Today, August 10th, when I remember my trauma and healing story— and the amazing possibilities and hope that can come from seemingly hopeless situations– I’d like to share with you a sermon I preached earlier this summer on similar themes. While most of you know that I am a Marriage and Family therapist, some of…
Category: Reset Tools
Identify What Can Wait
As I’m writing this, I’m looking at toys strewn across my living room floor as well as a laundry basket overflowing with clean clothes. This mess … can wait. (And for that matter, whatever else might be vying for my attention… can wait.) Those things—while in some moments, take priority— in this moment, they don’t….
Be nourished with a Resiliency Pause
A Resiliency Pause is when you … pause, in order to build your capacity for resiliency. 💓 Bringing certain thoughts to mind correspond with certain sensations of well-being in your body, which amazingly enough can directly help support our bodies, minds, and spirits. So I’d like to teach it to you right now: You ask…
Let Our “Curiosity” Flowers Bloom
Let’s be curious about …. whatever we are noticing in front of us!: Or, whatever it is for YOU right now or in this season. Curiosity is a beautiful thing that I’m learning to warmly welcome. Instead of being self-critical (or whatever it is for you), why not try(!) to be… curious? May we nourish…
Strengthen Our Relationships: the “Us” identity
We got to lead our, first-ever, couples workshop the other weekend! (If I haven’t yet shared with you, my husband and I are both marriage and family therapists. 🙂 ). And, we kicked off a marriage series called, Strengthening Us. One of the concepts we talked about was this idea that a new identity is…
Use How Our Bodies were Made to Bring Us Peace
Whatever you are noticing inside you and outside you right now, may our hearts… be encouraged! If you’re up for a little experiment, try placing one hand on your heart and the other on your belly. Let them rest there for a couple seconds, then switch. Which one feels better? Do you notice any sensations…
Learn About Our Resilient Zone During the Holidays (and After)
Our Resilient Zone is our “ok” zone– our place where we’re in control of our emotions and our emotions aren’t in control of us. In other words, we are calm, alert, and engaged (ie. regulated) and we can function optimally. Other terms to describe this place include the Window of Tolerance and the Optimum Zone…
Let Our Resources Buoy Us
Resources help emotionally buoy us when stressful things happen. A resource is “any person, place, thing (or memory) that helps to uplift you” The Trauma Resource Institute There are all sorts of circumstances that could bump us out of our Resiliency Zone– whether those are stressful annoyances that momentarily dip us off balance all the…
Find Our Unique Basket of “10% Solutions”
When I worked on the Perinatal Wellness team at Providence St. John Hospital, I met a woman who is a certified laughter yoga instructor. Have you heard the phrase that laughter is medicine? Well, turns out there is a ton of research behind this. There’s even a science of laughter, it’s called gelotology. And get…
Calm Down By Paying Attention to Our Breathing
Did you know that literally paying attention to your breathing can really help calm you down? Moreover, intentionally trying to make your exhale longer than your inhale tends to be even more calming. Why, you might ask? Well, paying attention to your breathing (and especially making the exhale longer than the inhale) activates the vagus…