priorities and demands.Priorities are those aspects of life that are important to you and that you want to invest time doing. Priorities are important in that they help us develop interests, a sense of identity [...]
A report was released earlier this month that stated popular brands of baby food and infant formula contain significantly high levels of toxic heavy metals including arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury (1). To add to these already alarming findings, most of these brands are certified USDA organic. The Food and Drug Administration and World Health [...]
Nourish Your Heart this Valentine’s Day with guidance from our team at Specialized Therapy Associates using our Heart Healthy Eating Plan With Valentine’s day right around the corner, it’s a perfect time to talk about nourishing your heart! What better way to nourish your heart than following a heart-healthy Mediterranean-style eating plan? Now, I know [...]
Mindfulness and eating are two things that we benefit from when we properly manage them. Mindfulness is defined by paying attention to the present moment without analysis or judgment. This sounds like a very simple concept but is hard to apply in our demanding lives. Yet the benefits of mindfulness can include: helping us better [...]
Counseling has historically focused on reducing emotional distress and limiting risk factors for optimal mental health. Resilience psychology is an example of a component of psychotherapy that promotes personal growth in response to adversity and trauma. With regard to the current viral pandemic, promoting resilience and nurturing resilience can be an effective way to help [...]
Whenever we find ourselves worrying about the unknowns and the "what ifs" of the future, it is important to take a moment and practice mindfulness. Why? Mindfulness helps us increase our own ability to regulate emotions and observe our thoughts without judgment. It is a way to focus our minds on the present. By staying [...]
Recently, I read a quote that said, "You wake up to fight the same demons that left you so exhausted the day before. That's bravery!" I felt inspired by that and thought.. Jeez, I wonder how many other people believe fighting our 'demons' is brave work. Now, I'm sure we've all heard people refer to [...]
