Mindfulness and Overwhelmed Brains

Our brains can become overwhelmed when we have feelings of anger, worry, fear, sadness and pain. Even less dramatic feelings like the exhaustion of managing daily life can overwhelm the brain. Stressed Brains Stressed brains become very noisy – constantly checking for the next problem. Ruminating. Chattering. Worrying. Fretting about what comes next. Judging what […]

Take Advantage of the Restorative Power of Nature

When your child (or you!) needs to de-stress and restore, getting out into nature has a quick and astounding impact. Classrooms, work and urban environments require us to focus attention and block out distractions.   It’s mentally exhausting and causes physical and mental fatigue in children and adults. Being in nature has the opposite effect. It […]

Boost Emotions With A Sense Of Awe

Recent research has increased our understanding of the important role positive emotions have on our physical health. One emotion in particular has a quick and striking impact: the sense of awe. We feel awe when touched by the power or beauty of nature, or through art, exquisite music, or a moving spiritual experiences. How Awe affects […]

Are You Trying To Control Too Much????

  A lot of parenting involves managing the lives of others and making sure things get done. There are a lot of expectations about what should happen and when.  You may also have expectations about what your child should be like or how your child should behave and think. Sometimes this gets in the way […]

Reflections on the Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year. It is a time of quiet and waiting, of long darkness, as the days slowly turn toward lengthening light. There is wisdom to be drawn from nature — all things benefit from withdrawal and stillness as a preparation for renewal. Just as […]

What is Mindfulness?

    Mindfulness is consciously paying attention to what is currently happening in the outside world and within. Just for a short while. It is a choice you make to train yourself to check in more often and be more available to events, interactions, and even emotions as they happen. Background We humans spend a […]