Practice Updates
Just like that and November is gone. What!? How!? That’s how it feels. Although it seems like time is moving at lightning speed, I have not forgotten to slow down just enough to sit with the immense gratitude I have for this journey. I’m grateful for clients new and old that are participating in this season of transition with me. We are cruising right along through the holiday season. There will be some changes to the schedule from the end of December into the start of January. The primary change being that the office will be closed to in-person sessions, but telehealth will be available December 19th through January 4th.
As for the insurance world, I’ve been approved for two more insurances since the last newsletter! I am currently in network with United HealthCare, CBHA, and Aetna. I am pending approval for BCBS, Friday Health, MedCost, and Centivo. I am no longer pursuing Bright Health after being notified that the network is closed to new providers at this time.
Remember that scheduling or changing your appointment can be done easily online and at your convenience. My schedule is visible a couple of months in advance:
Bits of Joy, Purpose, and Balance
How does gratitude support a life of joy, purpose, and balance? Gratitude facilitates a shift in perspective. Gratitude is not dependent on the circumstances you are enduring at this given time in life. You can choose to look at the long (and growing!) list of things that are not working for you or you can focus on the short(er) list of things that are working for you. Shifting your vision away from the first list, does not miraculously take away depression, anxiety, addiction, hurt, pain, etc…but it does ease it a bit. Think for a moment about how you truly feel when you are accounting for all the things not working and notice how you feel. I would imagine that this feels overwhelming, painful, intolerable, not great, depressing, and hopeless. So, we’ve gathered some data. That way doesn’t help. Now, try and think of one thing in your life that you are grateful for no matter how small or seemingly insignificant but really try hard and stop the “yeah, but…” that inevitably follows. Everything that follows the “but” will disqualify the first part. Saying, “I’m grateful for my health…but I need to workout more” isn’t going to tone down the negative noise in your head. End with a period. It’s powerful. It’s profound. It’s enough. “I’m grateful for my health.” Try one gratitude statement a day. Experiment with it and see for yourself. You are worth the effort.
So, in conclusion, what does it have to do with joy, purpose, and balance? It’s just a little less pain, a little less noise, and a little more of you. The circumstances don’t change. You do. I read a recent article on the 10 Percent Happier website by Dr. Jay Michaelson about gratitude. He said, “Gratitude – consciously recognizing the good that is present in your life – does not mean that everything is okay, with you or with the world. It just means that, alongside all that is broken, there can also be enoughness, a core groundedness that cannot be taken away from you, a happiness that does not depend on conditions.” I hope you can sit with your “enoughness” today. Read the full article here: https://www.tenpercent.com/meditationweeklyblog/thanksgiving-and-enoughness
Self Care Corner
For this month, I want to offer some tips on surviving the holidays as a means of self-care.
1. Set your intention around your values. What matters most to you about this holiday season? What are your priorities? Imagine the holidays being over, how would you know that you were successful in staying in alignment with this intention?
2. Get outside. The days are certainly shorter…but only because the sun decided to peace out early. There are still the same 24 hours in a day that there have always been. This is another situation in “just because I feel something doesn’t mean it’s true.” I feel like the days are ridiculously short but really, they are the same. The fact is that you still have the same amount of time. If it is safe to do so, you can still go for a walk. Grab a flashlight, bundle up, and decrease the distance as needed. Avoid “all or nothing” thinking here. Something is better than nothing.
3. Maintain boundaries. Boundaries define the space between us. We each have different comfort levels with how much space there needs to be to feel safe and secure. They separate me from you. Understanding your limits and then communicating those limits manages our expectations of ourselves and others.
4. Breathe. This time of year is often packed with events and activities. Take a moment to breathe. If you feel like you already got caught up in the momentum and want to adjust, that’s okay. It’s not too late! You can amend the “yes” to a “no” to the activity, event, or party that is causing the pain. If you choose to go, take a breath, and remember that it was a choice. You oversee your life and the choices you make.
5. Grace. Give yourself grace. Give others grace. You are doing the best you can given your circumstances and so are others.