Sierra Wellness Center

10/29/2024

Scroll down to learn more about a special, free, and online Election Eve Meditation Class!

Right now, I'm talking to clients, friends, family, and even perfect strangers who are all expressing some degree of fear and anxiety not only about the upcoming U.S. election on November 5, but also about the global backdrop of violence, natural disasters, and division in which these elections are taking place.

Many folks are justly and righteously angry and outraged. Many are confused and frustrated. Many are feeling anticipatory grief for what yet may come. But what I have heard the most frequently is that most people are caught in a grip of fear that drives them to either completely disconnect, detach, and distract as a way of coping. Alternatively, they become overwhelmed or frozen, ruminating on fears and worries in a way that negatively impacts their wellbeing.

So how do we acknowledge and hold space for fear and all the other feelings that accompany fear without numbing ourselves and without being overtaken by our emotions? The answer lies in our innate capacity self-awareness and insight and our innate drive toward love, compassion, and connectedness with others. Suffering alone and suffering in silence only amplifies our fears and our sense of powerlessness. But by tuning in to what we are feeling, we can ask, "What do I need?"

Do I need to disconnect from social media, from the 24 hour news cycle and constant headlines for a while? Do I need to engage in activities that nurture me and inspire me? Do I need to channel these feelings into some type of activism? Do I need to connect with someone who I trust cares about me? Do I need to not be alone right now?

By coming together to a place of belonging, when we realize we are not alone in our suffering, we can gain strength and empowerment.

Meditation and mindfulness practices teach us how to ride the waves of fear rather than drown in them. By turning toward our experience, fear gives way to compassion, strength, and resiliency and helps us identify what we are most longing for so that we may take action on our own behalf to meet that need.

I invite you to join me and fellow meditators on Monday, November 4th, 2024, the eve of the national election, from 7:00 to 8:30pm EST for a special mindfulness meditation class. I will be leading this class via Zoom.

7:00pm: Opening meditation to cultivate equanimity

7:10pm: Inspirational and Informational Talk

7:30pm: Awareness and Compassion of Election Emotions

8:00pm: Sharing and Q&A

My hope is that this will be a safe space for all of us to come together to quiet the mind and ease the heart just a bit before Election Day.

This event is FREE, but pre-registration is required! Please register here: https://www.sierrawellnesscenter.net/special-events or reach out to me via my website to learn more: https://www.sierrawellnesscenter.net/contact-form

Only those who pre-register will receive the Zoom link.

JOIN OUR UPCOMING EVENTS. Nov 4 to Jan 3 Election Eve Meditation Class Mon, Nov 4, 2024 7:00 PM Fri, Jan 3, 2025 8:30 PM Google Calendar ICS Struggling with election anxiety? Join us online Monday November 5, 2024 at 7pm ET via Zoom to cultivate inner awareness and compassion to your election anxiet...

10/29/2024

Marine Corps Marathon 2024! I was so honored to be a part of the Psyching Team, a group of psychologists and mental health professionals who provide support to runners during the race. We were at Aid Stations 5 and 8, two pivotal points on the course where runners are grappling with whether they are going to meet the time requirements to finish the course. Runners can be especially emotional around AS 5 because this station is located about two miles after the "Blue Mile," a one-mile section of the race course that honors fallen military service members.

Yesterday, I was at AS 5 where I walked or jogged with some runners who were feeling frustrated or discouraged and just needed someone to remind them of their "why" and provide some encouragement to get through the rest of their miles.

I sat with and comforted runners who were too injured to continue, runners whose training hadn't gone according to plan and didn't have the stamina to continue, runners whose bodies simply told them they needed to stop, and runners who knew they weren't going to complete the course in the requisite time to get a finisher's medal.

But mainly, I cheered on thousands of runners who were running their own race in whatever way worked for them. Everyone I met--those who finished and those who did not--met this challenge with fierceness, with courage, with strength, with humor, and with resilience even in the face of adversity. It was such an inspiring experience.

I have so much gratitude for all the medical staff who volunteered their time and talents to meet the needs of not only the runners, but also the spectators who faced medical challenges throughout the race. There were a couple of scary incidents, including two folks who needed to be medevacced to local area hospitals.

I spent some time chatting with a U.S. Park Police Officer who said he volunteered to work overtime for this event because it's such a positive and enjoyable experience as a cop to be able to participate in a meaningful event such as this.

Being a part of the connectedness among the runners, the spectators, the med staff, the race coordinators, the law enforcement officers, and all the other volunteers and personnel that it takes to pull this event off reminded me of how beautiful the human spirit can be. And I will say for me, today more than any other day, I needed that reminder.

Did you run yesterday? If so, share your experience in the comments below ⬇️ What went well? What didn't?

Are you a runner? Drop some of your best racing tips or tricks! What get's you through when the mental game of long miles gets hard or when you start to notice discomfort or fatigue setting in?

Maybe next year I'll run the MCM rather than cheer from the sidelines! Well, maybe I'll run the 10K 🤣

07/28/2024

FREE drop-in mindfulness meditation classes on Monday nights start on August 5th in Gambrills, MD.

Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned meditator, our welcoming environment is perfect for everyone. No need to book in advance—just bring yourself and an open mind.

✅ Reduce Stress
✅ Improve Focus
✅ Enhance Well-being

Don't miss out on this chance to cultivate mindfulness while connecting with others in powerful and meaningful ways.

🧘‍♀️ Drop in, unwind, and find your calm. 🧘‍♂️

Sierra Wellness Center offers weekly drop-in classes in person and online so you are sure to find the class that works for you! No prior meditation experience necessary to drop in. Research tells us that meditating as part of a community is impactful in ways that meditating alone are not.

04/20/2024

What’s everyone doing today? Come visit my tent at the Songbird Music Festival at Maryland Hall in Annapolis! Come see some of the area’s greatest local musicians and support a good cause!! Hope to see you here 💜

03/26/2024

Words feel inadequate to capture the shock, sadness, and grief that everyone in the State of Maryland and beyond are feeling right now over the tragic destruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. How do we exist in a world where we know that unexpected tragedy and loss can occur at any time, and yet not be consumed by fear and overwhelm? How do we hold space for sadness and grief and yet still show up with presence in our daily lives rather than collapsing under the weight of all? Who or what can we lean into when we can't exert control over the inevitable suffering that life can bring?

I don't have all the answers, but I do know that none of us can survive these impactful events alone. At times like this, I like to lean into nature, tapping into the strong, solid and grounding presence of the trees, the rhythmic flowing impermanence of the oceans waves, and the warmth and energy of the sun. And then I tap into the collective compassion, kindness, and love of humanity, remembering that none of us can survive, much less thrive, if we try to do it alone.

If you find yourself struggling after today's events, feeling more anxious, fearful, vigilant, agitated; experiencing more tension and stress in the body; having difficulty sleeping, know you are not alone. Some things to try:

*Stand up straight with your back against a wall, feet slightly apart, close your eyes, feel the wall against your back and image the roots of a tree radiating out from your feet, holding you solid to the ground while you take some slow deep breaths, allowing your exhale to be longer than your inhale

*Engage your senses, stop in this moment and name 5 things you see, 4 things you hear, 3 things you feel, 2 things you smell, and one thing you taste

*Ask a friend or family member if they have time and space to connect with you, to hear how you are feeling and then hold space for them

*Self-compassion break: if you start to have difficult thoughts or feelings, acknowledge that this is a difficult moment, that you are feeling something hard, scary, sad, or painful; remember that experiencing hard things and difficult feelings is part of what it means to be human--you are not alone!; ask this hurting or fearful part what kind of comfort, soothing, kindness, warmth, encouragement, or strength it needs right now--what words are you most needing to hear, and then offer those words to yourself right now...often when we encounter big and scaring things, we simply need to know we are not alone, that this is temporary, that we can and will feel safe again, that emotions come and go like the waves of the ocean, and that we are resilient enough to survive this.

To anyone impacted by today's events: May you be safe; may you be loved; may you be free from suffering...this is my deepest aspiration for you🙏🏼💜

Namaste

03/24/2024

Welcome to Sierra Wellness Center, owned by Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Alysia Sierra. SWC offers mindfulness meditation classes, workshops, and private instruction to anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding of their thoughts, emotions, and their relationship to themselves, others, and the world around them. Uniquely designed workshops and classes are available for specific audiences including health professionals, corporate leaders/managers/professionals, athletes, performing artists, parents, trauma survivors, and teens. These workshops will address specific themes relevant to those groups.

Alysia also offers individual psychotherapy through her private mental health practice to those struggling with generalized anxiety, performance anxiety, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, post-traumatic distress, and relationship difficulties.

To learn more about Alysia and all that she offers, please visit www.sierrawellnesscenter.net/about-alysia

Namaste🙏🏼

Alysia has been a licensed clinical psychologist for 9 years. She has extensive training in integration mindfulness-based and compassion-based practices into her work as a psychotherapist. In addition to offering talk therapy, she now offers these practices to you in the form of mindfulness meditati