Mental Health

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Doctors in Scotland can now prescribe nature to their patients.

EVAN FLEISCHER 12 October, 2018-Big Think

I LOVE this article!  We are so hurried in our lives, how often do we take the time to appreciate the shape of clouds, the song of a bird in the tree above our heads, weather whether we label good or bad, or seeing a squirrel playing with his buddy.  We are a society inundated with ads for the latest and greatest medications that will magically make all of ills disappear without any significant exploration of “why” we feel the way we do, and/or how stress has impacted our emotional, mental, spiritual or physical health.

We are an instant gratification society.  We want results NOW, we want happiness guaranteed and we generally don’t want to work for it.  This is in no way a sustainable reality.  We are feeling, thinking, social beings who experience ebbs and flows, challenges and joys.  We are all on evolutionary path that will bring us to the depths of despair as well as to great heights of joy.  Nature has always been available to us as a benevolent healer and the support of our very lifeblood and breath on our beloved planet.  Check out the article below and give yourself the gift of nature!

Since October 5, doctors in Shetland, Scotland have been authorized to prescribe nature to their patients. It’s thought to be the first program of its kind in the U.K., and seeks to reduce blood pressure, anxiety, and increase happiness for those with diabetes, a mental illness, stress, heart disease, and more.

There is a whole leaflet of nature prescription suggestions that accompanies the program, filled with amusing, charming, sometimes seemingly off-kilter suggestions: in February, you can make a windsock from a hoop and material to “appreciate the speed of the wind”; in March, you can make beach art from natural materials or “borrow a dog and take it for a walk”; in April, you can “touch the sea” and “make a bug hotel”; in May, you can “bury your face in the grass”; in July, you can “pick two different kinds of grass and really look at them”; in August, you can summon a worm out of the ground without digging or using water; in September, you can help clean the beach and prepare a meal outdoors; in October, you can “appreciate a cloud”; you can “talk to a pony” in November, “feed the birds in your garden” in December, and do so much more. All on doctor’s orders.

The evidence for the benefits of nature on mental and physical health are numerous. If you spend 90 minutes of your day outside in a wooded area, there will be a decrease of activity in the part of your brain typically associated with depression. Spending time in nature not only reduces blood pressure, anxiety, and increases happiness, but it reduces aggression, ADHD symptoms, improves pain control, the immune system.

NO CO-PAY REQUIRED…

 

student boy suffering of classmate mockery

Social Media, Bullying & Mental Heath

A 21st Century Dilemma.

Our rapidly changing world of technology can create challenges that go beyond our children’s ability to navigate. Platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube & Instagram have created easy opportunities for children to gossip, exclude others, bully, sexually act out and become victims of predatory behavior by others.

This workshop will provide education on the current forms of social media along with its pros and cons and will include explanation of the “New York State Dignity Act” which was signed into law in September 2010.  This state law is designed to provide safeguards in school culture to prevent bullying, discrimination against race, gender and sexual orientation.  Its main goal is to support equality, awareness and inclusion of all students in the school setting.

This workshop will give parents and educators the tools and shared support to effectively intervene and educate our children about the rapidly changing world we live in.

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Stress Reduction, Mindfulness & Meditation

Understanding Stress for Children and Adults.

What is it about our lives that cause us anxiety, irritation, happiness, rage, relief, depression, boredom and hope? Can we embrace our “stress” and use it for personal growth or are we destined to go from one pressure filled crisis to the next?  How do children differ in the way they manage the challenges of their lives?  Can we really do anything about the high-speed connection required to keep up with modern life, the pressure to achieve and the constant media images that dictate everything from the clothes we buy, to the car we drive, to the food we eat?   This workshop will include engaging group discussion, fun exercises designed to identify personal stressors and those of our children and concrete ways to reduce the negative aspects of stress and embrace the positive potential.

Successful Behavior Management and Crisis Intervention Workshop

Successful Behavior Management and Crisis Intervention for Social Service, Mental Health & Educational Professionals

This workshop will explain the factors that contribute to behaviors commonly referred to as “acting out” and will provide concrete ways to manage relationships with our children for optimal learning and mental health.  Participants will learn how their own personal history, emotions and personality styles can either escalate or diffuse the outcome of any situation.  Adult professionals and parents can become catalysts through which youth can change destructive behavior patterns.

Sample topics include:

Identification of crisis behavior

  • Impact of trauma and symptoms of PTSD
  • Conflict and Anger Management
  • Proactive behavior management, de-escalation and intervention approaches
  • Common stress responses, the “Crisis Cycle”, Stress Model of Crisis TM
  • Self-awareness skills for child and adult
  • Effective communication and positive coping skills.

Each presentation includes lecture, experiential exercises, strategies and practical methods of intervention.