~ GemSoupe™ from HopeAllianz Inc
March 2009
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NEW to HopeAllianz
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Releasing Worry and Anxiety
Using DBT LifeSkills
Monday 4 to 6 PM for 10 weeks
Begins March 23rd
Reserve Your Space Today
952. 545. 6966
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Daily Affirmation
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I am living in the present moment!
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Boundless Blessings Flowing
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GemSoupe™ is a life enhancement program focused on motivational thoughts and action plans. To help you build lifeskills and mastery in attending to the challenges and opportunities of daily living ~ a connection of mind, body, and spirit.
Gem is defined as something highly valued ~ YOU ~ unique, precious, and treasured. Soupe represents the characteristics and traits that are brought together in developing your unique "being." Enjoy your journey and remember to stop along the way to embrace the day's gifts of love, happiness, harmony, surprise, laughter, energy, strength, and peace. Jody L Friesen Grande PhD LICSW BCD
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Wise Mind Connection
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The crisis/the danger is past, and the lingering illness, is over at last, and the fever called "living" is conquered at last.
~ Edgar Allan Poe
(1809-1849) American Poet, Short-Story Writer, Editor and Literary Critic
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The Art of Mindfulness
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 "Art" is defined as a skill at doing a specified thing, in this case we are referring to mindfulness, which is typically acquired through practice. I would like you to reflect on the fact that the art of mindfulness is an expression of human skill and imagination ... becoming aware ... to be appreciated for the beauty that surrounds us and the emotional power that we can feel within. Mindfulness is a power lifeskill that helps us to maintain balance among the chaoticness and stress that life often brings to us.
Most of us spend much of our waking hours on "automatic pilot," or "asleep at the wheel." We are preoccupied with thinking about the past or anticipating the future. Meanwhile, the present moment slips by barely noticed.
When was the last time you heard ... "Don't just sit there, do something!" It is our natural inclination ro "run around doing." We do not allow ourselves the moment to just "stop" and smell the roses.
A good way to stop all the "doing" is to shift into the "being" mode for a moment. Just watch this moment, without trying to change it at all. Just be and ask yourself ... What is happening? What do I feel? What do I see? What do I hear?
Mindfulness involves simply keeping your attention in the present moment, without judging it as happy or sad, good or bad, healthy or unhealthy. It encourages living each moment -- even painful ones -- as fully and as mindfully as possible. Mindfulness is more than a relaxation technique, it is an attitude toward living (lifeskills development). It is a way of calmly and consciously observing and accepting whatever is happening -- one moment at a time.
Wherever you go, there you are!
~ Jon Kabot Zinn
Professor of Medicine Emeritus and founding director of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for
Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School
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Action Steps for Responding to a Crisis
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A crisis can present in many different forms, from the death of a loved one, to loss of a job, to collapse of a marriage, to financial disaster. When we are hit by a crisis, an emotional storm whips through our mind and body, tossing painful thoughts and feelings in all directions. No one wants a crisis, but we will all inevitably experience them. So when it happens, let's turn it into an opportunity to develop important coping skills, using the acronym: STOP
Slowing your breathing: Take a few deep breaths, and mindfully observe the breath flowing in and out. This will help to anchor you in the present moment.
Take note of your experience: consciously notice what you are thinking, feeling and doing. Notice how your thoughts and feelings are swirling aorund, and can easily carry you away if you allow them.
Open up around your feelings: Breathe into them and make room for them. Open up around your thoughts too: take a step back and give them some room to move, without holding onto them or trying to push them away.
Pursue your values: Once you have done the above three steps, you will be in a mental state of mindfulness. The next step is to pursue a course of action, guided by your values. Ask yourself, "What do I want to be about, in the face of this crisis? What do I want to stand for? How would I like to act, so that I can look back years from now and feel proud of my response? What personal strengths can I cultivate during this process?" Use these values to guide what you do next.
Source: Russ Harris (check out his website at www.thehappinesstrap.com)
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Upcoming Events at HopeAllianz |
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DBT ~ Releasing Worry and Anxiety Using DBT LifeSkills ~ NEW
Monday ~ begins March 23rd from 4 PM to 6 PM for 10 weeks
DBT ~ Intrapersonal Effectiveness: Learning to Love Yourself
Tuesday ~ begins March 24th from 6 PM to 8 PM for 10 weeks
DBT ~ Emotional Regulation: Identification and Effectiveness
Thursday ~ begins March 26th from 10 AM to Noon for 10 weeks
If you are interested in participating in DBT LifeSkills Training, please call today to arrange for an intake (952) 545-6966. The cost for the DBT programs are $128.20 per session. Fees may be paid privately or may be covered by insurance. Medicare, or Medical Assistance. Payment plans are also available. We accept VISA and MasterCard.
The Young Men's DBT Group and DBT for Professional Men will not be offered during the spring, a group is being considered for a summer session for Young Men and a fall session for Professional Men, please call for more information.
Wellness Workshops are being scheduled for March, June, and September. The Wellness Workshops are provided to the community by HopeAllianz Inc at no charge to you. They are held on a Saturday from 9 AM to 1 PM with lunch included. Donations are appreciated to support the Wellness Workshop Series. Thank you!
Saturday, April 18, 2009 from 9 AM to 1:00 PM
Creating Character · Body Movement · Gift of Giving
Mental Health Professional Workshops are being planned for 2009. These workshops will be held on Friday from 9 AM to 1 PM with lunch included and an opportunity for networking. The cost for the Mental Health Professional Workshops will be $80. This training provides 3.0 CE hours. Watch for more details.
Reservations requested, please call (952) 545-6966. The Wellness Workshops and Mental Health Professional Workshops are held at French Regional Park off Rockford Road/County Road 9 between 494 and 169 in Plymouth, Minnesota.
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Information provided within GemSoupe™ is of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. This information is not intended to replace "traditional" mental health counseling/therapy. If you have questions or concerns about your physical and/or mental health ... contact your family physician and/or mental health professional in your area. In case of a life-threatening emergency ... dial 911 for assistance.
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