Renewing Your Body, Mind, and Spirit Through Outdoor Therapy

Summer is finally on its way, everything is lush and green, the temperature is above freezing, and my flowers are in full bloom! I love the smell of lilac bushes, wildflowers, and fresh cut grass, its such a light and airy time of year.

I also look forward to having therapy sessions with my clients outdoors. For the past 3 years,I have been offering this type of treatment and its gaining more interest. I have a small area with a café table on a deck nestled privately between trees and bushes that allows for comfort and relaxation while enjoying nature’s sounds and beauty as we talk. I also enjoy walking around the vast area near my office building, as some clients enjoy movement while working through challenges.

Outdoor therapy is a type of therapy that uses nature to help modify behavior and encourage self-exploration and improvement. Sometimes, it can be adventure-based and other times, it can be what I described above.

There are many reasons to consider an outdoor session:

1. Research has shown that it reduces stress by renewing mindfulness.

2. It creates connection, meaningfulness, and purpose.

3. Children and Teens benefit more than any other population, especially in academic performance.

4. It reduces anxiety and depression.

5. It reduces the risk of disease or might I add dis-ease.

Recently, I’ve been encouraging all of my clients to try at least one session this summer in order to evaluate the benefits for their situation. After each session, I ask for feedback about how they feel it was different from indoors, if they thought it to be beneficial, and how it was helpful. I’ve been getting good feedback about their ability to relax into the session more quickly, increased feelings of calm at the end, and some have just been happy to be outside , as that was the only chance they would get for the day.

I have a small sign on the table that says: “Come as You Are”, I invite YOU, to come as YOU are and experience this unique and restorative session.

Your feedback and questions are always welcome and I hope to see you over the summer!

Blessings, Health, and Happiness to You,

Joelle

Pursuing Patience

Ah, patience, the beautiful word that can be one’s biggest challenge and greatest aggravation!

The dictionary’s definition of patience is: The capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.

I don’t know about you, but this is not always easy for me, I get a thought or idea in my head about something I want or need to get done or something I would like to buy, a place I’d like to go, etc., etc. and BAM, the urgency begins!

Most recently, my  husband and I have been looking for property to build another home, we’ve been searching for what feels like eons, but in reality it’s only been several months. We had found what we thought was going to be the perfect place for our family, even put money down on the property and signed a contract with Wayne Homes. Only for it to fall through a few days later as the person selling the property changed their mind. This was not easy for me to accept, lots of questions and emotions swirled around in my mind for days and even weeks. However, then I realized that maybe God has something better for us and that maybe He is testing my patience for a reason.

Hurrying anything along can be detrimental to the grandeur plan often times. What I’ve been learning to do is to trust God and bloom where I am for however long I’m there. Enjoying the journey and the little things about each day while continuing to move forward. I’m learning that just like anything else, patience is something to be pursued. You don’t just somehow “arrive” and voila, patience is mastered. You have to keep pursuing it, practicing it, and learning it a little at a time each day, it has to be nurtured and taken care of or it will end up on a dusty shelf in great need of care.

So, as we continue our pursuit of land-hunting, I will also continue to pursue that which helps to provide blessings in God’s due time.

I’d love to hear your stories of patience and any feedback about this article. I also wouldn’t mind if you mentioned a nice property for sale in Unity Township, PA ;)

Many Blessings to You!

Joelle

Friends Forever?

What comes to mind when you think of friendship? Kindness, someone to talk to, someone to spend time with?

For me, the definition of friendship has remained the same, yet evolved and matured over the years, becoming more important as I journeyed through my 30’s and have now entered into my 40’s.

As I look back upon some memories of childhood friendships, school friends, college friends, family friends, and adulthood friends, certain things stand out to me. Like which friends I could always be myself around, friends that were loyal, friends I could laugh with, and count on even when we didn’t see each other all the time (My cousin Joann says those are your best friends). I’ve come to realize those friendships are hard to find and should be cherished.

I’ve also realized the types of friendships that aren’t appealing to me. Friends that are only there when things are going well, friends that are shallow and self-serving, friends that aren’t able to communicate honestly when they feel hurt by something I may or may not have done, and friends that are just plain too much work to be friends with (all one-sided).

Someone once showed me the video of Madea’s Friendship tree, it was instrumental in helping me to make sense of a 7 year friendship that had recently ended. I strongly encourage everyone to take a look, if you’ve never seen it, as it can apply to love relationships too.

I once read a devotional about the gift of good friendships, I think it accurately sums up what I’m trying to say. It said that” Good friends don’t abandon us when external circumstances change, they stay with us through the good and the bad days. They remain loyal through the good, the bad, and the ugly and they are gift from God.”

Be thankful for the good ones and let go of the not so good ones, trust me, its freeing! Tell me your thoughts about friendships, I’d love to hear from you!

Blessings, Health, and Happiness to You Always,

Joelle

Overcoming Knee Pain

Recently, I’ve been experiencing some knee pain in my right knee during certain activities. I decided to do some gentle stretching and use some natural creams and essential oils to aid in the healing process. I also looked up what Louise Hay suggested the underlying cause could be in her book: "You Can Heal Your Life.”

She suggests possible challenges with pride, ego, fear, inflexibility, and the inability to bend. She suggests repeating a positive affirmation such as:

“I am flexible and flowing, forgiveness, understanding, compassion.” “I bend and flow with ease, and all is well.”

Maybe try saying this out loud or in your mind a few times throughout the day and even adding to it if it feels right. I’ve included a guided relaxation I created to help relax and relieve knee pain. Try it whenever you have time maybe a few times a week.

I’d love to hear how it helped and as always, welcome any questions or feedback.

Blessings, health, and happiness to you!

Christmas Connection

It’s that time of year again, decorating, baking, shopping, family, parties, the list goes on and on. All wonderful, exciting things, but also things that can contribute to unnecessary stress in our lives, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and disconnected.

I love Christmastime, but throughout the years, I’ve noticed myself getting a little anxiety- ridden as the season draws near. So, I did some self-assessing and realized that I needed to simplify what and how I enjoy the season.

I used to feel obligated to say yes to every soirée or invitation that came my way. Now, I look at what needs to be accomplished and if those things can happen without my sanity being compromised, I engage in them, if not, I graciously and peacefully decline. Besides, I wouldn’t want to not enjoy the activity, because I was worrying about what all I wasn’t getting done.

There was also a time when we used to travel 3 places on Christmas Day due to my parents being divorced, not including church and my mother-in-law’s on Christmas Eve. Now, we only go 2 places and either Celebrate the day after or a few days before. It’s so much more enjoyable to be able to actually spend TIME with those we love than to just show up exhausted and disconnected just to say we visited.

Remember, Christmas doesn’t have to be all in one day, it’s a season, ENJOY IT!

I’ve also started to allow myself 5-10 minutes in the morning or evening to just sit and look at the soft, twinkling glow of our Christmas tree. You’d be amazed what just 5 minutes can do to help regroup and reconnect you.

My nana used to tell my mom when she was frazzled at Christmas: “Christmas will come and Christmas will go, just like it always does every year.” Thinking back to her words, I’ve realized that those words are so true. If something doesn’t get done or everything doesn’t turn out “perfect”, it doesn’t matter, because Christmas wont be cancelled!

Another thing that has been helpful is to have a few meaningful traditions with our kids, every year we like to start the season off with attending “A Christmas Carol” at the Byham Theater. It really sets the tone for the season. If you can’t go to the show, watch it on DVD, traditions don’t have to be expensive.

Regardless of what you decide works for you and your family, remember to stop and just take it all in.Christmas comes once a year, enjoy all of your decorations, cookies, family, whatever feels like home to you.

I hope you find some magical and peaceful moments this season as you go about merry-making and I hope this post will encourage you to embrace connection to yourself and others.

May the hope of the season fill your heart and home and may God bless you and your family in the coming year!

Joelle

The YUM Factor of Nutrition & Wellness

It’s that time of year when everywhere we turn, it seems there’s something tasty calling our name. It doesn’t take long before our taste testing leads to not feeling so well in more ways than one.

There’s plenty of research that shows we are what we eat and that nutrition has a direct influence on not just how we look, but also how we feel. I know personally, that when I’m not eating well, I tend to feel, tired, irritable, hungrier, and just all around blah. I have also noticed that not eating well takes a toll on my immune system as well and we all know how fun a stuffy nose and cough can be.

However, when I’m making healthier choices, I have more energy, my mood is more positive, I don’t feel as hungry and I’m able to get most of my to do list finished without feeling famished.

Before you stop reading due to the same old same old, hear me out. I would be lying if I told you that I’m never going to eat sweets again or anything else that I enjoy for that matter. However, I have found some ways to tweak those things I enjoy to make them healthier so that I can indulge more often. Simply using organic or more natural and gluten free ingredients, can make a world of difference and in many cases, taste does not have to be sacrificed.

For instance, you can make your own pumpkin ice-cream with just a few ingredients. You can use Breyer’s vanilla or any type of other organic ice-cream and mix in a few tablespoons of organic pumpkin for a healthier version of your favorite ice-cream store’s. You can replace regular refined flour for almond, gluten free, or organic. There are so many options available at places like Aldi and Wal-Mart that it also doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Today I made pumpkin protein bars from a recipe I clipped out of a magazine. I used organic ingredients I had on hand and substituted one ingredient for another and within 30 minutes, they were out of the oven and ready to be tasted. ☺

When I make healthier desserts by using agave nectar, raw honey, stevia, or organic sugar, I feel better and believe it or not, it TASTES better! At the bottom of this article, you will find the recipe for pumpkin protein bars. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do and that you adjust the recipe to what tastes good to you. Please feel free to share any feedback or questions, I’d love to hear from you.         

Enjoy and as always, I wish you blessings, health, and happiness!

Joelle🍁🍂
 

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Pumpkin Protein Bars

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, stir together ½ cup +2 tablespoons of canned pumpkin, ¼ cup of agave nectar, two large eggs, and 2 tablespoons of creamy almond butter or peanut butter until smooth ( I used peanut butter).

In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup of Almond flour (or flour of your choice), ½ teaspoon of baking soda, ½ teaspoon of fine salt, and ¼ teaspoon each, of ground cinnamon,  nutmeg, and cloves (I did not use cloves as I do not like the taste).

Combine bowls and stir until well blended.

Pour into a greased 8 x 8” baking dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Let cool and then refrigerate before slicing. You can store these in the fridge.

10 Steps to Move Forward After Loss

November 4th will be one year since my nana passed away suddenly; she held a big part of my heart and losing her has been anything, but easy. I remember getting the call that morning that she had been taken to the hospital and things didn’t look good. I rushed as fast as I could to get my twins ready for school and then received another call that I needed to come now. I sped as fast as I could, praying for her to just hold on until I could get there. Somehow, I felt like if she heard my voice, she would wake up just like she always had in times past.

When I got there, they wanted me to wait in a room, I was so frantic that I had my mom watch my children and I was able to get back to her room in the ER. When I saw her, I said: “Nana!” She didn’t wake up and the nurses continued putting her on life support. My heart crumbled and I began to sob, the nurses tried to comfort me as they so graciously worked around me.

The next few days were a blur and God gave me the strength to hold everything together. Every night for weeks, I would cry in the shower trying to make sense of it all and get used to the new normal.

As the weeks went by and turned into months, I began searching for positive ways to move forward while allowing myself to grieve. Thinking of good times and words of wisdom she had taught me throughout my life helped me to begin my journey without her.

I’d like to offer you some ways to move forward after a loss. Although I can’t promise it will always be easy, it is doable and can help ease the pain.

1. Embrace the hurt, allow yourself to feel your feelings.

2. Let your feelings out, whether alone or with someone you feel comfortable with. Your mind and body need this release.

3. Write it all down, every thought, feeling, and/or memory that you can think of.

4. Pray.

5. Put a nice picture of that person somewhere you can see it each day. I have a beautiful picture of my nana on my kitchen window sill from her 80th birthday party we had for her 2 months before she passed.

6. Even if you think they can’t hear you, talk to them, tell them how much you miss them. I talk to my nana’s picture often, it helps to just say what I feel.

7. If you’re able to, visit their grave. My nana is buried in a mausoleum and on her birthday, my children and I went there and then went and had ice-cream at one of her favorite places in order to celebrate her memory.

8. Find a therapist that you can talk to, never underestimate the power of a good therapy session. There’s no shame in it, I have one that I see monthly.

9. Go to church where you can be lifted up in God’s word and by other believers.

10. Do something charitable in their memory. This year, my therapist gave me a flyer to put in my office about a charity called: Soup for a Claus. Ironically enough, it takes place on November 4th from Noon-3pm on the anniversary of her passing. Proceeds go to under privileged children, tickets can be purchased in advance for $10.00 by mailing a check to Trib Total Media, 210 Fourth Avenue, Tarentum, PA 15084 or by calling: 412-320-7956. Children 5 and under are free.

I hope you will try some of these suggestions and that they will help you move forward in your new journey.

How do you grieve? What’s been helpful for you? As always, I’d love to hear from you and welcome and questions or feedback.

Many blessings, and much health and happiness to you,

Joelle