Jennuine Wellness

A well-organized, practical and helpful article on how to manage your self care and mental health during this crisis, as well as for your children and loved ones.

It’s a lengthy read, but definitely worth your time.

💗Advice from a psychologist:
After having thirty-one sessions this week with patients where the singular focus was COVID-19 and how to cope, I decided to consolidate my advice and make a list that I hope is helpful to all. I can't control a lot of what is going on right now, but I can contribute this.

Edit: I am surprised and heartened that this has been shared so widely! People have asked me to credential myself, so to that end, I am a doctoral level Psychologist in NYS with a Psy.D. in the specialities of School and Clinical Psychology.

MENTAL HEALTH WELLNESS TIPS FOR QUARANTINE

1. Stick to a routine. Go to sleep and wake up at a reasonable time, write a schedule that is varied and includes time for work as well as self-care.

2. Dress for the social life you want, not the social life you have. Get showered and dressed in comfortable clothes, wash your face, brush your teeth. Take the time to do a bath or a facial. Put on some bright colors. It is amazing how our dress can impact our mood.

3. Get out at least once a day, for at least thirty minutes. If you are concerned of contact, try first thing in the morning, or later in the evening, and try less traveled streets and avenues. If you are high risk or living with those who are high risk, open the windows and blast the fan. It is amazing how much fresh air can do for spirits.

4. Find some time to move each day, again daily for at least thirty minutes. If you don’t feel comfortable going outside, there are many YouTube videos that offer free movement classes, and if all else fails, turn on the music and have a dance party!
***I (Jenn) would like to add in that the Down Dog app is offering free classes for the next few months (yoga, HIIT, etc). You can customize ability level, time, amount of instruction, etc.

5. Reach out to others, you guessed it, at least once daily for thirty minutes. Try to do FaceTime, Skype, phone calls, texting—connect with other people to seek and provide support. Don’t forget to do this for your children as well. Set up virtual playdates with friends daily via FaceTime, Facebook Messenger Kids, Zoom, etc—your kids miss their friends, too!

6. Stay hydrated and eat well. This one may seem obvious, but stress and eating often don’t mix well, and we find ourselves over-indulging, forgetting to eat, and avoiding food. Drink plenty of water, eat some good and nutritious foods, and challenge yourself to learn how to cook something new!

7. Develop a self-care toolkit. This can look different for everyone. A lot of successful self-care strategies involve a sensory component (seven senses: touch, taste, sight, hearing, smell, vestibular (movement) and proprioceptive (comforting pressure). An idea for each: a soft blanket or stuffed animal, a hot chocolate, photos of vacations, comforting music, lavender or eucalyptus oil, a small swing or rocking chair, a weighted blanket. A journal, an inspirational book, or a mandala coloring book is wonderful, bubbles to blow or blowing watercolor on paper through a straw are visually appealing as well as work on controlled breath. Mint gum, Listerine strips, ginger ale, frozen Starburst, ice packs, and cold are also good for anxiety regulation. For children, it is great to help them create a self-regulation comfort box (often a shoe-box or bin they can decorate) that they can use on the ready for first-aid when overwhelmed.
***I (Jenn) would like to add in meditation and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) as great tools for your tool box as well. A great resource for meditation is the Unplug app and for EFT is Brad Yates on You Tube.

8. Spend extra time playing with children. Children will rarely communicate how they are feeling, but will often make a bid for attention and communication through play. Don’t be surprised to see therapeutic themes of illness, doctor visits, and isolation play through. Understand that play is cathartic and helpful for children—it is how they process their world and problem solve, and there’s a lot they are seeing and experiencing in the now.

9. Give everyone the benefit of the doubt, and a wide berth. A lot of cooped up time can bring out the worst in everyone. Each person will have moments when they will not be at their best. It is important to move with grace through blowups, to not show up to every argument you are invited to, and to not hold grudges and continue disagreements. Everyone is doing the best they can to make it through this.

10. Everyone find their own retreat space. Space is at a premium, particularly with city living. It is important that people think through their own separate space for work and for relaxation. For children, help them identify a place where they can go to retreat when stressed. You can make this place cozy by using blankets, pillows, cushions, scarves, beanbags, tents, and “forts”. It is good to know that even when we are on top of each other, we have our own special place to go to be alone.

11. Expect behavioral issues in children, and respond gently. We are all struggling with disruption in routine, none more than children, who rely on routines constructed by others to make them feel safe and to know what comes next. Expect increased anxiety, worries and fears, nightmares, difficulty separating or sleeping, testing limits, and meltdowns. Do not introduce major behavioral plans or consequences at this time—hold stable and focus on emotional connection.

12. Focus on safety and attachment. We are going to be living for a bit with the unprecedented demand of meeting all work deadlines, homeschooling children, running a sterile household, and making a whole lot of entertainment in confinement. We can get wrapped up in meeting expectations in all domains, but we must remember that these are scary and unpredictable times for children. Focus on strengthening the connection through time spent following their lead, through physical touch, through play, through therapeutic books, and via verbal reassurances that you will be there for them in this time.

13. Lower expectations and practice radical self-acceptance. This idea is connected with #12. We are doing too many things in this moment, under fear and stress. This does not make a formula for excellence. Instead, give yourself what psychologists call “radical self acceptance”: accepting everything about yourself, your current situation, and your life without question, blame, or pushback. You cannot fail at this—there is no roadmap, no precedent for this, and we are all truly doing the best we can in an impossible situation.

14. Limit social media and COVID conversation, especially around children. One can find tons of information on COVID-19 to consume, and it changes minute to minute. The information is often sensationalized, negatively skewed, and alarmist. Find a few trusted sources that you can check in with consistently, limit it to a few times a day, and set a time limit for yourself on how much you consume (again 30 minutes tops, 2-3 times daily). Keep news and alarming conversations out of earshot from children—they see and hear everything, and can become very frightened by what they hear.

15. Notice the good in the world, the helpers. There is a lot of scary, negative, and overwhelming information to take in regarding this pandemic. There are also a ton of stories of people sacrificing, donating, and supporting one another in miraculous ways. It is important to counter-balance the heavy information with the hopeful information.

16. Help others. Find ways, big and small, to give back to others. Support restaurants, offer to grocery shop, check in with elderly neighbors, write psychological wellness tips for others—helping others gives us a sense of agency when things seem out of control.

17. Find something you can control, and control the heck out of it. In moments of big uncertainty and overwhelm, control your little corner of the world. Organize your bookshelf, purge your closet, put together that furniture, group your toys. It helps to anchor and ground us when the bigger things are chaotic.

18. Find a long-term project to dive into. Now is the time to learn how to play the keyboard, put together a huge jigsaw puzzle, start a 15 hour game of Risk, paint a picture, read the Harry Potter series, binge watch an 8-season show, crochet a blanket, solve a Rubix cube, or develop a new town in Animal Crossing. Find something that will keep you busy, distracted, and engaged to take breaks from what is going on in the outside world.

19. Engage in repetitive movements and left-right movements. Research has shown that repetitive movement (knitting, coloring, painting, clay sculpting, jump roping etc) especially left-right movement (running, drumming, skating, hopping) can be effective at self-soothing and maintaining self-regulation in moments of distress.

20. Find an expressive art and go for it. Our emotional brain is very receptive to the creative arts, and it is a direct portal for release of feeling. Find something that is creative (sculpting, drawing, dancing, music, singing, playing) and give it your all. See how relieved you can feel. It is a very effective way of helping kids to emote and communicate as well!

21. Find lightness and humor in each day. There is a lot to be worried about, and with good reason. Counterbalance this heaviness with something funny each day: cat videos on YouTube, a stand-up show on Netflix, a funny movie—we all need a little comedic relief in our day, every day.

22. Reach out for help. If you are having difficulty coping, seek out help for the first time. There are people on the ready to help you through this crisis. Your children’s teachers and related service providers will do anything within their power to help, especially for those parents tasked with the difficult task of being a whole treatment team to their child with special challenges. Seek support groups of fellow home-schoolers, parents, and neighbors to feel connected. There is help and support out there, any time of the day—although we are physically distant, we can always connect virtually.

23. “Chunk” your quarantine, take it moment by moment. We have no road map for this. We don’t know what this will look like in 1 day, 1 week, or 1 month from now. Often, when I work with patients who have anxiety around overwhelming issues, I suggest that they engage in a strategy called “chunking”—focusing on whatever bite-sized piece of a challenge that feels manageable. Whether that be 5 minutes, a day, or a week at a time—find what feels doable for you, and set a time stamp for how far ahead in the future you will let yourself worry. Take each chunk one at a time, and move through stress in pieces.

24. Remind yourself daily that this is temporary. It seems in the midst of this quarantine that it will never end. It is terrifying to think of the road stretching ahead of us. Please take time to remind yourself that although this is very scary and difficult, and will go on for an undetermined amount of time, it is a season of life and it will pass. We will return to feeing free, safe, busy, and connected in the days ahead.

25. Find the lesson. This whole crisis can seem sad, senseless, and at times, avoidable. When psychologists work with trauma, a key feature to helping someone work through said trauma is to help them find their agency, the potential positive outcomes they can effect, the meaning and construction that can come out of destruction. What can each of us learn here, in big and small ways, from this crisis? What needs to change in ourselves, our homes, our communities, our nation, and our world?

Copy and pasted from a friend in the mental health field.

A big THANK YOU to and all of the restaurants, as well as all of the employees and delivery drivers, that are working to stay open and serve the public with some tasty food in the safest ways possible. ❤️❤️❤️

Sunday. A day to be enjoyed, not resented. A day to bask in self-care and fulfillment, not regret. A day to be grateful for all of the opportunities available to us, both big and small.
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I have many reasons for my “why” to and health coaching. But today, it’s about a lesson that I needed in my own life: of slowing down, of living more intentionally, of not just going through the motions. And I’m still learning how to transition into a slower paced, but more fulfilled way of life. After years of work, work, work, it feels odd and unnatural to prioritize our own needs and desires, to slow down, to realize that if we don’t take care of ourselves, we’re not taking care of anything.
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And, that’s why I’m creating programs for you, designed around self-care, fulfillment and joy, as well as nutrition and movement.
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But, for today, it’s all about the sun, fresh air, lapping waves, a healthy smoothie, soft sand, and a good book.
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What are you doing for your self-care today?
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Happy Holidays! Wishing you a day filled with good food, good laughs and plenty of love. And a little bit of rest and relaxation too. 🌲🎁
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“And suddenly you know: It's time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.” ~ Meister Eckhart
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Today is surreal, bittersweet, exciting. Full of memories, growth, experiences. Today is the day that I completed my last evaluation, my last clinical analysis, my last treatment plan, my last set of goals designed to progress my patients to independence. The last day that I will teach my patient how to do something again after experiencing a debilitating illness or injury. The last day that I will tell my patient that he/she is finally able to return home independently. Today, I completed my career as an Occupational Therapist. After 22 years, I have given everything I have to my profession and, more importantly, to my patients. The time has come…it’s time to start something new.
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Today, I open myself up to new possibilities, new experiences, new memories. Today I am a full time Health and Wellness Coach. Today, I start performing new assessments, creating new treatment plans, establishing new goals. Today, I start helping my clients minimize their frustration and overwhelm surrounding their health and help them find easy, achievable, and sustainable lifestyle solutions so that they can get their health under control and start living the life they desire. Today, I start teaching my clients about the Five Foundations of Wellness that are key to living a healthy and vibrant life and how to incorporate them effortlessly into their daily life.
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Today is surreal, bittersweet, exciting. Full of possibilities, fear and choices. Today is the day to start something new. I hope you will join me as I get this adventure underway.
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As the season starts to change from summer to fall, our routine typically changes too. And our sleep routine is no exception. Did you know that without enough sleep, your body and brain are in perpetual overdrive and overwhelm? You’re not able to perform at your best and this can lead to mistakes in your personal and professional life, as well as severe health problems.

Learn simple ways to improve your sleep quality by clicking here: http://bit.ly/5ReasonsToSleep.

Leave a comment and let me know what you do to consistently get a good night's sleep. 😴

A nice reminder on my morning walk today. How many times do we get so focused on the outcome or the destination that we forget to enjoy the process or the journey that we took to get there? I bet we are missing out on some pretty amazing stuff when we don’t pick our heads up, slow down and enjoy the ride.
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“According to UCLA’s Mindfulness Awareness Research Center, regularly expressing gratitude literally changes the molecular structure of the brain, keeps the gray matter functioning, and makes us healthier and happier.”

Neuroscience Reveals How Gratitude Literally Rewires Your Brain to Be Happier Look in the mirror when you are brushing your teeth, and think about something you...

I used to think that nutrition and exercise were the keys to health and wellness; I prescribed to the 80/20 "rule" for years. However, although they are still important, I now believe that mindset/emotional health is actually the most important key to our health and happiness.
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It doesn't matter how clean you eat, how many reps you do or how many days you hit the gym, if you aren't taking care of your mind and soul, your body is still going to struggle. How we feel about ourselves, what our inner voice whispers to us, the choices we make all day, every day impact our overall health, wellness, happiness and connection with ourselves and others. The constant stress and negativity that we are exposed to everyday, both internally and externally. The stories that we tell ourselves about how we aren't good enough, smart enough, whatever enough. It all takes a toll on our physical health, as well as our emotional and spiritual health, of which nutrition and exercise alone won't be able to "fix".
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Finding a mindful practice that consists of meditation and journaling has guided me to an inner peace that I have not experienced in quite some time. Carving out 20 minutes every morning to focus "souly" on my mindset has been a game changer, especially during my many surgeries/recoveries over the past 7 months. I actually look forward to that time, with the morning breeze and the rising sun, it is a great start to my day.
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I encourage you to consider meditation and/or journaling. Or, another act of self-love and mindfulness. Maybe it's 10 deep, slow breaths while you enjoy your morning coffee. Maybe it's repeating a mantra, such as "today is a great day" or "I choose to be happy". Maybe it's your morning run/walk without music and just enjoying your surroundings or witnessing the thoughts that meander through your mind.
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Summer = Cherries
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These little guys provide a plethora of benefits! If you're looking for anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as a boost of potassium, vitamin C and fiber, then cherries are for you. They can help to improve your cardiovascular health, minimize inflammation and inflammatory pain and improve sleep.
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The next time you're at the store, grab yourself some of these beauties.
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This book has been a great addition to my life! A couple of hours of meal prep on Sunday equals 3 delicous, healthy, paleo meals for the rest of the week, plus leftovers that can be used for the other nights or frozen for later. Even though I'm a health and nutrition coach, I'm not a chef, recipe creator or lover of cooking so I too need easy, delicious and healthy solutions.
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And, as I prepare for one more surgery tomorrow, it is going to make having healthy and healing meals available over the next several weeks so much easier! Not to mention the benefits for my short and long term recovery.
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If you are struggling with getting healthy dinners on the table, I would recommend grabbing this by . You won't be disappointed.
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This is what happens when you ask your detail oriented “Sous Chef” (aka husband) to divide the meat evenly for your weekly meal prep. 😂😂😂
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This is what the aftermath of a successful workout looks like. After a necessary break for the past couple of weeks, it felt so good to move my body again. The immediate return of both physical and mental energy is amazing.

Here’s what I did today. Let me know if you give it a try and what you think.

10 minute warm up on bike

3 x 10 (x weight of choice)
Bicep Curl, seated on stability ball
Stability Ball Skull Crushers

3x10 (x weight of choice)
Sumo Squat
Single RDL on Bosu with Bent Over Row

2x10 (x weight of choice)
Front Raise to Lateral Raise, seated on stability ball
Shoulder Press, seated on stability ball

2x10 (x weight of choice)
Romanian Deadlift
Bent Over Reverse Delt Fly

3x10
Supine Leg Raises
Russian Twists with
Shoulder Tap Plank

This was absolutely delicious! Super easy and minimal time spent in the kitchen...two of my must haves for cooking. BBQ Mini Meatloaves with Carrot Fries and a spinach/arugula side salad from ’s cookbook.

A colorful, delicious healing veggie wrap on this cold, dreary and reflective Colorado day.

Quick and easy. Cassava and Chia tortillas, spinach, red pepper hummus, cucumber, red pepper, tomato, onion, carrot, sunflower seeds, lemon juice, olive oil and a seasoning mix of salt, pepper, sage, thyme and oregano.

And yum! Coconut Butternut Squash Curry with carrots, broccoli and pumpkin seeds. What an easy and delicous way to get in my healthy fats, protein and vegetables. 😋❤️

Productive.

Putting the finishing touches on a clean eating and self-care program. Making a delicious pork tenderloin to turn into Tacos El Pastor. Had a great workout with my trainer to continue my rehab protocol. Cleaned up my unread emails. Meditated for 15 minutes.

What is your positive word or mantra for the day? Do you find that mantras or positive thoughts help you stay in charge of your feelings and in charge of your day.

The last couple of months have been stressful, to say the least. My recovery process has been slow and long. Plus the added stressors of medical bills, not working, moving and selling our house have taken a toll. So, I am prioritizing my stress and anxiety management with the addition of Epsom Salt baths to my repertoire of self-care techniques.

A definite de-stressor, for sure. But, the health and wellness benefits run much deeper. Studies have shown that the magnesium from the epsom salt and the use of essential oils can minimize symptoms of depression, improve sleep, stimulate detoxification, minimize muscle aches/pains and reduce inflammation.

Here's my recipe.
1 cup epsom salt
1/2 cup baking soda
20 drops each of Lavender and Juniper Berry essential oils
Phone on airplane mode
30 minute guided meditation
Deep Breathing

What's your favorite recipe?

Patience. Positivity. Practice. Persistence.

Four simple words that can have a tremendous impact on your physical and emotional health. In order to achieve them, you have to make the choice to put in the work and commitment, everyday.

They don't come easy to me, that's for sure, especially during this recovery process. But, I choose to work on them everyday. I choose to trust the process. I choose to trust the lesson. I choose to use nature as a guide that all life beings have seasons and each one brings with it changes and challenges and growth and beauty. If you're patient enough to notice...

A refreshing morning walk = mind and body wellness. Nature is one of the best (and cheapest) ways to reduce stress and improve overall well-being. Plus, the added benefits of 30 minutes of daily movement and Vitamin D can't be ignored.

And breakfast is served....for the rest of the week.

I love starting my day with healthy foods that fuel my body. Not only does it make me feel good at the time, but it also encourages me to continue making healthy food choices throughout the day.

This lovely (egg-free) Chicken Apple Sausage and Sweet Potato breakfast hash is filled sugar-free bacon, brussel sprouts, red onion, red pepper, zucchini, garlic herb seasoning and salt/pepper (and obviously chicken apple sausage and sweet potato). And the recipe is brought to you by ; she has a ton of recipes on her blog when I'm needing some inspiration.

Life is full of choices, both big and small. And, every morning we are all rewarded with the opportunity to make a choice about how we will spend our day. Choices that can either move us forward toward our goals and dreams or pull us back from them.

I choose to spend 30 minutes every morning and every afternoon doing my physical therapy exercises so that I can recover and get back to the things I enjoy, like full body workouts, hiking and paddle boarding.

What are you choosing to do today that could have a positive impact on your goals and dreams?

Whether it’s Monday morning and you’re running late for a meeting or it’s Saturday afternoon and the fridge is empty, you’ll be happy that you spent a few minutes to prep these smoothie bags and throw them in the freezer.

What a super easy way to get a quick, healthy meal when you’re busy adulting.

This round of smoothie bags have spinach, banana (sliced and pre-frozen), coconut milk (pre-frozen), chia seeds, collagen powder, cacao powder, greens powder and protein powder. Just add water or your favorite nut milk and you’ll be good to go.

What are your favorite smoothie combinations that you could prep and freeze?

“Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” - Joshua J. Marine

Recovery can be a long and daunting process, both physically and mentally. By establishing a daily schedule to meet my goals and create habits, I am creating space to achieve and maintain a positive mindset and a strong body.

Here are a few things that I am doing daily:
1.) Green juice every morning
2.) Reading and reflecting on a daily mantra/journaling
3.) Reading one chapter a day
4.) 15-30 minute binaural meditation
5.) Prescribed PT exercises
6.) 30 minutes of movement
7.) Minimum of 70 ounces of water/fluid

What are some of your daily goals/habits/routines that keep you going day to day?

I get by with a little help from my “friends”.

I feel very grateful that I have the ability to combine my medications and physical therapy with natural remedies, as well as with good nutrition and self care habits, to assist in my recovery.

Diffusing the “Breathe” essential oil blend has not only helped to keep the air moist during our dry Colorado winter, but has also helped me to breathe easier and to minimize the onset of any colds. Applying the H**p Oil, along with either the “Deep Blue” or “Nerve Pain” essential oil blends topically are helping to minimize the muscle and nerve pain so that I can do my shoulder/elbow exercises, get a restful sleep and engage in my daily activities. And the scar gel is already making an impact on the appearance of my scar and it’s been less than a week since I was cleared to start doing scar massage.

**p

doTERRA Essential Oils Vibrant Blue Oils H**pCo DERMA E