May + June 2023 Newsletter: Giving Grace, Setting Intentions, and Living Aligned with Your Values
Welcome to this edition of my monthly newsletter! Maybe you noticed, maybe not, that I’m combining May and June’s newsletter. I think this is an excellent reminder for you (and definitely for me), that I’m human and sometimes life gets in the way. In May, the things that got in my way, in the best way, were: my first week back in school, preparing for and leading a workshop, and a girl’s weekend at the beach. And now that we’re well into June, life looks like getting swept up into Summer, playing in my garden, and spending precious time with friends and family.
Therapy Theme
Getting swept up in Summer feels beautifully woven into this newsletter’s therapy theme: how can you live with intention? What does it mean to live a life that is aligned with your values? When I think about these ideas for me and this newsletter specifically, my intention is to connect with you, share resources, and let you in on what’s going on in my world. And when I reflect on my values, the things that I’m leaning into are giving myself grace, not taking on more than I can handle, slowing down, and doing my best to practice in my life what I preach in my work with clients. In short, combining two months of newsletters checks all those boxes for me. I needed a little more time, I gave myself grace, and I tried not to stress about it.
When I talk with my clients about living intentionally, what I mean is doing things on purpose. We spend a great deal of life moving forward unconsciously, meaning that things happen, and rather than rock the boat, we just go with it. Living intentionally means pausing long enough to ask yourself the question: “is this really what I want my life to look like? If not, what can I do about it?”
If you want to start living more intentionally, a great place to start is to examine your values. This means taking a look at what traits or characteristics of your life/relationships are important to you. For example, if growth is an important value in your life, that gives you an opportunity to examine whether or not the way in which you are living is aligned with that value. Where are you challenging yourself to grow? Are you engaging in self-reflection? Are you stepping outside your comfort zone?
This sentiment can apply across the board: if one of your core values is X, can you tell by your actions? Are you acting as if you are the type of person who upholds that value? And if the answer is no, maybe something needs to shift so that your values are present in your day to day life.
Resources + Updates
I also want to share several new and exciting practice updates here at Mind Body Wellness!
First, my Building Better Boundaries workshop took place a few weeks ago, and it was amazing to share space with some of you! I’ve since re-recorded the workshop so that it’s available to you if you missed it. Not only that, but I also included the audio file too, so that if you enjoy podcast style (like me!), you have that option too. I don’t know about you, but anytime I buy something I have to sit down to watch on my own time, it doesn’t work out that well. So, to honor multiple learning styles, I’ve decided to add both. This workshop dives into boundaries: what they are, how to decide when you need them, and how to communicate your boundaries to others. Building Better Boundaries is a low cost investment ($22) for high-impact information that will help you take intentional action in your life to set boundaries where you need them. Grab the video + audio files here!
This month, I’ve been working on compiling a resources page on my website that will be a living document of available resources for you. I’ll include my own offerings, books I recommend, podcasts I love, and much more. I’ll still share resources here with you, but I wanted to put them all in one place so you have them for your reference. Check it out and let me know what you think!
I’m also so pleased/proud/excited to announce that I am officially a member of the Pro Choice Therapists Network. This resource is an online directory of therapists who have committed to providing supportive and empathetic care around abortion. I'm so glad a resource like this exists, and am honored to be part of this organization. If you want to explore this resource, you can do so here.
Finally, a podcast that I’m loving this month is on Internal Family Systems. I’m personally not an IFS therapist, but I found this podcast and the perspective of IFS to be extremely helpful. Next on my reading list is the book that goes along with it!
In my personal world, I'm landing in the thick of being back in school while also running my business. Holding the duality of excitement and busyness all at once means not only stretching my brain (which I love), but also stretching my organizational skills. At the same time, I feel like I'm growing and stretching in all capacities, really. I’m sitting with the immense feeling of responsibility that comes with training in an emerging field, and I'm also feeling a profound sense of hope that comes from witnessing the power of this medicine used in the therapeutic context. In short, there's a lot cooking over here. There will be much more to come from me in this area, but for now, I'm still allowing myself space to integrate everything I'm learning.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for connecting with me! It's truly a privilege to share space with you.
