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Earth Day has blossomed into a month-long celebration in April focusing on getting outdoors, appreciating nature and coming together as a community all of which are important in our work as ACEs Aware grantees. Recently, “spending time in nature” was added to the list of ways to practice self-care in relation to Adverse Childhood Experiences. The idea behind the self-care practices is to regulate an overactive stress response which can be heightened due to exposure to ACEs and lead to toxic...

It’s been more than a year since the COVID-19 pandemic changed life as we knew it. Many families across the country have been living in “survival mode.” Tweens and teens continue to experience a range of emotions , including sadness, anger, and fear. If left unresolved, these feelings can take a toll on health and well-being. When it comes to teens’ emotional and mental health, they are experiencing a crisis, says Dr. Edith Bracho-Sanchez , a primary care pediatrician and assistant professor...

1. In preparing for this practice, let’s all try to sit comfortably with both feet planted on the floor, spines erect, but relaxed. We can close our eyes if that feels OK, or keep the eyes open and soften the gaze. 2. Let’s now take our attention to the sensations of breathing , following the in-breath as it travels through the nostrils, expands the chest, and settles in the belly. Follow the out-breath as it travels back from the belly to the chest and out through the nostrils. 3. Then...

Have you ever meditated with your doctor in the exam room? The answer is probably a resounding “no.” ⁠For many of my own heart patients, however, it’s now part of the routine. You may wonder why a cardiologist is teaching his patients to meditate . While many of us tend to think of our emotions, or meditation for that matter, as only affecting our mind, research shows that these “mental” states do come with very real, physical outcomes. Try to remember the last time you or a loved one felt...

3 Tips for Anxiety Attack Prevention Sweating, shaking, irritability, nausea, and a rapid heart rate are all common symptoms of an anxiety attack, according to Verywell Mind. And while symptoms can vary from person to person, anxiety attacks often stem from an underlying anxiety disorder such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or social anxiety disorder. Prescription medications and psychotherapy can help treat anxiety, but coping strategies such as exercise, meditation, and...

Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms linked to the stress and trauma of the pandemic, along with anxiety, depression and problems with sleep. 40 specialists in fatigue describe tips, tools and resources for decreasing stress-related exhaustion as well as fatigue in chronic illnesses such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) which is the chronic disease I've been working with from trauma perspectives and the science explaining how it's not psychological.

Jennifer is an established Certified Life Coach and author of "5 Steps to Freedom From Fear," a simple guide to removing the obstacles that prevent us from realizing our fullest potential.

What is Possible? By Scarlett Lewis I love reading stories about victory! It seems we all have had something in our lives to overcome, to some degree, and learning and growing from the struggle can benefit others. Courage and perseverance are two of the most powerful ways that can be taught to get through and grow from difficulties, and sometimes the best way is by example. However, one thing is for certain -- we need each other. It has been fascinating to me to witness how we rise to the...

Basic yoga tools for anyone working with families impacted by toxic stress in their homes or communities, as well as for improving your own health and wellbeing. This training combines physical practice with the latest science on trauma and recovery. You will learn basic yoga and mindfulness techniques to practice in any environment – from the classroom to the office – to bring balance and peace to the mind and body. These tools provide a foundation for a practice that can alleviate and even...

In the spring of 2017, Nandini Murali, a South Indian journalist and author, returned from an out-of-town assignment to an eerily quiet home. Typically, her husband would greet her at the front door, but that morning he hadn't answered her phone calls. It was Nandini who discovered his body, and confronted an unfathomable reality. T.R. Murali, one of the most prominent urologists in India, and her beloved husband of 33 years, had ended his own life. "Space dissolved," writes Nandini, of that...

By Ria Vanessa Caliste, The Good Men Project, April 11, 2021 I get it, who gets up and wonder about the thoughts you’re having. It may be that you are so filled of your daily schedule and the ever to do list, that you just get up and get right into it. When something goes wrong, you unconsciously say to yourself that it had to go wrong, after all things always go wrong with me! Sounds familiar? [ Please click here to read more .]

We are beginning to see what our anger can do to relationships and, even more so, to ourselves. This feeling/seeing/knowing is for our personal development and understanding of energy and responsibility. Believe it or not – our increasing awareness is good, albeit sometimes uncomfortable. Learning to know ourselves is necessary to humanity’s evolutionary progress. If we slow down, we can feel the emotions/beliefs we hold in our bodies. Our emotions/beliefs can heal when we feel and...