Tag: Information

Helpful Hints for the Holidays

  • Acknowledge your feelings
  • Reach out
  • Be realistic
  • Set aside differences
  • Stick to a budget and be creative about how and what you give
  • Plan ahead to get everything done without increasing the stress level
  • Learn to say no (and be consistent not ambivalent)
  • Stick to healthy habits
  • Make time for yourself
  • Continue with appointments that help you stay healthy, especially therapies or peer support groups
  • Do something good for others
  • Do something special for yourself
  • Laugh
  • Eat with moderation and don’t give yourself a hard time if you don’t
  • Exercise or find ways to add extra movement to your day
  • Sleep
  • Pretend you are a kid again when the holidays were a wonder and filled with surprise
  • Remember the days will get brighter after the solstice and there will be more light

 

Coping Strategies

  1. Have a trusted friend, sponsor, crisis support line number available, or a supportive family member on-call.
  2. Limit the amount of parties and holiday activities you attend.
  3. Be realistic about what the holidays mean and don’t try to live up to some commercialized expectations
  4. Stop yourself from over-anything-spending, eating, drinking alcohol, staying up late, partying
  5. Stress can be negative or positive, be sure to identify which is which for you.

 

Tips For Surviving the Holidays

1.      Remember that the only thing you can control is the way you react.

Remember in families and social gatherings there will be people who say things that seem thoughtless to you or off hand remarks that are taken the wrong way. Family or friends might bring up sensitive subjects you don’t want to discuss. Be prepared to deflect their comments and re-direct conversations when you need to do it rather than confront them at the time.

2.      Get some air.

Just being able to take a break from the stress of too much stimulation is important for your well-being and to re-charge yourself. Take time to check-in with yourself so you don’t end up checking out unintentionally.

3.      Keep your normal sleep schedule.

This will help you stabilize your mood to be able to keep a check on how your mood is being affected by the change in your routine. Adjustments can be made when you are aware of what you are feeling and how the situation is affecting you whether being a guest or having guests.

4.      Keep your expectations low.

Plan only for the unexpected to happen and then it will come true. Work on acceptance of what is happening as part of the ritual of life that will become the stories to re-tell later when everyone laughs about the memories.

5.      Try to enjoy yourself.

Focus on the positive. See how the small moments can bring you pleasure. Singing songs helps you breathe fully, even if the sound if off key, it doesn’t matter. Enjoy the moment.

 

What to Expect When You Set Up an Appointment

My hours of service are flexible to meet the needs of differing work schedules, childcare needs, transportation, and health issues. However, please be mindful of over flexing this time. I am the only provider you will be seeing at this office unless you are referred and want to see someone else. I answer the phone 24/7 unless someone has been appointed to cover on my behalf due to unavailability periodically. Because of privacy concerns and HIPPA regulations, please do not use technology for personal information other than immediate communication regarding appointment changes. Reports or letters containing personal information should be faxed, mailed, or hand delivered. Any emailed information should only be sent through a secure corporation with prior access to it.

You may text my phone to contact me at any time. If you want to ensure it reaches me in a timely manner follow it up with a call/voice message.

At our first session you will need to bring your authorization or insurance card. You will need to know your co-pay or deductible information. Usually co-pays are the same for medical and mental health services. I only provide outpatient services. You will need to provide personal information on a form for me to do the billing on your behalf and you will have to sign permission for me to do that. I also have an initial history form for you to fill out.

During the first session I will ask you what is bringing you to therapy and how I can help you. I will need some history around this issue, some medical history, and any other treatment you may have had for mental health in the past. This is all part of the initial assessment to see if I can be of help to you and if you feel comfortable enough to continue. We will identify an initial treatment goal and I will give some feedback about what I’m hearing you request. I might mention some approaches that we can utilize in your treatment and discuss any barriers that might come up for you.

I make appointments on a first come first serve basis, usually after each session. Some people like or need a certain time and that can be accommodated as needed. Others prefer to make a few appointments at a time to plan their schedules accordingly. I make appointments based on treatment need, sometimes further apart to work on exercises, sometimes several weekly and then bi-weekly. It will be based on your care needs. I have worked in Albuquerque for more than 25 years and many resources, so feel free to ask for referrals or recommendations to complement the services I provide.

Therapy is about you in relationship. It starts with learning how to have a relationship with yourself and finding a path to start that journey in relationship with your therapist so you can improve it with others in your life. I thank you for putting your trust in me to take that first step.