I took some time off from writing in order to enjoy the summer since it’s such a beautiful time of year in New England. I cherish the dog days of summer, especially when I am at the beach, my happy place. But I also recognize that the beach is not a happy place for everyone, particularly those who have a …
Boston Voyager Interview: Conversations with the Inspiring Karen Chinca
EDITORS NOTE: This article originally appeared in the Boston Voyager on September 3, 2018. Please view the original piece by clicking here. Conversations with the Inspiring Karen Chinca Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Chinca. Thanks for sharing your story with us Karen. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there. My professional …
Understanding Anxiety and What to Do About It
Think about situations you avoid as a result of your anxiety. Are there any that are holding you back from achieving your goals? In my last blog, I wrote about the power of emotions and how all feelings — good, bad or neutral — should be honored, not suppressed. Hopefully by now you are taking the time to get to …
5 Steps to Accepting and Managing Your Emotions
I hope that all of you who read my series on mindfulness have attempted to incorporate a mindfulness practice into your daily lives. Assuming that you have, or even if you haven’t already, it’s time to focus on what happens when we are more mindful and in touch with our inner world. Our Dichotomous Relationship with Emotions I don’t think …
Mindful Movement – A Healthier Relationship with Our Bodies and Exercise
As a therapist who works with clients who have eating disorders, disordered eating and body image issues, I hear many of my clients talk about hitting the gym, finding ways to burn more calories, etc. Ever since the New Year, my clients have talked about taking off the extra pounds they gained over the holidays. Their solutions are exercise and …
A Journey into Mindful Eating
As a therapist who specializes in eating disorders, I often hear my clients talk about dieting, what they should or shouldn’t be eating, and their concept of “good” and “bad” food. This is especially noticeable around the new year, when people are focused on shedding post-holiday weight gain. It’s unfortunate that so many people in our culture deprive themselves of …
What is Mindfulness? Answers from a Licensed Therapist
After writing my first blog about mindfulness during the holiday season, I realized that many people don’t really know what mindfulness is all about. A non-therapist friend of mine asked me if it means closely paying attention to our thoughts, no matter what activity we are engaged in. Actually, I responded, it’s quite the opposite. Mindfulness is letting our thoughts …
How Mindfulness Can Help You Stay Sane Over the Holidays
Welcome to my new blog, A Healthy Mind and Body. I felt compelled to write my first blog post about mindfulness now since we are approaching the holiday season. This season is by far my favorite time of year. I love the brisk sweater weather, the fresh air of November and December, and being surrounded by family, friends, and delicious …