Peaceful Transition Ritual: Letting go of stress at the end of the day

You are likely more overloaded at work now than ever before, and with changes to your routine at home and work, stress may be steadily increasing. If you feel spent at the end of your shift, try this peaceful transition exercise so you can return home in a more relaxed mindset:

Engage in this routine sometime between getting in your car at work and before entering your house:

• Honor the difficult parts of your day.
• Take a few deep exhales to release these parts.
• Celebrate the good parts of your day.
• Take a few deep inhales to enhance these parts.
• Anticipate your evening going well, visualize it happening, and identify how you’ll feel as those anticipated events occur:
  Example: I come home from work and see my hound dog wagging his tail, I feel happy. I give my husband a hug and kiss and feel connected and safe.  I take a relaxing bath, eat a tasty dinner, and then get cozy on the couch with my dog and husband and watch a show we enjoy together. I go to bed feeling grateful and at peace, and I sleep soundly through the night. 

Well In Mind is here for you.  Call 815-933-2240 to schedule an appointment or to ask about your EAP benefits.

Mantra #1: With every breath, I feel myself relaxing.

• How to use: Say as you inhale, and then exhale, visualizing any tension you have melting away with the breath.
• How it can help: Releases pent-up tension in shoulders, neck, & stomach; helps to shift focus from worried thoughts to the body which relaxes the mind.

Mantra #2: I have control over how I feel & I choose to feel at peace

• How to use: Place one hand over heart, one over belly, recite 3 times.
• How it can help: Reminds you that you may not be in control over everything in life, but you are in control of how you feel and how we respond to the situations that come our way.

Mantra #3: All experiences are helping me grow.

• How to use: Repeat several times when you feel overwhelmed
• How it can help: It reframes stress as a new challenge, an opportunity for growth; empowers you, decreasing feelings of helplessness.

Mantra #4: I give myself permission to let go of what no longer serves me.

• How to use: Repeat several times, especially when you feel stuck thinking about old situations, patterns, emotions etc.
•  How it can help: Releases energy and tension spent focusing on the past and makes room for improving thoughts, feelings, behaviors, relationships.

Well In Mind is here for you.  Call 815-933-2240 to schedule an appointment or to ask about your EAP benefits.

Health care workers prioritize the needs of others over their own needs,so self-care can be complex and challenging.  During work shifts, try to engage in these behaviors: 

• Working in partnerships or in teams
• Regular check-ins with colleagues, family, and friends
• Brief relaxation/stress management breaks
• Regular peer consultation and supervision
• Time-outs for basic bodily care and refreshment
• Self-monitoring and pacing
• Regularly seeking out accurate information and mentoring to assist in making decisions
• Doing your best to maintain helpful self-talk and avoid overgeneralizing fears
• Focusing your efforts on what is within your power
• Acceptance of situations you cannot change
• Fostering a spirit of fortitude, patience, tolerance, and hope 

Well In Mind is here for you.  Call 815-933-2240 to schedule an appointmentor to ask about your EAP benefits.

How to Support Someone who Self-Harms

• Recognize that self-injury is usually a symptom of serious psychological distress
• Avoid any negative reactions to the self-injury
• Discuss the situation calmly, let the person know you have noticed the injuries and are concerned
• Focus on ways to stop the distress
• Encourage the person to speak to someone they trust the next time they feel the urge to self-harm

DO NOT:         

• Focus on stopping self-injury (although not healthy, this is a way of coping, and if there is no alternative coping in place their distress could actually become even more severe)
• Trivialize the feelings or situations that have led to self-injury. You don’t have to agree with why they feel the way they do, just focus on how they do feel and focus on that.
• Punish the person
•  Threaten to withdraw care

Well In Mind is here for you.  Call 815-933-2240 to schedule an appointment or to ask about your EAP benefits.

March is Self-Harm Awareness Month.  When people experience depression and anxiety, they may engage in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI).  NSSI is intentionally inflicting harm to the body but without intention of dying.  NSSI is not a mental illness, it is a sign someone is going through serious psychological distress 

How to Deal With Self-Harm
Emotions can be really painful sometimes. It’s totally normal to need ways to cope with and process the hard things in your life. If you are using self-harm to manage your emotions, here are some ways to push through, process, and cope with your emotions.

• Text to cool down:  If you’re dealing with painful emotions, you can reach out to a crisis text line to connect with a real human and strategize healthy coping mechanisms to manage your emotions. Text HOME to 741741.
• Get creative:  Studies show that making art can help people process emotions.  Next time you feel like self-harming, grab a marker and doodle your worries away. A bonus: you reap the same rewards even if you’re no good at it!
• Find your Zen:  Keeping yourself safe from self-harming is all about finding healthy alternatives to work through the hard stuff. Taking time to re-center through meditation to be a powerful way to find your cool and calm. Try using an app like Headspace.
• Talk to a professional: Self-harm is serious.  Talking to someone who can help you find alternatives is incredibly important.

Well In Mind is here for you.  Call 815-933-2240 to schedule an appointmentor to ask about your EAP benefits.