I decided to put together a list of mindful, ethical gifts for anyone. Make sure you read closely as there are some blog-only discounts!
The holiday season is here, and Christmas and Hanukkah are right around the corner - ten days away! Anyone else feel like this year went by incredibly fast?!
I decided to put together a list of mindful, ethical gifts for anyone. Make sure you read closely as there are some blog-only discounts!
0 Comments
How are you? I mean it, I'm genuinely asking. How are you feeling today, as you read this? Take a second or ten and check in with yourself. Now, I want you to take a big deep breath in, really fill your belly. Exhale. Wiggle your body around. Stand up for a moment, if you've been sitting. Shrug your shoulders up and back. Blink. Seriously! Blink your eyes consciously. Are you still breathing? Take another beautifully nourishing deep breath in and out. Mmm. Ever realize that all of the above happens without our conscious, full awareness? Well, yeah, probably not, since it happens without our actual awareness most of the time. How do you feel now? How did it feel to check in with yourself and breathe and blink and move, doing things we take for granted and barely notice throughout our busy days? I know, you're expecting more from this Wellness Wednesday post...so go back and read this over again. - S
The past few weeks has probably been one of the more difficult times to be a therapist, no matter for whom one voted. The air is thick with intense emotions, and people are visibly deflated or inflated.
There has been a palpable shift in the world. As a therapist, I am trained to avoid making a session about me, therefore I share very little about myself, usually only small surface-level bits for anecdotal purposes. Since November 9th, I've found it difficult at times to hold back my reactions, specifically when someone shares with me a hate crime that they've witnessed or had against them. My background in Feminist Theory allows the therapist to be genuine and authentic; having emotions and showing I too am human and I feel isn't a bad thing or inappropriate. Where people get stuck and have trouble, though, is when their biased opinion comes out. As a therapist, I monitor my opinion constantly within a session - I'm thinking, "What's my purpose in asking her/him this? Is this something I'm curious about or will it allow her/him deeper introspection?" I'm careful to not ask a question that is for my own benefit, it must always be to enhance the client's thoughtfulness. However, sometimes the conversation becomes just that, a conversation between two humans. Lately, the conversations are different than discussing fun video games or new songs, they're grounded in a reality of which many people have become fearful. As a therapist, I do not share my political beliefs. I will, however, engage in a conversation about the political climate with a client accordingly. I focus on emotions and feelings versus opinions. I'm careful to not use political party names or politician's names, but with this election, let's be real: sometimes it's obvious what 'side' I'm on. As an ethical practitioner and a feminist therapist, as a woman, it is my clinical duty and human responsibility to promote the wellbeing of others, to embrace diversity and apparent differences, to empathize with and unconditionally appreciate every human being. As a therapist, I do not need to have lived through whatever my client has lived through in order to offer support. We don't have to share the same beliefs for me to offer support, for me to empathize with them. People have opinions and beliefs and their perceived reality is just that, their perceived reality. I don't have to understand their [perceived] reality to appreciate them as a fellow human being; I do not have to understand their opinions. The past few weeks have been jarring, shocking, hurtful, confusing, demoralizing, hopeful, eye-opening; I cannot pretend that this has not been a labile mashup of all of the above. I am processing like everyone else. On Wednesday November 9th, I allowed myself space to grieve, to feel, so go inward and close up and feel all the feels. I slept, and when I woke up I felt again a call to action: I will acknowledge my fellow humans, even those who have opposing beliefs; I do not have to agree with you or understand you to still offer you human decency. I respect all human life. I remember that we are all connected. As a therapist, I model ethical behavior and offer different perspectives. I refrain from bringing too much of myself (e.g., my opinions), into the room, but I am very much myself in those 45 minutes. As a therapist, I ensure my office is a safe place for anyone to discuss their feelings openly without fear of being judged. As a therapist, I model acceptance of differences, without condoning hatred or fear or violence or ignorance. I will focus on each day as it comes, not the next four years or the first one-hundred days. I will continue to help and peacefully fight for what is right and what I believe to be ethically valid. I will do my best to discourage cruelty and promote kindness. I will offer ways to maintain good self-care during this difficult time, and I will listen with an open heart and an open mind... ...as a therapist, it's my job. - S Happy Halloween, everyone! I snapped the above photo real quick in my office - yes, I am indeed at work today dressed as a witch. Given that today is one of my favorite holidays, but also a day when I and so many others will consume liberal amounts of candy, I thought it appropriate to post an exercise on mindful eating that one can use with candy. It can be done with almost any food, though traditionally the exercise is taught using a raisin (and, believe it or not, the exercise works better if you dislike what you're eating). Since it's Halloween, let's bust out the Sour Patch Kids or Milky Way Ghosts or Candy Corn and savor versus inhaling in a zombie-like brainless state!
Now resist the urge to plow through the rest of your bag o' treats and continue to savor each piece mindfully. Bonus points if you're eating organic candies, and double bonus if you're eating a healthy chocolate bar like Not Your Sugar Mamas!
Have a safe and Happy Halloween, everyone! - S |
ओं मणिपद्मे हूं
Enjoying my easy, delicious spiralized recipes?
Snag your very own authentic, amazing Inspiralizer and use promo code "LA_JDV" for 10% off by clicking below! Categories
All
Archives
September 2017
|