By Dan Katz, LCSW
Regular exercise of 15-30 minutes, three or four times a week, can have a fantastic influence on all aspects of your health. Even moderate exercise, including walking, has been shown to increase levels of endorphins, which are the body's natural feel-good hormones, and serotonin, which helps regulate your feelings of calm and well-being. Exercise is often referred to as "nature's antidepressant." Try to visualize your whole self as being four corners on a square, or rectangle. Each of the four corners connect to each other, and affect each other, with your sense of your whole self in the middle. When any one of the four points of your whole self is changed, each of the others change as well. The four corners of the self can be described as: Thoughts Feelings Behavior Physical Sensations Exercise changes your physical sensations, getting you more connected with your body. Exercise is actually a form of mindfulness practice, allowing you to reduce the time you focus on negative thoughts, uncomfortable feelings, or unhealthy behaviors. Exercise helps to create shifts in focus, because you have to pay attention to what your body is doing. This is a natural way to reduce anxiety and depression, and to increase concentration and quality sleep. When you're getting your body as healthy as it can be, you are more likely to feel better about yourself (self esteem), think more positively about what you can do (confidence), and behave in more self sustaining ways (self care). It's perfectly OK to start small--- walking around the block, going up and down stairs a few times, even stretching in your living room. Gradually building up to an exercise routine is a goal, and not necessarily immediately achieved. Here are some tips to get yourself started: 1. pick some movement that is easy, or something you already like to do 2. try to plan a regular time to exercise, if your schedule permits (setting an alarm may help) 3. sign up for a class to attend 4. enlist a friend to exercise with you 5. reward yourself with something healthy when you have exercised 6. share your achievements with your friends or family Good luck with getting moving!
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AuthorThe various therapists at Inspired Life Counseling contribute to this blog. Please look for the author of each individual blog to be listed at the bottom of the page for each post. Thank you. Archives
January 2023
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Inspired Life Counseling
Inspired Life Counseling is owned and directed by Jessica Wilkerson, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #104464.
Office Hours: By Appointment Contact us!
Inspired Life Counseling is owned and directed by Jessica Wilkerson, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #104464.
Office Hours: By Appointment Contact us!
MISSION: To provide a tranquil and healing space in which people in our community can find calmness internally through the relaxing atmosphere along with respectful and engaging therapy conversations. To contribute to happier and more secure families by helping individuals, couples, and teens heal within and thereby creating different ways of engaging with themselves, the world, and those they love.
VISION: Creating a new kind of therapy experience in the Chico area in which therapists have smaller caseloads, giving them the flexibility to spend more time with clients as needed - longer sessions, phone calls, client centered advocacy. Creating a space in our community where clients can go between sessions just to sit, linger, and re-center themselves when they're having difficult days. A place to belong while they heal their hearts and relationships. A therapy office that embodies the unconditional love of Christ no matter what a person's gender identity, romantic disposition, or previous life hardships, experiences, or actions might have been. To be a safe place.
VISION: Creating a new kind of therapy experience in the Chico area in which therapists have smaller caseloads, giving them the flexibility to spend more time with clients as needed - longer sessions, phone calls, client centered advocacy. Creating a space in our community where clients can go between sessions just to sit, linger, and re-center themselves when they're having difficult days. A place to belong while they heal their hearts and relationships. A therapy office that embodies the unconditional love of Christ no matter what a person's gender identity, romantic disposition, or previous life hardships, experiences, or actions might have been. To be a safe place.
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