Wellness Talk Today

12/14/2024

In the midst of this busy and often exhausting time of year, it’s so important to pause and reflect on all you’ve done, while committing to the activities that restore and rejuvenate you. This was the conversation I enjoyed leading with the dedicated Clinical Services staff of Solano County Office of Education ( ). This hard working group supports the mental health needs of students throughout the county and it felt good to lead them through exercises designed to support their mental health. Thanks for having me, SCOE!

05/02/2024

As an early kick-off to Mental Health Month, I had the pleasure of presenting at the Annual ACSA Conference in Reno (Regions 1, 2, 3, 4 in Northern California). This is a conference for educational administrators and the group that attended was wonderful! Despite facing challenges that are endemic to this field, there is a shared determination to support teachers and make their work as rewarding and sustainable as possible.

This year, the conference theme was “You’ve Got the Power: Pillars of Wellness for Educator Resilience.” I enjoyed presenting a session where I guided participants through the process of creating their own personalized stress-management toolkits. 💼

I hope you’ll take extra time this month to think about and engage in the practices that support your resilience. You are worth this commitment- this month and year-round! Remind those around you that May is Mental Health Month- a key time to raise awareness about the importance of taking care of our precious holistic selves! 💜🧘🏻

03/15/2024

Grace Navarro is a mom, wife, nurse and photographer extraordinaire! 📸 💕 While she could have been enjoying her son’s flag football games alongside the rest of us parents, she chose to instead put her talents to use taking incredible action shots throughout the games and even making videos for the kiddos to watch afterwards. 🏈 It was such a generous act that has my son thinking he’s a pro athlete now. 😎 🏆 For years to come, he will get to enjoy looking back and reliving his glory days on the field- all because someone special took the time to capture these golden moments and share them. Thank you so much, Grace! 🙏🥰💜
P.S. If you want to get some great shots of your child’s activities, reach out to see if you can book her- you’ll be so glad you did!

02/12/2024

You may be dealing with difficult things right now. It’s easy to become intimidated by difficult circumstances. 🥹 Keep in mind the fact that you have faced difficulties before. You have been overwhelmed before. ⛰️ And surely, there have been other times that you’ve questioned your ability to navigate a tough situation. 🤔 Remember the things that have helped you through past challenges. Remember your supports. Think about all of your strengths and how those strengths will serve you in navigating your current situation. What lies within you will always be there for you to access when you need to. You’ve got this! 💪

02/01/2024

01/23/2024

Sometimes, we are a little off. 😒 Maybe we slept poorly. 😩 Maybe we’re stewing over something, or scared of something. Or just feeling like we’ve lost our way. 🥺

There’s always a way back home- to the self. 💟 It can take time, space and even doing the things we love to get us there. But we’re worth it. You’re worth taking the time and doing the things you need to feel like you’re YOU again. 🥰

01/17/2024

I received this little keychain as a gift from someone special to me and I read it every day. 🥰 I find having daily affirmations placed on visible objects or locations to be a very effective form of emotional self-care. Here’s my little reminder for you today… 💕

11/23/2023

Happy Thanksgiving to you today! Thank you for the joy that you bring to the world, for the gifts and talents you share, and for your all you do to create wellness- in yourself, your family, and in the communities we share. May today be a day of peace and beauty for you, wherever you are. Love, Katie 💗

11/03/2023

We all have emotions- every single day! Some are BIG 😡, some are small 🫤some are obvious 🥰, and some are hidden, confusing or difficult to manage 🤔. The simplest, but most important step you can take every day to manage your emotions is just to NAME what you are feeling. That’s it! ✍️

Try it- what are you feeling right now? If it’s hard to identify, scan your body, your thoughts, your mood. Did you know just by naming your feeling, you experience an immediate drop in your cortisol level? That’s right! Identifying our emotions offers immediate relief. 🧘🏻

I’m hoping this pillow I just acquired for my office helps my clients to identify their feelings more easily. I plan to use it too! 😉

10/30/2023

Feeling sleepy? 🥱 It’s Fall- which can make us want to fall asleep! 😴 This is normal right now! Remember to take care of yourself with rest, hydration, snacks, and continuous stress management. 🧘🏻 You are worth the time and the time outs! ⏰🛏️💤 Give yourself the care you need and deserve 🌸.

10/23/2023

This beautiful plant in my office bloomed for the first time last week. 🌸 For over a year, it has looked pretty sad, but I continued to water it anyways. 💦 Then, on Monday I noticed there were new petals that had opened and were leaning towards the window. 🪟☀️

I thought of how much this plant is like people. We have to keep watering ourselves in the off-seasons of life because we really never know what the next day brings. 🦋 We just need to keep showing up, keep saying “yes” to new experiences, and sometimes let nature do the rest. ✨

Are there parts of you that feel closed off right now? What would it take for you to show up and stay open in these areas of your life? 🌼Could the benefit of doing this outweigh the risk? 💫🍀

10/10/2023

“I’m not really a mountain person…” Atleast, I didn’t think I was. 🤔 I’ve been drawn to deserts, valleys, lakes and oceans most of my life and that feels nice. I’ve associated mountains with cold weather 🥶 and car sickness 🤢, neither of which I do well with. As a result, I’ve leaned away from exploring mountainous areas. ⛰️ In an effort to compromise with my born-to-hike, mountain-loving husband, I recently visited the Rocky Mountains in Colorado for a vacation. 🌄We hiked, we forest-bathed, we leaf-peeped and I fell in love with the beautiful state that I was born in. 🌲Makes me wonder how many other hidden treasures I’ve been avoiding… 🍁🌅💓

Have you opted out of people, places or things that you haven’t had a chance to experience? What would it look like for you to step out of your comfort zone and experience something you typically avoid? What do you have to lose? What might you gain? 🫣