Beach Walk Talk with Dr. Robyn Igelman

05/21/2020

Online learning, basic needs, missing milestones contribute to parental stress.

05/18/2020

Love this! ❤️

05/07/2020

Running puts everyone in a better mood. But for some of us, our miles are key to managing depression and anxiety.

04/06/2020

The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated social and economic stressors can undermine children’s development and well-being. Not only must they cope with major changes to everyday life, such as physical distancing and home confinement, but their families may struggle to meet their basic physical an...

04/06/2020

The coronavirus pandemic has led to a collective loss of normalcy.

03/29/2020

This is excellent information and may be super helpful to you or someone you know who is experiencing anxiety right now.

03/29/2020

It’s ok to grieve during this time...

03/27/2020

Six daily questions to ask yourself during quarantine

If you’re sheltering in place, be sure to check in with yourself.

03/21/2020

Yale University is offering its most popular course for free on Coursera. I signed up for it — here's what "The Science of Well-Being" is like.

12/10/2019

12/04/2019

At any moment, we have a choice to practice peace or to practice stress. As we go about our day, reflect on the actions that will bring us more peace. Prioritizing peace not only brings us better mental wellbeing, but also give us the chance to be more in tune with our true nature. When we give ourselves more peace instead of more stress, it’s also an act of self-compassion and self-care. Intentionally seek peace today and the rest will fall into place.

12/04/2019

11/30/2019

11/24/2019

Neuroscientists have found that if you really feel it when you say it, you'll be happier and healthier. The regular practice of expressing gratitude is not a New Age fad; it's a facet of the human condition that reaps true benefits to those who mean it.

11/22/2019

💠It's ok💠

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11/19/2019

For the dead and the living, we must bear witness. –Elie Wiesel Each person’s grief is as unique as their fingerprint. But what everyone has in common is that no matter how they grieve, they share …

11/19/2019

HOLIDAYS - When Old Pain Becomes Fresh Again Gman8361 November 17, 2015 - 3:56pm Pain runs deep. Grief scars are powerful, and sink into the darkest recesses of the heart. Catastrophic wounds can throw us into survival mode for a while.No matter how old the wound, with the right trigger, the pain ca...

11/15/2019

The average length of a hug between two people is 3 seconds. But the researchers have discovered something fantastic. When a hug lasts 20 seconds, there is a therapeutic effect on the body and mind. The reason is that a sincere embrace produces a hormone called "oxytocin", also known as the love hormone. This substance has many benefits in our physical and mental health, helps us, among other things, to relax, to feel safe and calm our fears and anxiety. This wonderful tranquilizer is offered free of charge every time we have a person in our arms, who cradled a child, who cherish a dog or a cat, that we are dancing with our partner, the closer we get to someone or simply hold the Shoulders of a friend.

A famous quote by psychotherapist Virginia Satir goes, “We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.” Whether those exact numbers have been scientifically proven remains to be seen, but there is a great deal of scientific evidence related to the importance of hugs and physical contact. Here are some reasons why we should hug::

1. STIMULATES OXYTOCIN

Oxytocin is a neurotransmitter that acts on the limbic system, the brain’s emotional centre, promoting feelings of contentment, reducing anxiety and stress, and even making mammals monogamous. It is the hormone responsible for us all being here today. You see this little gem is released during childbirth, making our mothers forget about all of the excruciating pain they endured expelling us from their bodies and making them want to still love and spend time with us. New research from the University of California suggests that it has a similarly civilising effect on human males, making them more affectionate and better at forming relationships and social bonding. And it dramatically increased the libido and sexual performance of test subjects. When we hug someone, oxytocin is released into our bodies by our pituitary gland, lowering both our heart rates and our cortisol levels. Cortisol is the hormone responsible for stress, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

2. CULTIVATES PATIENCE

Connections are fostered when people take the time to appreciate and acknowledge one another. A hug is one of the easiest ways to show appreciation and acknowledgement of another person. The world is a busy, hustle-bustle place and we’re constantly rushing to the next task. By slowing down and taking a moment to offer sincere hugs throughout the day, we’re benefiting ourselves, others, and cultivating better patience within ourselves.

3. PREVENTS DISEASE

Affection also has a direct response on the reduction of stress which prevents many diseases. The Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine says it has carried out more than 100 studies into touch and found evidence of significant effects, including faster growth in premature babies, reduced pain, decreased autoimmune disease symptoms, lowered glucose levels in children with diabetes, and improved immune systems in people with cancer.

4. STIMULATES THYMUS GLAND

Hugs strengthen the immune system. The gentle pressure on the sternum and the emotional charge this creates activates the Solar Plexus Chakra. This stimulates the thymus gland, which regulates and balances the body’s production of white blood cells, which keep you healthy and disease free.

5. COMMUNICATION WITHOUT SAYING A WORD

Almost 70 percent of communication is nonverbal. The interpretation of body language can be based on a single gesture and hugging is an excellent method of expressing yourself nonverbally to another human being or animal. Not only can they feel the love and care in your embrace, but they can actually be receptive enough to pay it forward to others based on your initiative alone.

6. SELF-ESTEEM

Hugging boosts self-esteem, especially in children. The tactile sense is all-important in infants. A baby recognizes its parents initially by touch. From the time we’re born our family’s touch shows us that we’re loved and special. The associations of self-worth and tactile sensations from our early years are still imbedded in our nervous system as adults. The cuddles we received from our Mom and Dad while growing up remain imprinted at a cellular level, and hugs remind us at a somatic level of that. Hugs, therefore, connect us to our ability to self love.

7. STIMULATES DOPAMINE

Everything everyone does involves protecting and triggering dopamine flow. Low dopamine levels play a role in the neurodegenerative disease Parkinson’s as well as mood disorders such as depression. Dopamine is responsible for giving us that feel-good feeling, and it’s also responsible for motivation! Hugs stimulate brains to release dopamine, the pleasure hormone. Dopamine sensors are the areas that many stimulating drugs such as co***ne and methamphetamine target. The presence of a certain kinds of dopamine receptors are also associated with sensation-seeking.

8. STIMULATES SEROTONIN

Reaching out and hugging releases endorphins and serotonin into the blood vessels and the released endorphins and serotonin cause pleasure and negate pain and sadness and decrease the chances of getting heart problems, helps fight excess weight and prolongs life. Even the cuddling of pets has a soothing effect that reduces the stress levels. Hugging for an extended time lifts one’s serotonin levels, elevating mood and creating happiness.

9. PARASYMPATHETIC BALANCE

Hugs balance out the nervous system. The skin contains a network of tiny, egg-shaped pressure centres called Pacinian corpuscles that can sense touch and which are in contact with the brain through the vagus nerve. The galvanic skin response of someone receiving and giving a hug shows a change in skin conductance. The effect in moisture and electricity in the skin suggests a more balanced state in the nervous system – parasympathetic.
Embrace, embrace with your heart.~~

art: Dorina Costras
Shared from Sacred Dreams

11/07/2019

Observing emotions without judgment, and lessening the fight-or-flight response.

10/22/2019

And break out of that "rest deficit."

10/07/2019

Some great advice in this article on being too busy and how to regain control.

“...being constantly busy is the same as being out of control, where your schedule and life feel like they’re not really yours.”

Uncomfortable truth: The more you try to control things, the less control you have and “busier” you tend to get.

09/29/2019

Curious what you all think of this trend in alternative healing approaches...

Patients are confronting psychotherapists with a fresh pile of really useful challenges.

09/21/2019

09/12/2019

Just the reminders you may need when your brain is beating you up.

09/07/2019

“Yep, crying actually calms you down...turning on the tears helps the body rid itself of toxins and hormones that contribute to elevated stress levels. This in turn helps lower your blood pressure.”

If you've ever attempted to hold back tears, then you know that trying to stop yourself from crying can be more difficult than letting the tears flow. While there can be an unnecessary stigma around crying, new research found that crying is actually…

08/20/2019

Negative childhood experiences can set our brains to constantly feel danger and fear says psychiatrist and traumatic stress expert Bessel van der Kolk. He

08/20/2019

To the mother of the wild child, I see you and I know you are trying your best to raise your strong-willed child.

08/20/2019

07/25/2019

❤️❤️❤️

We often hear about the power of gratitude for creating a more positive and happy mental state. But did you know that gratitude literally transforms your brain? According to UCLA's Mindfulness Awareness Research Center, regularly expressing gratitude literally changes the molecular structure of the....