Progressive Muscle Relaxation

August 14th, 2018jm@ownhope.org0 Comments

A couple of years ago I did a video on PMR and I can’t find it so I did another one based on a few requests from clients who preferred to be guided through the exercise. I used the cam on my computer (which is about 5 years old) so the quality isn’t terrific – also I hate doing video- but it’s a good exercise and might be worth checking out. If you are experiencing any pain or have an injury just avoid tensing that part of the body when we get to it during the exercise.

Drive the Feeling

July 13th, 2018jm@ownhope.org0 Comments

Most of us tend to think about emotions as either good or bad, positive or negative but every emotion can be helpful and destructive. One goal of DBT and CBT is to help folks use emotions more effectively; to understand the purpose of each emotion and to decide how to use emotions (if at all) in achieving our objectives. One important step is to determine whether the context or situation reasonably connect to the feeling. If they do, then we work towards figuring out how to abide by the emotion effectively. If they don’t then we act opposite the emotion. …

Just Notice

June 21st, 2018jm@ownhope.org0 Comments

Every parent has that button that gets pushed. The way their kid chews, uses five pounds of toilet paper with every bathroom “event”, accidentally throws out a spoon every time they eat yogurt….you get it. One way to manage our ineffective reactions to these events is to step back and observe. Notice the funny, the endearing, the curious. Step back and take in everything about the experience, not just the part that makes you twitch. Of course, correct the behavior but try to keep in mind that the behavior is not the whole child or even the most meaningful part …