My mantra?

Tomorrow marks a new month and I am going to start a 40 day meditation challenge for myself and anyone who would like to join me.  I chose the number 40 because it is said to have significance in many different areas so it seems a good number to use to make change.  This 40 day challenge I am going to do a mantra meditation and I am considering doing it for 40 minutes to stick with the 40 number of significance.  

Must find my mantra soon as tomorrow will be here very quickly.  I want a mantra to open my mind to what should be, to stop the control that I fight to keep over things that I cannot possibly control.  Surrender has come to mind and is a good option.  Perhaps a Sanskrit word as I am studying to become a yoga teacher and then on to train to become a yoga therapist...more about that in another post as it is my new obsession.  Tonight a mantra must be selected.  I wonder what the Sanskrit word for surrender would be?  The rest of the evening will be spent doing some research and selecting a mantra so that I can begin tomorrow. 

Would you like to join me for a 40 day meditation challenge?  You can choose any kind you like.  Mindful meditation is amazing, sound meditation, mantra meditation...all sorts to look at.  I am happy to encourage and help hold you accountable if you like.  Comment on this post if you want to join me and we can work together.

Love and live and just be

Healing and Recovey-can't have one without the other

Hello friends- I am a mental health therapist who needs to write.  Yes, I need it.  Writing is healing and don't we all need some healing? 

I adore my job.  We all have life issues big and small and that I get to help people cope with their issues is an honor.  Do I love paperwork?  No, I sure don't.  Do I love that connectedness to people who come in and share, really share their story?  Oh yes without a doubt. 

I focus my practice on healing and recovery.  Working with women with substance abuse issues and anxiety issues (together or separate) are my favorite things.  Been there, done that and am proof anyone can do it. 

I use some different techniques than most therapists I know but that's all good.  I believe breathing techniques, body work and talk therapy all together complete us.  As much as I love therapy, I love sharing my beliefs to those who want them.  Need help?  I would love for us to explore the option of working together.  Not ready for help?  That is ok too because when you are then you will get it.  blog will consist of techniques and ideas I use for clients and for me...because you see...therapists need help too :)

I will focus on a series of meditation practices, a series on anxiety and ways to overcome and all sorts of other fun stuff.  Please join me?

Today is yours- love and live it.

Recovery- what is it anyway?

We talk about recovery, being in recovery, recovering but what does it really mean?  When most people hear the words "in recovery" we think of substance abuse.  I think most of us picture a person in recovery from using drugs or drinking and this is often very much the case.  However, recovery can mean much more than substance abuse.  To help expand our thinking let me offer you a definition.

re·cov·er·y
noun, plural re·cov·er·ies.

1. The act, process, duration, or an instance of recovering.

2. A return to a normal condition.

3. Something gained or restored in recovering.

 

A return to a normal condition...what is a normal condition anyway?  What we are used to? What was normal for us at one time may very well no longer be normal.  If we are going to use this "a return to a normal condition" then I prefer to change it to "a return to a NEW normal condition".  In the act of recovering from substance abuse, co-dependency, abuse, anxiety, depression, grief or loss we never really go back to who we were in the "before".  We become more, we become better, we become stronger and we are different people with a new "normal".  When we are attempting to create this new normal in the midst of a trauma, a death, a depressive episode, drinking, drugging etc we tend to fight it tooth and nail.  We want what we had back.  Many times even if what we had was really bad we were used to it so we want it back.  The struggle to find you and who you are is a challenge that most of us tend to face after an event that puts us in recovery mode. 

 

Body, mind and spirit- I do not believe that we can be healthy in one area without the others.  We need healthy working bodies to support us in our daily lives.  We need clear and capable minds to create and think at work and play.  If we do not keep our spirit nourished we cease to really exist.  The need to feel a connection, a part of the bigger picture, to live outside our own selves to me is the key to feeding the spirit.  A belief in something greater than us- God, the universe, karma, nature, stars- anything that we see and are awed by and humbled represents to me a belief that gives our spirit the love it needs to support us. 

 

What do you do to tend to all parts of the whole?  How do you care for and take care of your own body, mind and spirit?  I want to discuss this in upcoming posts.  I use many different techniques and they are a constant work in progress.  Breathe work, body work, yoga, reading and learning, writing- just a few. 

Please share how you take care of you.   How do you recover and if you are comfortable sharing what are you in recovery from? 

 

Want to chat?  Comment with your email and I will get in touch with you.  Want to do some work together?  I do online counseling- have the official "technology assisted specialization" from my Board of Examiners that allows me to do that.   Life is short- don't wait if you need help and who doesn't need help. 

 

Live and love (((hugs)))