By addressing the whole person, there is a roadmap to transform suffering and disconnection into depth, wisdom and a deeper sense of connection to others and the natural world.
I believe in a comprehensive approach to emotional wellness. My professional and personal experience has taught me that psychological health is supported by physical wellbeing, by maintaining a connection to the natural world, to some form of spiritual practice and to community or people who care about us. As a result, I have moved my psychotherapy practice in a new direction to incorporate many of these essential components. Heartwalks naturally combines three powerful experiences: a caring therapeutic relationship, being close to nature and moving the body to help support emotional and physical vitality.
I have training and resources to support brain and body health through nutrition, micronutrients, exercise and a whole foods lifestyle. New advances in functional medicine and epigenetics are proving that simple lifestyle changes can result in profound shifts in health and even gene expression. Eating nutrient dense food or supplementing with micronutrients produces dramatic changes in mental health and is just one ingredient in helping the system function more efficiently in order to process emotions and integrate difficult life events.
Dr. Dan Siegal, a leading expert on brain development has created a simple model of seven daily activities and a guided meditation practice to optimize our mental well-being. The Healthy Mind Platter and The Wheel of Awareness are free online tools developed by Dr. Siegal to help to develop internal and relational connections in order to create a healthy mind. Dr. James S. Gordon, director of the Center for Mind-Body medicine, also offers a comprehensive model for treating depression in this March 2015 article.