on Jun 20, 2017 in General Wellness, Mindfulness
BEING A MOTHER IS DISCOVERING STRENGTHS YOU DIDN’T KNOW YOU HAD AND DEALING WITH FEARS YOU NEVER KNEW EXISTED. Bringing a child into this world can be an overwhelming experience both physically, mentally, and emotionally. It is common for women to experience all these changes with at least some feelings of depression and anxiety. Some Mom’s will experience these feelings to an extent that it can become debilitating. Connecting with other expectant and new mother’s is comforting and the guidance of experienced counselors can help you cope and discover resources that are available to ease the transition into motherhood. If you or someone you know is struggling with feelings of depression and or anxiety, please call or let them know that they are not alone and that Kaiser Permanente has support that can help. Maternal Wellness Support Groups for Pregnant/Postpartum Women 619-641-4456 Kaiser Permanente at Carmel Valley 1st and 3rd Fridays, 1 to 3:00 p.m. Sand Conference Room — Shelly Jaffe, LCSW Facilitator 3851 Shaw Ridge Rd., San Diego, CA 92130 Kaiser Permanente at San Marcos 2nd Wednesdays, 10 to 11:30 a.m. Second Floor (between bldg. 3 and 4)— Shelly Jaffe, LCSW Facilitator 400 Craven Rd., San Marcos, CA 92078 Kaiser Permanente at Viewridge (Begins in August) 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 10 to 11:30 a.m. Collaborate Conference Room— Narine Babanyan, LCSW Facilitator 5251 Viewridge Court, San Diego, CA 92123 New Mom’s are welcome to bring children under 1 year with them. Pre-registration is appreciated, however feel free to walk-in. No need to check-in, just go straight to the meeting room. Regular attendance is the most helpful, however you attend meetings as your schedule allows and stay as long as you can. More information may be found at :...
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on Mar 6, 2017 in General Wellness, Inspiration, Mindfulness
Sometimes it is not so much what you need to be doing, but what you need to stop doing that can lead to a happy life. Here are a few things to consider…not doing! Pleasing: All of us want to be loved, needed, and valued. But sometimes we can be so afraid of being rejected that we make ourselves needed. If they need us, they won’t leave us. But trying to please people to make ourselves happy and fulfilled, ultimately leads to disappointment and frustration. Happiness comes when we thoughtfully decide what we do and do not want to do. Then giving comes from a place of joy, with no expectation of return, no frustration in our efforts going unappreciated, no feelings of being a doormat. Let Your “No” be Heard: Some people find it hard to say no. They may have mental chatter that says things like, “You should!”, “You ought to!” or “What will happen if you don’t?” At times it may feel easier to say yes, than to deal with the fallout of saying no. But saying yes to things you know you don’t want to do is like giving a piece of your life away that you’ll never get back. You’ll get caught in the rut of spending all your energy coping with what life throws your way, and none of your energy will get focused on helping you build the life you want for yourself. Happiness comes only when you learn that saying “no” is about loving others as much as loving yourself. A reluctance or inability to say no is often accompanied by a reluctance to communicate difficult emotions and feelings. It is easy to avoid communicating fear, needs, frustration or anger. Thinking things like; “I should, ought to, need to” can make you try to bury these emotions, but these emotions are there to help you make better choices and find your own direction. You need to listen to these emotions and allow them to guide you into decisions and behaviors that help you create the life you want to live. Busy for the Sake of Being Busy: It’s a myth that being busy or having a packed schedule is equivalent to being a person of importance. Gaining...
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on Jan 9, 2017 in General Wellness, Mindfulness, Stress Management
We have a new MINDFULNESS BASED STRESS REDUCTION PROGRAM (MBSR) beginning January 19th In this program, you learn and have the opportunity to practice mindfulness — a skill of paying attention to the present moment without judgment. When practiced, even for just a few weeks, mindfulness can boost immune function and decrease negative thoughts and emotions. People may experience greater focus and concentration, reduced anxiety, improved sleep, enhanced satisfaction in relationships, and relief from self-defeating behaviors like overeating. Call to...
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on Sep 22, 2016 in General Wellness, Mindfulness
“Practicing regular, mindful breathing can be calming, energizing, and can help with stress-related health problems ranging from panic attacks to digestive disorders.” Andrew Weil, M.D. The 4-7-8 (or Relaxing Breath) Exercise is utterly simple, takes almost no time, requires no equipment and can be done anywhere. Although you can do the exercise in any position, sit with your back straight while learning the exercise. Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there through the entire exercise. You will be exhaling through your mouth around your tongue; try pursing your lips slightly if this seems awkward. TIPS for SUCCESS Repeat the cycle three times for a total of four breaths. Inhale quietly through your nose and exhale audibly through your mouth. The tip of your tongue stays in position the whole time. Exhalation takes twice as long as inhalation. The absolute time you spend on each phase is not important; the ratio of 4:7:8 is important. If you have trouble holding your breath, speed the exercise up but keep to the ratio of 4:7:8 for the three phases. With practice you can slow it all down and get used to inhaling and exhaling more and more deeply. This exercise is a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system. This exercise is subtle when you first try it but gains in power with repetition and practice. Do it at least twice a day. You cannot do it too frequently. Do not do more than four breaths at one time for the first month of practice. Later, if you wish, you can extend it to eight breaths. If you feel a little lightheaded when you first breathe this way, do not be concerned; it will pass. Once you develop this technique by practicing it every day, it will be a very useful tool that you will always have with you. Use it whenever anything upsetting happens – before you react. Use it whenever you are aware of internal tension. Use it to help you fall asleep. This exercise cannot be recommended too highly. Everyone can benefit from...
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on Sep 7, 2016 in General Wellness, Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a way to use your mind and body to do what no one else can do for you: take charge of your health and feel more in control of your life. For over 25 years this researched based program (MBSR) has offered people from all walks of life a way to do just that. Through instruction and practice you will systematically learn skills that can increase your ability to be less reactive, to focus and concentrate with greater ease, to improve your ability to cope more effectively with stressful situations and pain, and to enhance your ability to feel more connected to life and those you care about. Other benefits reported have included greater energy, improved self-esteem and a sense of well-being. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction can help if you suffer from: job, family, or personal stress excessive worry, anxiety, or panic headaches depression addiction issues disordered eating chronic pain or fatigue fibromyalgia irritable bowel syndrome heart disease, high blood pressure sleep disturbances grief and loss or if you simply feel your life is “out of control” or “not in balance” You will learn to: recognize your signs of stress communicate more effectively understand how thoughts can increase or decrease stress manage your stress in the moment build self-confidence Program Specifics: Next Session: October 6, 2016-December 8, 2016 (no class on November 24th– Thanksgiving) Thursday evenings, 6 to 8:30 p.m. Eight weekly 2 1/2-hour group sessions, plus an all-day session on Saturday, November 5th from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Offered at the Positive Choice Integrative Wellness Center, 7035 Convoy Court, San Diego 92111 Set in a supportive environment in which you learn and practice simple mindfulness meditations, gentle stretching, and mindful movement. Sessions include group discussion and guided inquiry to enhance awareness. Cost:...
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on Apr 25, 2016 in Inspiration, Mindfulness, Uncategorized
There are times when we hear somebody telling us something again and again, a hundred times, but because we think we know this already, we’ve heard it already, we finish the sentence for the person, or we readily draw a conclusion and the brain immediately closes down and doesn’t process any more information, thus shutting out that person who is there with us. Our body is physically there, but our mind is already focused on another object, or it’s planning, or daydreaming. The other person feels this and knows that he or she is speaking to a wall. Sometimes the person may ask, “Are you there? Are you listening to me?” We reply, “Yeah yeah yeah, I hear you,” but we’ve already shut that person out. In the spaciousness and quiet of our mind, we may belatedly truly hear a familiar sentence for the very first time. We finally understand the message and ask, “Is this what you mean?” After all this time, five years or twenty years, we suddenly understand what our mother, father, or partner has been trying to tell us, and they may exclaim in exasperation, “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you all this time!” We suddenly see how this message is connected to everything else. We discover this aspect of the person for the first time, and this is a moment of deep communion in our relationship, with ourselves, and with each other. Sister Dang Nghiem Mindfullness is Medicine — A story of healing body and...
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