Let’s talk Boundary Setting!
Quick tips to help you set 𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 to protect your emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical health.
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Self Care Tips to Try at Home
Self care is important every day, but especially during difficult times. Self care is helpful to promote relaxation, mindfulness, health, balance, and overall wellness. If you find yourself stuck at home and/or struggling to find peace and calm, you may want to try some of these ideas.
- Declutter/Organize your space. Take some time to go through clothes, junk drawers, closets etc.
- Have a good laugh. Watch a funny movie, youtube videos, comics, or whatever makes you crack up. Laughing is good for your health 🙂
- Finish a neglected chore. Scrub the toilets, wash the floors, dust for cobwebs. It may not be fun, but you may feel accomplished and it won’t hang over your head any more.
- Have a spa day at home. There are plenty of DIY recipes to make masks, conditioners, exfoliants, and more on Pinterest and Youtube.
- Home workouts. You can practice yoga, or attempt a high-intensity interval training online for free at home. Busting out old exercise DVDs or videos can also be an effective option.
- Get outside. Go for a walk, run, bike, skateboard, play catch, or enjoy the sunshine. Sometimes just being out in nature can be calming and grounding.
- Listen to music. Make a playlist that makes you happy, or just get up and dance!
- Read a book. You can use your local library to rent physical copies of books, audiobooks, or eBooks for free with apps like Hoopla, Overdrive, and Libby.
- Get creative! With extra time, get in touch with your core self by making something new; painting, drawing, landscaping, woodworking, social media posts, clothing, blankets, home decor, or try a new recipe.
- Watch something new. Check out new documentaries, movies, shows that you’ve wanted to see.
- Be still. Take some time to be by yourself in a comfortable place and check in with your thoughts, feelings, and body.
- Learn something new. Learn a new language, research a new place, get perspective on a different culture. You can also learn a new skill with lots of free tutorials online. Go on a virtual tour.
- Play a game. Dig out old board and card games, or try new video or phone games.
- Meditate. Take some time to develop a meditation practice. There are apps that can help with this, and various Youtube videos.
- Start a gratitude journal. I recently wrote a post on how to keep a gratitude journal which you can read more in depth here. Starting a journaling practice of any type can be a great outlet for feelings and thoughts.
- Reach out for help. You can reach out to hotlines, talk to friends, family, or a coach or therapist. You can do all of these things from home, with the benefits of telehealth or online counseling which you can learn more about in this recent blog post.
Hopefully incorporating one or more of these self care techniques will be helpful. Which one will you try?
Keeping a Gratitude Journal
A great tool to help with self care is keeping a gratitude journal. This is simply a journal you can use to record the positive things in your life, specifically the things you are thankful for. Sometimes it may be hard to get into the practice of writing down difficulties of life, however it may be easier to bring up the positives.
Benefits of a gratitude journal
Here are a few benefits of keeping a gratitude journal:
- Writing down the things you are thankful for comes from a place of positivity and abundance instead of lack, which puts you in a better frame of mind
- When you bring up positive or happy things, you can help suppress negative thoughts, behaviors, or moods
- Journaling can give you a new perspective or help focus on what is most important
- Recalling positive memories can help you breathe deeper and feel better
- Journaling can help you become more self-aware and mindful
- This practice can help you realize what makes you happy and what you want more of in life
- When you are feeling down, reviewing the journal can lighten up your mood and lift your spirits
- Gratitude journaling can help strike a balance between the highs and lows of everyday life
Gratitude Journal Prompts
- Who are the people you are most thankful for and why?
- What 5 skills are you thankful to possess?
- What 10 things in your life are you thankful for right now?
- What are 15 things that you are thankful for about yourself?
- What are lessons in life you are thankful you have learned?
- What music are you thankful for being able to listen to?
- What sights are you thankful you have seen?
- What about your workplace are you thankful for?
- Which activities are you grateful that you are able to do?
- Which elements of nature are you most thankful for?
- When are times you have laughed the most?
- Who has helped you the most when you needed it?
- Which places or destinations are you the most thankful you have been able to travel to?
Make sure that however you approach your gratitude journal, that you make it unique to you! That may mean writing lists, or drawing, or painting, or using an electronic version. Starting new habits can sometimes be challenging, but give yourself grace, and just do the best you can! This is meant to be helpful and for your benefit. It may be helpful to keep your journal in a place where you can easily get to it when inspiration strikes. I recommend trying to implement a gratitude practice on a daily basis to increase the positive effects. Get creative and enjoy!
Free & Low-Cost Therapy for Coronavirus Essential Workers
Thank you.
I want to thank all of our essential workers: healthcare professionals, first responders, grocery store and food and beverage staff, sanitation workers, delivery employees, and all those serving us during this time of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. All those I’ve spoken to are impacted in at least some way, whether that is economically, physically, or mentally.
Among those I am thankful for, mental health professionals are also at the top of my list. So many have stepped up to support clients and colleagues, change their schedules, office configurations, practices, protocols, and pricing to meet the needs of people around the world-mostly via online therapy (for more on the benefits of online therapy, click here.) I am so happy to be a part of this amazing field.
One resource that I am thankful to be a part of that has been created to address mental health support for our essential workers is Coronavirus Online Therapy. This service was created by another fellow social worker who saw a need and took action to support those who are supporting us in this time of growing anxiety, fear, and illness.
Jennifer Silacci, LCSW reached out to mental health therapists across the nation, looking for volunteers willing to provide free or low-cost online sessions for essential frontline staff. The response has been overwhelming with close to 3,000 therapists offering services in all US states.
Coronavirus Online Therapy is a free connection service to mental health therapists providing pro-bono or low cost short-term therapy to those in various capacities serving others during this time of the coronavirus. Therapists are offering four online sessions at discounted rates ranging from $0-$50 per session, with option to continue with the therapist after the initial sessions*.
*Please note that rates, availability and practice procedures are dependent on the therapist you are matched with.
Interested for yourself or someone you know?
Visit the site to learn more and request a therapist here. Feel free to share this resource widely to support others during this time!
Interested in becoming a volunteer?
Volunteers are still needed for therapy, graphic designers, accountants, fundraisers, influencers to spread the word, and more.
For therapists to join, click here.
For all other volunteers, click here.
In gratitude and care,
Angela
Benefits of Online Counseling {TeleMental Health}
Online counseling {also known as telemental health, telemedicine, telehealth or e-counseling} is the use of electronic communication that allows the therapist and client to conduct therapy. Online counseling can be helpful for those experiencing stressful situations, transitions, anxiety, depression, handling emotions, setting goals, or would like support working through life’s challenges.
Online counseling can be used to supplement or take the place of in-person counseling sessions. Each mode has its pros and cons. I have clients who enjoy the benefits of both in-person and online counseling for different reasons.
So what are the benefits to online counseling?
· Transportation: If you don’t have access to your own vehicle, have transportation concerns, or are conscious of spending gas money, online counseling provides access to resources where you are. Traffic in certain areas or times of the day can also be difficult or frustrating to navigate.
· Flexibility: More time slots during the day or evening may be available during a time that is convenient for you. Also, online counseling is helpful during times when you may need to stay home but can still participate in the therapeutic process (minor illness, injury, etc).
· Accessibility: In-person counseling offices are not all created equal. Some offices are not ADA compliant or convenient to get to considering physical/mobility limitations. Sometimes our mental health symptoms make it hard to leave home.
· Weather: It can be unpredictable and at times dangerous. Inclement weather may even make it hard to drive to an office.
· Comfort: Let’s face it, at home we have our creature comforts. These may include a blanket, favorite pair of sweats, or our loving pet that we have access to while being in counseling at home.
If you live in the state of Florida and are interested in online counseling, feel free to set up an appointment with Angela HERE.
Interested in viewing other online counseling directory options? Feel free to search the following directories: Online Counseling Directory or Psychology Today.
Take Care!
Angela
Health and Wellness Collective, LLC 