Giving Thanks

Wishing a peaceful, restful and happy Thanksgiving to my clients. 

I am inspired every day by your fortitude, bravery, intelligence, 

resilience and wonderful humor. 

Thank you for your trust and faith in me.

Be well,

Laura

 

Everyone is an Artist

Art therapy is one of my preferred ways of working with clients. Almost everyone enjoys it, and it never fails to provide me with new insights about a client and how I can fine-tune our work together. It is often fun for the client and for me, and is a great way to strengthen our bond. Sometimes the drawing "assignment" will help a client realize that they are holding onto negative relationships or thought patterns.  Many times clients are able to not only identify that they are "stuck", but are also able to figure out what they need to do to move past these challenges. 

One common misconception about art therapy is that people need art "skills" to make therapy effective. This is absolutely not true. In fact, whether the end result is a few stick figures, a swath of color, or a more complex drawing, clients have equally powerful insights into what their art work is suggesting to them.

The creation of a 10 year-old client

Another misconception about art therapy is that the therapist will "interpret" the client's work, and proceed to tell the client what it means. Far more helpful is when clients tell me what their drawing means to them. 


Although I have already gotten to know a client through talk therapy by the time I introduce art therapy, I still have a lot to learn. Talk therapy primarily engages the left side of the brain. In most people, and in Western culture, the left brain is dominant, and focuses on  logic, reasoning, and details. We have difficulty accessing all of our wishes and true feelings by talking. Activities that involve the right hemisphere of the brain, such as art therapy, help people access imagination, big picture thinking, and creativity. Working in right brain mode helps clients break out of their everyday way of thinking. It is the powerful combination of insights from both sides of the brain  that can lead to faster healing and growth.


Be well,
Laura

My Immersion in Mind-Body Medicine and Mindfulness Meditation

Earlier this month I had the good fortune to be able to attend a five day training in Mind-Body Medicine. The training was extensive, professional, personal, and inspiring. I have used bits and pieces of Mind-Body techniques with clients in the past, and knew by observation and client feedback that they are wonderful at reducing stress. I have done yoga poses with teens to begin or end a session, taught deep breathing, and used art to heal.

I enrolled in the training with The Center for Mind-Body Medicine because I was enthusiastic about learning more about the science behind the Mind-Body Connection. I am a scientist by nature, and although I had experienced the benefits of mind-body work myself, part of me was still holding out for "proof".

Proof I got. Every single session we had- on exercise, nutrition, guided imagery, drawing, spirituality, and meditation was supported by detailed written materials and well-done research. After the large group presentations, we went into small groups to learn more and practice the various techniques. A great way to learn by doing!

You don't have to meditate like this

At the beginning of every large and small group session we did a brief three minute Mindfulness Meditation. I was amazed at how calming yet energizing this simple practice was for me. I have always "fought" the concept of meditation, probably because years ago my first attempts at it were in Concentrative Meditation, meaning that the goal is to focus on a particular object or sound. Back then I also pictured that meditating "properly" needed to include burning incense on a shrine and wearing long flowing robes.

That was the end of my attempts at meditation for several decades. Instead I used running, walking or gardening as my meditative time.

Although those activities are extremely calming, I found I benefited tremendously from the brief, guided mindfulness meditation we were led through in regular hotel conference room chairs. It relaxed me after the morning rush to get to training at 8:30 a.m., and eliminated those annoying thoughts that are always flying through my head (did I pay the Mastercard bill, did I remember to reschedule the dentist appointment, have I forgotten my nieces birthday...)

After just three to four minutes of deep breathing and mindful meditation, I felt restored and ready to learn. Meditation is scientifically demonstrated to increase in the body's ability to heal,  and shift from a tendency to use the right prefrontal cortex to a tendency to use the left prefrontal cortex. Why care which cortex is being used?  Because this shift in cortical use is associated with a trend away from depression and anxiety and towards happiness, relaxation, and emotional balance. Not bad!

I came home from five days of 10 hours of learning  rested and calm. I attribute much of the calm to the practice of these brief meditations. It's been almost three weeks since I returned from the training program. I have worked hard to maintain my "new calm". I am not quite where I would like to be, but I much more relaxed than I was pre-trip. What I find to be amazing is that by simply reminding myself that I can feel better in just a few minutes, I regain much of the serenity I gained while I was meditating regularly.

It has been rewarding and fun to incorporate my new-found Mind-Body work into therapy sessions with the incredible clients that I work with.

Steps of Mindfulness Meditation

1. Sit comfortably, with your eyes closed and your spine reasonably straight.

2. Direct your attention to your breathing.

3. When thoughts, emotions, physical feelings or external sounds occur, simply accept them, giving them the space to come and go without judging or getting involved with them.

4. When you notice that your attention has drifted off and become engaged in thoughts or feelings, simply bring it back to your breathing and continue.

• Remember... it's ok and natural for thoughts to arise, and for your attention to follow them. No matter how many times this happens, just keep bringing your attention back to your breathing.

Try this even for three to four minutes once a day, and see how you feel. 

Let us know how it worked for you.

Enjoy!

Laura

Opening to Meditation: A Gentle, Guided Approach (Book & CD) 

Have You Been Abandoned by a Friend During Rough Times?

By middle age, most people have dealt with one of the three big "D"'s: death, divorce or disaster. Unfortunately,  some friends disappear right when you need their support the most.

The following article provides excellent insights into this painful and confusing phenomenon, and also provides good tips on how to help others in need.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/17/health/views/17essa.html?emc=eta1

Thank you, Harriet Brown and the NY Times.

Be well,

Laura

Information Overload: Is Choosing How to De-Stress Stressing You Out?

Finding time to relax is hard enough, and to make matters worse, every lifestyle magazine cover, newspaper or TV newscast has different suggestions for managing stress. Here's some soothing news: results of a study in Behavior and Research Therapy (August 2010) show that breathing is the most effective relaxation strategy. Compared to progressive muscle relaxation and meditation, mindful breathing was the most calming activity.  A stand-out result of the study was how well mindful breathing helped reduce anxious thinking and limit the ability of negative thoughts to upset study participants.

If you have never tried breathing for relaxation, Dr. Andrew Weill gives great instructions:

This exercise is utterly simple, takes almost no time, requires no equipment and can be done anywhere. Although you can do the exercise in any position, sit with your back straight while learning the exercise. Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there through the entire exercise. You will be exhaling through your mouth around your tongue; try pursing your lips slightly if this seems awkward.

• Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
• Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four (your belly should expand).
  
• Hold your breath for a count of seven.
• Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight (your belly should contract as it pushes out the air).
• This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.

Note that you always inhale quietly through your nose and exhale audibly through your mouth. The tip of your tongue stays in position the whole time. Exhalation takes twice as long as inhalation. The absolute time you spend on each phase is not important; the ratio of 4:7:8 is important. If you have trouble holding your breath, speed the exercise up but keep to the ratio of 4:7:8 for the three phases. With practice you can slow it all down and get used to inhaling and exhaling more and more deeply.

Take a moment to relax and breath

 This exercise is a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system. Unlike tranquilizing drugs, which are often effective when you first take them but then lose their power over time, this exercise is subtle when you first try it but gains in power with repetition and practice. Two times a day is a great goal, and you cannot do it too frequently. Do not do more than four breaths at one time for the first month of practice. Later, if you wish, you can extend it to eight breaths. If you feel a little lightheaded when you first breathe this way, do not be concerned; it will pass.

Once you develop this technique by practicing it every day, it will be a very useful tool that you will always have with you. Use it whenever anything upsetting happens - before you react. Use it whenever you are aware of internal tension. Use it to help you fall asleep. This exercise cannot be recommended too highly. Everyone can benefit from it.

Be well, and just breathe...

Laura 

Breathing: The Master Key to Self Healing (The Self Healing Series) by Dr. Andrew Weil

When Life Can’t Get Worse

As a therapist I often see people when they are juggling two or three major life problems. The barely-recovering economy makes financial challenges a given for most people right now. Add a seriously ill family member, and a relationship problem to the mix, and you have a recipe for a personal crisis. 

To quote Winston Churchill: 

“When you are going through hell, keep going"

However, we need a strategy, and the best way to survive a crisis is to SIMPLIFY. I mean really simplify. Take a very close look at your calendar and ask yourself what items are non-essential. At first glance, you may feel that everything on the calendar needs to stay. Look again. Anything that is not absolutely helpful for making you feel better or keeping you or a family member healthy has to go.

During a crisis our bodies and minds are tapped out. We need adequate sleep, nutritious food, and quiet time. The play-date for your four year-old, a trip to your cranky aunt's house, dinner with the neighbors- unless these events will restore your energy and perspective, cancel. No detailed explanations necessary, just a sincere apology.  Describing your reasoning or current situation takes valuable energy and can be very upsetting.

Calendar full? Pare it down a bit.

Use the time you freed up to take care of essentials. Sleep. Eat some fresh and tasty food. Do only the crucial household chores and then hang out with a child or a pet. Sit outside. If you are a loyal exerciser or yoga practitioner and you do not have the time or energy to get to class, let it go. You will not lose your fitness in a week. Your yoga practice can consist of a five-minute savasana for a while.  

 It may take longer than you expected, but the crisis will pass. Keep life slow and simple. When the crisis passes, you may even decide to keep some of your new habits.

Be well,

Laura

 Simplify Your Life: 100 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy the Things That Really Matter

Excellent Overview of Depression and Latest Research in Treatment

• Did you know that depression is twice as common in women as it is in men?

• Did you know that 80 % of those who seek treatment for depression get better?

•  Did you knowthat hormonal changes that take place in the years leading up to menopause make women particularly vulnerable to depression? 

For more information,  the following slide show on WEB MD gives an excellent overview of the causes of depression and the most recent strategies for treatment:

http://www.webmd.com/depression/slideshow-depression-overview