mental wellness Archives - Page 2 of 2

25 07, 2015

4 Ways to Help Kids Understand Emotions with “Inside Out” (Disney/Pixar)

By Abigail Burd|2019-11-18T14:30:38-08:00July 25th, 2015|Categories: Blog, Giveaways/Free Resources, Mental Wellness, Parenting|Tags: cinematherapy, emotional development, emotional intelligence, mental health, mental wellness, parenting, psychotherapy, san diego therapist|3 Comments

My recent “Inside Out” Study Guide for helping teens and adults understand emotions has been getting positive feedback on Pinterest. Today I’m sharing some ideas for helping younger kids and tweens (grades K-8) use the Disney/Pixar movie to better understand their feelings.

1. An emotion pie chart

To be honest, I can’t take full credit. One of my young clients* came up with this idea on his own. He had the brilliant idea of turning his face into a pie chart and using the five colored emotions from Disney/Pixar’s “Inside Out” to represent the mix of his feelings. He then drew a key identifying the significance of each color.

You can use this idea […]

20 02, 2015

Sharing, Mindful Kids through Sportscasting

By Abigail Burd|2019-11-18T14:30:41-08:00February 20th, 2015|Categories: Blog, Mental Wellness, Parenting|Tags: mental wellness, mindfulness, parenting, san diego therapist|2 Comments

I took my youngest (now 16 months) to a playdate at a park the other day, which she doesn’t get to do nearly as much as my first baby did. She loved playing with other babies and toddlers and I got to chat with other moms. Sharing toys is always a topic with little ones, and one mom introduced me to the idea of “sportscasting” what is happening versus stepping in and making a child share. She said it comes from “RIE parenting,” an approach I immediately researched upon coming home.

Sportscasting describes what is happening without assigning blame. We don’t tell the child what to do, but let him or her try things out. This experimenting is how a child […]

19 01, 2015

How to Make SMART Goals (and How They Differ From Resolutions)

By Abigail Burd|2019-11-18T14:30:41-08:00January 19th, 2015|Categories: Blog, Mental Wellness|Tags: goals, life coach, mental wellness, san diego therapist|1 Comment

Has anyone broken a New Year’s Resolution yet? I shared recently why I believe New Year’s Resolutions don’t work. I also promised to write about SMART goals. What are SMART goals? Like self-care GRAPES, SMART is an acronym.

S = Specific

How many people choose broad goals that aren’t specific at all? If you are serious about manifesting change, take the time to picture what specifically it would look like. The more detail the better. Are your goals straightforward? Specifics help us focus our efforts and clearly define what we are going to do. WHAT are you going to do? WHY is […]

20 09, 2014

A Mother’s Unprocessed Childhood Experiences Can Decrease Her Ability to Respond Appropriately to Her Baby’s Cries

By Abigail Burd|2019-11-18T14:30:58-08:00September 20th, 2014|Categories: Blog, Maternal Mental Health, Mental Wellness|Tags: emotional development, mental wellness, postpartum|2 Comments

A study released last week¹ in Child Development provides new evidence that a mom’s ability to respond appropriately to her baby’s cries depends on her level of depression and her own childhood experiences.

Image source

The healthiest way to respond to an upset baby (quickly, consistently and warmly) was associated with mothers with healthier emotional development. Mothers who are depressed or who have problems regulating their emotions are more likely to focus on themselves and their own stress, rather than on the needs of the baby.¹

My two cents: New moms don’t want to focus on themselves, especially in something like therapy. This new study indicates yet another reason why taking a little time to be selfish and stay healthy is BEST FOR BABY. What keeps you healthy and balanced? […]

23 08, 2014

Some GRAPES a Day Keep the Psychiatrist Away: A Self-Care Checklist

By Abigail Burd|2020-04-18T20:30:54-07:00August 23rd, 2014|Categories: Blog, Mental Wellness|Tags: mental health, mental wellness, postpartum depression, san diego therapist, self care|2 Comments

Everyone knows that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. The vitamins and fiber are great for our physical health. But what about our mental health? Is there something simple to keep the psychiatrist away? Why not try some “grapes”? I am not referring literally to the fruit, although grapes and grape products (ahem, wine) are delicious (in moderation, of course.) I am talking about the acronym “GRAPES”: Gentleness, Relaxation, Accomplishment, Pleasure, Exercise and Social. These elements help keep us happy and content and are ways to practice healthy coping skills. Use the acronym as a way to quickly remember activities to practice self care.

GRAPES for Self Care

Let’s break down the elements of GRAPES. As we go through each one, try to brainstorm activities that […]

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