Tag: body care

We have all been there – in our youth, as students, oversleeping and missing the bus for school. As adults, getting a flat tire that causes us to be late for work. These everyday moments are stressful, but when do daily stressors become cause for concern? It may surprise you to learn that not all stress is bad! In fact, research performed at the Mayo Clinic has revealed that healthy stress can help individuals become more resilient. For example, anxiety about an upcoming exam may help to motivate students to study and be better prepared for their test. The key is learning how to combat stress and anxiety before stress becomes chronic and inhibits one’s ability to function in their daily lives.

How does one recognize the warning signs of stress overload? There are several symptoms that stress and anxiety may be becoming overwhelming, which include:

- The frequency of stress (unrelenting, constant feelings of anxiety and ...

A healthy, regulated nervous system is vital for good mental health. The nervous system is responsible for discerning our general wellbeing and it warns us when we’re no longer safe. For example, we may be experiencing fear or heightened anxiety in the face of a confrontational conversation with someone we love. We may feel that by our hearts racing, having trouble thinking clearly, shortness of breath, or wanting to run away as we’re having that conversation. Other times, we may shut down, disconnect or ghost people in order to avoid a challenging situation. In any of those scenarios, our nervous system is experiencing some sort of dysregulation through overstimulation or shut down. We do not feel safe and our nervous system is working properly by letting us know and moving us into the primal, protective part of our brain. 

Maybe we face that fear and address the challenging conversation a ...

Body First

“Sorry” I said as I muted myself and leaned out of the camera’s view during my virtual therapy session. A ferocious sneeze escaped and I blew my nose with the force that comes with being a week sick. I unmuted myself to re-join the session and my therapist looked at me and says “No need to apologize, Kati. Body first.” 

“Huh?” I replied, not entirely sure what she meant. She proceeded to explain that I have no need to apologize for my body simply being a body. “Sneezing, snot, using the bathroom…. These are merely bodily functions of all people with bodies and don’t require an apology” she explained.  I laughed and agreed that it was odd that I’d automatically apologize for blowing my nose… I was, after all, recovering from Covid and congestion was unavoidable. And yet my apology had slipped out faster than I could stop it. It had actually felt like I was being conside ...