Candy Corn Wishes and Halloween Dreams!

Trick or Treat! As many of you hear your doorbells ringing as the ghouls, goblins, princesses, Indiana Jones', and Presidential Candidates come seeking "tricks" or "treats", remember the following:

• Halloween candy and treats are calorie and fat free


• Candy corn is considered a serving of vegetables


• It's okay to be a real witch today! (Well, actually, it's okay to be a witch any time you feel like it...in my humble opinion) I have flying monkeys and I am not afraid to use them...


• Take the opportunity to vote early today in costume! How much fun will that be???


• Dust off your old "Thriller" album and send it for a good spin

Have a spooktakular day today and enjoy the fun!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, Y'all!!!!!

Stand For Something

I would rather stand alone for the right reasons, than follow the crowd for the wrong reasons. I believe this is the definition of character. A person of character stands for something. They stand up for themselves and others. Most importantly, we must be moral and ethical leaders. We must stand for something. Character does stand for something. In leadership, in standing for principle, there is loneliness. But men and women of integrity must live with their convictions. Unless they do so, they are miserable - dreadfully miserable... I refuse to be miserable. I choose to be true to myself and stand for what I believe in: Me.

Six Surprising Headache Triggers...and how to FIX them!

Getting more than your share of headaches?

Maybe the following article can help!

http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/features/6-surprising-headache-triggers-fix-them

Stolen Post

I ran across this WONDERFUL website called "Confessions of a Pioneer Woman". Not what you might think at first glance. As I let my fingers do the walking through her site, I found a FANTASTIC post by the author of the site and her mother. The content is below. I will post a link to "Confessions of a Pioneer Woman" to the right. Check it out sometime!

Stress Reduction 101

Ha…gotcha, didn’t I? You know, part of my approach here on Confessions of a Pioneer Woman is to change things up, to keep you on your toes, to make absolutely no sense from day to day. And in that respect—if in no other—I’m a rip-roaring success! One day, it’s calf nuts. The other day? Cheesy Harlequin knock-offs (New installment coming this week, for those of you who don’t mind Cheesy Harlequin knock-offs). The next day I might have a story about how my developmentally disabled brother loves to hang out at fire stations. And then next day, BAM! I post a photo of my other brother wearing a wrestling singlet. I make about as much sense as a ferret.


Today, in keeping with that there-is-no-cohesive-theme-to-this-godforsaken-website approach, here’s a post my mom, Gee, wrote for us this morning. Gee, my mom, is a clinical social worker in a cancer center and a mind-body-medicine therapist, which means every time she visits me, she forces me to lie down on my bed, close my eyes and breathe out the stresses and toxins of life. Literally forces me, through emotional and psychological means. Then she performs some sort of bizarre massage ritual on my feet and makes me eat a live chicken. All of this to prove her research-backed belief that in many ways, our health and wellness are directly tied to the level of stress we allow into our lives.

Not really on the live chicken part.


Here’s my mom. I hope she helps make your Tuesday more relaxing, stress-free, groovy and centered. As a physician’s daughter and natural skeptic when it comes to “alternative medicine”, I have to say that the technique my mom is about to describe to you has become a regular, daily exercise for me. And I’d be lying if I didn’t say I think she’s onto something.

Take it, mom! Sorry I never answer your emails. Don’t be hatin’.
__________________________________________
Hi, guys—it’s Gee, Ree’s mom, and I want to talk about breathing today. Breathing: what could be more automatic? Why would I write a tutorial on breath? Well, believe it or not, it’s because your breath is one of the most powerful tools you possess for improving your health.

You may never even have noticed that from your first step onto the floor in the morning until the time your head hits the pillow at night, you breathe in shallowly and rapidly according to your emotional state and external stress. You singers and yoga types are with me already, aren’t you? This is unconscious breathing. Your emotional state and external stress determines your breathing.

The good news is this: You can turn that around. You can make your breathing determine your emotional state, and this can vastly improve your physical health. It involves learning a simple technique called Soft Belly Breathing (a.k.a., “conscious breathing” or “diaphragmatic breathing”).

No pieces of exercise equipment are required; your breath is always with you! What IS required is intention—intention and a minute or two at your desk, on your front porch, waiting in the carpool line, sitting in your physician’s waiting room (plenty of evidence exists that belly breathing lowers blood pressure), after an argument with your boss, or, for Ree, while preg-testing cows. It’s YOUR intention, YOUR awareness, YOUR experiment…not an imposed agenda.


Why bother to learn belly breathing? Evidence-based research now shows that stress is a component of almost any disease we can name, and that by committing to de-stress, we can promote our own healing. What great news!

You say there’s no time in your life for week-long vacations or even twenty-minute meditations? No problem! In one or two minutes, you can halt the secretion of those stress hormones (adrenaline, epinephrine, cortisol) that are are playing havoc with your immune system. Not only that, they are being produced entirely without your permission since they’re a product of the autonomic nervous system (meaning they happen automatically.)


The bottom line is this: Stress hormones are toxic to your health, and YOU have the antidote! So, let’s get to it! Are you ready to signal your body that you are in charge?

(Note from Ree: My mom seriously does this every time she comes to my house. Welcome to my world.)


Sit in a chair in which you feel comfortable and supported, with your feet on the floor. Soften your belly (Yes, this move is a bit counter-cultural, as we’re all about holding it in, aren’t we? Ree always has a problem with this part. It’s a ballet dancer thing. But don’t worry—no one is watching!) Breathe in through your nose and imagine a column of air going directly to your belly and filling the space, almost as if blowing up a balloon. Breathe out slowly through your mouth.

Try it again. Breathe in through your nose, directing the air to the abdominal region…..then out through your mouth. Your upper chest is not moving—only your belly. Continue that breathing and on every outbreath, imagine more tension and worry leaving your body. Breathing in calm…..breathing out tension.

(Note from Ree: I feel it, Mom! I feel it! Ahhhh. I’m letting it happen.)


Hush, Ree. I’m not talking to you. Now, continue with several more belly breaths, then stop and notice where you feel relaxation in your body. Are your shoulders coming down? Are the muscles in your arms, legs, neck letting go and relaxing?

Hooray! You’ve done a great thing for your health while investing only a couple of minutes! Now, when you think of it throughout your day today (remember, intention is the key), try it again, and again, and again. (Note: If you want, add soft, relaxing music, low light, and continue for 5, 10 or 20 minutes.)


Here’s to your health, PW readers! Keep breathing!

Love,Gee

Heal Thyself

Take a look at the article below: "Hey! Mental Health Expert! Heal Thyself!" Don't we all wish it was that easy! Being aware that we need to take care of ourselves is the first step...The rest will take care of itself.

FREE Stress and Life Skills Assessment and Consultation

In honor of Stress Awareness Month and National Stress Awareness Day...

Expiration Date: Monday, December 15, 2008 (Better hurry and call!)

Phone: 801-486-1111

For the 15th consecutive year, April has been designated Stress Awareness Month. Sponsored by The Health Resource Network (HRN), a non-profit health education organization, Stress Awareness Month is a national, cooperative effort to inform people about the dangers of stress, successful coping strategies, and harmful misconceptions about stress that are prevalent in our society.

In honor of Stress Awareness Month and National Stress Awareness Day (April 18th):

The Academy of Life Management is pleased to announce as a public service to the community a FREE STRESS ASSESSMENT AND CONSULTATION, until April 30th.

This free stress assessment and consultation will assist individuals to target the areas in their lives that may sabotage their personal growth, happiness and personal achievement. The free consultation and stress assessment will assist each individual in developing a personal plan to implement stress management and prevention skills in their life.

The Academy of Life Management is open Monday through Friday from 9:30am to 8:30pm, Saturdays from 9:30am to 4:00pm. The Academy is located at 3098 South Highland Drive #317 Salt Lake City, Utah 84106. Consultations, including Free consultations, are by appointment only. For further information, interview, and appointments, please contact Dorie Olds, Academy of Life Management, 486-1111, dorieolds@sisna.com

Self-care Assessment

Click on the link below to assess your self-care needs!

http://www.counseling.org/wellness_taskforce/PDF/ACA_taskforce_assessment.pdf

ACA's Taskforce on Counselor Wellness and Impairement

Rethinking Your Shoulds

One of the struggles in making the case for a wellness effort among counselors is that often counselors do not practice what they preach (O'Halloran & Linton, 2000). The task force is sensitive to the fact that counselors have unique challenges to their own wellness when regularly and intimately involved in the painful experiences of other peoples' lives. Cognitive restructuring-namely taking time to track negative cognitions that interfere with self-care-can be an effective tool for clinicians who clearly know successful strategies to promote their wellness yet have difficulty implementing them. What are the "should" statements that prevent you from leaving the office earlier, saying "no" to requests from colleagues, or taking lunch? Giving yourself permission to set limits and say "yes" to your own needs is a critical first step.

Begin Where You Are Now

In assessing your wellness strategies generally, ask yourself the following two questions:

• When I examine my wellness needs, what area do I want to begin with Today?
• What area is being most taxed Today?

Develop a Self-Care Program for Your Whole Self

A self-care program should take a holistic approach toward preserving and maintaining our own wellness across domains. Pearlman and MacIan (1995) note the ten most helpful activities that trauma therapists use to promote wellness. They include 1) Discussing cases with colleagues 2) Attending workshops 3) Spending time with family or friends 4) Travel, vacations, hobbies, and movies 5) Talking with colleagues between sessions 6) Socializing 7) Exercise 8) Limiting case load 9) Developing spiritual life, and 10) Receiving supervision. These are strategies that cut across the domains of wellness and match perfectly to the causes of counselor vulnerability.

Wellness Activities-Cognitive

• Meditation
• Journaling
• Reading for pleasure
• Hobbies
• Volunteering at something NOT counseling-related
• Going to the movies, theater, symphony, museum, county fair

Wellness Activities-Emotional

• Talk to friends
• Laugh
• Keep in touch with important people
• Participate in an Encouragement Exchange with a colleague
• See a Counselor
• Give yourself permission to cry

Wellness Activities-Physical

• Drink plenty of water
• Eat regular meals
• Exercise regularly
• Get enough sleep
• Turn off the computer/cell phone
• Go for a walk during lunch
• Get a massage
• Yoga, acupuncture, meditation

Wellness Activities-Spiritual

• Take time for reflection
• Learn to garden
• Spend time outdoors
• Find or connect with a Spiritual Community
• Seek social support

The support of peers and other social supports are often overlooked, and yet consistently appear as an asset in maintaining wellness. An active supportive relationship with supervisors and peers is an especially important component of self-care for counselors (Catherall, 1995; Munroe, Shay, Fisher, Makary, Rapperport, & Zimering, 1995).

When a counselor is struggling, their ability to accurately monitor their own wellness may also become impaired. At those times the support of peers and supervisors can be especially helpful. More important than simply identifying whether we are stressed, distressed, or impaired, supervisors and peers play a role on the assets side of the ledger. Too often supervision is provided only for counselors who are new to the field or seeking licensure. Supervision can help, even veteran counselors, maintain an appropriate perspective on the counselor's role, mitigating the harmful secondary exposure to trauma by helping counselors to process their counseling work. It is especially important for supervisors in this role to understand that counselors experiencing impairment, or the prelude to impairment, require support towards ameliorating the problem and promoting resiliency. Ultimately, the care that counselors provide others will be only as good as the care they provide themselves.

What Agencies Can Do to Support Wellness

• Educate your staff and supervisors on the concepts of impairment, vicarious traumatization, compassion fatigue and wellness.
• Develop or sponsor wellness programs (such as in-service trainings and day-long staff retreats)
• Provide clinical supervision (not just task supervision)
• Encourage peer supervision
• Maintain manageable caseloads
• Encourage/require vacations
• Do not reward "workaholism"
• Encourage diversity of tasks and new areas of interest/practice
• Establish and encourage EAPs

Are you in the PINK?

Breast cancer will touch all of our lives on some level. A mother, a sister, a friend, a colleague...

To show our support, I encourage everyone to wear PINK at least one day a week during the month of October. Show your support to the women in your life who may be affected by this disease. Take care of yourself. Remember to do your monthly self-breast exams!

Together, we CAN and WILL make a difference.

Let's Hear It For The "Girls"!

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Today marks the first day of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It's a yearly international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, and cure. When it comes to breast cancer prevention, early detection through monthly self-breast exams and annual mammograms for women over 40 is key. So take this as your friendly reminder to take charge of your breast health. Knowledge really is power, and having access to facts and support when dealing with breast cancer is imperative, so check out these helpful links from well-known websites:

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month organization (NBCAM): Info on early warning signs of breast cancer, male breast cancer, and current news articles about the disease.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure: Info on how to prevent breast cancer, different types of treatments, and a list of complimentary therapies.

For more helpful links about breast cancer read more.

American Cancer Society: Info on every type of cancer and cancer facts and figures.

National Breast Cancer Foundation: Info to help you understand breast cancer if you've just been diagnosed, an explanation of the different stages of breast cancer, and also myths about breast cancer.

Y-Me National Breast Cancer Organization: Offers support programs and services and a 24-hour Hotline.