Self Care Sunday
As I continue to intentionally take a “Self Care Sunday” I realize how important the little things can be. The little things we do can make a huge impact on our day. Today I have some coping strategies from Lorie.
I have had some crazy days, weeks, months, hello 2020. I am focused on learning to manage my stress, changing my response to stress. I love hot chocolate, I mean really LOVE hot chocolate. I have done 3 Whole30 attempts now and every time I get a stress mid to late month, out comes the hot chocolate to cope. I can not have a steaming mug every time something upsets me. Add that I am not supposed to have dairy in my diet. So not only does the hot chocolate really help with the stress it creates another problem on top of what ever upset me in the first place. Perhaps these strategies suggested will help.
What are your coping strategies these days?
“Stress has many symptoms including muscle tension, stomach upset, increased sweating and sometimes tremors (shaking hands). There is a circular relationship between stress and muscle tension. This means that stress leads to tense muscles and the tense muscles lead to increased stress/anxiety. There are a couple of strategies that can break this cycle.
The first is deep breathing. It seems strange to think of breathing as a skill however this is different than how we normally breathe. For many our “normal” breathing is quite shallow and this becomes more shallow as stress increases. Deep breathing can help.
Take a normal breath in through your nose, keeping your mouth closed. Exhale slowly through your mouth. While you exhale, silently say to yourself the word "calm" or "relax" very slowly. For example: c-a-a-a-a-a-alm. Pause and count to 4 before you inhale again. Repeat for 10 minutes.
The second is progressive muscle relaxation. This strategy focuses on muscle tension. Most people tend to hold their tension in 3 main areas: jaw, shoulders and stomach. A particular method targets these areas and is called the Drop 3.
Drop Three Relaxation Exercise - Drop your jaw. Make sure your tongue falls to the bottom of your mouth. If your mouth is open a little, you’re doing it right. Drop your shoulders. Let them loosen and fall. Drop your stomach. Don’t hold it in tight; just let it go.
With any of these strategies it is important to practice them during times of low stress. It can be helpful to choose a specific time of day to schedule that practice i.e. first thing in the morning or just before bed. Practicing the skills increases the likelihood that you will be able to access it when you need it, similar to muscle memory
I graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work in 2000 from the University of Manitoba and am a member in good standing with the Manitoba College of Social Workers. I have more than 20 years of experience in many areas of social work. I have had the opportunity to work with children and families at risk, people involved in the medical system, several provincial programs including Probation Services and The Office of the Public Trustee, and most recently in the Mental Health department with the Department of National Defense.
In the last eight years of my career, I have taken a special interest in assisting people to overcome the effects of trauma on their lives. I have pursued training in treatments specific to the treatment of trauma related illnesses including Anxiety, Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Most people experience trauma professionally or personally at some point in their lives and some experience subsequent difficulties as a result. These are the individuals I hope to reach and provide assistance to. Through my work with military personnel, I have had the opportunity to provide treatment to individuals who have experienced various types of trauma. I also have the knowledge and expertise to provide education related to resilience. I believe that being proactive in providing the information and skills that promote resiliency is an important step towards maintaining a healthy workforce under stressful situations. I would now like to provide this service to others in my community.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Lorie Lelond Strength From Within Counseling 1439-1st Street Brandon, MB R7A 2Y7 204-573-1562 Email - strengthfromwithin@icloud.com Facebook@thestrengthfromwithin”
