Our focus in recent weeks has been on stress management. Yoga, meditation & Tai Chi are often recommended to relieve stress. Below you’ll find a list of potential benefits that you may gain as a result of engaging in such activities:
° Yoga can help relieve asthma symptoms, respiratory problems, high blood pressure, pain, mental performance, mood, back problems, arthritis, libido, weight and anxiety.
° Psychology Today reports that individual observed during and after meditation showed shifts of brain activity from right frontal cortex to the left frontal cortex. The right side of the frontal cortex is a part of the brain that becomes active when stress levels rise. The study also noted that after eight weeks of meditation the shift from right to left in the brains of participants became more permanent. In other words, participants moods were rated higher than at the beginning of the study. (Collin, A., Psychology Today, April 24, 2003.)
° Tai Chi can help relieve osteoarthritis pain, joint pain & overall mobility, balance, muscle strength and mood.
Have any members here tried these relaxing activities? What was your experience? Sylvie, Bilingual Health Educator
The cause of Social Anxiety Disorder is still not yet fully understood. Some theorize that children learn shy behavior from their parents but it seems even more likely that there’s a genetic component to being shy. About 10% of children are described as being “high in behavioral inhibition” or shy, which means that they’re fearful in new social situations. This shyness seems to negatively progress throughout adolescence.
Most adolescents are very self-conscious and spend a lot of time worrying about what other people think about them. Most adolescents experience some anxiety in some social performance situations. If a shy child hits adolescence and becomes extremely self-conscious and worried about what other people think, that adolescent can be at risk for developing Social Anxiety Disorder.
Where you shy when you were younger? Sylvie, Bilingual Health EducatorAre you ready?
The first day of summer holidays can bring happy feelings and emotions! The summer smell, the increase in outdoor activities, vacations, and even relaxation time, can help positively increase your mood and get you going.
Leave those dishes and the laundry and take a walk, drive or run. Take a you day and relax.
Why not include a loved one? Play with the kids, your husband or friend, or just do something special for yourself. We all deserve a little break and summertime is a great time to take it!
By preparing for a special day, you can help validate all the hard work you are doing!
Sylvie, Bilingual Health Educator
Core beliefs are what you believe about yourself, others, the world and your future. The formation of our core beliefs begin when we are young and are rooted in our experiences as children and adolescents.
Our core beliefs are usually unspoken or outside of our immediate awareness. They are often accepted as 100% true and rarely examined for accuracy.
Negative core beliefs are associated with many issues such as low self-esteem, self-worth, depression and anxiety.
A negative life event can activate negative core beliefs about the self, others, the world & the future.
Some examples include …
* A lay-off from work or a break-up could result in feelings such as feeling unlovable or useless
Have you ever experienced a negative core belief? Where do you think you formed them?
Sylvie, Bilingual Health EducatorMembers,
In registering for the program, you’ve also been given access to our CBT program. Below you will find a synopsis of lesson 1
In Lesson 1, you will learn…
