It is no surprise that so many of us are facing more stress than ever before with the COVID-19 pandemic. We find ourselves asking questions like, “How is this going to impact my loved ones?” How will this impact our economy?” “Will I lose my job?” “Will my business survive?” “When will I get to see my friends and my parents again?” These are all valid questions, and questions that we don’t yet have the answers to. Things are unknown, unfamiliar, and that fear of ‘not knowing’ allows our minds to easily wonder into dark places. Then, we inundate ourselves with negative social media and news that only furthers our anxiety. At some point, we become paralyzed with fear and curl into a fetal position. Trust me, I’ve been there! As a small business owner and someone who is tackling this pandemic during her 3 rd trimester of pregnancy, I’ve felt ALL the feels! I’ve really had to do some work on myself to help with my anxiety and stress levels so that I can continue to be there for my son and my husband, so that I can show up as a leader for my team, and so that I can show up and support my patients during this time. So, I wanted to share the things that I have been doing to allow myself to become better and show up every day for the people that I care most about.

1) Start my day with gratitude. Since the beginning of the year, I have used Rachel Hollis’s “start today” journal where I begin each and every day writing down the 5 things that I am grateful for. This can be simple things like a good night’s sleep, the coffee that you are sipping on, your child’s contagious laugh, or even the roof over your head. When you are able to start the day with gratitude, it truly reminds you of all the things that we are so blessed to have. By concentrating on these things every morning, we begin to notice all the small things that we take for granted, and become grateful for them. This allows us to start our day with a positive mindset, and takes us out of fear.

2) Limit access to Social Media and the News. We have to remind ourselves that the news is a business, and they are going to report on things that sell. They will not run a segment on how beautiful the weather has been, but they WILL run 24 hour coverage on the hurricane that is coming. In this instance, the news will report on the deaths that have happened due to COVID- 19, rather than focusing on the hundreds of thousands of people who have recovered. These news channels are smart, and run a successful business. They know exactly what to say to feed into our fear and anxiety so that we tune in. Be informed on the current status of the virus and the economic status of our country, but limit the amount of time that you spend filling your brain with negative information.

3) Be in action. Whether this is to organize the closet that you’ve been wanting to do for 10 years, or to write a blog post for your business (see what I’m doing here?), be in action. When we are constantly taking action, we are able to accomplish things that are IN OUR CONTROL. In a time that feels like things are so uncertain and so out of our control, taking action allows us to control various aspects of our life. When we feel like we are in control of our life, we walk away feeling accomplished, more productive, and more motivated to keep moving forward.

4) Remind ourselves that this is temporary. Like all things, this too shall pass. When it does, plan a celebratory event where you are able to see all your friends and family! Plan a nice dinner out with your work team! Celebrate that we WILL get through this together!

5) Get adjusted! Chiropractic adjustments reset the nervous system and take us out of the “fight or flight” stress mode, by activating the parasympathetic or “rest, digest, and relaxation” part of our nervous system. Adjustments keep our nervous system functioning properly, keep us healthy, and help to reduce our stress response so that we are better able to live life, and show up every day for the people that mean the most to us!

How do you know if you’re healthy?

According to the WHO, the US ranks 27th in healthcare, far below most first world countries. Our country consumes more pharmaceutical drugs than any other country and yet is still incredibly sick. In the US alone, 1 in 2 people will be affected by cancer, and 48% of the population will develop heart disease throughout their lifetime. So, why does this happen?

Well, in my experience, our country has done a poor job actually understanding what true health is. And if we can’t define it properly, how would we even know where to begin taking appropriate action? When I talk to most patients in the office, they assume that they are healthy if they feel good, and that they are unhealthy if they are expressing symptoms.

However, I want to challenge this belief system. Most people assume that a fever is a bad thing (and take medication to lower it). However, in all reality, a fever is your body’s first line of defense against a foreign pathogen. When your immune system detects viruses/ bacteria, it will innately raise your internal body temperature to kill this foreign invader off. Talk about a healthy response of the body!

On the other hand, one of the first signs of a heart attack in 50% of cases, is the heart attack itself. Those people never felt any chest pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness. But, were they healthy? Of course not.

These examples prove that we can’t just base our health on how we FEEL. Our definition of health has got to be based on how our body FUNCTIONS! As a chiropractor, I get excited about talking about FUNCTION since I work with system in the body that controls the FUNCTION of every single cell, tissue, muscle, and organ in the body- the nervous system. If our nervous system controls and coordinates every function in the body, and can function appropriately, we can achieve true health! We have got to change our definition of health. Let’s redefine it as health= 100% function.

Check out our wellness workshop to learn how to get your body to function appropriately, and truly BE healthy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u53LPMVLKkQ

5 Ways to Improve Communication and Create a Renewed Foundation in Your Relationship with Your Teen – Part 1

It’s no secret that the relationship between a teen and their parents is complicated during high school and college years. In addition to raging hormones and wanting to test the boundaries, teens often stop communicating with their parents, because it’s not “cool” to talk to them about most things, or in general. If you’re going through this, you’re not alone. Almost all parents come across this problem. How you respond, though, will either make or break your relationship with your teen for years to come. By fostering a true connection with your teen through authentic communication, you’ll create a dialogue and dynamic where you and your teen see the other for who they truly are, drop the expectations and judgments and hear each other in a productive way. 

Authentically communicating with your teen may sound difficult, but the best things in life always take work. Fortunately, it isn’t impossible. Here are five simple ways that you can improve communication and create a positive foundation in your relationship with your teen for years to come. 

1. Leave the Past in the Past

Dwelling on the past or things that have already happened won’t do you or your teen any good. In fact, it will strain a relationship and communication efforts if either of you brings up hurtful comments, actions or mistakes. It’s also a huge waste of both of your energy. Good introspection as a parent always begins with asking yourself, “By me saying or doing this, will this bring us closer together or further apart?”

Remember, you can’t take back whatever happened, so instead, give yourselves permission to let it go, wipe the slate clean, and move forward. It’s also important to make a commitment to operate only in a forward-facing or present state of mind. Trust us, we know this is difficult and not always realistic. Parents are humans too! If you’re struggling to let something go that constantly rears itself in a negative way when it comes to your relationship with your child, reach out to us for guidance.  The same goes for if you feel like they harbor resentment towards you for whatever reason. Holding on to resentment and not communicating is toxic for any relationship.

2. Manage Expectations

Nothing hurts more than someone failing to meet our expectations, regardless of who they are. This is even truer when your teen may not rise to your expectations about how they behave, how they should perform in school and how they should communicate. Set yourself up for success by dropping any preconceived ideas of how your teen should behave/perform. By dropping these expectations and judgments, you’re more likely to respond to less-than-ideal situations calmly and you’ll open the door to having healthy communication with your teen. 

It’s important to note as parents, your roles shift drastically during the teenage years, especially for how much you should be involved as a motivator for your teen. Their drive for motivation to do well in school and extracurricular activities must come from themselves as much as it comes from parents or peers otherwise it becomes meaningless to them in the long haul.

If you’re constantly feeling like you have to nag your teen to do their homework, study for their test or prepare for their SAT/ACT, chances are they may have a deficit in their internal motivation. Know when to shift roles from being a director (like you were when they were younger) to a facilitator (someone who fosters their independence, autonomy, and self-motivation, in your teen). After all, they’ll be off to college soon and we want to empower your teen to not only be able to survive on their own, but to thrive! Ask them, “What expectations do you hold for yourself if mom and dad no longer had any for you?” A mix of self, friends, and family driving their motivation is both healthy and adaptive. If their answer is that their motivation is based solely on you, it may be time to seek help from a mental health professional.

 

 

ABOUT Travis McNulty, LMHC, GAL

Travis McNulty is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and founder of McNulty Counseling and Wellness whose office is located in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg, FL. Stressed out parents who have nowhere left to turn are his forte as he has worked with thousands of children/teens and their parents to improve communication while restoring loving and communicative relationships. He works with adolescents and young adults by implementing empirically supported cognitive behavioral therapy combined with humanistic psychology to promote balance in the lives of his clients from a holistic perspective. Providing parenting support, guiding communication changes, and collaborating with parents by answering some of the most difficult questions that they face leaves them feeling assured that they’re doing the best job possible as parents.

Travis and his team of expert clinicians are proud to work alongside Dr. Savy and her amazing team at Blossom Family Chiropractic to regularly provide insight on challenging topics related to positive holistic psychology. “Mothers and fathers are exposed to an extreme amount of mental and physical stress that over time throws our entire being out of alignment (pun intended). With all joking aside, this can lead to major negative implications in our health, our relationships, and our ability to care for others, which is why it is so important to seek help from the experts for your physical and mental health.” Call McNulty Counseling and Wellness today for a free consultation, 727-344-9867!

There are several benefits to babywearing:

👉🏻Happy Babies!
In a study published in the journal Pediatrics, researchers found that babywearing for three hours a day reduced infant crying by 43 percent overall and 54 percent during evening hours.

👉🏻Healthy Babies!
Premature babies and babies with special needs often enter the world with fragile nervous systems. When a baby rides in a sling attached to his mother, he is in tune with the rhythm of her breathing, the sound of her heartbeat, and the movements his mother makes—walking, bending, and reaching. This stimulation helps him to regulate his own physical responses. Research has even shown that premature babies who are touched and held gain weight faster and are healthier than babies who are not.

👉🏻Confident Parents!
A large part of feeling confident as a parent is the ability to read our babies’ cues successfully. Holding our babies close allows us to become finely attuned to their movements, gestures, and facial expressions. Every time a baby is able to let us know that she is hungry, bored, or wet without having to cry, her trust in us is increased, her learning is enhanced, and our own confidence is reinforced. This cycle of positive interaction deepens the mutual attachment between parent.

👉🏻Comfort and Convenience!
With the help of a good carrier, you can take care of older children or do chores without frequent interruptions from an anxious or distressed infant—which helps to reduce sibling rivalry. Baby carriers are also wonderful to use with older babies and toddlers; you can save those arms and go where strollers can’t.

We love babywearing!!! 🙂

  

 

1. What is Empowered Births & Beginnings?

Empowered Births and Beginnings exists to empower women and their partners through some of the most memorable times of their lives; the birth of their child and the postpartum period. With #reallife conversations, evidence-based education, and compassionate, non-biased support, I offer childbirth education and empowerment classes and 4th trimester (postpartum) doula services.

2. What inspired you to create Empowered Births & Beginnings?

I knew when I took my own childbirth education class when pregnant with our first baby, that I was going to teach.  The empowerment I felt by learning what to expect, how to cope through my labor and how to include my partner fully in the process was what started it all.

Fast forward to after having two babies SUPER close together, and going through some pretty tough times as a new Mom during my 4th Trimester and beyond, I realized that there’s just too much noise out there in the world around #Momming – what to do, what not to do, judgement, fear, mompetition and I just got SUPER clear that what we as Moms need is help navigating through that noise and cutting out all the stuff that doesn’t resonate, and learning to trust our intuition in the process. Not an easy feat, but oh so important to our own sanity and peace of mind, and to that of our sweet families.  Hence, the addition of my 4th trimester doula services, and helping to co-create and lead the Normalizing the 4th Trimester Moms Groups that are about to start up at Breath of Life, next month (April 2nd).

3. What is your vision/goal for women who go through your birth series?

My intention is that they leave with a greater sense of their strength, intuition and greatness leading up to their births so that they can face the unpredictable nature of labor and childbirth with power and confidence. In providing a well-rounded and evidence-based series, it is also my intention to help women and their partners to understand their options and to feel confident in conversations with their care providers leading up to their birth, encouraging informed choices and a collaborative and trusting relationship with their care providers. This is SO my heart.

4. Can you explain some details of each birth class?

My classes are a combination of evidence based information, gentle exercises, conscious breathing, and #reallife conversations, these are classes for everyone, regardless of their birth preferences or facility.

Breath and Movement: Two Keys to an Empowered Labor and Birth

I kick off the series by teaching how important breath and movement are during labor. Moms and labor partners will learn practical techniques to foster awareness and presence in the body, to be used both during labor and those final weeks of pregnancy. We’ll also discuss easy to remember and helpful tips around nutrition, ensuring Mom and baby get what they need during pregnancy.

The Letting Go of Labor: Stages and Phases and Labor Support Techniques

I love this class – we focus on what’s happening during Stage 1 labor: early, active and transition. We talk about physical and emotional signs so that Moms and Dads can understand what’s happening and how to identify how Mom is moving through the phases of Stage 1 labor. Moms will learn some more movement techniques and Dads (or labor partners) will do an exercise to understand how to support Moms during labor.

Practice for Labor: Labor Positions and a Labor Rehearsal

Moms and labor partners will learn different comfort measures, tools for labor, and multiple positions to help bring their baby into the world. Upon completing this class, Moms and Dads (labor partners) will have “rehearsed” a labor experience, giving them both confidence in their abilities and memories and tools to draw upon for when they go into labor.

Pushing, Placentas and Making Informed Choices 

One of the most impactful classes in the series, in this class we cover what expecting parents need to know about natural, non-medical ways to encourage labor to begin or progress and a review of common medical interventions. We will cover what their options are and what questions to ask their care provider in order to help them make informed and empowered choices. We also focus on Stage 2 labor and how to push that beautiful baby earthside and what to know about Stage 3 Labor, birthing the placenta.

Preparing for Baby: The First Hour, The First Few Weeks

Moms and Dads will learn what to expect in the first hour of their baby arriving earthside, including what are common procedures in various birth settings, and what they need to know to ensure those first few moments are within their expectations and as sacred as possible.

They’ll be prepared for the first few weeks by learning the basics of baby care and an intro to breastfeeding, with many additional resources given for support. We also discuss things they can do now to create a powerful beginning to their “4th Trimester” so that it is as peaceful as possible for them and their new baby.

 

The next Empowered Birth Series starts Thursday, May 3rd at Thank You Mama.

For more information, go to @EmpoweredBirthandBeginnings on Facebook!

Dawn Herring

Empowered Births & Beginnings

Childbirth Education & Postpartum Doula Services

empoweredbirthseries@gmail.com

727-415-0800