Mindfulness Archives - Serene Shift

How to Manage Anxiety and Panic Attacks More Effectively

sereneshift — Sat, 01 Aug 2020 22:18:37 +0000

How to Manage Anxiety and Panic Attacks More Effectively

How much time and mental energy do we spend stressing about what could occur tomorrow, next month, or next year? How often do we worry about trying to prevent something that might never happen?

Anxiety is the body’s way of responding to stressful situations, creating a fight-or-flight response in the face of danger. When your sympathetic nervous system activates, it increases heart rate and alertness, preparing you for action.

Occasional anxiety can be helpful when responding to a serious threat or in less deadly situations that need our attention, like preparing for a job interview.

Frequent anxiety and panic attacks, however, can be very harmful to mental and physical health. If you are constantly in activation mode, geared up for action and anxious and worried over everyday events, your body and mind can become debilitated.

Developing healthy habits to prevent and respond to anxiety is essential for staying calm, happy, and at your best. In this article, I’m explaining what you need to know about anxiety:

The causes and symptoms of anxiety
How to manage anxiety in the short and long term
How to get through panic attacks
Strategies for minimizing everyday anxiety and feeling calmer and more grounded

Types of Anxiety Disorders and Symptoms

We’ve all experienced anxiety at one time or another. It’s normal to sometimes worry about things like performing well at work or school, raising kids, and going on a first date.

Anxiety disorders go beyond normal worrying. People with anxiety disorders experience frequent, intense, and persistent worry about everyday scenarios. Common symptoms include the following.

Feeling nervous, tense, or restless
A sense of panic or impending doom
Trouble focusing on anything but worrying
Feeling weak or tired
Fatigue and/or trouble sleeping
Higher than normal heart rate
Sweating and/or trembling
Hyperventilation

Anxiety disorders come in many forms. Below are three of the most common types.

Generalized anxiety disorder: Excessive worrying or fear for little or no reason. The worry and fear can be constant and debilitating.
Panic disorder: Sudden and overwhelming fear that triggers a panic attack. Symptoms of a panic attack include chest pain, excessive sweating, noticeable heartbeat (palpitations), and shortness of breath.
Social anxiety disorder: Intense worrying or self-consciousness in social situations. People with social anxiety disorder may obsess over being embarrassed in front of others.

What Causes Anxiety?

Triggers are cues in the environment which can lead to anxiety. They can be external or caused internally via the senses. Common anxiety triggers include:

Sensations (such as smell or touch) that remind you of a traumatic event, such as a medical emergency
Revisiting traumatic areas, like a certain room or street
Overwhelming environments
Thoughts of the future or past
Thoughts about something you haven’t finished
Focusing on something you wished was different or didn’t happen
Financial stress
Health conditions and/or medications
Thinking about anxiety (anxiety or panic attacks can be triggered by the mere thought of having anxiety)

Normally, anxiety is a natural and temporary response to stress. However, it is important to note that frequent feelings of anxiety condition our brains to have more anxiety in the future.

If you’ve gone through this and now experience constant anxiety or fear that becomes overwhelming, you may be dealing with an anxiety disorder.

How to Manage Anxiety

Shifting to a healthier, more sustainable way of thinking is not easy. How does anyone break unhealthy habits? The answer is: greater awareness.

Our brains are so complex, yet can be simple when we really understand the wiring that forms unhealthy results. To alter unhealthy habits, our brains need new information in order to carve out new pathways that lead to different results.

By noticing the negative results of your actions–for example, worrying about tomorrow immediately makes it more difficult to breathe–you become more aware of your behavior and sensations.

This creates more clarity and understanding so you can begin to “uncondition” your brain and have a healthier attachment with anxiety. You can find a path to reset your brain and create more effective behavior. The more aware you are, the less overwhelming anxiety and panic attacks will be.

To address anxiety long-term:

1. Pay attention to your triggers.

2. Notice how they make you feel.

3. Be curious and investigate the behaviors they create.

Greater awareness can help to reset unhealthy behaviors and improve health and quality of life in the long run.

For your day-to-day needs, try implementing one of the following strategies. Once you’ve mastered that one, move on to the others.

1. Breath into anxiety

Anxiety can cause shallow breathing or shortness of breath, which can sometimes lead to even greater anxiety. In these moments, focus on your breathing. Mindful breathing is an easy way to relieve anxiety, decrease stress and depression, and help with chronic pain.

1. Sit or stand in a quiet area. Close your eyes.

2. Put your hands on your stomach.

3. Breathe in “calm” through your nose for 5 counts, hold for 5 counts. Open your mouth and breath out “anxiety” for 5 counts.

4. Notice your stomach rise and fall. Feel your heartbeat slow and become more even.

5. Do this 5 times.

6. Ask: What do you notice in your body?

Quick tip: Many of my patients also find it helpful to count breaths in order to calm themselves. For example, breathe in on 1, breath out on 2. Repeat, continuing to count 1-2, 1-2, or count up to 10 before starting over.

2. Examine your body (Body Scan)

In moments of extreme anxiety, shift your attention and focus to your physical sensations in your body.

Can you hear your heart beating?
Do you notice more sensations in the right or left side of your chest?
Do you feel heat in your chest?
Does your chest feel heavy or hollow?
What do you notice in your stomach?
Do you notice pressure, tension, tightness, emptiness, heaviness, heat, a prickly feeling, unease, pain, fidgeting, restlessness?
How does your jaw feel?

Embrace your attention with curiosity. The more specific and curious you are with the sensations in your body, the more resilience you will build when experiencing anxiety symptoms.

This is one technique that will guide you to lean toward your difficult sensations (resilience and strength) rather than resisting them (which makes anxiety symptoms worse).

3. Notice what you are experiencing

One quick tip that I often share with my patients: bring awareness to what is already happening. When a panic attack hits, recognize that you’re having a panic attack and know that it will eventually pass.

Accept that you know what is happening, you know what to do, and that you will be okay. Remember that when you recognize your triggers, you are better prepared to handle triggers differently.

4. Build practical and daily routines

Having a practical daily routine creates space for you to feel secure, clear your mind, and ground yourself for your day. This will maximize your chances of being able to handle anxiety or panic more effectively and enhance your ability to regulate difficult emotions.

To start your routine, wake up a little earlier than you need to start your day. Spend 5 minutes in the morning alone to ground yourself.

For example: wake up, close your eyes for a body scan, then do 10 segments of short breathing exercises (counting 1-2, 1-2, etc.). Finish off by writing 3 things you are most thankful for today. When you get in the shower, bring attention to how the water feels on your back.

Also, give your body what it needs to thrive throughout the day. Eating a healthy diet is essential to good physical and mental health. Some foods in particular have been linked with reduced anxiety:

Salmon
Chamomile tea and green tea
Yogurt and other probiotic foods
Dark chocolate
Turmeric

Be sure to eat properly portioned meals at regular intervals to keep your energy levels consistent.

Lastly, don’t forget about the importance of sleep and exercise to your health. Anxiety can manifest physically in the body, especially if experienced long-term. Going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day takes care of your body and mind, injects calmness into your life, and minimizes anxiety.

5. Limit news and social media

In this fast-paced world, FOMO (the fear of missing out) can leave us glued to social media and news outlets. Endless feeds can make us addicted to the constant stream of information, much of which is negative and dramatic.

Experts call our addiction to negative news “doom scrolling.” This behavior can significantly contribute to anxiety and panic attacks.

Be aware of how actions affect your mental health. Notice what increases anxiety, such as ingesting too much news or social media. Assess whether you are more anxious after watching hours of the news and whether it is difficult for you to unplug from the constant stimulation.

These are indications that you may need to minimize news and social media. Ask yourself, “Is watching/reading/listening to this going to be helpful for me?” If the answer is no, realize that you have the control to walk away from something that is harmful to you.

6. Don’t avoid your anxiety — focus on what you can change

When faced with anxiety and/or panic attacks it’s often tempting to avoid triggers altogether, but trying to distract yourself from symptoms will also increase symptoms.

If you notice the symptoms coming, let them come. Ask yourself, “In this moment, what do I have control of?” Then, continue to identify your triggers and work on building a healthy response to anxiety-inducing situations in order to build resilience.

If you need assistance along the way, I am an experienced psychologist who specializes in anxiety disorders, depression, and more. I help patients “reset” ingrained thinking spirals that cause and exacerbate anxiety, and guide them toward a more serene life.

Contact me now to schedule a virtual appointment.

The post How to Manage Anxiety and Panic Attacks More Effectively appeared first on Serene Shift.

Going Back to Work After Coronavirus Lockdown: 5 Ways to Thrive

sereneshift — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 20:25:08 +0000

Going Back to Work After Coronavirus Lockdown: 5 Ways to Thrive

As shelter-in-place orders relax and people start returning to work and everyday life, we’re finally saying goodbye to cabin fever. But COVID-19 isn’t gone, leaving many of us with questions while going back to work or searching for a new job:

Is it safe to go back to work?
What things should we take into consideration when going back to work or looking for a new job?
How can we manage anxiety, stress, overwhelm, or rejection when returning to work or searching for a new job?

Below, I’m sharing 5 strategies to help you and your family stay well and thrive during this period of transition.

1. Accept that things may be different

While being able to go back to work can be a reassuring sign of improvement for both your life and the economy, it also doesn’t mean that everything will be perfect as soon as you walk in the office doors.

You may still be anxious about personal issues (the risk of getting sick, financial troubles, finding childcare, etc.), overwhelmed about being in close quarters with others after months of social isolation, less enthused than before about work, or missing coworkers who have been laid off.

To combat these negative feelings, try to remind yourself that change is a natural part of life. More than that, change can be great: getting outside of your comfort zone often leads to exciting opportunities and a new appreciation for aspects of life you previously overlooked, such as the ability to catch up with coworkers in person.

Your new work routine (or even your job itself) may not be exactly the same as before coronavirus, but recognizing that change can be positive–and that you have the ability to adapt to anything that comes your way–may soothe some anxiety about returning to work.

2. Develop resilience

In “Coronavirus: 5 Hidden Positives the Media Doesn’t Talk About,” I explain how important developing resilience–the ability to get through difficult circumstances–is during coronavirus. Resilience can help us stay mentally healthy and ward off negative feelings like anxiety, isolation, and depression.

Fortunately, resilience is a skill that anyone can develop. If you’ve lost a job or are going through financial difficulties, use the following tips to dust yourself off and push through what feels like a hopeless situation. You can come out on the other side stronger than before.

Embrace change.
Know that hope isn’t lost. You’ve made it through hardships before and you’ll do it again, so it’s best not to focus on the negative.
Practice optimism. Reflect on your skills and achievements, allowing yourself to feel confident about your past successes and those you can accomplish in a future job with those same traits.
Understand yourself and your needs. Practice self-care.
Look at what is causing you worry and stress, and then tackle those things. For example, if you’re worried about your health, take action to stay healthy–eat healthy foods, exercise regularly, and sleep enough. This could assuage your worries and leave your mind calmer.
Lean on your support network.
List achievable goals and break them down into actionable steps. These may be personal or work objectives. Setting realistic goals leads to progress and keeps your spirits up, which encourages further excitement about the future.

3. Work where you’re comfortable

Being able to go into work again can’t come soon enough for some, but others are understandably still wary about venturing into public due to health concerns.

Assess how comfortable you are with physically going into a workplace. What specific worries do you have about rejoining the workspace? Has your company (or the companies you’re applying to) put sufficient improvements in place to protect employees as much as possible?

If you’re not comfortable with your current employer’s response, speak with your manager or HR department about other arrangements. If you’re applying to a new role, speak to your recruitment contact about what preparations the company has put in place.

Don’t be afraid to have a discussion about flexible working arrangements, especially if you are immunocompromised or have close family members who are at risk. It never hurts to ask about working shifts that avoid high-traffic office hours or working from home. If you do end up working from home, use tip #4 to set yourself up for success.

4. Set boundaries between home and work

While working remotely can minimize the health worries of being among a large group of coworkers, it provides its own unique challenges. The two biggest issues people come to me about are:

The blurring between work time and home time
Feelings of isolation.

Without an option to physically leave the office at the end of the day, many of us tend to put in longer hours and feel like we’re constantly “on.” To combat this and protect your mental health, establish boundaries.

For example, try an “office hours” schedule with built-in breaks, a lunch hour, and a specific time to clock out. A good routine will ward off burnout. Along the same lines, blocking off 15 minutes to transition from the job mindset to a home mindset at the end of the workday can also smooth your mental shift towards relaxation time.

Think about it as time you’d normally spend driving home and decompressing from the day. Incorporate relaxing activities that typically help you separate yourself from work, such as listening to music or taking a rejuvenating walk.

5. Reach out for support

As coronavirus lockdown relaxes, it’s important to recognize that this is still a chaotic time and you may need extra support. If you need help getting through these uniquely challenging times, I’m available for virtual telehealth sessions using Zoom to discuss:

Anxiety
Fear
Overwhelm (lack of consistent schedule)
Panic disorders
Social isolation and loneliness
Depression
Insomnia
Parenting challenges
And more

I offer flexible scheduling to fit your needs. Please schedule your virtual telehealth appointment with me today.

The post Going Back to Work After Coronavirus Lockdown: 5 Ways to Thrive appeared first on Serene Shift.

Forget Homeschooling, It’s More Important to Keep Kids Mentally Healthy

sereneshift — Wed, 20 May 2020 23:30:14 +0000

Forget Homeschooling, It’s More Important to Keep Kids Mentally Healthy

In these strange times, many of us have new family priorities and responsibilities. These might include working from home while homeschooling the children, taking care of parents or elderly relatives, and helping kids adjust to new, chaotic surroundings or respond to the death of a loved one.

It’s tough to know what to prioritize and how.

I understand that and am here to tell you that right now, it’s more important to keep kids mentally healthy than to homeschool them — and it’s more important for parents to stay sane than to try to do everything “right.”

Why is homeschooling so tough right now?

Homeschooling is usually a carefully planned choice made by parents who have the time, skills, and resources to make it work in the long-term. After all, developing and implementing an age-appropriate curriculum requires a significant time commitment.

During this global emergency, many of us parents have had homeschooling thrust upon us, on top of working and tackling more financial and household responsibilities than ever.

Not surprisingly, we’ve found out just how difficult it is to make this arrangement work. Younger children can find formal learning challenges even at the best of times, but particularly when they are away from the structured school environment and without the company of their peers.

Add the fact that we are living in highly unusual circumstances, separated from friends and family, and it’s no wonder that children may be resisting our efforts to engage with anything academic!

Parents, meanwhile, may be dealing with a lack of support from their children’s schools and/or a huge amount of homeschooling work that seems impossible to complete. Many parents report feeling anxious when they see an email or text message arrive from their child’s school.

How to address homeschooling challenges

If you and/or your children find homeschooling too stressful or anxiety-inducing, protect your mental health by ignoring or unsubscribing from communications until you feel calmer and more equipped to deal with them.

It may also be helpful to call your child’s teacher, if he or she is available, and let them know that identifying one or two key tasks per week would be more useful than a neverending stream of suggestions.

Remember that any work is not compulsory and your child will not be penalized if it isn’t done. The best way to approach anything sent by your children’s schools is to consider it a resource to leverage as you please, rather than the ticking time bomb of stress-producing homework.

Consider these less stressful homeschooling alternatives

Textbooks aren’t the only way to learn during coronavirus lockdown. There are many creative activities that provide great learning for kids, without binding them to traditional educational methods.

Creative activities are equally valuable for developing existing skills along with acquiring new ones, and the following activities are perfect for young children:

Drawing, coloring, and painting
Modeling with dough or clay
Reading together
Singing (particularly nursery rhymes)
Counting (whether this is beads and blocks or butterflies!)
Water or sand play
Den building

For older children, try these learning activities:

Brain puzzles like Sudoku, crosswords, and word searches
Free reading — feel free to move away from curriculum and let them choose their own materials
Online learning for kids, such as spelling or math apps
Jigsaw puzzles
Playing musical instruments or instructional video games
Baking and cooking
Planting a vegetable garden
Building with Legos
Listening to TED Talks
Researching topics online and presenting findings as a talk or powerpoint
Writing emails to family and friends
Watching educational and age-appropriate YouTube videos

Just remember that children need downtime to relax and recharge between meaningful activities. What this looks like depends on the needs of the individual child, but might include calling friends or family members, watching their favorite TV shows, playing games, reading, running in the garden, or playing with toys.

It’s also important that amidst the chaos, we find a few quiet moments with our children. Read, hug, or watch a movie. Talking to kids openly and honestly about the current situation, and the fact that even adults are trying to come to terms with these uncertain times, is the best way to help them manage overwhelming feelings.

A good rule of thumb is to listen first and talk second, letting your children lead the way with conversations about coronavirus and mental health.

How to build a routine that doesn’t revolve around homeschooling

Under any circumstances, children thrive with a good routine. Now more than ever, predictability is important in helping your child feel safe and secure.

Try to get up, do your morning routine, and eat breakfast at the same time. Build a couple of meaningful activities into your day and allow plenty of time for daily exercise, free play, and relaxation. Stick to your child’s usual bath and bedtime routine — getting enough sleep is vital.

You can also help protect your child’s mental health by ensuring that they eat a reasonably balanced diet that’s low in sugar and high in vegetables and whole grains, with lots of healthy snacks. Also feel free to indulge with sugary treats every once in a while.

Focus on your biggest responsibility

Right now, our job as parents must include showing our children how to manage anxiety in a healthy way. Anxiety is a recurring part of life and this is the perfect opportunity to teach children how to cope with it and respond with strength.

We can do this by being in the moment and staying adaptive to an ever-changing environment. Focus on what you have control over in the here and now, like the physical sensations in your body. Build awareness of how you feel in the present moment instead of thinking what might come to be in the future. Teach your child these strategies as well.

Also, help your child identify his or her worst fear. Get specific. Gaining clarity over exactly what we fear most oftentimes expands our acceptance and brings a sense of calm — we think “Hey, I can handle that.” This can lead to inner resilience and strength.

If children are struggling with anxiety, depression, isolation, eating disorders, or other negative behaviors, arrange for them to speak to a professional.

Lastly, it’s important to schedule time out for ourselves wherever possible. When we’re feeling calm and relaxed, it’s easier to keep our anxieties about homeschooling and parenting in perspective.

Tip: Check out these 9 self-care tips to beat isolation and loneliness.

Go easy on yourself and enjoy being a parent

Coping with the COVID-19 outbreak is a huge challenge, and we’re all anxious about the impact of the crisis on our children’s education and future prospects.

Instead of allowing our worries about homeschooling to spiral out of control, pursuing unrealistic targets and berating ourselves when we fail to meet them, we can focus on what can be done in the here and now to protect our own and our children’s mental health.

If you need help navigating these tough times and dealing with parenting challenges, relationship issues, depression, overwhelm, fear, anxiety, or similar issues, please schedule a virtual telehealth appointment with me.

I am offering a sliding scale for anyone who needs assistance.

The post Forget Homeschooling, It’s More Important to Keep Kids Mentally Healthy appeared first on Serene Shift.

Coronavirus: 5 Hidden Positives the Media Doesn’t Talk About

sereneshift — Sat, 02 May 2020 00:53:30 +0000

Coronavirus: 5 Hidden Positives the Media Doesn’t Talk About

There’s no denying that times are tough. The COVID-19 outbreak has affected each of us emotionally, financially, and physically, with drowning media coverage continuously reporting negative news. It’s easy to lose sight of the positive parts of life.

In fact, as humans we are programmed to exaggerate external threats and danger. Although this kept us safe during our hunter-gatherer days, it’s not a particularly healthy behavior during a pandemic–it just leads to the global panic and anxiety that we’ve seen recently.

This is an opportunity for us to enhance our lives in a much more meaningful way, bringing good lessons with us as we emerge from this dark phase into a different and possibly better world. When there is a crisis, there is always space for a new light to shine through.

Let’s pause and take a moment to examine some of the good things that can arise during hard times. Below are just a few of the hidden positives about the coronavirus crisis that the media isn’t talking about.

1. Learning that some of the best things in life are free

During a crisis, our attention often gets redirected toward things we typically take for granted. When people have asthma, they may feel more grateful for breathing air into their lungs. Struggling with diabetes can provide an opportunity to shift our focus to appreciate eating healthy food that allows our bodies to feel balanced and energized. Someone with a broken arm may notice better movement in their shoulders.

Likewise, instead of dwelling on what we’ve lost during the coronavirus outbreak, many of us are finding new sources of fulfillment. It’s not that we don’t miss our “old” lives–of course we all do. But we’re also discovering simple pleasures that enrich daily life and don’t cost much.

My friends who loved eating out, going on exotic vacations, and visiting the gym daily before the coronavirus outbreak are now taking exploratory walks around their neighborhoods, learning to draw, and studying another language.

People all over the world are joining home workout groups online, where they encourage each other and share their progress. Virtual book clubs are on the rise and Joe Wicks, the now famous P.E. teacher, is leading free online exercise classes for kids.

Once lockdown is over, we may find that spending money is no longer our go-to when we’re looking for a fun way to fill the hours. Simply spending time together, pursuing a new hobby, or enjoying the great outdoors may be enough.

2. Expanding resilience and inner strength

Though many of us are experiencing unprecedented levels of anxiety and uncertainty, we’re also coping admirably under very difficult circumstances, drawing on strength and resilience we didn’t know we had.

Families are making do with less, finding creative ways to use what’s in their pantries and around the house to stay fed and entertained. Spouses and partners are finding ways to work through relationship challenges in close quarters, even strengthening their bond during these tough times.

Recently unemployed professionals are fighting through the anxiety and uncertainty every day, continuing to have hope for the future. Many of us are also taking time for ourselves–something that often gets relegated to the bottom of the to-do list in “normal” times.

Although we didn’t ask for this situation, we can get through it stronger than ever. Let’s focus on building up our reserves by practicing great self care, rather than allowing them to be depleted by a constantly evolving situation that brings new stresses on a daily basis.

We can take advantage of having a little more downtime than usual by learning to practice mindfulness and meditation, calming and centering techniques that can be built into our daily lives to help us face uncertainty with greater resilience.

It’s also important to practice greater self-compassion as we navigate this difficult time, and allow ourselves to feel a range of often conflicting emotions without judgment.

3. Really connecting with others

Instead of destroying or diminishing the bonds between separated loved ones, the COVID-19 outbreak has strengthened friendships and family ties, with many of us making more effort than ever before to stay in touch with those we usually depend on… and not just via social media and email, but by picking up the phone to hear their voice or see their face.

We’re appreciating our loved ones better than ever, remembering how much we need their practical and emotional support. Many of us are also making new connections during the crisis, through helping elderly and vulnerable neighbors, using social media to network for employment opportunities, and forming online support groups to share knowledge around issues like homeschooling.

Examples of kindness and generosity are evident on all social media platforms, with strangers helping each other track down job opportunities and supporting each other with motivational words.

These new friendships will outlast the current crisis and make us more attentive to the needs of those who live around us. We may also find it easier to ask for help when we need it in the future.

4. Taking a break from busy

Waking up without an action-packed to do list each day can be an unusual and challenging experience. We’re so accustomed to filling every waking moment with frantic activity that an abundance of downtime can feel foreign. Given a little time to adjust, it can also feel fantastic!

We are finally slowing down. Over-productivity, over-consumption, over-working, addiction, living in the past or future, trying to complete your entire to-do list–these are all imbalances COVID-19 can help us overcome.

I’ve heard from several parents who are enjoying a break from their fast-paced daily routine of working, helping with homework, chauffeuring kids to activities, getting ready for bed, and trying to fit in house chores. They’re using their newfound freedom and time to play board games with the kids, enjoy baking together, and making up games in the backyard.

None of us would have chosen this as our preferred way to rediscover free time, but a lot of us are grateful to take a break from busyness nonetheless. Without the need to live our lives at breakneck speed right now, we are embracing a new sense of acceptance. We’re learning how to mindfully inhabit the moment and find greater balance and calm.

5. Remembering what is most important

Raise your hand if you’re giving your family, health, and home a little more TLC lately. Getting caught up in a crisis has a unique way of showing us what is really important: our loved ones, good health, wellbeing, and surroundings.

The coronavirus outbreak has given us the opportunity to take stock and ask ourselves: Am I spending my time and energy on what really matters? Am I showing the right amount of care and compassion that I, and my loved ones, deserve? Am I communicating enough how much I appreciate them?

Instead of seeing the lockdown purely as a burden, many of us are beginning to regard this time as an opportunity to assess the way we usually live, and change our habits for the better.

We’re becoming more mindful of our health and kinder to our bodies. During normal times, it’s easy to get wrapped up in maintaining a certain physical appearance because we think that’s the key to looking good or feeling happy. We may even get plastic surgery to achieve these goals. During lockdown, many of us are focused more on staying healthy than trying to achieve an unrealistic body image.
We are more appreciative of how our society operates. We’re aware of the complex chain of production, supply, and maintenance that allows us to live the way we live.
We’re caring for others and reconnecting as a community. Being considerate of others is what defines our DNA and reminds us how we are all uniquely connected. Connection is what builds inner strength, not separation.

The world isn’t all sunny right now, but I think those are things to be grateful for… and that gratitude can actually help us get through this.

When we express gratitude, our brains release dopamine and serotonin, two neurotransmitters that provide an instant natural ‘lift.’ Practicing gratitude regularly and purposefully allows us to increase the default levels of these chemicals in our brains, leaving us happier on a daily basis. Gratitude is better for our health and better for those around us.

Focusing on the positives is not easy, but it is important

The world has weathered many storms and through it all, human beings have amazingly endured.

It’s up to us how we view the time we must spend on lockdown and where we place our energies during the outbreak. We can spend it focused on negative news outlets or on the positives that help us come out of this better than before.

I know this is easier said than done. If you’re experiencing depression, anxiety, fear, panic disorders, social isolation and loneliness, relationship or parenting challenges, and similar challenges, please reach out to me.

I’m here to help you and your family get through these hard times, and am available for virtual telehealth sessions using Zoom. I am also offering a sliding payment scale for anyone who needs assistance.

The post Coronavirus: 5 Hidden Positives the Media Doesn’t Talk About appeared first on Serene Shift.

Self-Care During Coronavirus: 9 Tips to Beat Loneliness and Isolation

sereneshift — Mon, 23 Mar 2020 17:05:50 +0000

Self-Care During Coronavirus: 9 Tips to Beat Loneliness and Isolation.

With California recently announcing a statewide shelter in place order aimed at preventing the spread of Coronavirus, it looks like many of us are going to be hunkered down at home for the foreseeable future.

While good for public health, this isolation can take a toll on your psyche. Under the best of times, retreating from the world can easily lead to loneliness, anxiety and depression, and physical symptoms related to these mental health challenges.

Add in the additional stresses that millions of us are now dealing with–health concerns, job loss, worrying about bills, keeping kids engaged with e-learning–and the chances of feeling isolated, lonely, and anxious go way up. Fortunately, there are steps you can take during Coronavirus lockdown to:

Ward off loneliness
Feel connected with your community and social circles
De-stress
Feel less anxious
Establish good, balanced mental health

Read on to discover these strategies for better self-care during challenging times.

1-Name your emotions

Take a moment to assess how you’re feeling. Do you feel anxious? Depressed? Overwhelmed?

Try naming your emotions and identifying the feeling with an explanation. For example, “I’m anxious in my chest right now because I’m worried about draining my finances.” It sounds simple, but it really can help you calmly assess your emotions and lead to a greater sense of control and balance.

2-Find a routine that works for you

Humans are habitual creatures. Routines are comforting and help us make sense of life’s chaos. If you’re no longer going into the office or attending happy hour like normal, you might feel a little lost or unproductive.

Create a new routine. Set realistic, manageable goals for yourself and follow a ritual that makes sense for you.

Maintain good sleep hygiene: Wake up and go to bed at the same time every day. Keep your bedroom a quiet, calm space.
Exercise in any way you can–if possible, get outside and go on a walk with your spouse or your dog.
Eat a healthy, balanced diet, with set mealtimes and regular snacks.
Set boundaries between work from home time and personal time.
Feel free to binge Netflix but be mindful of how many hours you spend in front of the TV.

3-Keep in touch (without touching)

Suddenly being cut off from friends, family, coworkers, and small everyday social interactions can severely impact your mental health during times of crisis. Positive social support improves our resilience for coping with stress, even when practiced at a distance.

Catch up with your next door neighbors over the garden fence (keeping a distance of at least 6 feet) or host an event from your balcony.

4-Use tech tools

Use FaceTime or Skype for video calling. These are not only great tools for remote working and communicating with friends and family, they are also a fantastic way to keep small children occupied on a call with grandparents while you take care of household chores or catch up on work. Businesses are even using video tools to host virtual happy hours.

Email, text messages, and messaging apps (WhatsApp, Slack, etc.) can also help you feel like part of the group again.

Start group messages for family where you regularly check in and share updates
Swap photos of your creative indoor activities with friends
Create a thread with your coworkers where you share your best moments from the day, favorite work from home tips, and maybe even photos of your fluffy coworkers (your pets!)

5-Be “social”… but not too social

Sites like Twitter and Facebook can be a breeding ground for gossip and misinformation about Coronavirus, so exercise caution. Instead of endlessly scrolling through posts containing conflicting information, use social media to join support groups for those in similar situations to yourself, such as those homeschooling their kids or supporting elderly relatives.

6-Enjoy quality time with housemates

If you’re in Coronavirus lockdown with family members or roommates, check in with the people you are living with. This is a great opportunity to work on your existing relationships and spend quality time together, from playing with your kids in the garden or enjoying family activities like baking and painting. Coming together in these moments is a great way to collectively fight anxiety and depression.

7-Enjoy quality time with yourself

Looking after yourself well, and learning how and when to soothe yourself when lockdown or social distancing get tough, will be essential to getting through the coming weeks and months. Here are just a few ideas.

Treat yourself to a DIY massage, manicure, or pedicure.
Take a hot bath.
Curl up with a good book.
Write in a journal.
Try a fitness or yoga routine from YouTube.
Do guided meditation.
Doodle or enjoy a coloring book.

8-Know yourself

Some people can be more prone to feelings of anxiety, depression, or loneliness during social distancing and lockdown, such as people with a history of these challenges, elderly people who live alone, single parents with young children, and those who recently lost jobs (and the social and financial support that those jobs provided).

If you’ve experienced anxiety or depression in the past or you feel that you’re more prone to isolation and loneliness right now, make self-care a special priority and be aware that you may need to reach out to a professional for extra help.

9-Focus on balance

Self-care is more important than ever during these tough times. By creating balance in your mind, body, and spirit, you can find the calm that leads to clarity, ward off anxiety and depression, and gain the strength to make decisions that best support you and your family.

If you need help creating balance in your life right now, please schedule a virtual appointment with me. I specialize in assisting teens and adults with depression, anxiety disorders, parenting challenges, and more.

The post Self-Care During Coronavirus: 9 Tips to Beat Loneliness and Isolation appeared first on Serene Shift.

Present Parenting – How to Connect with your Kids

sereneshift — Fri, 24 Jan 2020 20:30:14 +0000

Present Parenting – How to Connect with your Kids

What kind of parent do you strive to be? Do you struggle with being present while spending time with your children? Do you want to feel less stress and more connection with your kids?

In today’s busy society, it can be very challenging to come home from work and feel relaxed and present with your kids. Even though you’re clocked out of the office, there’s no clocking out of your job as a parent. You probably have a lot on your mind after work hours, from getting dinner on the table to making sure homework is done.

Children don’t necessarily realize this. Ultimately, they just want one thing from you… they want you. They want your focus and attention.

WHY IS PRESENT PARENTING IMPORTANT?

Full focus and attention communicates many things:

I love you.
You are important to me.
Yes, I am listening to you. I want to connect with you and feel close to you.
You can trust me, I am dependable.

Listening is a beautiful gift we can offer everyone in our lives, especially our family members. When we feel heard and understood, our brain releases oxytocin that can stimulate motivation, reduce stress, increase feelings of satisfaction, and reduce anger. We also feel safe when we feel heard. When we feel safe, we are more inclined to be kinder to ourselves and make better decisions.

Lastly, when we listen to our kids’ stories and clarify what we heard them say, we create a space for our children to develop their sense of self and learn to solve their own problems. Present parenting, or giving kiddos our undivided attention, and creating a safe space for our children to become who they want is a true gift.

5 WAYS TO INCORPORATE PRESENCE WITH YOUR KIDDOS

1- Wake up a little earlier than your kids and take five mindful minutes for yourself. Close your eyes and feel your heart beating, bring attention to your breath, bring attention to your chest rising up and down. Think of three things you are thankful for in life.

2- Notice one specific thing about your child that you enjoy. For example:

I love our time together.
I really enjoyed watching that movie with them last night.
I love reading books with them before bed.
I’m thankful for the person they are.

When it feels right, tell your kiddo what you enjoy about them.

3- When arriving at home after work, set your intention. What would you like to achieve: more connection, greater presence, increased focus or empathy, better listening? Enter your home with this intention in mind so you can act accordingly.

4- During conversations with your child, give them your full, undivided attention. Put devices away, maintain eye contact, and turn your body toward them so your child knows you’re actively listening.

5- Do your best to prioritize. Ask yourself: In this moment, what is the most important thing to do? Prioritization can help you clear your mind for less stress and more presence.

Like anything else, present parenting in this fast-paced world of distractions takes practice; you have to take time to incorporate these practices in your daily life. I’m confident that soon enough, you’ll feel less stress, a greater sense of calm, and more connection to your kiddos.

If you need help working through the challenges of parenting and adoption, I’m always here. Reach out to schedule a virtual or in-person appointment now.

The post Present Parenting – How to Connect with your Kids appeared first on Serene Shift.

Beat the Holiday Blues & Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

sereneshift — Fri, 20 Dec 2019 20:19:35 +0000

BEAT THE HOLIDAY BLUES & SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER (SAD)

During the holiday season, we’re inundated with movies and advertisements of festive families who all seem so happy, peaceful, beautiful… you know, perfect. For most of us mere mortals, though, the holiday season often brings up some conflicting emotions:

Happiness over seeing family and friends
Stress over budgeting for and buying gifts
Overwhelm when ensuring that everything is perfect for company

On top of this, seasonal affective disorder–a type of depression that is related to the changing seasons–can also leave you feeling more fatigued and emotional during the fall and winter months, thanks to fewer daylight hours and less sunlight.

If you’re experiencing the holiday blues or struggling with seasonal affective disorder, try these strategies that I guide my clients through every day. You’ll learn to shift your perspective and actually enjoy the end of the year!

TIP #1: GO FOR GRATITUDE

Rather than heading into the holidays with a laundry list of shortcomings and complaints, flip the narrative around. Every day, recognize a few things that you’re grateful for, such as:

Sunshine and flowers outside
Breathing
A healthy body
Friendships and loved ones
Good food to eat
A home to sleep in

Jotting down a short list every day is a powerful tool to beat the holiday blues and seasonal affective disorder. It makes your gratitude “real,” which is huge considering that the positive effects of gratitude can last for months afterward! Plus, keeping a gratitude journal can be a great way to track positive progress.

Finally, noticing the things you normally take for granted and expressing your gratitude “rewires” your brain in a positive way, helping you to become happier and less depressed. Studies have found that gratitude can also move you away from negative emotions like resentment and envy. So, make your gratitude list a daily habit this holiday season.

TIP #2: PRACTICE MINDFULNESS

Our lives are awfully busy these days, even more so during the packed holiday season and end-of-the-year crunch. Mindfulness techniques like meditation, which have been practiced for thousands of years, can prioritize our mental and physical wellness during hectic times and throughout the year.

Mindfulness enables us to simply exist only in the moment without being pulled forward or backward. We can ease into situations and experience things–good or bad–as they come our way, without judgment. Research shows that mindfulness benefits our mental health as well as our hearts, immune systems, brains, and more.

If you catch yourself constantly worrying about what’s next, obsessing over something from the past that can’t be changed, or agonizing over making everything perfect during the holidays, turn to mindfulness. The following techniques can beat back the holiday blues and ease the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder.

Take a few deep breaths. Focus on the breath flowing through your body.
Scan your body, starting at your feet and moving upwards.
Notice your five senses–note five things you can see, feel, hear, smell, and taste.
Practice moments of self-compassion.
Take a walk and focus on being present with the sights, sounds, and feelings.

The next step is to apply this approach to all areas of life. Melt into conversation at the holiday table, really listen, and stay in the here and now. The year end will feel a whole lot more enjoyable.

TIP #3: EAT PURPOSEFULLY

Holiday celebrations (and those cold winter months) tend to involve a lot of food. It’s easy to wolf down meals, barely giving them a second thought until you feel lethargic or unhealthy.

Take a second to slow down. The next time you grab for a plate, clear your head and focus on what you’re eating.

What does it smell like?
What’s the texture like?
How does the food feel in your mouth?
Which areas of your mouth are responding?

By taking the time to be present while eating, you’ll feel more fulfilled by your food and enjoy the experience.

YOU CAN BEAT THE HOLIDAY BLUES AND SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER

Small changes go a long way. Shifting your perspective can mean the difference between feeling overwhelmed by the holiday blues and truly enjoying your time with yourself and your loved ones.

If you need help making the shift and overcoming depression, anxiety, seasonal affective disorder, eating disorders, or similar challenges this holiday season, please reach out to me. I’m passionate about providing you with the tools you need to better understand what you’re going through and how to make healthy choices, so you can find happiness.

The post Beat the Holiday Blues & Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) appeared first on Serene Shift.