"Just Checking In" - BODY SCAN for Self Care/Stress Management

"Hey, just checking in!"

I've noticed I often start out messages, notes, emails, etc. with that little tag, "Just checking in!"
Well today I incorporated a self care/body awareness technique that reminded me of this.  Some call it a BODY SCAN, but I like to call it, "Just Checking In!"
Doing a body scan exercise only takes moments, and it goes a long way in both increasing your self awareness AND decreasing the progression of things you are allowing within yourself that are mentally, emotionally, and/or physically damaging.  

A Body Scan is just that.  It's you taking some moments to STOP and Check In. CHECK OUT of what you are presently doing  (working, thinking, stressing, staring at a computer, etc) and CHECK IN to your body.  This create's self and body awareness.  Why is this important? Here's why ... 

1)  PHYSICALLY - you become aware of tension building in your body (which can lead to muscle fatigue and tension, headaches, body aches and pain, etc).  Once you are tuned into and become aware of the physical manifestations of stress on your body, you can take steps to alleviate these physical symptoms. You can recognize this sooner, in the beginning stages, rather than later, when it's become actual pain/ailment. 

2) MENTALLY - First off, you are taking a mental break, which is important for more reasons that the obvious.  Not only does it allow you to take a much needed mental breather, you will also find that the quality of your work and your endurance improves upon return.  Secondly, you become more aware and tuned in to your thoughts and how they are affecting your physical body.  When I do this exercise and I find that I have head tension and my brain feels like it's going a million miles an hour trying to get things accomplished, I make a point to focus on my head muscles and my head in general (even picturing my own brain).  Then I tell myself things like, "It's ok, you are working hard and you will get things accomplished.  Relax and then keep going.  It's all good." (Ha, yes, I'm encouraging you to talk to yourself!)

3) EMOTIONALLY - Emotions such as stress and worry and fear (and others ... fill in your own blanks), as you know, have an effect on us physically and mentally.  It works the other way around as well.  Our mental state and physical state can lead to certain emotions which often only continue the cycle.  So! Doing a Body Scan helps us to also become aware of our emotions, identify if we are feeling stress or worry (etc), and also see how it's effecting us in other areas.  We can then correct these, therefore, stopping the cycle.  

So, why wouldn't a quick little exercise like this NOT be an absolute must? Easy, quick, convenient, and it goes a loooooong way.  It could also keep you from developing that annoying headache (or neck pain or stomach issues etc etc) you "seem to get" at the end of a work day or certain project or even in a non work scenario (relationship stress, facing new self goals, etc).  

There are various techniques, ranging from more in depth exercises (similar to PMR exercises and such) to quick, on-the-spot exercises.  Today, though, I would specifically like to focus on a brief version that can be incorporated as yet another type of tool for you and your self care.

* NOTE: Be sure to only do this exercise within a safe environment as it is an exercise that is focused around deep inner concentration.  (Do not do this exercise while driving or during any other safety compromising activity.) 

Here's a quick (but potent) BODY SCAN option:

1) As always, get yourself in a comfortable position.  Close your eyes if able.  

2) Tune out of your external environment and begin to tune into your own body and self.

3) Notice right off what is going on with your body.  Do you feel tension anywhere? Do you feel any aches anywhere? If so, where exactly? Do you notice any dominant or repeating thoughts or feelings that may be leading to this tension? (For example, I may close my eyes and after tuning into my body, I notice that my head feels tense and my mind feels racy.)

3) Become aware of your breathing.  Begin to take more fluid, natural breaths.  Focus on your breathes.  

4) Picture yourself 'breathing in" relaxation and peace with each inhale, and "breathing out" tension and stress with each exhale. 

5) Just continue to notice any places within your body that need attention.  Breath out breaths through this area, and picture that the muscles in that area are relaxing with each breath.  Your mind determines what your body does after all, doesn't it? So tell it to relax. The main purposes of breathing are to breathe life giving oxygen in and to release carbon dioxide (released because it's not what our body needs).  So, it makes sense to breathe in what we need, and breathe out what we don't need.  

6) While you are guiding your breathes and relaxing tensions in your body, also allow yourself to casually notice any thoughts that are coming into your head. Recognize any that may be leading to your body tensions, and release those thoughts.  Each time those thoughts some into your mind, again, just picture yourself releasing them.  Offer in thoughts that are positive as it's these positive thoughts that are actually what help us to "get things done".  

7) Do your best to remained focused inwardly.  However, if interruptions come through, just acknowledge them and then let them slip away.  Then refocus on your body scan. Continue to check in with all parts of your body.

8) When you are ready, gently open your eyes and return to your work or present activity with a better state of mind and relaxed body.  

So ... guess what? These types of exercises not only help "in the moment", they also help to retrain your brain over time.  As you continue to recognize and release negative thought patterns, you will notice that your natural tendencies will begin to naturally shift to positive/healthy thought patterns.  

Have a great weekend, friends!

Jessica Daisi

Summer Sensory Spaces!

Here's another activity I found online.  My very first thought, actually, with this was that it could also be used to make a "Summer Sensory Place".  For children who are on the spectrum and/or have sensory processing needs, you could include sensory toys/materials/items.  This would also be helpful for some of my little clients who have anxiety related needs.   Have fun!                    Jessica

Summer Quiet Place


This provides a place for children to go to be alone or to read a book.

Materials:

• A small plastic pool
• scissors
• blue tissue paper
• one or two small blow up rings used in swimming pools
• few good books (or for sensory - sensory materials/toys/items/etc

Description:

1. Put a small plastic swimming pool in a corner of the room.
2. Add several sheets of blue tissue paper and scissors. The children will love taking turns cutting the paper in small pieces. This will be your water. OR use satin type blue material/cloth
3. Add a couple of small swimming rings that you have filled with air.
4. Add a child or two and a few books.

*No problem at clean up time. They love picking up the "spilled water".

Comments:
This is a good quiet center when talking about water, swimming, oceans and lakes.

http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/preschool-summer.htm

Your Weekend Recipe

Hello and Happy Friday! What was the recipe for your week? Did it turn out as you planned?

How about this ... what is the recipe for your weekend? Sometimes my weekend consists of way too many ingredients (even though they may be good, sometimes it's overkill).  Sometimes my weekend is Triple Chocolate Pistachio Almond Walnut Coconut Cherry Strawberry Apple Brownie when it would have just been marvelous to "just" have a Chocolate Pistachio Cherry Brownie.  My point? Even with the best of intentions and even with all the best ingrediants, sometimes we pack too much in and the result is that it's just ... well ... too much.  I would like my weekend recipe to certainly include some bit of much needed rest and relaxation, but if I'm not careful, I will tend to cram pack my weekend with "to do's", making no room for rest.  This always results in me going into a new work week feeling worn out.  Not good!

Speaking of recipes and yummy desserts, I wanted to mention a few gluten free related items that I have had and loved.  For all of my gluten intolerant clients and web friends, here are some things I have discovered.

1)  Whole Foods brand (365 brand) of Baking Mix (GF flour mix) is AMAZING! It has made every thing I have attempted taste accurate.  After attempting my mom's cobbler recipe a few different times with various brands and combos of GF flour mix, I used the 365 brand and it actually tasted like my mom's! The taste and the consistency and texture was like Mom's! I have also used this to make my carrot cake and it tastes just like it used to (before I found out I had a gluten allergy).
2)  Whole Foods brand (365 brand) Chocolate Cake Mix is amazing! Be sure to look at the ingredients you need before leaving the store (as they are not your typical cake mix ingredients).  My only recommendation here is to be sure to not overmix.  Betty Crocker now has a GF cake mix (chocolate and vanilla), but I haven't tried it yet.
3)  Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix (and Brownie Mix) - amazing and accurate!
4)  Don't trust regular corn meal mix.  I use the Hodgson Mill Corn Meal (says Gluten Free), and love it! Once I discovered this, my fried shrimp/fish/chicken tasted "real", and I was finally able to have "real" tasting corn bread!
5)  Annie's brand of boxed Macaroni and Cheese - I actually enjoyed this! I doctored it up a little with cream and butter, but it was great.

I'll add more on another day ;)
Enjoy your weekend,
Jessica

Time to refuel

Good morning all :)

Picture this:

You are on a road trip with an amazingly fun trip ahead of you - lots of things to see and do! You get in the car/camper/van and go, go, go. You go through town after town, passing each and every gas station. Meanwhile, your tank is getting lower and lower until you are on the side of the road out of gas and unable to proceed on your amazing trip!

Point: You've got to refuel sometime!

I relate this concept also to what my husband tells me about working out/exercising. He says that when he is lifting weights, the downtime is just as important as the weight lifting. The rest period is when the muscle builds back up so that it can continue on. Otherwise, your muscles get overworked and broken down.

I relate these concepts to what happens when we don't have downtime.

One of my sweet little clients this past week really got a lot out of scheduled downtime within session. Knowing that he has had a bit of a hectic summer thus far with extended school, camp, family vacations, and lots of pool/park/beach time (judging from some of his recent behaviors), I decided to implement this downtime within session. We had an activity toward the beginning of session where he was to choose (he was given two choices) what he wanted to do during that activity. The activity was so basic, and required only two main components, those being 1) relaxation music and 2) opportunity for free play within the structure of the song and within the boundary of activity choice. Giving him specific choices gave some sort of boundary and structure to the activity, and giving him the choice of the activity provided him with some control and opportunity for independence. Although this is not a relaxation activity, it does tend to have some of the same effects. I often will repeat this for several sessions (or for as long as it is needed), and I make a point to let the client know that he/she will get to have "free time" in session the next week as well. I think this gets them through (mentally) times during the week when the client is feeling stressed and/or overwhelmed. Just knowing that there is some free time coming is helpful.

Sometimes we are so busy planning the "fun stuff" for the summer that we forget our little moments of peace. There has got to be some time to refuel. We all run into this ... I did, myself, recently (see recent posting!). Our little ones can't always make the connection enough to formally say, "We are doing too much, and I need a break!"

So, make sure to provide downtime even if you have to schedule it in. Actually, perhaps scheduling it in will give it the importance it deserves, and will ensure that it gets done.

In regards to the session I mentioned above, this type of activity (which I usually implement toward the beginning of the session) often helps the rest of the session to go more smoothly. I find that after these types of activities, the client is more calm, focused, and willing. I often schedule these types of "free time" activities during the school year for clients who have their Music Therapy sessions directly after school so that they can have some sort of down time between.

So, rest those tired muscles, and stop for gas sometime!

Jessica