Mindful parenting helps parents to remain present, and compassionate when our children become emotionally explosive. Rather than succumb to the impact of stress, and negative reactions such as yelling, withdrawing, or using threats or bribes, mindful parenting helps...
Radical acceptance allows us to see ourself and the situation we are in as we/it truly is so we can live life to the fullest. Rather than avoid situations that may trigger difficult emotions, distress tolerance increases confidence and self-esteem. As we learn to...
In a van bouncing along bumby, dusty switchbacks from L’Ago Atitlan to Guatemala city, I discovered the Peruvian Medecine Wheel (hereafter “the wheel”). The wheel provides a map for how we can hold compassion for ourselves, and embrace each phase of our journey to...
Self leadership happens the moment we live life to the fullest. Curiousity, confidence, clarity, compassion, playfulness, and love all blossom in the presence of Self Leadership. Case in point: today I stood beneath a raging waterfall at the foot of a cave. The water...
In the soundscape of this remote Guatemalan village, the Lago D’Atitlan, I sit and contemplate the awareness response. The awareness response is responding rather than reacting to the steady flow of thoughts, feelings, and sensations that arise from moment to...
A guided mindfulness practice to bring the present moment into focus. Harmonize with breath, body awareness, and 5 sense perception. Take a step back from unhelpful thinking, cultivate loving kindness, and re-wire the Critic to be a more helpful thinker.
The Critic is a reflection of unhelpful beliefs, judgments, and patterns that we have internalized from our role models, and early relationship dynamics. Using mindfulness we can pause, take a step back, and train the Critic to be a helpful thinker that supports us to...
Unhelpful Thinking Styles: All or nothing thinking Mental filter that notices failures but not successes Jumping to conclusions (mind reading or fortune telling) Emotional Reasoning (I feel embarassed therefore I must be an idiot) Labeling (I’m a complete loser)...
Resources for Understanding Trauma: Trauma and the Body, by Pat Ogden, Kekuni Minton, and Clare Pain Understanding Trauma: Integrating Biological, Clinical and Cultural Perspectives, by Laurence J.Kirmayer, Robert Lemelson, and Mark Barad In An Unspoken Voice, by...
