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Newsletter #12
December 2011
In This Issue
New CD Befriending Anger
Grounding Exercises for Emotional Mindfulness
CFC Living News
Befriending Anger Audio CD cover image
Available Now!

Making Room for Joy CD

 

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Greetings to you!

The topic for this newsletter:  Grounding Exercises for Emotional Mindfulness.

Sorry we've been out of touch.  As many of you know, we experienced a big transition this year moving ourselves and the Center for Courageous Living from Minneapolis to Los Angeles.  Although this change is one we've been excited about and one we chose for ourselves, the change has also been challenging at times.

Throughout our transition, we've been repeatedly reminded how important it is to feel grounded, resourced, and present, and to be able to connect with that which provides us with deeper meaning.  Grounding exercises can help us come more fully to the present moment. They can be helpful whenever we may be feeling overwhelmed or are having an experience that is taking up too much of our attention.  Grounding exercises can help bring you more fully into the present moment.
Grounding Exercises for Emotional Mindfulness:

1.     Visual Ground Exercises.  Visual grounding exercises call on your sense of sight to ground you in the present moment.  These exercises can be used anywhere and at any time.  They are particularly useful for times when you are in public and need to practice grounding, because you can do them privately without anyone knowing what you are doing.  You can stop the exercise whenever you are feeling reconnected to the present moment. To do a visual grounding exercise, take a deep breath, and then start to mentally catalog the things you see around you.  Notice even the mundane details (e.g., that electrical outlet is white, that picture is hanging a little bit crooked, the light is bright, etc.).

2.   Tactile Grounding Exercises.  Tactile grounding exercises use your sense of touch to ground you in the present moment.  These exercises can be used when you are experiencing particularly intense stress or need to reconnect to your body as well as your surroundings.  Tactile grounding exercises include activities like gardening, baking, or walking barefoot in the grass or in the sand on the beach.  Other examples are painting, or in more restricted settings something as simple as focusing on the feel of the floor beneath your feet, the fabric of your clothes against your skin, your hands resting on your lap, while also taking a slow deep breath can help bring you back into the present moment.     

3.   The Importance of Physical Activity. It is called exercise but for so many that E -word brings up a negative association.  More and more studies are showing that exercise is not only beneficial to our physical health but to our emotional health as well.  Find an activity and engage in it regularly; whether you choose yoga, biking, walking, dancing, swimming, rollerblading, or gardening, to name just a few.  You'll feel better for it, sleep better, and you'll have an easier time regulating your emotions and staying in the present moment.  Since our big move, we've really been enjoying exploring the mountains, the canyons and beaches by foot and on bikes.

Center For Courageous Living News

 

We've moved into our new digs!  We're now located at 9107 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite #475, Beverly Hills, CA, 90210 and our new phone number is 310-275-5075.  As promised, Befriending Anger, the second CD of our emotional mindfulness audio series is now available!  You can learn how to overcome fear and learn to recognize and use anger in adaptive and helpful ways.  If you or someone you know struggles with fear and avoidance of anger in themselves or others, this CD is a wonderful tool.  For more information click here:  http://www.cfcliving.com/store.html 

 

For those of you that are interested in upcoming professional training opportunities we offer ongoing individual and group supervision in Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and via Skype.  Please call or email us for further information.

 

Ron will be teaching a half-day workshop for the Los Angeles County Psychological Association on March 31st, 2012.

 

For further information please visit the LACPA website at http://www.lapsych.org/.

 


Wishing you the very best,
Ron & Tim

Dr. Ron Frederick & Dr. Tim Beyer
Center for Courageous Living