Attempt to Reduce Stress - What is Stress? - Adapted from a Post written by Leo Babauta (Part 1/2)

Stress - /stres/

noun

1. Pressure or tension exerted on a material object.

2. A state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very

demanding circumstances.

verb

1. Give particular emphasis or importance to (a point, statement, or idea) made in speech

or writing.

2. Subject to pressure or tension.


Are you stressed? It could be a result of a stressful home life, habits, or chaotic work conditions. Instead of adopting old habits (reaching for food, drinking, or smoking for comfort) to deal with stress that could only lead to other problems, or attempting to eliminate stress completely from our lives, we can know that stress is evident in everyone’s life and there are ways to reduce it. No need to strive for a stress free life.

First, it’s not possible! And second, stress challenges us and helps us grow. When stress gets too high, we feel unhappy and can become unhealthy. See our next post for more from our list of things you can  do to get your life to a more manageable level of stress.

1. Be early. It may sound challenging to do if you like to hit that snooze button or if you

have kids to get out of the door with you. But being late can make you frantic. This can

be a stressful start to your day. Try waking up earlier, or scheduling more space between

events. Getting somewhere a few minutes early can give you time to catch up on your

reading or browse the internet on your phone or get ready for your next meeting.

2. Declutter.  Take 20-30 minutes to throw away things you don’t need in each room.

Clutter can be very stressful when looking at or when trying to find things we’re looking

for. A decluttered space is found to be a peaceful environment for work, play, and living.

For each object, you can ask yourself "Does this bring joy, peace and calm into my life?",

and see what emerges as the response.



Take Good Care,

Amy Hooper, LCSW-C, CEAP, Director, Gaithersburg Counseling Center

Dena Alalfey, Graduate Intern

References: Zen habits : Breathe. (n.d.). Retrieved May 26, 2015, from

http://zenhabits.net/10-simple-ways-to-live-a-less-stressful-life/

The Keys to Happiness - Learning to feel good about you!

What do you like about yourself!? This may be a challenging task at first, but start a file on what you like about yourself. Take your time writing it and as you write it think about what it feels like to write it. You may expand this list by writing down compliments people give you! Try to visit this file daily and read what you have, notice your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations that arise while writing in the file and also while re-reading it.

Maybe these couple of exercises will help you feel more positive, grounded and balanced. Whether or not they are helpful, they might give you some insights or topics to discuss further with a counselor or trusted friend.  At Another Look at Healing, Counseling Center, we can help with this search for greater self-awareness and finding those strengths to help you feel happier and more fulfilled. For more information, you can email us at AnotherLook@HealingLLC.com or call us at 240-274-5680. Or for more information, visit www.HealingLLC.com.

Announcing: Free Phone Consultation!

We are now offering a free phone consultation! Also, special discounts are available for individual, couples and group counseling if you call us before March 25th to discuss setting up an appointment. Call today 240-274-5680.


Announcing: Personal Growth Group Openings! 
*Only 2 spaces left*

Are you feeling stuck and want to work out your issues?
Do you value self-reflection and want to find greater understanding of yourself?
Are you looking for support in changing your life for the better?

If you answered yes, consider participating in our personal growth group. A psychotherapy group is a safe, protected environment where you can learn about both who you are and how you are with others. By discussing issues and receiving feedback from the other group members you can learn to understand how you feel and how others react to you. This group is for people who are facing a range of concerns including: difficulty communicating, lack of interpersonal skills, trouble getting what you want out of life, loneliness, poor self-esteem and social anxiety.

For more information or to sign up for a pre-group interview to determine whether the group is right for you, please call or email us directly at 240-274-5680 or AnotherLook@HealingLLC.com and ask for a pre-group interview session with Lev Grotel.

If you have any comments or questions, please send them to AnotherLook@HealingLLC.com.

If you are looking for support in making changes and growing the life you always wanted, feel free to contact us here at Another Look at Healing, LLC at 240-274-5680 or by emailing Admin@HealingLLC.com. Our website is www.HealingLLC.com for more details.

Take Good Care,

Amy Hooper, LCSW-C, Director & Dena Alalfey, Graduate Intern

Explore your Senses - Mindfulness leads to improved mood!

Oh those five senses that we take for granted! - When's the last time you noticed the unique color of the sky? Or that cool breeze brushing up against your face? When walking from your car to the office, while grocery shopping, or running errands, walk with your senses. Notice the temperature, the unique scents, the beautiful colors, the people around you and everything happening in the moment. Oh that's delicious! We need to eat to survive and everyday we're luck to have decadent food that we're eating rushed, in front of the television, or in just plain autopilot. Let's try to eat with our senses. In autopilot we tend to rush with everything, inhaling food at our desk or in front of the TV. Instead, pay attention to each bite, the texture, tastes and feelings that come up. Notice how much you enjoy that particular snack or meal! Yum!

Meditation and Mood!

Guided Meditation  Search Podcasts or YouTube for quick guided meditations. During breaks at work or any time you feel like you need to slow down, these will help you get in touch with your body. And of course there are apps for it! Check out Stop, Breathe & Think, calm, or mindfulness daily.

So many different moods! If you find yourself getting mad or upset about something, stop and examine your mood. Ask the question, if I were feeling good right now, would I see this the same way? This helps you question that thought that popped in your mind!

If you are looking for support in making changes and growing the life you always wanted, feel free to contact us here at Another Look at Healing, LLC at 240-274-5680 or by emailing Admin@HealingLLC.com. Our website is www.HealingLLC.com for more details.

Take Good Care,

Amy Hooper, LCSW-C, Director &

Dena Alalfey, Graduate Intern

Learn to Love Yourself - Practicing Mindfulness can help!

After spending so much time focusing on others (kids, deadlines etc.), it's time to turn our attention inward to love ourselves! Let's work on getting rid of those negative thoughts that lead to feelings of insecurity and doubt. According to Healthy Place, a mental health channel, "mindfulness resources are scientifically proven to calm down your mind and slow down routine thinking patterns that lead to insecurities and low esteem." We want to invite you to take a look at a few Mindfulness practices that will help you get started. Read on for more information...

Mindfulness exercises permit you to embody each experience as it is without judgment. We can let go of those negative thoughts and habituated behaviors with practice. In time, you’ll be able to see, feel, and explore your life without adding negative thoughts and insecurity to the narrative of your life story. You can let the past stay in the past and wait to worry about all the things that are on your future to do list. You can get off the autopilot living pattern and starting living in the NOW!

These simple practices put us in a calmer state of mind, so we can think more clearly and breathe easier. We are more focused and attentive to what is around us, which brings us more control over our bodies and our minds. By slowing down, we tend to have the opportunity to make better decisions and feel more confident in our choices. We also stop the emotional and psychological automatic thoughts and begin to create our new neural pathways to new ways of thinking. More positive ways of thinking and more realistic, in the moment, thoughts about ourselves and our world can emerge. Practicing mindfulness will not eliminate life’s obstacles. But, with practice, it can help us respond to them in a calmer, more effective manner. Once these skills are developed, the times that your insecurities would take over in the past, now become less intense. You begin to recognize these were habitual thoughts rather than facts or truths. Here's to letting your negative thoughts pass without distressing you and disrupting your day!CHEERS!

If you find yourself feeling more down or anxious than usual, let us know. It can be difficult to make life changes on your own, and you deserve support along the way. So, reach out if you would like to set up an appointment with one of our counselors. For more information, visit www.HealingLLC.com or contact us at AnotherLook@HealingLLC.com or 240-274-5680 with any questions.

Take Good Care,

Amy Hooper, LCSW-C, CEAP, Director and Psychotherapist
Dena Alalfey, Graduate Intern
Another Look at Healing, LLC - Gaithersburg Counseling Center

Happy Holidays! Happy New Year!

Wishing you all a warm, wonderful and healthy holiday season and a happy new year!

If you are looking for support in making changes and growing the life you always wanted, feel free to contact us here at Another Look at Healing, LLC at 240-274-5680 or by emailing Admin@HealingLLC.com. Our website is www.HealingLLC.com for more details.

Take Good Care,

Amy Hooper, LCSW-C, Director &

Abbie Mortimer, Executive Assistant  

Creating Space for Self and Hospitality for Others

The colors of fall have most certainly changed to brown and the sun disappears earlier in the evening. Meanwhile, the smells of food have turned to warming cinnamon, brisk peppermint, and hearty stews.  In addition to the visible changes of the season, hospitality comes to mind when we begin to think of the holidays approaching. Welcoming guests, whether family or nearly complete strangers, involves preparation, commitment, and generosity.  These components may initially feel as though they are only about a home or a physical place, but preparation, commitment and generosity are also about the way we prepare ourselves to welcome a guest and to be more gracious and compassionate with ourselves.

In a recent article, “How to Create Safe Places” by Chalese Dunton, she writes: “I have come to realize no matter who we are, we all crave spaces where we can be known and loved in the most authentic ways. When we step out in courage to create those spaces for others, we find our own souls fed and our own lives changed.”  She is right, it does take courage to step out and create space for others. We can see this as a life of hospitality towards others and toward yourself.  To have courage to be hospitable and create spaces, it takes a certain amount of personal preparation.  Have I made time to relax and calm the inner chaos that can creep up with life’s responsibilities?  Have I set aside time to prioritize what is most important to me and my family in this season of our life? What have I done recently as a creative outlet?

In order to create spaces for the self and for others and connection with them, a level of commitment is necessary. New relationships and community take time and commitment to grow. A small note to a friend or an invitation for the neighbor kids to come out and play have been small but meaningful acts of intentional relationship building among the community. Time sitting and quietly breathing or finding inspirational quotes can be fulfilling and a healthy way to practice self compassion.

Finally, generosity from within myself creates a hospitable atmosphere for another person or yourself to be welcomed and not judged.  While staying safe and being true to yourself, you can remember to treat the other person as you would a new dear friend, and to treat yourself the same way.  You can strive to share your authentic self in order to connect beyond a superficial level.

It can be easy to become discouraged from time to time!  Trying something new takes courage and vulnerability.  If you want to work on making these shifts, you deserve support during these challenges. Talking to a trusted or therapist can help you reflect, support you and help you to aim at the goals you have set for yourself.  You may often be taken by surprise that life changes, for the better, when we work at creating these spaces of hospitality for others and for yourself.

For support in making changes and growing, feel free to contact us here at Another Look at Healing, LLC at 240-274-5680 or by emailing Admin@HealingLLC.com. Our website is www.HealingLLC.com for more details.

Take Good Care,

Amy Hooper, LCSW-C, Director &

Abbie Mortimer, Executive Assistant  

Stress Management for the Fall

We hope you had a WONDERFUL summer. While we worked on balancing work, home and finding some time for relaxation and travel this Summer, we now look forward to sending out more regular blogs as the weather cools off and Halloween is around the corner. In these upcoming blogs, we plan to include tips for how to make this seasonal transition filled with more health and happiness, help us all learn how to appreciate what we have, and look to make improvements as well as add more acceptance and peace in your life. Wishing you a wonderful Fall season!! 

Take Good Care,

Amy Hooper, LCSW-C, CEAP
Director, Another Look at Healing, LLC
AnotherLook@HealingLLC.com