alternative therapy & wellness
Self-Care
The National Institute of Mental Health identifies self-care as “taking the time to do things that help you live well and improve both your physical health and mental health.” Making time for self-care allows us to fully take care of ourselves so that we can be well and healthy, so that we can do our jobs, so that we can help care for others, and so we can do everything we need to and want to accomplish on a daily basis.
I’m sure we’ve all probably heard that if an airplane is going down, we are to put our oxygen on first, before helping anyone else. Many people struggle with this concept, feeling as if it is more important for others to get their oxygen first. But what happens to ourselves if we fail to get oxygen? Does this leave us in the best position to continue to care and look out for others, or do we begin to fall short of our capabilities? Taking the time to give yourself oxygen is by no means selfish, and it does not mean that you don’t care for others. It simply means that you realize the importance of taking care of and valuing yourself so you can be the best and healthiest version of yourself that you can be, for yourself and others.
The act of engaging in self-care can be a struggle. Maybe we don’t have a good concept of what self-care actually is, or maybe we feel like we can’t practice it because it costs too much. We may face a struggle because many of us are so consumed with the ins and outs of everyday life, work, family, and responsibilities, that we feel that we simply do not have the time for one more thing on our plate. I will help you to identify and understand the warning signs, the risks, and the consequences of self-neglect while promotion the benefits of self-care and learning what self-care actually is. I can help you learn how to make time for and include self-care into your daily routine. We will focus on the elements of self-care, building from the bottom up, and will work together to develop a strategy that works for YOU.
Somatic/ Body-based Work
Somatic therapy looks at the relationship between the mind and body. Using somatic exercise, we will use your body as a means to release emotions and to self-regulate. Somatic work can be done in the form of movement, mindfulness, or through the use of your voice. Some examples of somatic work can be seen below.
Long before I committed to yoga teacher training, I was attending yoga classes and building a practice for myself. Between practicing and training, I developed experience and enjoyment from power yoga, vinyasa “flow” yoga, restorative yoga, and partner yoga. Within my training, I have also learned yin, hatha, and chair yoga.
The practice of yoga aims to create union between body, mind and spirit, as well as between the individual self and universal consciousness. Yoga sessions can be tailored to your needs, doing what feels right for your body. Sessions may include any or all of the following: moving through asanas, or poses, practicing meditation, engaging in breathing exercises, or utilizing sound.
Mindfulness is the practice of being in the present moment, being aware, without judgement.
There are many ways to practice mindfulness. Most individuals are aware of meditation, but other common practices include progressive muscle relaxation, mindful movement, visualization, grounding, breathing, sensory exercises, sound healing, and so much more.
Benefits of yoga and mindfulness practices
- improved strength, balanced and flexibility
- increase in body awareness
- relaxes the nervous system
- promotes healthier breathing
- facilitates peace of mind
- encourages self-care
- improved cognition
- increased emotional regulation/improved mental health
- stress reduction
- improved focus
- improved sleep
- lower blood pressure
- increased ability to manage pain
“When we practice mindfulness, we send the message to our brain that we are more effective at dealing with everyday tasks when we are aware, observant, nonreactive, and nonjudgmental.” – positivepsychology.com, neuroplasticity
“Breathwork is the active form of consciously working your breath to bypass the mind and enter a different state of awareness. The practice gives the brain’s executive functioning something to focus on, so you can bypass the mental level of consciousness and drop into a deeper state of consciousness, where healing, spirit, and love reside.” – mindbodygreen.com
Sound healing is a practice that uses vibrations and frequencies to relax your mind and body. Music, instruments, mantras, and chants can all be used to facilitate sound healing.