Treatment and Tools

1. We begin by talking through the issues and concerns the client wants to explore. Insight and healing can occur.
2. Treatment strategies such as relaxation and guided imagery are implemented. We examine patterns and look for how they developed from past experiences. This truly has been a most effective tool for myself and for my clients. Also Gestalt psychology exercises have been very effective. Again healing and insight can occur.
3. The third level of treatment is learning tools for healthy self-management. I have listed 10 examples of tools below.
   
   

1. Awareness and kindness to self equals acceptance and change just happens. Insight and healing can occur.
2. Meditation – Using a mantra such as Om or a phrase such as ‘be here now’ can help to deal with the busy mind-talk. My favourite mantra at this time is ‘be here now’. My experience is that the mind is in the past or future thinking about what is to come or what has happened. On the other hand, our awareness and presence is more present in the moment. So saying ‘be here now’ in my meditation supports this process. A breathing exercise called Belly Bio Breathing or a walk by the ocean with awareness of being meditative can also be effective. Start with 5 minutes a day! This is key because otherwise the mind might sabotage us by saying, I don’t have time! (click here to see Meditation Made Easy)
3. Feeling feelings – Identify the feeling first. We can look at a feelings list and a word or words can jump off the page at us, helping us to name the feeling or feelings. Then we feel the feelings and it can help us to say “run your course feeling you know how to heal”. In my experience feelings can melt away. Then a positive feeling can emerge. If the feeling or feelings do not melt away, we might need to do some emoting like having a good cry. Also perhaps more rounds of feeling are needed or more exploration in a session. (click on this link to see a list of feeling words)
4. Managing mind-talk – The mind can get stuck in negative habits such as dwelling on negatives or criticizing ourselves. An example of healthy self-management is changing the negative thoughts to more positive and realistic thoughts.
5. Listening to the intuition – This part of us can show up as a sense of something or just pop up inside of us. On the other hand, the mind tends to go around and around in thoughts. The intuition can communicate with us using the senses of visual, auditory or feeling. Relaxation guided imagery work can be helpful in teaching us how to sense our intuition.
6. Reading books or listening to videos by master teachers such as Eckhart Tolle, Michael Singer, Tara Brach.  If we commit to a few minutes of reading or watching a video a day, in time these practices can help us to become more aware.
7. Moderate exercise.
8. Eating three balanced meals and snacks.
9. Less screen time is helpful as too much of it can drain our vital energy.
10.  Practice being in the present moment, the now instead of past or future. Also practicing letting go, surrendering and being grateful can be helpful.