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holidays

Stress-free Holidays Tips

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The holidays bring up a lot of emotions. We can’t avoid feelings such as depression, anxiety, or stress. The expectations from family, friends, co-workers, and ourselves are often overwhelming. Throughout the holiday season, we give ourselves excuses to relax or put aside our healthy habits in favor of unhealthy habits.

The struggle to remain sober or substance-free increases as we interact with familiar faces in familiar places. Parties and gatherings become temptations. We feel we “deserve” to drink or use substances to decrease our feelings of depression, anxiety, or stress. The urge to let down our guard and be a part of the crowd also exists. Negative habits become second-nature if we allow them to control our behavior.

Staying on track during the holidays takes commitment and support. Often, we have either finished treatment, never started treatment, or let our treatment lapse. Therapy is essential to our health and well-being. Aftercare gives us support during a season filled with emotion and temptation.

Holidays

The holidays are welcomed by many because they symbolize happy feelings. People look forward to family and friends gathering together to celebrate. Media and society set unrealistic expectations for the holiday season. Before Halloween, we see the Christmas decorations on shelves. Conclusion: there is pressure to create mass marketing to buy gifts, spend time with everyone, and have a perfect house, table, or party. We can’t expect ourselves to achieve the standards the media, marketing outlets, and society set for the holidays. People are flawed, we have our temptations, breakdowns, and despite our imperfections, we have people who love us unconditionally.

We place expectations on ourselves, such as:

  • Being happy. When we force ourselves to be happy, we exhaust ourselves. Family and friends understand the emotions associated with the holidays. Spend some time with those close to you and discuss how you feel about the parties and traditions.
  • Expecting perfection. No matter what we do, we can’t control everything. We need to acknowledge we are doing the best we can. No one will remember if the table isn’t set correctly or the food served at an exact time. Expecting perfection compounds feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. 
  • Enjoying our time with everyone. Our family and friends mean well, but there are times when we need a break. Some family members trigger negative emotions. 

Life is stressful enough before we add unrealistic holiday expectations. Relax, focus on realistic goals, and maintain healthy habits.

Healthy Habits

Healthy habits begin when we recognize the need for change. A positive way to accomplish the desired change is to start therapy before encountering difficulty in our lives. Reaching out to a therapist commits us to improve our lifestyle of facing mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, or stress. 

Therapy provides a healthy outlet for our emotions. We learn how to set plans in advance, create safe spaces, avoid unrealistic goals, and not fall back on negative behaviors. For example, to alleviate depression, anxiety, or stress, we seek alcohol or substances to numb our feelings. Our therapist will work with us to set practical coping mechanisms in place. Instead of falling back on negative behaviors, we will have the tools to reinforce positive behaviors. A few causes of negative emotions are:

  • The stress of buying presents. Racking up credit card debt or overspending won’t bring us joy. The feelings of guilt, depression, stress, and anxiety will increase when we realize we can’t pay our bills. Don’t buy gifts you can’t afford to give. 
  • Create coupon books with fun, free activities.
  • Offer to help a friend or family member with a task.
  • Be creative. We can draw, write poems, stories, cook, or teach a loved one new skills.
  • Spend time with loved ones. Sometimes the best present is our time.

Therapy

Therapy appointments are an oasis. Our daily routine is all-consuming, often leading us to neglect our mental well-being. We need to find time for ourselves. Scheduling and going to therapy appointments can seem self-centered. When we focus on improving ourselves or center our well-being, we open ourselves up to self-love. Without a self-centered focus, we can’t connect to our mind, body, or spirit healthily. Our connection to our inner self provides the support we need to weather the holidays. Beginning therapy before the holidays creates a strong foundation for healthy habits. 

When the holiday season starts, we can forget to schedule appointments or delay an appointment because of our busy calendar. An active holiday schedule doesn’t need to interfere with continued therapy sessions. If we can’t find the time to go to our therapist’s office, ask if they can come to our home. In-home therapy sessions maintain our therapy progress, but in-home therapy allows our therapist to see our family’s dynamics. Personalized therapy sessions based on family dynamics supports our well-being.

 

We experience pressure during the holiday season due to unrealistic expectations. The media, marketing, social interactions, and pressure to conform to unrealistic expectations can trigger unhealthy emotions. We seek ways to escape the pressure or the overwhelming feelings of depression, anxiety, or stress. Some people rely on alcohol or substances to numb their feelings. Alcohol or substances can numb depression, anxiety, or stress, but they will also increase those feelings. Excessive spending, alcohol, or substance use leads us down the trail of negative emotions. When we begin therapy before the holiday season begins, we establish a positive foundation and healthy habits. Even if the holidays are in full swing, it’s not too late to start therapy. Self-care is about centering on our needs, not the expectation of other people. Achieve Concierge offers individuals both with in-office and in-home treatment. We focus on creating a personalized treatment plan. For more information, call us at (858) 221-0344.

holistic

Find Your Motivation: A Holistic Approach

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Finding our motivation through holistic approaches is a journey to a healthier mind, body, and spirit. Our trip to loving and being proud of who we are comes from within. When we tap into our inner self and find inner peace, we start a life of purpose.

A holistic approach to motivation is achieved with guidance and belief in ourselves. Before we can begin our inner peace journey, we must establish why we are searching for acceptance. Patterns of self-sabotage will derail any progress we make towards reaching our self-love goal and defining our reason for our pilgrimage to acknowledge our goals.

Motivation

Before we discuss how to become motivated, we must examine the definition of motivation. Motivation is an act or feeling of determination to achieve a goal. When we want something, we actively set out to do what is necessary for our success. WE find the drive or strength from within to drive us forward. A need, push, or desire for change spurs us to get up and get moving. Some can feel energized or excited to find their direction. When we are motivated, we can see how things can change and what we need to do to adapt to any obstacles in our way.

Before we start any form of self-exploration, we must question why we are doing something and our end goal. Once these questions are answered, we have established why we are motivated to change.  Take a moment and ask yourself, “why?” and “what?” Dig deep to find the real answer. Once you find the solution, write it down and start to make a plan to make the goal happen. 

Motivation is important because it:

  • provides you with goals to work towards
  • helps you solve problems
  • enables you to change old habits
  • allows you to cope with challenges and opportunities

Gaining Motivation

Many people struggle with becoming motivated, and it may be incredibly hard for those who suffer from depression or anxiety. Finding a reason to get up and start on our route builds the foundation necessary to continue forward. Often, what motivates us to keep going is a sense of pleasure. Satisfaction and happiness are found in activities that bring us peace. A few tips for pursuing our goals are:

  • Set one goal. Focusing on more than one goal is overwhelming. When we decide on one goal, we can take small steps towards achieving success.
  • Determine short and long-term ways to achieve our goal. Break the goal into achievable increments such as days, weeks, months, and years. Baby steps and small victories keep us motivated.
  • Set regular reminders. Set up a way to remind yourself of your goal. Program goal activities into a calendar, goal setting program, or write the steps down to create a commitment to keeping our purpose and motivation.
  • Celebrate successes. Each time we complete a mark, do something that brings pleasure.

Stay Motivated

We don’t always complete our timelines; instead of giving up, we can reassess our expectations. We can:

  • Set aside time each week to review our goal and consider other factors in our lives that affect our ability to progress toward our goal successfully.
  • Set and reset our goal. Think about what we want to achieve and work toward the new achievement marker.
  • Keep coming back. Habits take three months to become a part of our routine. Don’t give up; anything is possible if we believe in ourselves.
  • Reward yourself.

Holistic Approach to Motivation

A holistic approach looks at the whole person, not just one aspect, such as mental health.

Motivation and goal-setting are intertwined. To achieve a goal, we will look beyond our mental or physical being and incorporate our whole self. As we progress on our journey, we learn about ourselves and what we need—learning about ourselves and how to not self-sabotage comes from finding inner peace. Working on our inner peace includes intrinsic motivation. Michigan State University states, “Intrinsic motivation is an energizing of behavior that comes from within an individual, out of will, and interest for the activity at hand.  No external rewards are required to incite the intrinsically motivated person into action. The reward is the behavior itself.” 

Activities, whether physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual, reward our inner selves. Holistic activities that motivate people can include:

  • Deep breathing
  • Yoga or Tai Chi
  • Chiropractic or another form of spinal manipulation
  • Meditation
  • Homeopathy
  • Proper Nutrition
  • Acupuncture
  • Guided Imagery
  • Painting, drawing, or journaling
  • Surfing, cycling, running, or another physical activity

Involvement in an activity that connects us to our mind, body, and spirit allows us to step back, free our mind, discover the connection, and process our goals. We find motivation by learning to appreciate how beautiful we are inside and out.

Integrative Health

Finding our motivation, setting goals, and believing in ourselves is achieved through holistic and traditional approaches. Combining holistic and conventional methods to obtain a goal means your whole being is included in advancing your behavior or goal. Motivation comes from within – that’s why it is essential to treat your whole person – mind, body, and spirit. When we are committed or interested in an activity or goal, we move forward not because we must but because we want to reward the goal or behavior.

Integrative health is considered traditional.  Group or individual therapy combined with positive activities or outlets, help define integrative health.

Motivation is within ourselves. Recognizing our need to change, stop self-sabotage, and discover what creates inner peace is a journey. Self-love occurs when we build confidence in our ability to achieve our goals.

 

When we want to change a habit or lifestyle, we assess what we want and why we want it. After establishing our reason to become motivated, we focus on one goal. Setting short and long-term markers to achieve our goal helps motivate us in our progress. Incorporating a holistic approach to achieving our goal includes finding an activity or experience that connects us to our minds, bodies, and spirits. We remain motivated throughout our journey when we realize it’s okay to fall behind our expected timeline. If we don’t complete a short or long-term goal, don’t give up; take time to reassess that goal’s feasibility. We also remain motivated when we have someone to help us stay focused. A therapist aids us in managing our motivation, finding our inner peace, and completing our goal. Achieve Concierge provides individual and group therapy to keep you focused on our goals. For more information, call (858) 221-0344.

postpartum

Postpartum Depression: More Than the Baby Blues

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After giving birth, your body and mind go through many changes. You might feel like you don’t love or care for your baby. Many women experience feeling sad or “blue” three to five days after giving birth; feelings of sadness that occur past two weeks indicate there may be symptoms of depression. Women can experience the symptoms of postpartum depression one week to one year after giving birth.

What Is Postpartum Depression?

Postpartum depression is a mental health disorder. A chemical reaction to hormonal changes can trigger behaviors that can harm your physical or psychological well-being. Depression or postpartum depression may exhibit the following symptoms:

  • A feeling of emptiness
  • A lack of interest in activities
  • A feeling of “blah”
  • Sadness
  • Fatigue
  • Lack of connection to your baby
  • Anxiety
  • Despair
  • Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, hopelessness, or helplessness
  • Restlessness or the need to always be moving
  • Trouble staying focused, making a decision, or recalling places, people, or events
  • Trouble sleeping, falling asleep, waking up, or staying awake
  • Changes in weight or appetite
  • Undiagnosed aches, pains, or other health problems
  • An inability to bond with your baby
  • Unrelenting self-doubt regarding the ability to care for your baby
  • Suicidal ideations, thoughts of self-harm, or harming your baby

Causes of Postpartum Depression

Several factors contribute to postpartum depression. ACOG lists these as components to postpartum depression:

  • Hormone levels change. The levels of estrogen and progesterone decrease immensely in the hours after giving birth. The change in levels can cause depression as well as mood swings, irritability, or anger.
  • History of depression. The risk of postpartum depression increases if the woman has a history of depression. Women who had depression, have it, or are undergoing depression treatment should consult with their therapist.
  • Emotions. Emotions such as fear or anxiety are common for many women before or after they give birth. The uncertainty of having a baby, caring for a child, and the pressure to be a good mother are triggers for postpartum depression. Other factors for postpartum depression include an unwanted baby, a planned pregnancy – planned pregnancies can carry emotional responses such as stress or anxiety – or if the baby is sick. Babies born with health issues can cause a mother’s feelings of guilt or shame.
  • Fatigue. After giving birth, many women experience fatigue. They are recovering from birth, and that takes time. Some women can feel pressure to be alert and full of energy, but the body needs to heal after giving birth or having a caesarian section.
  • Environmental Factors. Environmental influences also play a part in how a woman feels after giving birth. The risk of postpartum depression increases if a woman doesn’t have a robust support system. 

Having a baby is emotionally and physically exhausting. Your body goes through an intense period throughout pregnancy and birth. Physically your organs and muscles stretched and moved to accommodate the pregnancy, and giving birth also taxes your physical and mental stamina.

Treatment for Postpartum Depression

The health of both the mother and the baby is at risk of postpartum depression goes untreated. There are ways to aid in decreasing or eliminating postpartum depression, such as:

  • Therapy– there are two types of treatment commonly used according to NIMH:
    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT helps people with mental health disorders, such as depression or anxiety. The goal of CBT is to replace negative behaviors with positive coping mechanisms. The patient learns how to recognize, assess, and substitute harmful behaviors with behaviors that positively affect their minds, bodies, and souls. Individual or group therapy, which focuses on the needs of a patient, is recommended.
    • Interpersonal therapy (IPT) is a form of treatment that focuses on a person’s relationship with themselves and others. IPT believes that a person’s relationships are the foundation of mental health issues. The health of the relationships impacts how a person acts and reacts to their environment. Individuals receiving IPT will learn how to communicate their feelings and needs effectively to those around them. Another goal of IPT is to form positive support systems. They will also learn how to cope with events, situations, or unrealistic expectations that can influence their depression.
  • Medication– Most women are prescribed antidepressants for their postpartum depression. 
  • Brain stimulation Therapy – There are a few forms of brain stimulation therapy. NIMH explains one type:
    • Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) uses a magnet to activate the brain. rTMS can target a specific site in the brain.

After a child’s birth, many women experience a drop in certain hormones, leading to depression symptoms. The FDA has approved one medication, called brexanalone, specifically to treat severe postpartum depression. Administered in a hospital, this drug works to relieve depression by restoring the levels of these hormones.

Postpartum depression affects women up to a year after giving birth. The signs and symptoms are, at times, confused with the “baby blues,” but if they persist for more than two weeks, seeking help is essential to the health of the mother and baby. Therapy, along with other types of treatment, is a way to address postpartum depression.

 

Postpartum depression affects many women. Feeling depressed after giving birth is attributed to many factors. If the signs and symptoms of postpartum depression continue for more than two weeks seeking help from your obstetrician-gynecologist (Ob/Gyn) or a therapist is essential. A therapist will help identify your symptoms and discuss with you viable ways to treat your postpartum depression. Counseling, medication, or brain stimulation alleviate or eliminate the symptoms of postpartum depression. Don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed by postpartum depression. Help is available if you need to talk with someone. If you have intense emotions or suicidal thoughts, don’t hesitate to search for assistance. Achieve Concierge provides therapy, medication including Brexanalone, and the brain stimulation therapy TMS. We can see you on an emergency basis if you have suicidal thoughts. We can also schedule an appointment within two days. If you have any questions, call (858) 221-0344.

problem solving

Innovative Thinking: Using Creative Problem Solving

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Creative Problem Solving (CPS) is more than thinking outside of the box. CPS is a process that encourages you to identify a problem and seek solutions—questioning why, when, and how will help you in Creative Problem Solving. 

Problems are, at times, overwhelming. Creative Problem Solving utilizes who, what, where, when, and how to formulate short and long-term goals. Great ideas aren’t spontaneous. Following a step by step process will help you achieve Creative Problem Solving.

Creative Problem Solving Steps

The Creative Problem Solving Process includes:

  • Clarify and identify the problem. What we perceive as a problem in a situation may not be the actual problem. Identifying and processing the problem or plan can lead to discovering the legitimate issue or goal. Identifying the problem or why you perceive something as a problem is essential. Once you have answered why something is a problem, the next step is to assess your goal and determine if there is any other problem.
    • Once you establish the problem and why the problem exists, narrow your focus on how to solve the problem. Setting a goal helps define how to plan short and long-term goals. Ask yourself what, if anything, is hindering your ability to reach your goal. Are you procrastinating or not sure where you need to start? Don’t be afraid to reach out to family, friends, or a therapist to help you meet your goal.
    • Research the problem – Identifying the problem or goal is a start. To understand the problem or the plan, you must do your research. The easiest way to do your research is to use a search engine. Be careful where you find your information. Scholarly papers are best for mental health, addiction, and other issues.
    • Formulate creative challenges – Creative challenges focus on one issue. They are straightforward and concise. Be careful to avoid criteria that require an assessment.
  • Generate ideas. Generating ideas is often associated with brainstorming. Be creative, write down every thought you have, and don’t be afraid to let go and let your imagination run.  Watch how you think; use “yes, then go from the yes to a solution, stay away from “no, but.” Find an environment that encourages you to be creative. Take a walk, cook, do anything that allows you to free your mind.
  • Combine and evaluate the ideas. After you finish brainstorming, read through what you wrote. Stepping away from your thoughts is okay. Take time to relax, focus on something else, and ready to come back to your list. Discard the ideas that you feel aren’t related to the problem or goal. Re-evaluate your plan and start to connect your thoughts. Maybe one idea isn’t feasible, but what happens if you link another idea with the first idea? Find solutions by breaking boundaries.
  • Draw up an action plan. Ideas are only as good as the action plan. Ask yourself how you will implement your creative solutions. Build a step-by-step action plan, so you don’t lose sight of your goal or resolution.      
  • Do it! (implement the ideas). Take chances, re-adjust your plans when necessary, and don’t stop trying. Whether the plan is easily achieved or takes a few tries, Creative Problem Solving intends to find a solution or reach your goal.

Creative Innovators

Some of history’s most significant creative innovators are:

  • Thomas Edison – With over 1,000 patented inventions, Edison wasn’t afraid to try several different innovative ideas to find the answer to a problem. He said, “I have not failed; I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”     
  • Isaac Newton – Newton is best known for his discovery of gravity. He used what was around him to find creative solutions. He explains his method for discovery  “ I keep the subject of my inquiry constantly before me, and wait till the first dawning opens gradually, by little and little, into a full and clear light.”
  • Marie Curie – Marie Curie was the first woman to receive not one but two Nobel Prizes. Her scientific discoveries broke down barriers for women in science. One of her quotes is, “Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas.”
  • Steve Jobs – Steve Jobs pushed the boundaries in the tech world. He was a visionary; he introduced the personal computer revolution and the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. One of his creative thoughts is, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something; your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”

Creative Problem Solving is essential to reach your goals or find a solution to a problem. Don’t wait to see what happens; act! Identify the problem or goal and follow the steps. The regrets we have in life are the ones we have about not taking the first step.

 

Courage to act on your dreams or find a solution to a problem can seem overwhelming. The catalyst for getting out of your comfort zone is personal. The goal is to seek answers and move forward. You can connect the dots, think creatively, push boundaries, and get up each time you fail. Failure is not having the answer or reaching your goal on the first try – success is learning from each mistake. You can succeed if you let go and believe in yourself. Self-defeating thoughts, anxiety, depression, or fear can hobble your belief in yourself. Feeling any of these emotions is why you may need to talk with someone who can help you reach your goal or solve a problem. Reaching out to a therapist is the beginning of a healthy journey to success. Achieve Concierge provides in-office or in-home therapy focused on your needs. For more information, call (858) 221-0344.

garden

Stay Centered With Therapy

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Proper healing of our mind, body, and soul takes time. We can’t expect to wake up one morning and be better. By nurturing our entire being, we learn to forgive, listen to our inner self, and mend. To start our journey to mental, physical, spiritual, social, and intellectual well-being, we must explore what health means.

Growth occurs in small steps. Like plants, we need nutrition to grow. Feeding our minds, bodies, and souls with healthy food, activities, and spirituality requires patience. We all choose when to blossom, but we may not be sure how to start. Beginning mental health therapy before there is a mental health issue is essential.

Planting A Garden

Therapy, whether it is a group or individual therapy, is the seed of mental health. We can’t grow as a person until we are planted and nourished. Expecting a plant to grow without proper care is unrealistic. We can find truth in a parable.

A person has decided they want to plant a garden. They take seeds from vegetables in their refrigerator, go outside, and throw the seeds over some dirt. When the seeds don’t sprout after a few days, the person begins to water the soil. Every day for weeks, the ground is saturated; still, nothing grows. The person becomes frustrated and gives up on their garden.

Over the next few months, the person begins to join gardening groups. They sit and listen to the advice and realize why their garden didn’t grow. The next growing season, the person takes properly prepared seeds, spaces out the holes, so the seeds have room to grow, and feed the seeds the right mix of water and nutrition. The seeds sprout, blossom, and produce vegetables. The key was seeking advice, taking what they learned from others, and finding nutritional balance. 

Mental health therapy is nutrition for the mind, body, and spirit. Like seeds, we need to find the right formula to grow and prosper.

Therapy Before An Issue

Mental health is essential to our physical, emotional, and spiritual health. We know we can’t throw seeds into a hole and expect them to grow. When a life crisis occurs, we turn to ways to make us feel good. Alcohol or substance abuse can temporarily solve a problem, but they are unhealthy choices. Throwing your feelings into a hole, burying them, overwatering, and failing to give our minds, bodies, and spirit, proper nutrition prevents growth.

Our decision to go to therapy before a problem occurs is our way of researching and learning how to cope with life issues. Using coping techniques, avoiding potentially damaging situations, and recognizing temptation can prevent harm. A therapist will discuss our behavior patterns and ways to incorporate healthy lifestyle choices. Working with your therapist to determine if alcohol, substance addiction, or a mental health disorder is genetic is helpful. Knowing a genetic predisposition before it presents is a way to build substantial treatment options.

Taking Care of the Plants

Proper care of a garden includes the right depth, amount of water, spacing between seeds, and nutrition. Mental health therapy teaches us how to create depth, avoid emotional crowding, and nourish our mind, body, and spirit.

  • Depth – Depth takes digging into our emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. We create the extent to which we need to establish roots. Our roots keep us grounded and stable. There are times when we lose our leaves, but a healthy root system helps grow new leaves. Our root system is created by finding what holds us to healthy lifestyle choices. We can dig down into our mind, body, and spirit with these:
  • Religion – Traditional religion is faith-based. Teachings from books such as the Bible, Quran, Torah, or other written scripture may shape moral beliefs while instilling comfort and structure.
  • Spirituality – Faith or a belief system isn’t limited to traditional religion. Some find peace climbing mountains, surfing, being in nature, or anything that promotes a sense of peace. Structure and comfort occur when the mind finds peace. Those who surf understand the waves, their body, and connect to something. Finding a connection is essential to growth because emotions come from the depth of our feelings. The relationship between our emotions, physical and mental well-being creates a space for us to meet our needs and give us the tools to become better people.
  • Space – Our lives are emotionally, mentally, and spiritually clogged with commitments and expectations. We need to release ourselves from overcrowding. Therapy helps us prioritize what is essential to our well-being. When we control our mental, physical, and spiritual health, we eliminate the congestion that buries our being. Learning to step away from what brings us stress, depression, anxiety, or fear frees us to focus on our mental health. Activities such as meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, or reading allow us to calm our minds.

Therapy is the tool which plants our emotional, physical, and spiritual health. Laying out the proper space, nourishment, and depth assists us in establishing our well-being. A garden doesn’t weather a rainstorm without the appropriate care. Healing our mind, body, and spirit takes time and the right resources. Talking with a therapist is an essential resource for our mental, physical, and spiritual health.

 

Health and healing is a lifelong process. We grow when we nourish ourselves with fitting, healthy lifestyle choices. Learning to recognize and listen to our minds, bodies, and spirits isn’t something we achieve overnight. Depth, spirituality, and mental health awareness establishes the roots we need to blossom. Hence, when we feed our emotional, physical, and spiritual needs, we connect with our feelings. The connection formed between our emotions and our physical and spiritual bonds binds us to our commitment to being a healthy person. Therapy strengthens our relationship with ourselves. We learn to recognize our priorities, our behaviors, what brings us peace, and genetic predispositions. We can avoid negative behaviors with robust coping tools. Achieve Concierge offers many different services, including genetic testing, individual therapy, nutrition counseling, and wellness counseling. For more information, call (858) 221-0344.

home

Stay Home for Therapy: Find Comfort in Your Space

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Staying home to meet your therapist is an option for those who need therapy. In-home therapy provides a feeling of comfort while maintaining a sense of safety and privacy. The ability to feel safe while talking with someone who can meet your mental health needs is a perfect way to include support for addiction or mental health disorders at your convenience.

Imagine a therapy session you can schedule when you are available. You can talk with your therapist without the stress and anxiety of driving, worrying about people seeing you, or changing your calendar to fit your therapist’s schedule. The bonus of in-home therapy is you can feel protected.

What to Expect

In-home therapy is a time to discuss your feelings, mental health concerns, or alcohol or substance addictions. Setting up an appointment is easy, and many find our in-home therapy services are the beginning of their physical, emotional, and physical health journey. You are under no obligation to clean or prepare snacks when your therapist visits. Instead, take the time before your first visit to think about why you set up the appointment. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for your first in-home therapy appointment:

  • Prepare a list of questions before your therapist sees you. Asking questions focuses on why you scheduled an appointment while also easing your mind. Being comfortable in your own home and building a sense of trust with your therapist is integral to the therapy process.
  • Ask and re-ask questions if necessary. It’s okay to repeat a question. Sometimes an answer is unclear, or you aren’t sure how a form of therapy will benefit your needs. Going over your questions until you feel satisfied can help you understand the process and provide clarity and a sense of safety.
  • Don’t hide your feelings. Explain any hesitation or misgivings you have about therapy. Not feeling comfortable with treatment will build a barrier between you and your therapist. Your honesty about how you think, what led you to treatment, and your goals while in therapy help you and your therapist decide how to approach your sessions.
  • Listen to yourself. Pay attention to your thoughts and feelings regarding the session. Discuss how you feel with your therapist. Ways to address your feelings are available to you if you talk with your therapist.

 After the therapy session, take time to go over what happened during the appointment. Consider how at ease you were with your therapist. First therapy sessions are a way to interview your therapist. Sometimes you don’t feel a connection to the therapist. You have two options if you don’t feel a connection or feel uncomfortable: 

  • Schedule another appointment to see if there is a better connection
  • Try a different therapist. An understanding treatment center will work with you in your search for a positive patient-therapist relationship.

Why Staying at Home Works

Meeting with your therapist at home can take the discomfort or feeling of being vulnerable away from your appointments. Being at ease fosters your openness to treatment. An essential part of in-home therapy is a safe space—having familiar objects surround you aids in the journey to a healthy mind, body, and soul. Often, in an office visit, you cannot show how your environment affects your health. With in-home visits, your therapist can see how you react to your environment. For example, your therapist can assess how home life creates a positive or negative effect on your person. Once recognition of how you are affected by your relationships is established, healing will begin.

Function and Family

Working with your therapist in your home also provides an opportunity to create a safe space. Not every home is a safe or positive place. Dysfunction may surround you, causing you to fall into negative lifestyle patterns. Your therapist will work with you to identify and make the adjustments needed to increase the positive energy required to heal.

An act as simple as organizing your home environment will make a difference in maintaining order in your daily routine. Working on establishing a routine, coordinating schedules with family, friends, or others can help you regularly focus. The act of focusing benefits your emotional, physical, and inner well-being.

In-home therapy allows your therapist to observe the interactions you have with your loved ones. Families have patterns of behavior that either support a healthy lifestyle or damage a person. In some cases, the family or loved ones may adopt roles that protect them, but in turn, hurt you. Mental health disorders and alcohol or substance addiction creates unhealthy dynamics in personal relationships. Your therapist will work with you and your loved ones in adjusting behavior and adopted roles. Positive, supportive relationships foster a sense of well-being. Establishing healthy relationships starts with changing family roles, but it doesn’t stop there. 

Learn what your needs are through creating a safe space. The idea of a safe space can seem daunting, but it’s worthwhile. Discuss with the family what you need to feel comfortable, work on coping techniques, or re-focus. Safe spaces are essential in constructing a routine and an outlet.

Safe Spaces

Safe spaces are places you feel you can talk with your therapist, write, paint, exercise, or meditate. To work on your health and well-being, you need to have a place you feel is yours. Creating a safe space is achieved by following these steps:

  • Find an area in the house you feel is private.
  • Decorate the space with objects, pieces of art, or anything connected with positive feelings. Make this area your space, and ensure that it reflects your personality.
  • When you are ready or if you are ready, show your space to your family or therapist.
  •  Discuss boundaries with your loved ones. Let them know if you prefer they don’t go into your space, stay away while you are there, or if it is a place you want to share on your terms.

In-home therapy allows you to feel safe, comfortable, and open to treatment.

The process of healing begins at home. An open, supportive environment is essential to maintain your well-being. Working with your therapist in your home provides your therapist with an opportunity to observe how your family interacts. Comprehensive therapy fosters a sense of safety, control, and routine. Functioning within an organized, positive environment builds on the tools needed to continue your positive mental health journey. Your therapist is your partner in establishing a safe place for you to work on your well-being. Formulating a plan is essential. Contacting a treatment center that offers in-home therapy is the first step. Write down your questions before the first visit, ask, and re-ask questions until you understand what happens during a therapy session. Freely discuss your feelings with your therapist. Don’t be afraid to change therapists if you don’t feel connected. Find what feels right. Call Achieve Concierge to schedule your in-home therapy session at (858)-221-0344.

healthy

Finding Yourself in Recovery

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Recovery means something different to every person. Your recovery can be a process where you combine group therapy and individual therapy. Others may prefer unique treatment and yoga. Individualized recovery meets the needs of those who are navigating their way through the path to healing.

Beginning the recovery journey means seeking healthy ways to cope with conflicting emotions and unhealthy lifestyle choices. You aren’t alone on your passage to forgiveness and understanding. We all have life experiences we seek help in addressing. Whether we face alcohol or substance addiction, a mental health disorder, or preventative services, we took the first step in learning about who we are and why we behave in specific ways.

Recovery

The process of healing from an illness or rebounding from a poor mental or physical state is recovering. The recovery process includes self-doubt, revelations, and adjusting to our responsibility in our past lifestyle choices. Be kind, be patient, and be willing to learn. Find what works for you and talk with your group or therapist about your preferences.

Recovery isn’t limited to a group or individual therapy. The commitment to healing our mind and body starts with recognizing we need help. Allowing ourselves to feel our emotions through treatment is essential to establish our pledge to self-discovery. Whatever the catalyst is for our road to health and understanding, we must realize we deserve to be kind to ourselves.

Ways to Heal

Accept your mental and physical state. Once we acknowledge where we are in our lives, we can assess what we need to accomplish to return to health. There’s no shame in admitting we have an alcohol or substance addiction problem. We can talk with others about our mental health without the fear of stigma. Conversations about our physical and mental health are necessary to move forward. If you find you can’t talk with those around you about your emotions or commitment to health, seek support from a group, a therapist, or those who love and support you. Explore what recovery means to you. How you envision recovery creates a foundation for you to build on in therapy and other activities. Discover what works by following these suggestions:

  • Try something new. Explore different community activities such as group sports, dance lessons, or more. Committing to a weekly activity helps you maintain a schedule. Community activities also are a stress-free way to meet people with similar interests.
  • Observe what makes you happy. We are prone to continue an activity if we enjoy how we feel. The purpose found in an enjoyable activity can unearth hidden emotions or strengths.
  • Push boundaries. Take on new opportunities you usually wouldn’t. Be uncomfortable in a new yoga position, a new form of art, or group activity. Explore the beauty, adventure, and space around you.

Nourishment

Feed your body and mind with recognition, acceptance, and love. We can’t be healthy unless we learn to nourish ourselves through exercise, culture, beauty, and proper nutrition. Without bolstering our entire self, we lose the chance to grow. Our body requires an abundance of sustenance to accomplish our hopes, dreams, and goals. There are several different ways to feed your mind, body, and soul. A few methods are:

  • Proper nutrition. Healthy eating is integral to healing the mind and body. Foods free from sugar, unhealthy fats, and fillers help regenerate cells and create new cells. Our body is continuously repairing, constructing, and sloughing off dead cells. We grow when we mentally and physically fill ourselves with healthy food. Learning how to identify healthy food, the proper amount of calories required each day, and cooking is essential.
  • Exercise. Moving, playing, and connecting with your body builds a sense of self. When we feel how our bodies respond to positions in yoga, dance, or another form of exercise, we learn to listen to what our body is telling us it can achieve. Listen, don’t push, and give yourself a day of stillness. We don’t grow when we don’t rest. The saying “no pain, no gain” is harmful to our body and mind. Our goal in recovery is to find healthy ways to avoid pain. Use exercise to develop your listening skills and communicate with your body.
  • Discover culture and beauty. Culture and beauty surround us. Culture exists in places such as a mural painted on a wall. Murals tell stories of the community; they express the beliefs of the people who created them. Musicians playing instruments or singing aren’t limited to concert halls and stages. Listen to the music nature provides. While walking down the street, pause to take in the sounds around you – expand your definition of music.

There are limitless ways to nourish our body and mind; we only need to be open to new experiences.

Therapy

Integrative therapy or alternative therapy establishes our mind-body connection. When combined with group or individual treatment, it gives us comprehensive treatment. We all need someone unbiased and willing to help us find healthy coping techniques. Alcohol and substance addictions can occur with mental health disorders. When we learn about what motivates our destructive behavior, we will start to move forward.

While you are in therapy, discuss how genetics affects alcohol or substance addictions and mental health. Genetic testing is a useful tool in the recovery journey. Once we know how genetics can play a part in our addiction or mental health, we can work with our therapist in creating an individualized therapy program.

 

The road to recovery isn’t linear. Building a successful treatment plan requires an integrative group or individual therapy. Therapy sessions give us the freedom to discuss feelings of depression, anxiety, self-doubt, or cravings. Therapy helps us distinguish the difference between nature and nurture through genetic testing. Group therapy, nutrition counseling, and new experiences expand our boundaries and connect our minds with our bodies. Discover recovery while learning to love and understand yourself. We can push boundaries without pushing ourselves to the point of pain. Individualized treatment allows us the freedom to figure out our strengths and beauty. Yoga, meditation, art, dance, music, or group sports are essential in loving ourselves. Understanding the impact our genes have on our lives grants us the chance to forgive our past. Achieve Concierge provides genetic testing, integrative therapy, group, and individual therapy. We are available 24/7 to answer your questions. Contact us at (858) 221-0344.

spirit

Self-Love: Nurturing the Mind, Body, and Soul

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Self-love isn’t a trend; it’s the realization of self-worth. We need to realize what we mean to ourselves before we can give to others. We bury our self-worth in our body, mind, and soul. The mind, body, soul connection creates the ability to value ourselves.

Spiritually, physically, and mentally the search for self-love is rooted in how we feel about ourselves. We view who we are by how others view us far too often. Instead, we must step away from the expectations, disappointment, anger, and self- doubt we construct. Who are we? Can you answer the question? Avoid basing your answer on how others see us, which is wrapped in self-doubt or feelings of unworthiness. Recognize your potential and your beauty.

Spirituality

Our soul establishes our foundation. Building on the foundation, we discover our strengths. Strengths aren’t solely physical or mental; they are our essence. Nurturing our spirit takes time and forgiveness. Spirituality can mean religion, but it can also be defined as an action or feeling, making you feel at peace or grounded. 

Becoming grounded isn’t easy. We need to set aside time to find what makes us feel relaxed, grounded, and ourselves. Trying new things or going back to a place you once felt comfort and strength is essential to building a strong foundation.

Traditions, readings, and community comfort make religion the answer for many. Whether you practice Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Wicca, Buddhism, or any other form of religion, find comfort, not condemnation. Allow the love and care of the words spoken by those who want to help seep into your soul. 

Jess, a group leader, focused on maintaining sobriety with spirituality,  explains why she went back to the religion she knew as a child.

“I was lost. My marriage ended; I hated myself because I thought my looks were what made my husband cheat. I went into a spiral. Depression, alcohol, and self-loathing pulled me down. When I hit bottom, I hit bottom. I felt I needed to go back to my roots, so I started attending services. 

The community accepted me, picked me up, nurtured me, and helped me realize I was worth more than what I thought.”

The boundaries of spirituality extend beyond religion. How can we find our peace and love for ourselves if religion isn’t the right fit? We can look beyond the conventional ways and seek what feeds our soul. Spend time experimenting with different activities. Try journaling, walking in nature, painting, drawing, or anything else that creates a feeling of strength and peace. Ken explains why cycling connects him with his inner being.

“Cycling is, for me, a release. I leave my self-doubt, anxiety, and urge to give up behind. Once I clip in, everything else doesn’t matter. During my ride, I feel my body grow stronger, and my mind frees itself from all the negative thoughts. I try to carry that feeling of freedom, love of myself over into my daily activities. I am stronger because I know what I can achieve when I let the negative go and just be me.” 

Body

Reconnecting with our bodies is a journey. We spend so much time punishing ourselves for what we think are our weaknesses. We forget how incredible our strengths make us. We are stronger when we nurture our bodies. Allow your body to heal from the abuse – the self-loathing. Whether we punished ourselves with alcohol, substances, cutting, eating disorders, or another form of abuse, we hurt ourselves. Learning to love ourselves through accepting our past and healing is a process. 

Exercise is essential in our self-love journey. Through activities such as yoga, running, surfing, or whatever form of exercise you prefer, we build on the belief we are strong and worthy of love. Listening to our body tell us how it feels every day creates a sense of understanding and forgiveness for our past. Exercise also grants us the chance to realize self-love isn’t linear. We take steps forward and backward because those steps are forms of evolution. We sometimes need to go back so we can go ahead. Don’t be discouraged; allow the process to take you where you need to be that minute, hour, or day.

Mind

Our mind is where we dwell on positive and negative thoughts and emotions. Self- sabotage occurs in our minds. We can follow our hearts by accepting a form of spirituality into our lives, we can find strength in our bodies, but we also need to come to terms with our thoughts. Our thoughts are what drives us to self-love or self-doubt. We stand to lose everything if we don’t believe in our progress. Progress lies in connecting the feelings of peace, comfort, and strength, letting them nourish our minds. 

Nourishment is subjective. We can find peace of mind through taking new classes, expanding our knowledge base, or forgiving ourselves. Forgiveness isn’t easy. We want to punish ourselves for our past, but we can’t move forward if we hold onto what hurts. Depression, anxiety, or other mental health disorders are not what defines who we are; they are signs we need help.

The strength of mind is accepting the need for help. Therapy or group sessions connect you to those who can help. No one is beyond the support therapy, or group sessions bring. Accept the words spoken in those sessions and allow yourself to understand why you experience negative thoughts or feelings. Nourish your mind, body, and soul with love, care, and the belief in your strength.

 

Learning to love yourself isn’t a one-step process. There is a myriad of ways you can build a strong foundation for self-love. Finding what nourishes your mind, body, and soul takes time, forgiveness, and acceptance. We all need a connection to something that brings us happiness, strength, and belief. How we find our foundation is up to our preferences. We can find nourishment in little things like watching the wind blow through the leaves, going a mile farther. Seeking treatment for alcohol, substance abuse, or a mental health disorder isn’t a sign of weakness; it is a sign of strength. Strength is when we listen to our minds, bodies, and souls and seek the help we deserve to heal. Achieve Concierge is here to help you. We offer individual, group, and in-home therapy. We respond to new referrals within two days if you need more immediate help. For more information, call us at (858) 221-0344.