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Parents have unquestionably been hit hard by the pandemic. Between school closures and virtual learning, many parents have assumed the role of teacher on top of their usual household obligations and adjusting to working from home. And on top of that, parents are helping their children navigate their fear, anxiety, and depression around COVID and tumultuous societal events.
Mindfulness is an ancient practice that encourages us to be alert and engaged with ourselves and the world around us without judgement. The truth for many of us is that if we look closely, we are so stuck thinking about the past or worrying about the future that we don’t spend much time in the present moment at all. Getting started with a mindfulness practice doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming. Here are four brief exercises you can try at any time, in any place.
Woven throughout the DBT method is an emphasis on change (e.g. changing our approach) while also focusing on acceptance (how can I sit with the discomfort of this situation and accept that there’s nothing I can do right now?).
By: MJ Harford, MA Counselor in Residence Acceptance is a key skill in managing and reducing anxiety. Acceptance doesn’t have to look deep or complicated, it can be as simple as identifying what is and what isn’t within our control. The COVID19 virus has changed all of our lives; things may be more difficult and more… Read more »
Often, children and their caregivers do not realize anxiety can have physical effects. Children can experience various physical symptoms related to anxiety such as stomach aches, headaches, indigestion, muscle tension, nausea, fatigue, sleep disruption, and restlessness. Physical symptoms like these should always first be medically explored to rule out other underlying causes. That being said, these types of symptoms are often produced by anxiety.
As we’ve talked about before, mindfulness is an important tool that can help reduce anxiety, depression, and distress in the body and mind. It involves paying attention in the present moment to increase awareness, without judging your thoughts, feelings, and sensations. Mindfulness exercises can be practiced anytime, anywhere. An easy way to start implementing mindfulness… Read more »
The body is our vessel of life, our tool for engaging with the world around us, and our protector. For many of us, anxiety takes us out of our bodies and locks us in our thoughts about the past or the future. Observing our tendencies and understanding the physiological component of anxiety can be helpful in the effort of reducing anxiety symptoms.
