So we’ve settled into 2019. What will this new year bring for you?
I saw a quote that resonated with me; “What will the new year bring? … 365 new opportunities”. Opportunities for growth. Opportunities for change. Opportunities to heal. Opportunities for acceptance. Opportunities for peace. Opportunities for love. Unlimited opportunities …
But with so many opportunities, you can begin to feel overwhelmed. I know the feeling. So little time and so much you’d like to do. My solution? I use a tool I call a “Holistic Wellness Plan” to see the big picture of my life while simultaneously narrowing down one particular area or goal to work on. Seeing yourself as a full, complete and whole being, “mind-body-spirit”, is an essential starting point. Knowing that every area in your life impacts the other areas. Each role you play affects all your other roles. Acknowledging that mind, body and spirit are all intertwined and profoundly connected…that’s where we begin.
With my holistic wellness plan we examine all areas of your life and help you identify what’s working and what needs to change. Then together, we fill in your holistic wellness plan, complete with S.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timeline sensitive) goals, customized specifically for you. Your holistic wellness plan provides a nice road map for your counseling journey of growth and change. We use it throughout your counseling process to track progress as well as to check back in on “what comes next”.
Let’s say, for example, that one of your goals is to decrease your anxiety in the new year. Together we will create a holistic mind-body approach to decrease your anxiety in a marked and lasting way. I will teach you the basics of CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) for your mind (which by the way is responsible for most of your anxiety). You will learn how to tune into your body and identify its psychosomatic responses to stress. Then, you’ll learn tools and skills to calm your mind and body with relaxation breath work, progressive muscle relaxation and meditation practices. Next you may benefit from hypnosis, which deeply relaxes your mind and your body and taps into your sub-conscious mind to decrease anxiety in your daily life. And finally, we can take a look at your dietary habits and move your nutrition toward a whole food plant based vegan diet to ensure your best physical health and brain health.
You can see from this example that making changes in your life is best accomplished with a multi-pronged or holistic approach. And know, as a fringe benefit, that any one positive change you make will benefit all the other connected areas of your life! If you decrease you anxiety, your physical health improves with decreased cortisol and adrenaline and improved sleep. Your productivity at work, your patience and responsiveness in your relationships, your confidence level, are all likely to improve as well, as a result of calmer more relaxed you!
If you’re not clear on your goals for 2019 and could benefit from a Holistic Health Plan to use as a road map in your life journey, call or email to schedule your appointment today. A better you is just around the corner…your limitless opportunities await!
