Poised & Powerful: Presence, Performance, Parenting

Have you ever felt the kind of overwhelmed, overstimulated, or triggered that we might call being “all touched out”?

Maybe you’ve even felt guilty about not being available to your kids or spouse, or surprised by the intensity of your feelings.

If you ever wondered why your body doesn’t feel like your own, if you are grappling with how to parent in a post-Roe, post world, you might be realizing how much bigger this is than just you.

Amanda Montei is here to talk about the histories we carry in - our culture and in our bodies - themes she discusses in her new book: Touched Out: Motherhood, Misogyny, Consent and Control.

This week, episode 48 of Poised & Powerful Podcast is about why we might feel touched out and how we can understand women’s bodily autonomy.

Tune in to Poised & Powerful Parenting on your favorite podcast listening app today!

Touched Out and the Impact of Motherhood on Autonomy with Amanda Montei — Poised & Powerful Parenthood CW: brief mention of sexual assault.  Have you ever felt the kind of overwhelmed, overstimulated, or triggered that we might call being “all touched out”? Maybe you’ve even felt guilty about not being available to your kids or spouse, or surprised by the intensity of your feelings.&

🎧 Mindfulness Together: Easing Transitions for Yourself and Your Child with The Ready List

Self-regulation is a lifelong skill that’s important for everyone to learn. Early childhood is a pivotal time for children to learn the skill, and we as parents can set a helpful learning example by not only demonstrating the skill.

But also providing the resources for them to continue practicing on their own. This week, episode 47 of Poised & Powerful Podcast is sharing mindfulness together: easing transitions for yourself and your child with The Ready List!

Tune in to Poised & Powerful Parenting on your favorite podcast listening app today!

http://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/blog/mindfulness-together-easing-transitions-for-yourself-and-your-child-with-the-ready-list

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🎧 How to Unstick Your Shoulders from Your Ears (Guided Audio)

This is a gentle reminder to be gentle with ourselves. It’s a practice we can use to help us unhunch, unscrunch, and take up more space.

Tune in to Poised & Powerful Parenting on your favorite podcast listening app today!

https://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/blog/how-to-unstick-your-shoulders-from-your-ears

🎧 Neurodivergent Parenting with Chronic Pain with Graeson Harris-Young

On Episode 45, This Might Help Us and I uncover:

• Why chronic pain is hard to address in our current medical system.

• Toxic narratives around chronic pain.

• How to balance overstimulation as parents to young children.

• The day-to-day of being a neurodivergent parent.

The world of parenting is full of stereotypes and toxic narratives, which can be even harder to deal with when you’re a parent managing chronic pain, neurodivergence, or anything that doesn’t fit the mold of “normal”.

Learning strategies and methods of coping that work for your needs will help smooth out the journey of parenthood.

This week, episode 45 of Poised & Powerful Podcast is about parenting with chronic pain and self-regulating as a parent!

http://poisedpowerfulparenthood.com/blog/neurodivergent-parenting-with-chronic-pain-with-graeson-harris-young

Check out my spiffy new letters in the window! That new line on the bottom - that’s ME!
Chicagoans, come see me to un-hunch, un-scrunch, and take up space!
https://www.learnalexanderchicago.com/online-booking
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🥳 New review! Artists get that their body is their instrument, but this is true for everyone. We can all stand to take up space and be able to express ourselves authentically.

Embodiment is a crucial part of learning. A smart, thoughtful kid demonstrates this impact.

From a sixth grader, after reading . A poetic window into the impact, into why we do what we do. S/o to and . 🖤

Highly recommend this workshop by an exceptional colleague. Parents and caregivers all need self-compassion!

How do you feel when you criticize yourself harshly, or use negative self-talk?

Perhaps you don't even notice how your body is responding - but it surely is.

When you are harsh and unkind with yourself, even though it's coming from your own mind, you respond to it like an outside threat. And that means it comes with muscular tension.

Learning to be compassionate with yourself and treating yourself with the same care and tenderness you would a dear friend is the answer.

Sounds simple, but it is definitely not always easy.

You probably, like so many of us, have life-long patterns of speaking to yourself in a way you would never speak to a friend.

You can learn to change that. Yet kind, caring words, even when spoken silently to yourself, feel awkward and silly. You ask yourself, how can these possibly do me any good?

You may even berate yourself for not doing self-compassion right! (Not very self-compassionate, right?)

Sometimes it's hard to think yourself into self-compassion.

That's why I'm so interested to explore what it means to embody self-compassion. The mindfulness is important, but there are ways to be kind to ourselves that can bypass our conscious mind.

With a simple gesture it's possible to offer yourself the compassion you need without the need for words.

Being caring and compassionate toward yourself is important, first and foremost because you matter, just as your friends matter.

There are, however, many other added benefits of practicing self-compassion, such as:

* Reduction in depression, anxiety, and stress.
* Increase in happiness and life satisfaction.
* Deactivation of our threat-detection system and activation of our care system, helping us to feel safe.
* Enhancement of our well-being by transforming negative states into positive ones.
* Help counteracting shame.
* Providing emotional resilience by helping us get through painful times without being knocked flat.

Self-compassion is something you can actively practice and cultivate. It doesn’t matter if you don’t feel compassionate toward yourself – you can practice the behaviors and benefit anyway. And you can learn how to embody self-compassion.

Next Wednesday is the first of my two companion workshops exploring self-compassion. In this first one we'll be looking at embodying self-compassion.

I'll draw especially from the work of self-compassion expert Kristin Neff, using my understanding of the Alexander Technique and my BodyIntelligence work to supplement and enrich your experience as you explore ways to implement and embody self-compassion in your life.

Some key things you'll do in the workshop are:

*Learn the three key elements needed for true self-compassion (it’s not just kindness)
*Understand the difference between tender and fierce self-compassion, and why we need both.
*Explore how these both feel in your body, and how to embody support for yourself in these different ways.
*Practice using soothing and supporting touch and gestures of self-compassion.
*Experience a powerful guided Constructive Rest that includes loving kindness meditation.

Workshop Details:

Embodying Self-Compassion:
Exploring the Power of Being Kind to Yourself Inside and Out
An Online Workshop for Women Who Want to Take Better Care of Themselves

Wednesday, March 8, 2023
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM US Eastern Time
(5-6:30 PM Germany / 4-5:30 PM UK / 10-11:30 AM US Central / 8-9:30 AM US Pacific Time
Delivered Live on Zoom
Recording Provided

Workshop Cost:
There is a 3-tier cost structure to help the workshop be accessible to more people. Please choose the one that best suits your circumstances:

- Abundance: $75 (I am happy to pay more right now to help support those who cannot.)
- Basic: $50 (I am able to pay the basic workshop fee.)
- Reduced Rate: $25 (I am economically challenged at the moment.)

Register here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=14521359

Come explore with me what it means to embody self-compassion and learn ways you can bring the benefits of self-compassion into your life.

I hope to see you soon.

Get all the details at: https://imogenragone.com/self-compassion-workshops/

I no longer need the armor; my softness is the strongest part of me.
-Brianna Wiest

Are you strong enough yet, to be soft?

Artist: Ivanik (via Gregorio Catarino)

“I can’t believe I yelled at my child. I’m such a bad parent,” can easily become, “I was angry and I lost my temper, like any human would. I’ll go apologize.”

It's up to you. One response empowers, the other diminishes. Self-compassion gives you the power to grow, thrive, and embrace a challenge.

A gift to give yourself - https://mailchi.mp/9712d478cd0b/gift-to-yourself

Such good advice! And similarly too! Wishing you • "𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞"⁠
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I heard this quote from Mariame Kaba who is an inspiring activist, grassroots organizer, and educator. ⁠
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It captivated my heart and mind. Truly, you are summoning both when you are cultivating hope.⁠
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And yes, hope needs to be cultivated.⁠
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There are some days when I look at the world, and all I can think is 😱!⁠
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Some days it's 🤗🎊🎉💗 🦄🌈s⁠
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Usually it's more like 💗🌟😂🥹🌈🙃🥵😨 and 🤯🥰 ‼️⁠
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There is so much happening in the world that we have no control over. That powerless and sometimes shocking feeling can leave you feeling hopeless.⁠
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And then there are the heroes, the activists, the artist, and poets, and the every day heroes. And of course, puppies!⁠
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There is so much to inspire us every day.⁠
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And though sometimes it seems that progress is a slow uphill climb up a steep, steep mountain. If you move forward one step at a time, having faith in your path and the good people around you, you will always arrive at the summit. We will all rise to the top.⁠
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Here's to enjoying the view. ⛰️😍🌈⁠
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Have a beautiful day! 💗⁠
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You can find the full quote from Mariame Kaba below:⁠
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“𝐻𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠𝑛’𝑡 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑙𝑢𝑑𝑒 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑎𝑑𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑟 𝑓𝑟𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑠 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑒. 𝐻𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑖𝑠𝑛’𝑡 𝑎𝑛 𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤? 𝐻𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑚. 𝐻𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑖𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒… 𝑤𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑦.”⁠
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Big news! 🎉New location! 🎉 -

Big news! 🎉New location! 🎉

"Neurobiology hack of the day: turn up your kindness factor by one degree and notice what happens. Just one degree."

From Shay Seaborne Cptsd, my co-teacher in our upcoming course, Foundations of Regulation.

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I may have been watching too much "Wellington Paranormal" ... for The Nib 2021

What I wish I'd known about postpartum mental health -

What I wish I'd known about postpartum mental health

Abby Waychoff was an early guest on the podcast, talking about this little guy’s birth and her healing process. Time flies! 🥲 Listen at: https://pod.fo/e/138d95

Doors closing soon! -

Doors closing soon!

Why I love working with new parents and what you can learn in my upcoming class - starting SOON!

How to stress less during your pregnancy, and prepare yourself for postpartum! I'd love to help you breathe a little easier, even if you feel that baby is giving you no space, deal with back and pelvic pain, and understand that knowledg...