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Author: aimeemaxwell

Tips for online therapy sessions ?>

Tips for online therapy sessions

 A computer, tablet or smartphone (I will give you details regarding video-conferencing software).  A fast, reliable internet connection (do test the connection and software before your first consultation).  Read the instructions I’ll provide.  Make the room as quiet and private as possible – turn off radios and TVs.  If you have young children, arrange care in advance so you don’t get interrupted.  Turn off notifications/alerts.  Try to make sure your face is well-lit.  Don’t sit directly in front of a…

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Friendship Skills ?>

Friendship Skills

This excerpt on nurturing good friendships comes from Steve Biddulph’s book 10 Things Girls Need Most, and I think it applies to our sons too. Steve notes that “In Best Friends, Worst Enemies, psychologist Michael Thompson describes seven key skills that make up friendship competence and the ability to get along with others. 1. A positive view of friendship (seeing it as valuable and fun). 2. Sharing and taking turns (essential with most games and activities). 3. Feeling for others (being unselfish…

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Telehealth service ?>

Telehealth service

Get support – wherever you are Is access to specialists, long distance travel or lack of time a problem for you?   I provide online consultations via secure video-conferencing or telephone. My e-psychology clients find that being able to access treatment remotely means they can get the help they need, when and where it’s convenient. Studies have demonstrated that telehealth consultations can provide the same treatment outcomes as face-to-face therapy: good therapeutic relationship symptom reduction improvement in quality of life…

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Kids can help with lots of household jobs ?>

Kids can help with lots of household jobs

This is a very handy list of the jobs that kids are capable of, by age group.  Our kids are someone’s future housemates so we need to teach them basic living skills. Sharing the load of housekeeping around the family is really important for community-mindedness, respect for property, and practice at doing hard/smelly/boring tasks.

Get some relief from feelings of anxiety or depression ?>

Get some relief from feelings of anxiety or depression

Here’s a great list of techniques from Renee Jain – I know it says to try with kids but I think that a lot of the things on this list could be used for anyone.  Some of my personal favourites are: Bathe – Take a warm bath, a cold shower or go for a swim.  Activating your system with heat or cold is a useful way to reset or reboot emotional states.  Think of that sudden rush you get when…

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Treat depression naturally ?>

Treat depression naturally

I was very pleased to read an article on Hey Sigmund today which specifies how mindfulness and exercise can be used to naturally treat depression (and boost mood in people who aren’t depressed). “Research published in the journal Translational Psychiatry found that when meditation and aerobic exercise were done together twice a week for eight weeks, the symptoms of depression reduced by 40%. Meditation = 20 minutes of focused attention meditation and 10 minutes of slow-walking meditation. Exercise = a five-minute…

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Interesting things #5 ?>

Interesting things #5

Things that teens need to know about their amazing, changing brain and how it impacts their emotions and behaviour   Coco-Cola put out a new video ad demonstrating emotional contagion (laughter) on a train.  Expressing emotions (any) can be contagious, so be careful what you’re putting out and what you’re taking on.   Dieting? Saving? Planning ‘naughty days’ helps people felt more motivated and strengthens general feelings of self-control.  This article suggests that it may be useful to schedule a cheat…

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Grief ?>

Grief

We will all have to grieve at some time in our lives.  Whether it’s because of death or another terrible sort of loss.  Here the words of Rachel Marie Hauser from Stitched in Color, whose baby died recently. Her words speak volumes, her ‘tutorial’ is heartfelt and told with love.   “how to grieve {a tutorial} *Spend lots of time alone. Alone is the best way to cry, to sob your heart out focused entirely on your loss, to heave,…

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Interesting things #4 ?>

Interesting things #4

Exercise is fantastic for relieving symptoms of depression and anxiety When a school embraces mindfulness, everything gets better for everyone Behaviour shaping (rather than punishment) is effective for improving compliance from children Homework is pointless, and I believe that it’s really about time that schools start listening to the research Discipline for teens can be focussed around health and safety decisions, openness to their developing identity and looking after yourself The Cogmed brain training program isn’t worth investing in

A Eulogy ?>

A Eulogy

Aaron Freeman, a writer and performer, told us the kind of eulogy he’d want at his funeral.  I love the reminder that nothing is permanent except energy.  Carl Sagan said “The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff.”  This piece tells the same story.   “You want a physicist to speak at your funeral. You…

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