We get the greatest benefits from therapy when we can speak candidly with our counselor and trust him or her to create a safe space for us to explore our ideas, thoughts, and emotions. It is absolutely critical for the connection to feel like a “good fit” between us and our therapist, because that relationship provides the arena where change, growth, and healing can happen.
If you decide to try therapy, choosing a therapist will be an important decision. It’s okay to explore options and look around for the right person to work with.
First, choose several counselors and give them a phone call. Find therapists online, get referrals from friends, or the phone book. Give a short summary of the challenges you’re facing and what you’d like to accomplish with therapy.
Take some time to learn about the therapist’s style. Ask them to tell you about their approach to counseling. Some give more feedback and are directive, while others are quieter and give you more time for self-reflection. There are therapists who give homework to do between sessions, while others do not. No technique is right or wrong, but one may be a better fit for you than another.
From your brief conversation, figure out whether it feels good to talk to this person; if it does, you can make an appointment.
While you’re shopping around, it’s okay to book an appointment with a couple of different therapists. You can even let them know that you’re talking to several therapists to find the best one for you. A good counselor will want you to feel comfortable with whomever you choose and will support your process in finding a good match.
The future looks a little brighter when you walk out of a therapist’s office. Once you’ve found the right one for you, what seemed like chaos in your mind and your life can begin to make sense. You can learn to take control and live more fully, more authentically, right now.
And that puts a mind at ease.
Amy Hooper, LCSW-C, CEAP is counselor who helps regular, everyday people who are struggling through life’s difficult times to take charge of their lives and feel better about themselves. She is the director of Another Look at Healing, LLC, a counseling and wellness center in Gaithersburg, MD, where adults, teens, and couples come for individual psychotherapy or group therapy. For more information, visit www.HealingLLC.com/therapywork or contact Amy at AnotherLook@HealingLLC.com or 240-274-5680.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
A Mind at Ease - A Joyful Journey with Therapy (Part 2 of 3)
Therapy takes us on a journey of self-understanding, healing past hurts, improving current relationships, increasing healthy coping mechanisms, and finding self-acceptance. We can learn to attend to our own needs, to self-soothe, to find validation from within, and to increase self-control and self-love.
One common strategy to explore in therapy is looking at our past to make sense of our present. The wounds and hurts of our past can give powerful clues about how we see and interact with the world today. Examining these past hurts and working to resolve them might be painful, but a therapist can support you through the process.
It takes courage to let go of the old patterns, negative self-messages, and destructive behaviors that are no longer working for us. With the support of a trusted therapist, we can gain a new perspective and begin seeing the world differently. We gain the ability to react and respond to situations in new, healthy ways. Examining our past and present guides the work of becoming the person we want to be and getting unstuck from our past.
A counselor may also offer specific skills and coping mechanisms to help us in our healing journey. For example, they may teach us how to do deep breathing to decrease anxiety or use specific communication skills to get our needs met. They may share problem-solving techniques to help eliminate depression. Even the act of talking with our therapist will teach us something, too: how to calmly sit with strong feelings and emotions and communicate them to someone who cares about us. Practicing talking with your therapist can help you figure out how to communicate effectively in your other relationships. You can learn to express your true needs, discover what it’s like to have someone truly listen and help you meet those needs, and be free from other people’s expectations and projected desires.
For more information, visit www.HealingLLC.com/therapywork for details.
One common strategy to explore in therapy is looking at our past to make sense of our present. The wounds and hurts of our past can give powerful clues about how we see and interact with the world today. Examining these past hurts and working to resolve them might be painful, but a therapist can support you through the process.
It takes courage to let go of the old patterns, negative self-messages, and destructive behaviors that are no longer working for us. With the support of a trusted therapist, we can gain a new perspective and begin seeing the world differently. We gain the ability to react and respond to situations in new, healthy ways. Examining our past and present guides the work of becoming the person we want to be and getting unstuck from our past.
A counselor may also offer specific skills and coping mechanisms to help us in our healing journey. For example, they may teach us how to do deep breathing to decrease anxiety or use specific communication skills to get our needs met. They may share problem-solving techniques to help eliminate depression. Even the act of talking with our therapist will teach us something, too: how to calmly sit with strong feelings and emotions and communicate them to someone who cares about us. Practicing talking with your therapist can help you figure out how to communicate effectively in your other relationships. You can learn to express your true needs, discover what it’s like to have someone truly listen and help you meet those needs, and be free from other people’s expectations and projected desires.
For more information, visit www.HealingLLC.com/therapywork for details.
A Mind at Ease - Finding Guidance For Life (Part 1 of 3)
Nothing eases the mind like having someone listen. Whether we’re in a peaceful moment or a crisis, talking and sharing ideas can help us feel understood, validated, and supported as we navigate through life. Feeling that connection is one of the reasons why our friends, family, and loved ones often are so important to our happiness and fulfillment.
There are times, though, when it’s helpful to talk to someone who isn’t involved in our everyday life and has a more objective perspective. We all sometimes feel misunderstood, guilty, insecure, disconnected, or judged in our relationships. Because of this, everyone could benefit from having someone who can listen without judgment or defensiveness; someone who wants to see us grow, encourages us to embrace our strengths, and helps us take charge of our own lives. The confidence we gain from receiving guidance and confirmation on our life’s bearings can be invaluable for navigating our future.
For too long, seeing a counselor or therapist carried an unwarranted stigma of struggling with mental illness. But we all go through challenging transitions and stressful situations, and it takes maturity and self-awareness (and a certain level of sanity!) to realize how beneficial a bit of therapy can be. A therapist or counselor can be a confidante and provide the kind of support we could all use, especially during the stressful times in our lives.
That’s because licensed therapists and counselors see their clients as whole people, not just a collection of “problems.” They can help uncover strengths buried deep within us and reveal insights we may never have known or acknowledged. They can aid our understanding of our beliefs and patterns of thinking and help us gain perspective on what is happening in our lives, clarify our dreams and goals for the future, and choose new ways of interacting with others.
What we discover in therapy guides us to change our behaviors, reactions, and choices in life. The counselor provides the tools; we choose how to use them in planning and building of our future.
For more information, visit www.HealingLLC.com/therapywork for details.
There are times, though, when it’s helpful to talk to someone who isn’t involved in our everyday life and has a more objective perspective. We all sometimes feel misunderstood, guilty, insecure, disconnected, or judged in our relationships. Because of this, everyone could benefit from having someone who can listen without judgment or defensiveness; someone who wants to see us grow, encourages us to embrace our strengths, and helps us take charge of our own lives. The confidence we gain from receiving guidance and confirmation on our life’s bearings can be invaluable for navigating our future.
For too long, seeing a counselor or therapist carried an unwarranted stigma of struggling with mental illness. But we all go through challenging transitions and stressful situations, and it takes maturity and self-awareness (and a certain level of sanity!) to realize how beneficial a bit of therapy can be. A therapist or counselor can be a confidante and provide the kind of support we could all use, especially during the stressful times in our lives.
That’s because licensed therapists and counselors see their clients as whole people, not just a collection of “problems.” They can help uncover strengths buried deep within us and reveal insights we may never have known or acknowledged. They can aid our understanding of our beliefs and patterns of thinking and help us gain perspective on what is happening in our lives, clarify our dreams and goals for the future, and choose new ways of interacting with others.
What we discover in therapy guides us to change our behaviors, reactions, and choices in life. The counselor provides the tools; we choose how to use them in planning and building of our future.
For more information, visit www.HealingLLC.com/therapywork for details.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
How To Create a Positive Body Image
Developing a positive body image and a healthy mental attitude is crucial to a person’s happiness, mental health and wellness. We have compiled a list of the top 8 ways to improve your body image so you can feel good about yourself!
Exercise - but not to lose weight. Certain types of exercises will help you to focus your mind and learn about your body. This will in turn improve your body image! Take a yoga, Tai chi or pilates class. These workouts are great not because they help you lose weight, but because they demonstrate how to focus in on how our bodies feel. The emphasis of these types of exercises is to be in touch with your body; understand the complicated nature of the body; and, recognize how incredible our bodies are as they help us move, lift and even hug. Pay attention to your body and do not try to ignore or hide it. These classes also allow us to feel more in control and comfortable with our own bodies relatively quickly. All of this helps build confidence and self-esteem, which directly impacts our body image, and ultimately develops empowerment and strength.
Relaxation or Meditation. By practicing deep relaxation or meditation, you can redirect your mind away from self-critical thoughts, and refocus toward more positive ways of thinking. This can help you gain perspective and decrease anxiety.
Values Matter. Focus on your inner values. If you want to be a kind empathetic person, practice empathy and kindness. Not just to others, but to yourself as well! Understanding that who you are is more important that what you look like can help lead to more acceptance and self-love.
Affirm. An affirmation is a short, positive statement about you in the present tense. This statement affirms what you most want and need in your life. The reason for having an affirmation is to calm intrusive anxiety and worries, correct negative beliefs and to prevent self-sabotaging. In short, the affirmation you create will help you to feel calm, grounded and in control. Try creating your own affirmation. Repeat it to yourself throughout the day, particularly during times of stress. This statement will remind you of what an incredible woman you truly are and what you can accomplish with your strengths. Create and repeat positive affirmations such as “I love and approve of myself'” or “I am a strong, confident person”.
Find Your Assertive Self. Learn to practice assertiveness skills. Being assertive and having a sense of self-control helps you to like who you are. Practice saying “no” when you do not want to do something someone asks of you. Speak up about what movie you want to see instead of following what someone else wants. If you would like for something to happen – ask for help. You might actually get what you want and feel better about yourself for making it happen.
Self-Care. Treat your body respectfully. Nourish it with the healthy food it wants. Do not abuse your body with hours on the treadmill; enjoy a fun walk outside instead. Take a warm bath; get a massage; or simply pamper your skin with lotion if it gets dry or sunburned. These are ways to take care of yourself. If you practice self-care and self-love, you will feel more accepting and positive about your body and yourself.
Adventure. Read fun books, find new hobbies, new friends, study art, or a new language – just try something new. Doing new things will stimulate your brain and help you to see the world differently. It will also help you to take your mind off those negative thoughts.
Attitude. Have an attitude of gratitude. Take time to reflect on all the positive things in your life every day. Think about everything you have and can practice being grateful for. Each night think of one thing that happened during the day that was good or fun or positive. Maybe you helped someone crossing a street; picked up litter from the sidewalk; walked 4 blocks to run an errand instead of jumping in the car; called a friend you haven’t spoken to an several weeks; turned your phone or computer OFF for 15 minutes to have some quiet, introspective time.
Thoughts? Comments? We welcome your feedback. Contact us today at AnotherLook@HealingLLC.com, by phone 240-274-5680 or check out our website at www.HealingLLC.com.
Exercise - but not to lose weight. Certain types of exercises will help you to focus your mind and learn about your body. This will in turn improve your body image! Take a yoga, Tai chi or pilates class. These workouts are great not because they help you lose weight, but because they demonstrate how to focus in on how our bodies feel. The emphasis of these types of exercises is to be in touch with your body; understand the complicated nature of the body; and, recognize how incredible our bodies are as they help us move, lift and even hug. Pay attention to your body and do not try to ignore or hide it. These classes also allow us to feel more in control and comfortable with our own bodies relatively quickly. All of this helps build confidence and self-esteem, which directly impacts our body image, and ultimately develops empowerment and strength.
Relaxation or Meditation. By practicing deep relaxation or meditation, you can redirect your mind away from self-critical thoughts, and refocus toward more positive ways of thinking. This can help you gain perspective and decrease anxiety.
Values Matter. Focus on your inner values. If you want to be a kind empathetic person, practice empathy and kindness. Not just to others, but to yourself as well! Understanding that who you are is more important that what you look like can help lead to more acceptance and self-love.
Affirm. An affirmation is a short, positive statement about you in the present tense. This statement affirms what you most want and need in your life. The reason for having an affirmation is to calm intrusive anxiety and worries, correct negative beliefs and to prevent self-sabotaging. In short, the affirmation you create will help you to feel calm, grounded and in control. Try creating your own affirmation. Repeat it to yourself throughout the day, particularly during times of stress. This statement will remind you of what an incredible woman you truly are and what you can accomplish with your strengths. Create and repeat positive affirmations such as “I love and approve of myself'” or “I am a strong, confident person”.
Find Your Assertive Self. Learn to practice assertiveness skills. Being assertive and having a sense of self-control helps you to like who you are. Practice saying “no” when you do not want to do something someone asks of you. Speak up about what movie you want to see instead of following what someone else wants. If you would like for something to happen – ask for help. You might actually get what you want and feel better about yourself for making it happen.
Self-Care. Treat your body respectfully. Nourish it with the healthy food it wants. Do not abuse your body with hours on the treadmill; enjoy a fun walk outside instead. Take a warm bath; get a massage; or simply pamper your skin with lotion if it gets dry or sunburned. These are ways to take care of yourself. If you practice self-care and self-love, you will feel more accepting and positive about your body and yourself.
Adventure. Read fun books, find new hobbies, new friends, study art, or a new language – just try something new. Doing new things will stimulate your brain and help you to see the world differently. It will also help you to take your mind off those negative thoughts.
Attitude. Have an attitude of gratitude. Take time to reflect on all the positive things in your life every day. Think about everything you have and can practice being grateful for. Each night think of one thing that happened during the day that was good or fun or positive. Maybe you helped someone crossing a street; picked up litter from the sidewalk; walked 4 blocks to run an errand instead of jumping in the car; called a friend you haven’t spoken to an several weeks; turned your phone or computer OFF for 15 minutes to have some quiet, introspective time.
Thoughts? Comments? We welcome your feedback. Contact us today at AnotherLook@HealingLLC.com, by phone 240-274-5680 or check out our website at www.HealingLLC.com.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Body Image Issues
Summer is here. As the weather gets warmer, people pull out their summer clothes, start special diets, and star spending hours in the gym. With trips to the beach and the warm weather, summer time reveals more skin that would otherwise be covered. Are you confident with your looks? Are you emotionally and mentally prepared for the pool and beach season? Will you let your beauty shine through? In this article, we will discuss the topic of creating a positive body image so you can always feel good about yourself.
Unfortunately the problem of stereotypes in today’s world is poisoning our self-esteem. Magazine cover models have “perfect” faces, are underweight and disproportionate. Actresses and actors from Hollywood look one way, which often makes us think that we are imperfect or even ugly if we don’t look that way. Expensive designers clothes are only made in small sizes and often people starve themselves in order to fit into the cloths. Individuals following unhealthy diets in order to fit in those clothes may have not only an unhealthy relationship with food, but disordered eating as well.
Many of us have a tape playing in our minds of ideas we have heard or interpreted from the people in our life. Some of us think “I’m not good enough” or “I’m ugly”. We often act as harsh self-critics and tend to blame ourselves for any perceived flaw. It takes effort, but if we can recognize these negative messages we are telling ourselves, we can work to turn them around and instead say to ourselves “I am good enough” or “I am beautiful”. So often we forget that our uniqueness makes us who we are – and who we are is special and worthy of praise!
Study conducted by Swedish psychiatrists Allebeck, Hallberg et al. demonstrated that individuals with a negative body image tend to have a distorted perception of his or her shape, size and height. The imperfections that are obsessed over are not even real! Often we compare our bodies to others, and feel shame, disgust and anxiety. We believe that others will judge us negatively, but that is because we judge ourselves . Being unhappy with your body can affect how you think and feel about yourself as a person. A poor body image can lead to emotional distress, low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and sometimes even suicide (Stein, 2003).
Developing a positive body image and a healthy mental attitude is crucial to a person’s happiness, mental health and wellness.
Stay tuned for our next post - The Top 8 Ways to Improve Your Body Image.
For more information, visit www.HealingLLC.com/cso for details.
Unfortunately the problem of stereotypes in today’s world is poisoning our self-esteem. Magazine cover models have “perfect” faces, are underweight and disproportionate. Actresses and actors from Hollywood look one way, which often makes us think that we are imperfect or even ugly if we don’t look that way. Expensive designers clothes are only made in small sizes and often people starve themselves in order to fit into the cloths. Individuals following unhealthy diets in order to fit in those clothes may have not only an unhealthy relationship with food, but disordered eating as well.
Many of us have a tape playing in our minds of ideas we have heard or interpreted from the people in our life. Some of us think “I’m not good enough” or “I’m ugly”. We often act as harsh self-critics and tend to blame ourselves for any perceived flaw. It takes effort, but if we can recognize these negative messages we are telling ourselves, we can work to turn them around and instead say to ourselves “I am good enough” or “I am beautiful”. So often we forget that our uniqueness makes us who we are – and who we are is special and worthy of praise!
Study conducted by Swedish psychiatrists Allebeck, Hallberg et al. demonstrated that individuals with a negative body image tend to have a distorted perception of his or her shape, size and height. The imperfections that are obsessed over are not even real! Often we compare our bodies to others, and feel shame, disgust and anxiety. We believe that others will judge us negatively, but that is because we judge ourselves . Being unhappy with your body can affect how you think and feel about yourself as a person. A poor body image can lead to emotional distress, low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and sometimes even suicide (Stein, 2003).
Developing a positive body image and a healthy mental attitude is crucial to a person’s happiness, mental health and wellness.
Stay tuned for our next post - The Top 8 Ways to Improve Your Body Image.
For more information, visit www.HealingLLC.com/cso for details.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Spring Cleaning for Your Life.
As spring has arrived and the world outside is changing, what is changing for you on the inside? As the flowers bloom with their new beginnings, now is a perfect opportunity for you to consider how you want to grow. A few ideas of where to start…
Organizing Yourself
Write down a list of goals you would love to achieve, or things you would want to change in your life. Perhaps you want work on your spirituality, or your personality, improving your physical or mental health or the quality of your interpersonal interactions. Making a list of ideas you would love to change will give you a good starting point to create the life you want.
The next step is to write down what it will take to achieve these goals, we call these Objectives. What steps are involved in creating that life you want? Writing things down is more important that we think it is. Martha L. Chase, Ph. D., Executive and Career Coach, strongly recommends writing goals down, it forces us to clearly define what our goals are and specifically how to get there. Many therapists also recommend drawing or creating a picture of your goal to keep with the written goals. Since often our mental pictures of our goals are vague, drawing them can help you create a visual image and make the goals crystal clear and therefore easier to achieve
Remember, while it may seem that some goals are hard to achieve, you can do it. In order to make it easier and make it happen, remember to...
- Write down your plan.
- Set a due date for each event.
- Start working on it! It will become easier once you start.
- Make sure your goals are realistic. Making changes is difficult but with a good plan and some follow up, you can reach your goals.
- You can ask a co-worker, family member or friend to check in with you. Let your best friend call you weekly and ask about your weekly progress. That way you will feel accountable for your goals.
- And last but not least, it is important to stay optimistic on your way to becoming a new you.
And remember, turn obstacles into opportunities and celebrate your successes.
If you are feeling overstressed or overwhelmed with your life and want to start making some changes, call us today for a free consultation. You can call Amy directly at 240-274-5680 or by email at AnotherLook@HealingLLC.com. For more information, visit www.HealingLLC.com for details.
As spring has arrived and the world outside is changing, what is changing for you on the inside? As the flowers bloom with their new beginnings, now is a perfect opportunity for you to consider how you want to grow. A few ideas of where to start…
Organizing Yourself
Write down a list of goals you would love to achieve, or things you would want to change in your life. Perhaps you want work on your spirituality, or your personality, improving your physical or mental health or the quality of your interpersonal interactions. Making a list of ideas you would love to change will give you a good starting point to create the life you want.
The next step is to write down what it will take to achieve these goals, we call these Objectives. What steps are involved in creating that life you want? Writing things down is more important that we think it is. Martha L. Chase, Ph. D., Executive and Career Coach, strongly recommends writing goals down, it forces us to clearly define what our goals are and specifically how to get there. Many therapists also recommend drawing or creating a picture of your goal to keep with the written goals. Since often our mental pictures of our goals are vague, drawing them can help you create a visual image and make the goals crystal clear and therefore easier to achieve
Remember, while it may seem that some goals are hard to achieve, you can do it. In order to make it easier and make it happen, remember to...
- Write down your plan.
- Set a due date for each event.
- Start working on it! It will become easier once you start.
- Make sure your goals are realistic. Making changes is difficult but with a good plan and some follow up, you can reach your goals.
- You can ask a co-worker, family member or friend to check in with you. Let your best friend call you weekly and ask about your weekly progress. That way you will feel accountable for your goals.
- And last but not least, it is important to stay optimistic on your way to becoming a new you.
And remember, turn obstacles into opportunities and celebrate your successes.
If you are feeling overstressed or overwhelmed with your life and want to start making some changes, call us today for a free consultation. You can call Amy directly at 240-274-5680 or by email at AnotherLook@HealingLLC.com. For more information, visit www.HealingLLC.com for details.
Monday, April 25, 2011
More Ideas about Feng Shui and your Life
Defining the Ba Gua (map of energy) can help you understand how specific parts of your home are connected to specific areas of your life. For example, the Southeast Feng Shui part of your home connects to the money energy flow. After we defined all the sectors, it’s important to treat them accordingly, i.e. it would be counter indicated to have a dirty bookshelf full of unusable, old junk in our love/relationship sector because it brings us a useless and dull relationship that will not progress. Instead, try to clean your home, and decorate it with plants, flowers and water fountains as they symbolize life, growth and prosperity. Use statues and paintings of cherubs or lovers in your love sector. Fruit baskets, lucky coins, ducks, turtles, goldfish and lucky bamboos are the lucky elements in your home.
A few ideas of what to avoid: Avoid sharp elements in your home as they symbolize danger and bring out bad energy. Avoid using cracked or broken dishes as it brings bad luck as well as wearing old ripped cloths.
Study the Five Elements Feng Shui Theory. It will help you to balance the Feng Shui five elements in your home. For example, if you are working on attracting more prosperity, you will use the Feng Shui elements of Wood and Water in the Southeast area of your house or an apartment.
It is important to know your Feng Shui birth element. Knowing your element will assist you with improving your own energy. For example, if your own element is Fire, you will need to introduce symbols of Fire, which could be the Fire element colors (red, orange, purple, magenta, pink, yellow), triangular shapes, and so on. You will also need a strong Wood element in your home as Wood feeds the Fire in the relationship of five Feng Shui elements.
Feng Shui Tips for Your Home
(By: Amanda Collins, Feng Shui Consultant) http://www.take5moment.com/cgi/members.mpl?Action=View&id=279&media_type=blog
1) There should be no shoes or slippers lying around outside the main door of your house. Allow that space at the main door to be free and clear.
2) There should be no television sets in your bedrooms: If you cannot get rid of that habit then after watching the television, cover it with a plastic, not a fabric, table cloth.
3) There should be no mirrors opposite your bed or at the side of your bed. Mirrors opposite the bed can attract a third party to the relationship.
4) Place an indoor water fountain in your home, position in a favorable area to attract whatever you want in your life.
5) If you already have a fish tank in your house, be careful. A fish tank placed correctly can bring about greater fortune. But it can also cause you to have lawsuits, bankruptcy, work pressure, troubles and problems.
6) In your kitchen, ensure that opposite your stove there is no refrigerator, washing machine, washbasin and toilet. The fire and water crash causing family members to have disagreements.
7) Try not to allow children to sleep on mattresses on the floor as it causes young children to fall sick frequently. The reason is: chi is not able to flow underneath the bed.
8) For young children, try to have their back to the wall when they write. It is important there should be a solid wall behind a children's writing table. This allows the child to have support so that he can sit there and study longer.
9) Do not allow children to sleep on double bunk beds even if it means saving space. The child sleeping underneath will not have "fresh chi" and so his health might be weak.
10) Your bed should always have a solid wall behind you. This is important if you wish to have a good rest. A solid wall simply means that you can go into deeper sleep and therefore enabling you to have good rest so that when you wake up in the morning, you will feel fresh and well rested.
11) There should be no beam on top of your bed. The beam above causes chi to be pressured thus enabling you to have pressures in life.
12) If you have a lot of work pressure, maybe it's the marble table that you have in your dining room that causes you to have those problems. Remove that marble table and change to a wooden one or alternatively live with that work pressure!
14) Do not use a red sofa set: red represents the element of fire. For Feng Shui, some places simply cannot have red color in that sector. A red sofa sets gives rise to heavy work pressure, troubles and obstacles.
15) Always open your bedroom windows at least once 20 minutes a day to allow fresh chi to come in, we do this so that it allows fresh new chi from outside to come into your bedroom, if not you will be sleeping with stale chi every night.
For more information, visit www.HealingLLC.com for details.
A few ideas of what to avoid: Avoid sharp elements in your home as they symbolize danger and bring out bad energy. Avoid using cracked or broken dishes as it brings bad luck as well as wearing old ripped cloths.
Study the Five Elements Feng Shui Theory. It will help you to balance the Feng Shui five elements in your home. For example, if you are working on attracting more prosperity, you will use the Feng Shui elements of Wood and Water in the Southeast area of your house or an apartment.
It is important to know your Feng Shui birth element. Knowing your element will assist you with improving your own energy. For example, if your own element is Fire, you will need to introduce symbols of Fire, which could be the Fire element colors (red, orange, purple, magenta, pink, yellow), triangular shapes, and so on. You will also need a strong Wood element in your home as Wood feeds the Fire in the relationship of five Feng Shui elements.
Feng Shui Tips for Your Home
(By: Amanda Collins, Feng Shui Consultant) http://www.take5moment.com/cgi/members.mpl?Action=View&id=279&media_type=blog
1) There should be no shoes or slippers lying around outside the main door of your house. Allow that space at the main door to be free and clear.
2) There should be no television sets in your bedrooms: If you cannot get rid of that habit then after watching the television, cover it with a plastic, not a fabric, table cloth.
3) There should be no mirrors opposite your bed or at the side of your bed. Mirrors opposite the bed can attract a third party to the relationship.
4) Place an indoor water fountain in your home, position in a favorable area to attract whatever you want in your life.
5) If you already have a fish tank in your house, be careful. A fish tank placed correctly can bring about greater fortune. But it can also cause you to have lawsuits, bankruptcy, work pressure, troubles and problems.
6) In your kitchen, ensure that opposite your stove there is no refrigerator, washing machine, washbasin and toilet. The fire and water crash causing family members to have disagreements.
7) Try not to allow children to sleep on mattresses on the floor as it causes young children to fall sick frequently. The reason is: chi is not able to flow underneath the bed.
8) For young children, try to have their back to the wall when they write. It is important there should be a solid wall behind a children's writing table. This allows the child to have support so that he can sit there and study longer.
9) Do not allow children to sleep on double bunk beds even if it means saving space. The child sleeping underneath will not have "fresh chi" and so his health might be weak.
10) Your bed should always have a solid wall behind you. This is important if you wish to have a good rest. A solid wall simply means that you can go into deeper sleep and therefore enabling you to have good rest so that when you wake up in the morning, you will feel fresh and well rested.
11) There should be no beam on top of your bed. The beam above causes chi to be pressured thus enabling you to have pressures in life.
12) If you have a lot of work pressure, maybe it's the marble table that you have in your dining room that causes you to have those problems. Remove that marble table and change to a wooden one or alternatively live with that work pressure!
14) Do not use a red sofa set: red represents the element of fire. For Feng Shui, some places simply cannot have red color in that sector. A red sofa sets gives rise to heavy work pressure, troubles and obstacles.
15) Always open your bedroom windows at least once 20 minutes a day to allow fresh chi to come in, we do this so that it allows fresh new chi from outside to come into your bedroom, if not you will be sleeping with stale chi every night.
For more information, visit www.HealingLLC.com for details.
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