Although some stress is normal and can even be helpful, chronic stress has many negative effects on our mood, body, and behavior. It is very important therefore to engage in activities that reduce stress. Recently, there has been a lot of buzz about the stress relieving qualities of coloring so the next time you are feeling overwhelmed grab your crayons or color pencils and print out a free coloring page – like this one!
Ever find yourself saying something positive and then following it up with “but” and a sentence that discounts the positive thing you just said?
For example, “The sun is shining outside today” and then comes the dreaded BUT, “but it is still cold.”
Well that just takes the air out of your sails straight away, doesn’t it? So try a simple technique of reversing the sentence.
“It is still cold”…”but, the sun is shining outside today.”
Does that make a difference? Do you feel a tad more hopeful? Reversing the sentence to end on the positive can make a big difference in how positive you feel.
Breathing exercises are a good way to relax, reduce tension, and relieve stress. A great free app for your smart phone that can help you to “just breathe” is the Relax Lite – Stress & Anxiety Relief app . Download it now and follow along as the music and visuals guide you through the breathing exercise. Remember – abdominal breathing is key; your belly should go outward on an inhale and should draw inward on an exhale.
When you are feeling low, it can be helpful to engage in fun and pleasurable activities. Research shows that people who engage in enjoyable leisure activities on a frequent basis have better psychological and physical health. Follow this link to find a “big” list of simple and easy things that you can do if you are stuck for ideas: http://www.newharbingeronline.com/excerpts/cbtWkbkPD/Chapter_4-2_Pleasurable_Activities.pdf
A Group for Parents/Caregivers of Children with Developmental Disabilities
Sessions will be focused on providing support to one another, learning healthy coping behaviors & stress reduction techniques, problem solving challenging behaviors, and sharing resources.
When? 6 Wednesdays; April 2, 9, 23, 30, & May 7, 14 2014 from 6:00pm – 7:00pm
Where? Center for Remembering & Sharing (CRS) 123 4th Ave, between 12th & 13th St., 2nd Floor {steps from Union Sq}
Cost? $240 for the 6 week group
How do I register? Contact me via email at sonali@sonalizoracki.com or via phone at (917) 274-7248
The new year is an opportunity to start afresh. Did you make a resolution for 2014 that involves taking better care of yourself? Perhaps you resolved to manage your stress in a healthier way. Research out of England has shown that it takes an average of 66 days to form a simple habit–that’s 66 days to make your resolution stick. If you feel your resolve wavering, it may be helpful to write encouraging notes to yourself, to give yourself a pep talk, and to engage the support of family and friends so that you can stay on track. Remember, in just a little over two months you will be closer to a healthier and happier you!
Taking Care of Ourselves: A stress reduction workshop for parents & caregivers of children with special needs
Parenting a child with special needs can be stressful. The holidays can bring with them additional stressors so this holiday season it is even more important that you learn to manage your stress instead of letting it manage you. In this workshop you will learn simple stress management and relaxation skills that will enable you to self-soothe.
When: Wednesday Nov 20, 2013 @ 7-830pm
Where: Watch me Grow, 361 East 19th St. @ 1st Ave., Top floor, New York, NY 10003
Cost: FREE
RSVP via email to Sonali at sonali@sonalizoracki.com
Register now as space is limited!
Often shower time can mean more time to think about the things that you have to do in the day or to worry about things you didn’t get to the previous day. It is time to change that. The mindful shower exercise is a wonderful & simple way to be present in and savor the moment.
Step into your shower & turn on the water. Notice the sound of the water. Notice how different it sounds when you are standing under the shower head versus when the water just hits the shower floor. Feel the sensation of the water on your body. Be aware of how it easily flows over your skin. What is the temperature like? Hot, warm, cool? What sensations do you notice on your skin? What does the floor of the shower feel like under your feet? Take in all the smells – of your body wash, soap, or shampoo.
If you notice yourself caught up in thoughts, that’s OK. Notice your thoughts and then go back to just being with the activity of taking a shower.
· Most importantly, enjoy this activity. The shower is a wonderful opportunity to be present and awake.
Taking Care of Ourselves: A stress reduction workshop for parents & caregivers of children with special needs
Parenting a child with special needs can be stressful. It is important to learn to manage that stress instead of letting it manage you! In this workshop you will learn simple stress management and relaxation skills that will enable you to self-soothe.
When: Wednesday May 15, 2013 @ 730-9pm
Where: Watch me Grow, 361 East 19th St. @ 1st Ave., Top floor, New York, NY 10003
Cost: FREE
RSVP via email to Sonali at sonali@sonalizoracki.com
Register now as space is limited!
When you self-soothe, you are behaving in a comforting, nurturing, kind, and gentle way to yourself. It is important to engage in self-soothing skills in moments of distress or agitation so as to alleviate difficult and overwhelming feelings. I often work with my clients to create self-soothing plans and encourage them to utilize their 5 senses: touch, taste, hearing, smell, and sight to create their plans. I ask them to think about things that could soothe them using each sense. For example, a client may identify stroking their pet as a soothing activity using their sense of touch; and smelling lavender as a soothing activity using their sense of smell. Clients are asked to list a few activities under each sense and add to that list as they please. They are encouraged to engage in their self-soothing activities when they experience feelings like stress, sadness, worry, or anger. From my experience, clients find their plans to be very helpful. If you would like to create a self-soothing plan for yourself and have questions, feel free to send me an email at sonali@sonalizoracki.com for more information.
Sonali Zoracki, LICSW 