The Circle of Wellness with Diana
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| Summer is a great time to engage into many self-care activities. With long daylight periods and sunny weather, there are more opportunities to spice up your daily routines and enjoy what the season has to offer. Use this self-care checklist to get some ideas for taking care of yourself this summer. These suggestions should help you get moving, get outside and enjoy the sunshine!
- Rest and relax outdoors. Grab a blanket or lawn chair, a book or your favorite podcast, something to snack on and head outside.
- Explore your local farmer’s market. Check out your local seasonal produce and vendors. A trip to the farmer’s market can be a great opportunity to try new foods and incorporate healthier options into your diet.
- Try a new exercise activity. Exercise endorphins can help to calm your mind and improve your mood, especially if done outdoors like hiking, tennis or swimming. Grab your sunscreen and enjoy the day!
- Start a garden or join a local community garden. Gardening is a nice way to be active, to enjoy the outdoors and get some sunshine. It can also serve as a wonderful bonding time with your family or a way to make new friends.
- Reconnect with an old friend or a distant relative. Call your friends or family who you have seen in awhile and reconnect over dinner, a nice stroll in a park or check out a local winery together.
- Check out things going on in your community. Try outdoor movies, yard sales, festivals, farmer’s markets, concerts, or dance classes. Making fun plans can help you feel excited and give you something to look forward to.
- Explore local areas. Pull up a map and find a new area or town that you haven’t been to yet. Plan a short road trip or stay for a whole weekend.
- Practice mindfulness. Try a new meditation, start a gratitude journal, practice slow and mindful eating, try breath work exercises, or listen to calming music.
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News and Announcements
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| I’m currently accepting new clients for psychotherapy and Personal Development remote sessions. All current clients receive 20 % discount for Personal Development or MARI services, and newsletter subscribers receive 10 % discount as new clients. |
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Despite some great advances in the spread of mental health importance awareness, stigma still exists, and many people feel ashamed about their mental and emotional issues. Help us to spread awareness by accepting and normalizing your own emotional struggles and by talking to people about your therapy experience and how it shaped your life progress.
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| Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman are the co-founders of The Gottman Institute and Love Lab. Married for over 35 years, the two psychologists are world-renowned for their work on relationship stability and divorce prediction.
Drs. Julie & John Gottman discussed being your authentic self, improving intimacy, connection and commitment with Jay Shetty on his recent podcast. |
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| This bitesize self-help book uncovers love, loss, grief, healing, self-discovery and hope through pieces of prose and interactive chapters filled with truth residing at the heart of the human condition. This book is for everyone who wants to make a positive change in their life but doesn’t know where to begin.
Get “Dear Self” here. |
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Useful Links and Resources
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| Medito is a free meditation app that has hundreds of courses, stories and meditations of different lengths that teaches you how to incorporate mindfulness in your life and to learn meditation techniques to practice daily.
Get more information about it here.
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| Warm weather recipes are lighter in both taste and calories but are still very nourishing and delicious. This month’s recipe is good for either busy weeknight supper or weekend entertainment. It pairs well with grilled fish, chicken or presents a nice balance to a juicy burger. |
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Papaya Pecans Slaw with Apple Cider Dressing
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| Makes 5-6 portions
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 1/2 – 3 cups of shredded cabbage
- 1 cup of shredded carrots
- 1 cup of cut papaya
- 1/4 cup of toasted pecans
- 2 Tbsps of cut fresh cilantro
- 4 Tbsps of olive oil
- 2 Tbsps of apple cider
- 2 tsps of apple cider vinegar or apple juice
- 1 tsp of honey
- salt, fresh pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
- In separate bowls, combine vegetables and all the dressing ingredients.
- Add salt into dressing, then pour over the slaw, add pepper and mix well.
- Top with toasted pecans and serve in individuals bowls or cups.
- The salad is best when eaten right away.
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| Connecting to nature is imperative to feeling balanced and grounded. Whether you walk to your local park or find yourself in a countryside, spend some time on the ground, literally. Feel the earth’s energy underneath you and visualize it permeating you with its grounding and anchoring light. Observe what you see around the immediate area and connect to sounds, scents and different textures of the terrain. Collect leaves, flowers or little sticks that you can turn into a creative project for yourself or with your children. Take photographs of nature’s curious creatures if you see any and imprint this quiet place in your memory to go back to when you need to recreate a peaceful moment in your busy life. |
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Afina wants to remind you that even a short R&R trip can help you to restore energy and overall happiness.
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Tags: acceptance, Big city, communication, depression, Loneliness, mental health, mental illness, personal growth, psychiatric illness, psychoeducation, psychotherapy, Reflection, Relationships, self-love, stress, therapy
