Great Mental Health Apps To Try

Great Mental Health Apps To Try

Phone apps can be an incredible support for monitoring behavior and emotions, supplementing therapy, or for improving or maintaining mental health and wellness.  While mental health apps do not substitute treatment from a mental health professional and do not provide a diagnosis, they can be used in conjunction with therapy to help you build awareness of habits and patterns, as well as independently to support self-care.  Many of these apps are based on scientific research and evidence based therapy techniques.  I recommend some of them to support work I do with my clients and I use them personally. 

Read More

What is Beginners Mind?

What is Beginners Mind?

Beginners Mind is one of seven principles within Mindfulness meditation practice and the most important according to prominent Zen authors. The other six principles are Letting Go, Acceptance, Non-Judgement, Non-Striving, and Trust. I will interchange the terms “principles” and “practice” throughout the blog because principles are practiced and practice involves principles. 

Read More

How To Apply Mindfulness Meditation To Your Everyday Life

How To Apply Mindfulness Meditation To Your Everyday Life

This practice involves retraining the mind to remain in the present rather than living in the past and the future—particularly and especially when thoughts about the past and the future promote personal distress. There is a distinction between “living” in the past and the future and “thinking” about them. Living in those two domains involves emotion; thinking about them is non-emotion. If we remember good times from the past and anticipate good times in the future, that is one thing. It is healthy because it does not promote distress. When distress occurs, it becomes unhealthy. So, ground yourself in the present. 

Read More

6 Simple Tips to Reduce Your Anxiety so You Feel More Relaxed 

I thought I'd put together a brief list of simple ideas to help you feel more relaxed, especially if you are feeling worried or anxious.  You certainly don't need to do all of these, but if you're feeling run down, try figuring out how to add one or two of these practices into your day.  It just might help you feel better!

Read More