Yoga at Walter's Walk: A Beginner's Perspective

I grew up watching my mom stretch and do her leg lifts every evening while my dad watched his crime dramas.  Adopting a regular routine was natural for me as I’ve grown older and realized the benefits of regular stretching on my everyday comfort!  So you might think I am a regular at my local yoga studio or that I have at least taken a class, but, like so many people, the thought of exercising as a group was intimidating.  After all, I can’t stand on my head or do the splits, so a yoga class couldn’t be for me!  Well, I am happy to say that a beginner’s class taught by Patty Alvarez at Walter’s Walk certainly proved me wrong.  

People around the world have been practicing yoga for more than 5,000 years.  The idea of yoga has three tenets: exercise, breathing, and meditation.  In fact, the word yoga means “to join or yoke together”.  The mind and the body are brought together to improve overall health and encourage healing from everyday stress.  If you’ve looked at your local yoga studio or fitness center offerings, you may have noticed a variety of different styles of yoga possibly including hatha, bikram, vinyasa, yin or restorative.  Hatha is the basic foundation of all yoga styles and incorporates physical movements and postures, plus breathing techniques.  Bikram is also called hot yoga because it is practiced in a 95-105° room which is said to encourage detoxification and flexibility.  Vinyasa is similar to hatha because it focuses on breath and movement, but it is a more physically active style.  Yin yoga is also known as yoga for the joints as opposed to the muscles.  Unlike the other styles, yin is more passive and poses are held for 5 to 20 minutes. Restorative yoga incorporates blocks, blankets and bolsters to support the poses and allow the muscles to fully relax.  No matter what your level of fitness or overall goal is, there is a style of yoga for you!   

Patty teaches a beginner’s class so the poses were adaptable for all levels.  I appreciated the options Patty gave us for each pose so that I could find what felt most comfortable for my body.  Calming music and clear instructions definitely enhanced the feelings of relaxation and I felt my anxieties about attending a yoga class decrease and my interest in this ancient practice increase!  Sharing such a peaceful, rejuvenating experience with others is another benefit of a regular yoga practice.  One that benefits us physically and mentally.  

Patty Alvarez offers a weekly class at Walter’s Walk on Tuesdays at 5:30pm.  A donation of $7 is suggested, but the class is open to anyone regardless of ability to pay.  I hope to see you there!

Source: www.americanyogaassociation.org

The Value of Communication

                 You cannot not think.  You are a thinking machine.  And you are an emoting machine.  Feeling, not so much.  The difference between feelings and emotions is that emotions are what your brain is telling your body.  For instance, in a dangerous situation, “Look ferocious." Or, if the situation is joyful, "Brain to face - 'Make joyful.'"  Or with a despicable person, “Look scornful."

                The problem is that while the lower parts of the brain are telling the body how to look, the upper parts of the brain have to consult the body to know what the lower parts of the brain are thinking; in other words, we have to be aware of our feelings.

                We aren't always aware of our feelings but other people are.  They can see our body language and they know what the lower part of our brain is thinking and if we don't know, there is a disconnect between us and others. 

               "Why am I mostly lonely?" I asked myself many years ago.

               "What are you afraid of?" my therapist asked me.  "Nothing, I'm not afraid," I responded; but I was and I didn't know it.  And that's how my work began. Among the skills that have proved most helpful to me were the communication skills.  If you want to know what's going on, talk about it. 

                Talking is a skill.

     

                 As small children, we learn language but we don't learn to communicate.  Well, we learn a rudimentary form of communication.  A few words, stomping our feet, kicking and screaming until we get what we want.  Some of us have never advanced beyond that level of communication.

                When a scientist studies a mold he endeavors to learn all there is to know about what he is studying.  He endeavors to get the whole picture. We would do well to do the same.  Me, I don't study mold.  Mostly I am seeking to create a better relationship with my family, friends, peers and professional associates. 

                 In order to have the best possible relationships, I need good, constructive communication skills; skills that give me the whole picture.  Out of my endeavor to understand the whole of my communication partner, I develop a more complete picture of what is going on inside of me.  No more, "Nothing, I'm not afraid (angry, happy, scornful, or whatever....)."  Now I get the whole picture, first of my communication partner and then, as a bonus, I get the whole picture of myself as well. 

                 There are eleven talking and listening skills that form the basis of constructive communication.  The skills include:

·        

         -    speaking for myself;

·     -   describing sensory data;

·     -    expressing thoughts;

·     -    sharing emotions;

·     -    disclosing wants;

·      -   stating actions;

·      -   attending (which includes looking, listening, and tracking);

·      -   acknowledging the other person's experience;

·      -   inviting more information;

·      -   summarizing to ensure accuracy;

·      -   asking open questions

                  These skills and more are taught at the counseling offices at 737 Dunn Road (a.k.a., Walter's Walk) in classes called Core Communication and Couples Communication.  If you, like me, are endeavoring to create better relationships with family, friends, peers and professional associates and self, then I strongly recommend one of these communication classes.

Ed Kozeny, MA, LPC

A Few Extra Tools...

by Teresa Gunter, MA, LPC


         I was recently at a weekend get together and overheard a grandma recounting how terribly behaved her grandchildren were. She babysits twice a week while both parents work.  She is a part-time primary care giver and one of the most loving people I know.  I could hear the frustration in her voice as she went on and on about how disrespectful, defiant and sneaky they were.  They never did what she asked, argued with her, and fought with her and each other.  My heart went out to her as I overheard the conversation from the other room.  Without missing a beat, my husband jumped into the conversation and contradicted everything she said.  I heard my husband say, “They never fight around us.  They always do whatever we ask.  We never have any problems with them.”  My heart broke as I heard her sputter and try to defend her experience. 

            What I knew was that they were both right.  I could see first hand how the kids could be argumentative, disrespectful and defiant.  As children struggle for control, these are the natural by products.  It’s not that they’re bad kids; they are normal kids who are exercising control in undesirable ways.

        
             I could remember the last time we babysat with them like it was yesterday.  I gave the kids a 5-minute warning that it would be time to clean up and go to bed.  The oldest (about 7 years old) looked at me as if to say, “You can’t make me.”  I didn’t respond.  To respond would be to begin a power struggle.  I gave the one-minute warning and again I received the look, but this time his sister joined him.  Finally, I let the kids know it was time to put toys away and head upstairs to get ready for bed.  I received even more defiant looks with grins of confidence.  They had been through this routine before. 

        
        In my earlier days, I would have begun to sweat with panic.  What am I going to do if they don’t clean up?  Being challenged by kids was a common part of my early teaching experience and my efforts lacked grace.  The contents of my tool bag were sparse and contained, repeated requests, threats of consequences, rewards for correct behavior (I admit to bribing, not my proudest moments) and finally losing my temper and yelling (also, not my finest moments).  To my surprise, these skills failed more often than they worked and I was left feeling frustrated, angry, and often embarrassed when others witnessed my skill set and my ineffectiveness. 

            As I looked at the kids and their grins of defiance, I did not worry this time.  Instead, I grinned back at them.  I knew something they didn’t know.  I had filled my toolbox with all kinds of tools, proven winners, if you will, for handling unwanted behaviors.  I actually looked forward to the challenge.  My favorite tool is: What you notice, you increase.  It’s a way to praise a child and also works to encourage desired behavior.  As a natural part of play, someone would pick up a toy.  I would notice the action and connect it to the desired outcome.  I would say something like this: “I saw someone pick up a toy and move toward the toy box.” I would say this with a big smile on my face and just the right amount of excitement.  Again and again I would notice tiny actions toward the desired goal.  Within 5 minutes all children were scrambling to clean up the mess so they could be recognized. Though this is one of my favorite tools, it is not always appropriate.  I use between 5-10 skills each night my husband and I babysit. 

            My favorite part of knowing these skills is that I like how I feel when I respond now.  I don’t know if you are like me, but each night, I think over the events of the day and my responses to them.  Did I like my response?  Was it effective? What can I do better next time?  I used to lie in bed at night agonizing over my frustrating attempts to control the responses of the children I taught.   Now I know I can only control my response to them.  It’s amazing.  This shift feels miraculous, but it is simply the result of learning a little extra information.

            If you would like to increase your child response tool bag, check out the Parent Talk classes offered by my dad and me at 737 Dunn Road.  The Parent Talk System was developed by Chick Moorman and Thomas Haller and is successfully used by parents (and babysitters) throughout the world.  Teachers across the country use these very skills in their classrooms every day.  As a babysitter and educator, I can tell you they really work. 

A Beginning Look Into Essential Oils

as shared by Ann Walsh, CranioSacral Therapy Practitioner

Welcome!

This is the first in a series of messages where you will learn about therapeutic grade essential oils and their benefits in supporting your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. The goal of each message is to share educational information with you.  

Let's begin.....

Essential Oils are aromatic liquids. They are distilled from flowers, trees, roots, bushes, and seeds
of plants. The distillation process is what makes essential oils so concentrated. It often requires an
entire plant or more to produce a single drop of distilled essential oil. For example, it takes thousands
of flower petals to create the drops that are in a single bottle of rose oil, and adding just one drop of
peppermint oil to a glass of water has approximately the same concentration as 20 bags of tea.
The practice of using essential oils is commonly referred to as aromatherapy and is used for physical
and psychological well-being.

Essential Oils have a millennium-long history of use in healing and in religious ceremony throughout
the ancient world. Some, particularly frankincense, are repeatedly cited in many Judeo-Christian and
Muslim religious texts. Others, such as myrrh, lotus, and sandalwood oils were widely used in ancient
Egyptian purification and embalming rituals. Still others, such as clove and lemon, were highly valued
as antiseptics hundreds of years before the discovery of modern antiseptics. In ancient times, oils were
respected for both medicinal and their healing properties.

Mankind's First Medicine

Essential Oils are often referred to as "Mankind's First Medicine." In fact, there are over 200 references to
aromatics, incense, and ointments throughout the Old and New Testaments of the Bible (36 of the 39 books of the Old Testament and 10 of the 27 books of the New Testament mention essential oils or the plants that produce them.)

Here is the personal testimony of a Holistic Medical Professional, who understands the power of Essential Oils.

"These essential oils truly represent the new frontier of medicine." --- Terry Friedmann, M.D., Co-founder of
American Holistic Medical Association.

Please contact me for additional information.

Ann Walsh
314-249-7361
http://annwalsh.vibrantscents.com

Humor is a Key Component of Balanced Living

By
Patricia A. Adams, B.J., M.Ed., LPC

Life is full of surprises good and bad. Even when we are asked to list our traits the negative usually outweigh the positive. Why do we let the negative aspects of our lives rule our choices and decisions? Somehow we give more power to the dark side of life. We tend to obsess about things we have no control over or let our family or neighbor ruin a perfectly good day when there is always a different choice or response we can choose.

Some of the best comedians in our culture have come out of sad and depressing childhoods. A few examples are Robin Williams, Richard Pryor, Jim Carrey, Tyler Perry and a host of others. Obviously they developed a sense of humor as a survival instinct and were able to turn it into a career but the odds of that happening for most of us is very slim. However if you came from a family that told jokes or funny stories you have some experience. Or if you read the comics, watched cartoons or saw funny movies as a child you were also turning to humor for a reason.

Research has been done on people with various health problems to show how humor can address them in a non invasive way and naturally remove some of the anxiety or depression that accompanies a serious medical situation. With new technology there are websites devoted to the use of humor as a healing factor. Following is an article that explains one professional's dedication to that theory.

Walk and Talk Therapy

Written by Carrie Gardner, MA, PLPC

Walking is what the human body was designed to do, and it pairs so well with talking!   As a counselor at Walter’s Walk I enjoy serving clients in the traditional setting of an inviting therapy room with comfortable seating.  However, the thought of taking a session outdoors and setting it in motion makes sense because the mental benefits of walking make it a natural complement to talk therapy.  Clients are offered the opportunity to walk outdoors where a nearby park serves as the therapeutic backdrop.  The combination of walking and talking offers a refreshingly harmonious alternative to the traditional therapy session.  

 Walking + Talking for an Augmented Therapy Session:

• Walking while talking out complex issues helps the client to push through inflexible thought patterns.   Body and mind work cohesively in an onward momentum.  Walking outdoors can be especially awakening as the delights and distractions of nature appeal to the senses.

• Mood improvement, which is a natural result of physical activity due to the release of feel-good endorphins in the body, leads to more productive, meaningful thinking.  Depressive symptoms such as indecisiveness and diminished interest dissipate as a positive outlook emerges.

• Walking in stride with the therapist may alleviate feelings of apprehension for the client as sensitive or weighty subjects are explored.  Side by side movement offers an alternative to sitting in a therapy office facing each other while tackling concerns.  The element of empathetic understanding remains without the discomfort that continuous eye contact sometimes elicits.  

• As therapist and client walk in step with each other, a connection develops.  What better way to foster the therapeutic alliance than to embark on a fifty minute journey together!  

• Self-esteem increases due to a sense of accomplishment.  Stepping out of the box to try a new and proactive approach to healing reinforces a feeling of empowerment.  

The concept of walk and talk therapy is not limited to the individual counseling format.  It is offered as a group experience right here at Walter’s Walk.  After meeting at the counseling center, participants partner off and walk and talk through a nearby park for the first half of the group.  The second half consists of a circle discussion period to balance the physical activity.   Group members will have the chance to experience socialization and support, gain a different perspective by talking with a walking partner, and be a source of motivation and presence for each other.  Some examples of circle discussion topics include mindfulness, communication, self care, and meditation.  

Walk and talk therapy is suitable for every fitness level since the client sets the pace.  It may particularly benefit those struggling with adjustment issues, depression, and anxiety; though a walk in the park is certainly an option for every client seeking positive change!  If you would like to find out more about a walk and talk therapy group at Walter’s Walk or are interested in participating in one, please contact me at carrie.gardner@walterswalk.com.  

(Source http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/walk-and-talk-therapy)

Self-hypnosis for Childbirth

Many research studies have shown that babies are affected by their birth. Knowing that how a woman births her baby does affect her child throughout his or her whole life makes the goal of having a birth that is calm, easy, and safe as possible a priority.

Many major hospitals are recognizing the importance of this fact. Many, such as Mercy Hospital in St. Louis, are dedicated to providing an environment that promotes the concept of calm, easy, safe births, and are developing birthing centers. These birthing centers can provide all the comfort of being at home with maintaining all necessary medical equipment/procedures that may be required in a very small number of births.

Independent birthing centers are also becoming more prevalent, such as the Birth and Wellness Center in O’Fallon MO. All the comforts of home are available and the Certified Nurse-Midwives are experienced and well educated. In the very small percentage of woman that might require medical attention outside of what the CNM provides, the birthing center has an affiliation with doctors at hospital facilities.

Birth, of itself, is not a medical event. Women have birthed babies from the beginning of humankind without medical intervention. However, due to the evolution of how society has viewed women, pregnancy and birthing, a factor has been introduced that actually does cause a lot of births to become medical events. That factor is FEAR!

When a woman is relaxed and fear-less during labor, every part of her body works in harmony to bring the baby into this world with ease, calm and minimal discomfort. ‘Good-feeling’ hormones (e.g., endorphins) are released, her non-birthing muscles are totally relaxed in order to let her birthing muscles do the job they are designed to do and she can literally breathe her baby into the world. Once the baby has emerged, the experience continues by having skin-to-skin contact between the mother and baby, which provides huge benefits to both.  Eye-to-eye contact with both the mother and father/partner causes natural bonding to take place that enhances the overall emotional health of the family. Being a well-informed and educated woman offers the best chance for experiencing birth in the way it is intended to be.

Because fear does play such a negative part during pregnancy and labor (and after!), much progress has been made in using hypnosis to reduce this fear. Using a technique such as HypnoBirthing®—the Mongan Method, gives the woman a sense of control that she needs in order to help her body do what it is meant to do. Attending the five 2 ½ hour sessions and learning and practicing the techniques that are provided gives the woman the knowledge and tools to work with her body during the rest of her pregnancy, during labor and after she takes the baby home.

Hypnosis allows the woman to release fears she may have about the whole experience and during labor experience calmness, relaxation and control. Working with the HypnoBirthing® practitioner, she and her partner are taught techniques to help her get into a state of self-hypnosis during her labor in order to stay in a calm and relaxed state. Her partner is very much involved in the process by learning these techniques and providing her support. She can be free to focus totally on her body, baby and birth, knowing there is someone else there to handle questions, comments, requests from family and medical staff to every extent possible. And, when she needs prompting to reaffirm her relaxation, her partner has the tools to help her.

There are many videos on YouTube showing HypnoBirthing® mothers giving birth. What a difference from the out-of-control, drama-laden, and hysterical births that are typically portrayed via TV shows and movies. There IS a better, more natural way for our children to start their physical life and it is our responsibility as parents to learn everything we can in order to make their transition into this world as calm and easy as possible.

For more information on how you can become better prepared for the birthing experience, please contact Dorothy Northrip CI, CH, HBCE at 314.837.4776 or dorothy@timelessbridges.com .