Jennings Counseling Services

04/10/2026

Walking is not just basic movement. It directly affects how your brain functions. Research shows that regular walking improves blood flow to the brain, which helps deliver more oxygen and nutrients needed for brain cell health and performance.

Studies, including research from Harvard Medical School, have found that moderate aerobic activity like walking increases levels of BDNF, a protein that supports the growth of new brain cells and strengthens connections between them. This is strongly linked to better memory, learning ability, and overall cognitive performance.

Another study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed that walking regularly can increase the size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory. This is important because this area naturally shrinks with age.

What this means in real life:
• Better memory retention and recall
• Improved focus and concentration
• Reduced brain fog
• Lower risk of cognitive decline with age
• Better mood due to release of endorphins

How to actually do it:
• Walk at a brisk pace (you should be slightly out of breath but able to talk)
• Aim for 30 to 45 minutes
• Do it at least 3 times per week
• Be consistent instead of doing it randomly

⚠️ Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and not medical advice. Individual results may vary. Consult a healthcare professional before making changes to your routine, especially if you have any medical conditions.

03/27/2026

1. The ritual was called “Wičháŋpi Wóyute” — star feeding.

Lakota healers used it for those who lost loved ones or survived violence.

The person didn’t talk about the trauma.
They fed it.

They’d gather stones representing the pain, then carry them to a river and release them one by one while speaking the memory out loud to the water.

The final stone was kept as a reminder that grief was witnessed, not erased.

🪨🌊

2. The practice was banned by missionaries in the 1800s as “primitive superstition.”

But in 2019, Johns Hopkins trauma researchers recreated it with PTSD patients.

They found the physical act of releasing objects while verbalizing trauma engages both hemispheres of the brain — something talk therapy alone doesn’t achieve.

Results after 6 sessions:

• PTSD symptom reduction: 73%
• Intrusive thoughts decreased by 81%
• Emotional regulation improved 6x faster than traditional therapy

🧠

3. The protocol (modern adaptation):

• Gather small objects (stones, paper, anything tangible)
• Each object represents one painful memory or feeling
• Go to a natural setting (river, ocean, forest)
• Hold each object, speak the memory out loud
• Release it physically (throw it, bury it, burn it)
• Keep one object as a witness

The act of physical release signals to the brain that the memory has been processed.

🔥

4. Therapy organizations pushed back hard.

One psychologist association called it:
“Unscientific and potentially harmful.”

But the data showed otherwise.

The modern therapy model profits from long-term treatment.
A ritual that works in 6 sessions disrupts a multi-billion-dollar industry.

💰

5. Try it with one painful memory.

Lakota healers said:
“The wound that’s held grows.
The wound that’s released heals.”

Your brain doesn’t need endless analysis.
It needs a signal that the pain has been acknowledged and can be released.

Most people are still carrying stones from decades ago.
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03/25/2026

Lesson for Grades 6-12

03/20/2026

Let them climb the tree! 🌳

New research shows that risky outdoor play is not only good for children’s health but also encourages creativity, social skills and resilience.

03/20/2026

Take the nap! 💤

The stigma against napping is finally starting to decrease — and for good reason. Taking a timeout to sleep during the day does much more than just give us a quick energy boost.

03/19/2026

The faster you move, the slower time passes. Literally.

Einstein’s theory of special relativity proves that the faster you move through space, the slower you experience time.

In 1905, Albert Einstein revolutionized our understanding of the universe by revealing that space and time are not separate entities, but a unified structure called spacetime. According to this framework, every object moves through spacetime at a constant rate. However, as an object increases its speed through space, its progression through time must compensate by slowing down. This means that as you approach the speed of light—roughly 186,000 miles per second—the rhythm of your clock stretches, a phenomenon known as time dilation that effectively turns high-speed travel into a journey into the future.

This concept is far from theoretical; it is a fundamental reality confirmed by rigorous experimentation and modern technology. In 1971, scientists used ultra-precise atomic clocks on commercial airplanes to prove that time literally slows down for objects in motion. Even the GPS satellites we rely on every day must account for these relativistic shifts to provide accurate locations. Without correcting for the time differences caused by their orbital speed, GPS coordinates would drift by several miles daily, demonstrating that Einstein’s insights are essential to the functionality of our interconnected world.

source: Hafele, J. C., & Keating, R. E. (1972). Around-the-World Atomic Clocks: Predicted Relativistic Time Gains. Science.

03/16/2026

Hold onto the friends who help you trust yourself.

03/15/2026

A Japanese neurologist spent years studying 300 elderly individuals who showed exceptional memory performance — no measurable cognitive decline, no signs of dementia, and strong executive function well into later life.

He wasn’t looking for a miracle compound.

He was looking for patterns.

Across backgrounds, professions, and lifestyles, one consistent habit kept appearing:

They all wrote by hand.

Not occasionally.
Regularly.

The doctor’s conclusion wasn’t mystical. It was neurological.

Handwriting forces simultaneous activation across multiple brain systems. The motor cortex coordinates fine finger movements. The cerebellum refines timing and precision. Language centers process word formation. The hippocampus supports memory encoding. The prefrontal cortex manages sequencing, focus, and structure.

Few daily activities require that layered integration.

Typing compresses movement into repetitive keystrokes. Handwriting requires spatial mapping, motor variation, and cognitive pacing. It slows thought just enough to deepen encoding.

From a neurological standpoint, repeated multi-network activation supports neuroplastic maintenance — especially in aging brains.

The doctor did not claim handwriting prevents cognitive decline outright.

But he emphasized a simple principle:

What you repeatedly activate strengthens.
What you stop using weakens.

Sometimes the most protective habits are not advanced.
They are consistent.

Fifteen minutes a day.
Pen. Paper. Attention.

Sources:
Frontiers in Psychology – Handwriting vs typing and memory
University of Tokyo – Cognitive motor integration
NIH – Neuroplasticity and aging
Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
Harvard Health – Memory maintenance strategies

Disclaimer:
This content is educational and not medical advice. Cognitive health is influenced by many factors. Consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalized guidance.

03/10/2026

02/20/2026

02/05/2026

The soil bacterium that mirrors the effects of antidepressant drugs like Prozac is Mycobacterium vaccae (M.vaccae). This harmless, non-pathogenic microbe is found in healthy organic soil and has been shown to stimulate the same parts of the brain that produce serotonin, the “happy” chemical, without the side effects associated with pharmaceutical drugs. 

🗂️How Mycobacterium vaccae Works. M.vaccae interacts with the human body and brain through several biological pathways: 

📑Stimulating Serotonin Release: When humans are exposed to the bacterium—through inhalation, ingestion, or topical contact—it activates a specific group of neurons in the brain that produce serotonin. Specifically, it has been found to activate serotonergic neurons in the interfascicular part of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRI).

📑Anti-inflammatory Response: The bacterium has long-lasting anti-inflammatory effects on the brain. This is critical because neuroinflammation is a known risk factor for mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression. By dampening this inflammation, M.vaccae helps promote stress resilience.

📑Increasing Serotonin Biosynthesis: In studies, treatment with M.vaccae increased the expression of tph2, an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of serotonin.

📑Affecting Brain Regions: Increased serotonin levels have been specifically noted in the medial prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain that modulates anxiety and regulates emotional behavior. 

🗂️Method of Exposure and Effects. Humans typically encounter M.vaccae while gardening or spending time in nature. The bacterium can enter the body by: 

📑Inhaling it from the air or soil dust.

📑Ingesting it through water sources or from picking and eating fresh produce like lettuce or carrots.

📑Topical absorption through skin contact or entry through small cuts. 

Research on both mice and humans suggests that these effects can last for up to three weeks after exposure. Beyond mood elevation, studies have indicated that M.vaccae may improve cognitive function and learning abilities; for example, mice exposed to the bacteria were able to navigate mazes twice as fast as those without it.

12/07/2025

Children often save their most intense emotions for their mothers because they see her as the ultimate “safe base” to release stress and be their unfiltered self, trusting her co-regulation (calming presence) to soothe their nervous system after holding it together elsewhere. Their nervous system literally attunes to the mother’s, and showing big emotions is a sign of deep trust, not defiance, indicating they feel secure enough to “fall apart”.

▶️Why this happens (The Science):
📑Safety & Trust: A child’s nervous system recognizes the mother (or primary caregiver) as the person they can fully trust to handle their big feelings without judgment or threat, allowing them to drop their guard.
📑Co-regulation: Mothers help calm a child’s distressed nervous system through mirroring (heartbeat, breath) and soothing. This teaches the child self-regulation.
📑Mirroring the Nervous System: A child’s internal state (heart rate, stress hormones) mirrors the parent’s. A mother’s calm presence is medicine; her anxiety can become the child’s “normal”.
📑The “Safe Field Effect”: When a child sees their mother, their brain gets a signal they’re safe to release pent-up emotions from school or other situations.

▶️What it looks like
📑“Saving the Worst for Last”: They might behave perfectly at school but have meltdowns at home because the tension has to go somewhere.
📑Not Misbehavior, but Release: The tantrum isn’t defiance; it’s the child letting go of stress in the one place they feel secure enough to do so.

▶️How to respond
📑Regulate Yourself First: Your calm is their medicine. Take deep breaths to signal safety.
📑Validate & Connect: Say, “You held a lot in today. It’s okay to let it out now”.
📑Offer Presence, Not Logic: Their logical brain is offline. Offer connection, gentle touch, and calm, not lectures.

Studies also show that when children don’t have this secure attachment to lean on, it negatively rewires the child’s brain.
Read more here: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250612/Unpredictable-caregiving-rewires-the-braine28099s-threat-response.aspx