The holidays can be a stressful time. As you begin your holiday shopping, party-planning, cooking, and socializing, keep in mind these 5 tips from my latest blog on the Huffington Post!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/johanna-bond/5-strategies-to-manage-holiday-stress_b_8708732.html
Gratitude is not just for Thanksgiving day. While you may have finished the leftover turkey and the last slice of pie, your practice of gratitude does not need to be over.
If you need some assistance in increasing your awareness of gratitude, try answering a few of these 50 Questions to Foster Gratitude. I went through them and surprised myself with some of the things I came up with! If you’re feeling really ambitious, maybe even tell a few people what you’re grateful for, or thank them for something they’ve done for you.
I’m that person who likes to have everyone share what they’re grateful for at the Thanksgiving table. Does this always happen? No. It can be hard to name and share with others your appreciation. But gratitude does not always have to be big, perfect, or life-changing. The other day I was grateful for a working hairdryer on a cold and rainy day. Yesterday I found appreciation in a really great song on the radio that fit my mood.
So, what are you grateful for today?
For those of you in Webster, check out this week’s edition of the Webster Herald! You can find it at Wegmans or other local stores. There’s a great article on Perspectives and the other businesses (Goshorn Acupuncture and Body Balance Massage Therapy) that have recently opened up at 721 Ridge Road.
When you have a medical condition that restricts your diet, it’s important to find ways to manage the anxiety that may accompany social eating situations (like summer barbeques!). Here are some tips, from my latest Huffington Post blog, on how to do just that:
Is the sun rising or setting in this picture?
The way we think about things shapes the way we see them and the perspective we take. In this picture, the sun is setting. However, you might not automatically know that from the picture. The ways in which we perceive interactions with friends and family, daily events in our lives, and the world around us is influenced by our perspective.
In counseling, you have the opportunity to work on seeing things from different angles; increasing insight about your own perspective, your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors; and making change to gain a healthy point of view using your personal strengths. Changing the way you think about a situation is called a cognitive re-frame, one of many tools you will encounter in a cognitive-behavioral based approach to counseling.
I invite you to bring your old strengths into a new perspective, and to share in a conversation that is both challenging and supportive. At Perspectives, you really are welcome. You may come to gain a viewpoint outside of your current network of friends, family, co-workers, teammates, and to take a look at your own perspective as well.
By gaining new insight, you will find ways to make positive change in your life and cope with whatever it is you carry with you through the door. Together we can, through talk therapy, work towards discovering and helping you to become the healthiest you.
Look around the website and please feel free to contact me with further questions.
Johanna Bond, LMHC-D 