health

Writing for Perspective

~ JB

Combining my love of writing with mental health, I’ll be offering an online writing workshop:

Writing Away the Pandemic

It’s been quite a year, and we’ve all got stories to tell. This workshop will be a generative workshop, providing brief prompts focused on writing to get away from the pandemic (such as traveling to a new place through your words) as well as writing to process how you have journeyed through this past year. I’ll be providing tips for kind self-care as a part of this brief workshop.

When: Saturday, May 29th, 10am-11:30am EST

Where: Zoom (link will be provided upon registration)

Cost: $25

Cost of recorded workshop: $15

(If you are unable to attend at the time of the workshop but are interested in a recorded version, please contact me and I can email it to you after the fact).

To register for the workshop, please email me at jbondperspectives@gmail.com.

Good-bye snow bank, Hello recycling bin

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After over a month, my recycling bin has emerged from the midst of a snow bank. Sometime in February, I’d set the recycling bin by the curb and a snowstorm buried it overnight. Just this week, the snow melted enough for my blue bin to reappear, equally full of snow as recyclables. I left the bin out by the curb. It was finally ready to be emptied.

When it comes time for spring, I think we’re all a bit like that recycling bin. We may have things we’ve been holding onto that have no more use; we may have been buried (or been hiding!) in a snow bank; we may be emerging from a long winter, standing alone on the grass where there used to be snow.

A new season is heading towards us – spring. With change comes stress, and new growth, and opportunity.

What do you need to empty from your recycling bin? What are your hopes for spring? What might you still be holding onto? What do you need help sorting through?

As always, I’m a phone call away if you find you need another perspective as you dive into your own emotional spring cleaning – (585)406-3012.

Q&A with Johanna

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You’ve been in private practice for a few years now. What’s changed? What hasn’t?

Well, first off there are now two locations, one in Brighton and one in Webster. Something else that has changed is my own growth as a therapist and deepening interest in areas of specialty, including medical trauma, gender identity exploration, social anxiety, and grief. I also work with more adolescents in my practice than when I first opened.

I’m continuing to also see clients with general anxiety, grief, trauma, and depression, as well as areas of specialty. What has stayed the same is my interest in hearing people’s stories and witnessing positive change in their lives.

What helps to keep your practice sustainable?

Community! While I practice individually and the business itself is just me, I could not do this without community. In my physical office locations, I share community with the other professionals in the space. In the therapist community, I collaborate and learn from other local therapists (and with such varied strengths here in Rochester, there is always something to learn!). And more broadly, collaborating with other disciplines such as spiritual leaders and medical providers is hugely important both for the health of my practice and for the health of my clients.

I would also say continued learning is important. The more I am engaged in learning, the more I can share with my clients the most relevant and recent research on why we do what we do in therapy. There’s always something new to learn.

And finally, focusing on the most important part – the growth and the healing that happens in the office with a client. That’s the best part of the practice, without a doubt.

May’s Mindfulness Exercise

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Mindfulness involves observing and accepting the things around and within us in the present moment, without judgment.  In therapy, Johanna may involve mindfulness skills to build awareness of various issues and to develop coping strategies to reach optimal wellness.   The exercise below is not individualized to your needs as it may be in therapy, but is rather intended as a general exercise that you may find useful.

May’s Mindfulness Exercise:

 

This month, we return to the body and physical awareness for our mindfulness exercise. As you begin to bring awareness to your breath, raise both hands so the palms face each other, about a foot apart. Slowly bring the hands closer to each other until they are nearly touching; notice if you become aware of any feeling of heat between the hands. On your next inhale, gently press the fingertips together and then as you exhale, release them. On your next inhale, gently press the whole hand together and then release. Repeat this several times and then let your hands rest gently on your legs or the arms of a chair.

What did you notice physically as you did this? How do your hands feel afterwards? Notice what thoughts and emotions you are experiencing in this moment, as well as the physical feeling in your hands.

This is intended to increase your awareness and acceptance of your own thoughts and feelings as you engage in a brief exercise using your hands and palms. If you are a current client in therapy, please feel free to bring in your observations to your next appointment!

NOTE: This is not intended to replace therapy.  Please contact Johanna at (585)406-3012 if you are interested in engaging in counseling for optimal wellness.

April’s Mindfulness Exercise

~ JB ~ Leave a comment

Mindfulness involves observing and accepting the things around and within us in the present moment, without judgment.  In therapy, Johanna may involve mindfulness skills to build awareness of various issues and to develop coping strategies to reach optimal wellness.   The exercise below is not individualized to your needs as it may be in therapy, but is rather intended as a general exercise that you may find useful.

April’s Mindfulness Exercise:

April is a time of transition. We are headed away from winter, and towards spring. Take a moment to reflect on this time of transition in the world, and what transitions you are experiencing in your own life.

What is changing in your life? Are you experiencing transitions at home, at work or school, in your relationships? Are there things you hope will change within yourself? If you feel stuck in this reflection, look over a calendar or planner (paper or digital) and notice what events have happened so far in 2017. Notice also what events you have planned for the coming months.

As you consider transitions in your life, check in with your own thoughts and feelings. What is your stress level as you think about this? Try to notice without judging your experience as good or bad.

 

This is intended to increase your awareness and acceptance of your own thoughts and feelings as you consider the transitions in your life. If you are a current client in therapy, please feel free to bring in your observations to your next appointment!

NOTE: This is not intended to replace therapy.  Please contact Johanna at (585)406-3012 if you are interested in engaging in counseling for optimal wellness.

March’s Mindfulness Exercise

~ JB ~ Leave a comment

Mindfulness involves observing and accepting the things around and within us in the present moment, without judgment.  In therapy, Johanna may involve mindfulness skills to build awareness of various issues and to develop coping strategies to reach optimal wellness.   The exercise below is not individualized to your needs as it may be in therapy, but is rather intended as a general exercise that you may find useful.

March’s Mindfulness Exercise:

 

When you wake up in the morning, what is the first thing you are aware of? When you go to bed at night, what is the last thing you are aware of? For the next week, try to increase your awareness at either the start or end of your day. Notice your breathing, and check in with how you are feeling physically, emotionally, and what thoughts cross your mind.

Are there habits you’d like to change at either the start or end of your day? This mindfulness practice could be the initial building block to making change!

This is intended to increase your awareness and acceptance of your own thoughts and feelings at the start or end of your day. If you are a current client in therapy, please feel free to bring in your observations to your next appointment!

NOTE: This is not intended to replace therapy.  Please contact Johanna at (585)406-3012 if you are interested in engaging in counseling for optimal wellness.

November Wellness Expo

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This November, Goshorn Chiropractic will be hosting a Wellness Expo at 721 and 725 Ridge Road in Webster!

Please see the announcement below and RSVP to attend the free event.

“Join us for our Wellness Expo and open house on Tuesday, November 1st. from 7 to 9 pm.  We at Goshorn Wellness Center are committed to bringing only the best in health and wellness to you. Let us share ways to keep you healthy and fit, naturally! Meet our experts… Dr. Charles Goshorn, Dr. Andrew Lazzaro, Allison Goshorn of Goshorn Acupuncture, Melissa Bice from Body Balance Massage, Johanna Bond with Perspectives Counseling, Breathe Yoga, Reiki with Kate Saracene, and so much more! We will also have samples from CoreLife Eatery and organic wines. You can also have your foot scanned, check out our Spinal Decompression table and talk to our resident nutrition expert, Barb Goshorn, about nutrition. Whether it’s eating healthy and organically or using natural products by Norwex for cleaning or healthy skin care products from R-Salon, we want to introduce you to elements of healthy lifestyle living. ”

You will enjoy healthy light refreshments, organic wines and raffle prizes!

Please call 671-0934 to  RSVP no later than 10/25/16.

Perspectives Monthly Journal Exercise – June

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Journaling can be a therapeutic exercise.  In therapy, Johanna may encourage you to journal or keep a diary in a specific way, to raise awareness of specific activities, thoughts, or feelings.  This monthly journal exercise is in no way individually prescribed, but meant to offer food for thought that may be useful for anyone.

June’s monthly journal exercise:

Write a letter to your past self.  What have you learned from yourself?  What would you want to share with your past self that you know now?  Be kind to your past self. This does not need to be a polished piece of writing, but rather a brief exercise to get yourself writing and thinking about yourself in a new way.

Perspectives Monthly Journal Exercise – March

~ JB ~ Leave a comment

Journaling can be a therapeutic exercise.  In therapy, Johanna may encourage you to journal or keep a diary in a specific way, to raise awareness of specific activities, thoughts, or feelings.  This monthly journal exercise is in no way individually prescribed, but meant to offer food for thought that may be useful for anyone.

March’s monthly journal exercise:

What would you say if no one could hear you?  Write a paragraph or two of the thoughts you would share if you knew there could be no consequences.

What would you say if everyone could hear you?  Write a paragraph or two of the thoughts you would share if you knew everyone would truly listen to your words.

Finally, compare the two sets of writing.  How are they the same, and how are they different?  How do they compare to the things you actually say (either in interpersonal interactions or via social media)?  Write down your thoughts on the exercise to process this activity.

Webster Herald

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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.