12 Golden Pieces of Advice from Therapists

2020 has brought on an endless onslaught of emotions If you are having trouble viewing this email, [click here.](  You are receiving this email because you have expressed an interest in quality health and lifestyle tips. You can remove your email by clicking [unsubscribe]( at any time, or simply reply back to this email asking to be removed.  Here's Today's Tip... 12 Things. Between the pandemic and political upheaval, 2020 has brought on an endless onslaught of emotions. If it’s taught us anything, it’s that we could all use a therapist in our corner. One of the overwhelming benefits of seeing a mental health professional is being able to glean a new perspective on stressful situations and issues that are affecting your life. And let’s face it, we’ve all experienced our fair share of new and stressful situations this past year. Whether you’re in therapy to learn how to better cope with a mental health disorder or to just have a safe place to vent, a therapist can provide you with invaluable guidance and insight. At the end of this long and grueling year, most of us could use a few words of therapeutic wisdom. What follows is a dozen golden pieces of advice that we’ve gathered from therapists. While we think these can be highly useful insights, we do want to remind you that they’re not intended to be a substitute for therapy nor should they be misconstrued as medical/mental health advice. - Thoughts are not facts. Our brains can move a million miles per hour, and we can get so wrapped up in our thoughts that they become our reality. But the truth is our thoughts are not facts. - Be gentle with yourself. We’re all facing collective trauma, and many of us are emotionally exhausted. Grant yourself (and others) the grace and empathy you deserve. - You don’t need to carry all the burdens. You’re not responsible for other people’s emotions; you don’t need to carry all that with you. It’s not your knapsack. - We cannot control other people’s thoughts. Despite your best-laid intentions, you cannot control what others think, and you shouldn’t stress yourself so much about doing so. - Sit with grief and allow yourself to feel it. Grief isn’t relegated to the loss of a loved one, although many people have sadly experienced that this year also. The loss of life as we knew it also brings on the grieving process. Sit with the discomfort; face it. Stop trying to be fine; start being real. - Take care of yourself first. You’re the battery to the car; if you’re not taken care of, the care won’t work. - There’s never a perfect moment to have hard conversations. There’s not always a perfect moment and you won’t always be prepared; you don’t need to stress yourself over waiting for perfect to initiate thoughtful discussions about important topics. - It’s healthy to set boundaries with others. It’s okay to set boundaries. It’s okay to say no. It’s okay to speak up for yourself. It’s okay to ask for help. - Be helpful with your words. It can be instinctive to approach potentially heated conversations from a place of anger or frustration; but instead, be calm and helpful with your words. - Your voice matters. Even if you don’t think you’re the smartest person in the room, your voice still matters. - You know your body and mind better than anyone. Listen to yourself; connect with your body. You are your best and most intuitive healer. Your body holds great wisdom; take time to listen and get to know her better. You are the expert of you. - Give yourself the empathy you freely give to others. Turn the empathy you give to others inward. Though therapy requires constant effort in and outside of sessions, these powerful teachable moments can empower you to keep going and growing. To You, Change That Up By the way... Do you wake up in the morning with stiff joints or pain in your hips, back, knees or elbows? Then chances are you're feeling the effects of chronic inflammation taking its toll on your body.  The good news is that it is NEVER too late to help get this under control. And the best part is there are certain foods that help you do this naturally, without the need for prescriptions medications.  3-Sec Quiz: What is the #1 Anti-inflammatory Food?  A: [Turmeric]( B: [Onion]( C: [Pineapple]( D: [Black Pepper]( E: [Other](  Make your selection above or [click here to skip straight to the answer.](  Remember, it's NEVER too late to get chronic inflammation under control. You just need to know how to do it.  [Click here to discover the #1 anti-inflammatory food =>](    *We always recommend consulting your family physician before making any major change in your daily routine. This email was sent to {EMAIL} by support@changethatup.com Scottsdale, AZ 85255 [Edit Profile]( | [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Report Spam](