anxiety

16
Feb
2022

Guided Meditation (How To Begin!)


 

Practicing guided mediations can help ground yourself, elevate symptoms of stress and practice mindfulness.

Guided mediations can be simple, couple minute exercises to more detailed elaborate exercises.

One I often ask clients to practice is the beach-guided mediation, very simple.

To begin, sit yourself down in a quiet comfortable place. Start off with some deep breathing exercises, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. Use your 5 senses to ground yourself. Once comfortable envision your on a beach, It’s a beautiful, relaxing, comfortable, safe, serene beach. Use your 5 senses again and imagination to incorporate being on this beach, stay at this place for a couple minutes. Remember to consciously do deep breathing throughout the exercise.

At the end of the exercise open your eyes, and see it as taking a small little relaxing trip. Practicing mindfulness and guided mediations over time can help lower stress levels, so get started today.

 

Posted by Colette Lopane-Capella, LMHC, D
16
Feb
2022

Happiness


How to be happy?

Some days we may feel down, out of it, and maybe even exhausted. However, all we really want out of this life is to be happy, right? So how can we be happy? Simple things can increase happiness in your life.

  • Exercise is one way to increase our happiness
  • Spend more time with the ones you love and that make you smile can increase you happiness
  • Give back or pay it forward can also increase the level of happiness
  • Mediate, practice mindfulness and ground yourself can increase you awareness, slow life down and increase happiness
  • Set a goal and achieve it, feeling good about achieving a special goal can improve your level of happiness

Every day we wake up we have a choice, to be or not to be happy, so start today, choose happiness and practice simple ways to increase it.

Posted by Colette Lopane-Capella, LMHC, D
16
Feb
2022

Are There Things You Wished You Did? Create A Bucket List


Create a bucket list

Are there things you wished you did, or saw, or felt, or experienced? If the answer is yes, create your very own bucket list. This list can range from items or experiences you would like to accomplish or achieve on your own or with someone else. Skydiving, a color run, experiencing a different culture, going to Bali, studying aboard, learning how to surf, riding a camel, hiking a mountain, watching the sunrise with a friend or significant other, just about anything can hit your list. Do it for the enjoyment of the moment and fulfillment in your life. Plus planning these wonderful experiences is also always tons of fun. So today, create your list, make it fun, make it enjoyable, do it alone or get the whole family involved.

Posted by Colette Lopane-Capella, LMHC, D
16
Feb
2022

Self-Esteem Collage (an exercise for your creative side)


We all could use a boost in self-esteem and self-confidence, so how about an exercise that can elicit our creative side to improve our self esteem and self-confidence. A self-esteem collage is a great way to do this. Pretty simple, what you need to do is first put on your creative hat, next get a plain sheet of paper, poster board, or what ever you choose. Grab some old magazines and start to cut out some pictures that reflect or represent your skills, strengths, goals, hobbies, accomplishments, hopes, likes, things that make you smile and people you admire in your life. After you create this collage take a moment to step back and check it out, reflect on the items you have placed on your self-esteem collage. Next post it somewhere that you can check out and see often, perhaps behind you door, or in your closet so when you open it up you see your self esteem collage and all these positive components placed on it. This exercise will elicit and help you reflect on all the positive items you have surrounding you. So get ready, get set, start your engine, put on your creative hat, and create your self-esteem college today!

Posted by Colette Lopane-Capella, LMHC, D
16
Feb
2022

Self-Care (what is it, really?)


 

Self-care is so essential for us to practice on a daily basis. So what really is self-care? Self-care doesn’t mean that we need to mediate each day, or attend a yoga or soul cycle class (although these are great ways to practice self care) it could simply mean taking a shower, putting away your laundry, taking a walk outside. Doing anything that’s healthy and safe and makes you smile can be in form self-care. So today’s the day to begin, what can you do to practice self-care? If I may suggest write a list of 10 positive items in your life and take a moment to reflect on them. Practicing self care is proven to lead to a healthier mind, body and soul, so get your self-care on today!

 

Posted by Colette Lopane-Capella, LMHC, D